Local Parent Teacher Organization (PTA) leader Tina Diamond was sworn in as the newest trustee on the Farmingdale Board of Education, during the school board's annual reorganization meeting held on July 5.

Following an open application process, Diamond was appointed by the board in June to fill the remaining one year of the term of Trustee Josephine Macchia, who has retired. Diamond has held several leadership positions throughout her 11 years of PTA involvement, including Farmingdale PTA Council president.

School Board President Anthony Vitale, in welcoming Diamond to the board during an interview last week, noted that her connection to parents will enable her to make a valuable contribution to the local body.

"I think she brings with her a wealth of information...She's been involved in the community, knowing what the community wants, what the community needs," he said of Diamond, who as part of her commitment to PTA has regularly attended school board meetings for the past eight years. "Also, she's been involved with PTA hearing what goes on at all the board meetings, and basically she hears it from both ends," added Vitale. "And I think what she'll be able to bring with her is maybe part of that missing link that we're not hearing from the community."

Such a connection seems key as the school board reflects on ways to improve communication with the community about current educational challenges, especially in light of the defeat of the school budget in May. A moderately reduced budget was approved on a revote in June.

As the board prepares for this year's budget process, it will face the challenge of educating a new wave of young parents who have moved into Farmingdale in recent years, about current issues in education, such as new state mandates. Early parent involvement should be an important part of the process, noted Vitale.

"I think if you get involved through the whole process, from September on, by the time we get to May, they're going to know what is going on in the district," he said.

"It's a very long process of education, and they have to understand where the district and board are coming from when we come to our final decisions in May."

Vitale added, "There are going to be many pressures on our students, on educators, on board members, and those are going to increase. And each year, it seems that the new demands, in terms of higher standards being required - state testing, mandated programs, services, technology - they all provide us with new frontiers in education which are exciting and challenging. Our students must have the skills to take advantage of the high-tech world, and Farmingdale schools are striving to work hard to meet this need."

Vice-President Robert Guarino, in an interview, also welcomed Diamond to the board, which he noted is preparing for a new school year of many new projects.

"I think that we're going to attempt to keep our programs on track, and make certain that where things need to be improved they are, and maybe look for some innovative ways to provide services more economically, whether that be through technology, or an assessment of the programs that we have and how to deliver good programs to the most kids," he said. "We've got an exciting year coming up with the planning for full-day kindergarten and the construction under the bond, and keeping the district competitive, so our children are competitive.

"I think it's important that we make certain that we get the message out to the community that we are here for the children, and we're going to try to get, if possible, more involvement, from the community, while we're going through things like the budget, so we don't have the problems and concerns, or misinformation that goes out concerning the budget process," Guarino added. "We hope to avoid the possibility of having a budget defeat. We want to be responsive to the community, and we'd like to develop that dialogue, and I think that's going to be one of our goals, to hopefully better communicate with the people."

Diamond, in an interview, noted that she believes the school board is deeply committed to the students and community of Farmingdale, and that her parent perspective has convinced her of the high quality of Farmingdale schools. She noted that she is also proud of the support the community gives to the school system, as evidenced by the passage of the $38.5 million bond project in October. "You knew that they wanted the schools to be the best," she said. "It's a model community. It's got such spirit, and the people are so tied to it."

Asked what her goal as board member is, she said, "Always to improve the education, to improve with the times, to ensure that these students have the best possible programs to bring them into a new world, a new working world. It's a very fast-paced one, and it's a very competitive one."