Four candidates are competing in an at-large vote for the two three-year term seats on the Massapequa Board of Education. The Massapequa School Budget Vote and School Board elections will be held May 17 from 6 a.m. to 9 p.m. The last date for voter registration is May 12.

His experience as a member of the Massapequa School District's Budget and Finance Committee, as well as the years he has spent as a program coordinator for troubled teens, would enable challenger Gary Bennett to realize his educational philosophy if elected to the school board.

"As responsible adults, we should realize that nothing is more important than cultivating the education of our children," Bennett said.

Bennett has served as program coordinator for youth programs involving troubled teens incarcerated in the county jail. The programs include regular interaction with high school students in an effort to stem drug and alcohol use among teenagers.

Bennett also cited his experience with the Budget and Finance Committee as helping him to create new ways of financing education, a skill that would be useful as a member of the school board.

"As a member of the Budget and Finance Committee, I am proud of this district's efforts to keep costs down. In the wake of soaring fuel costs and greater NY State mandates that have added much pressure on our budget, to escape with only a 6.99 percent increase for the largest district in Nassau County, is a fine accomplishment," Bennett said.

Bennett said as a member of the school board he would hope to "contribute new and innovative ideas that bode well with the challenging times of our current educational programs and systems." One such idea that he would like to see put in motion is the creation of a summer school program for advanced students to enable them to excel. "Of course, state-mandated courses must be covered," Bennett explained, "but exceptional students looking for the opportunity to get ahead should be provided with the wherewithal to do so."

Bennett also said he believes in applying more pressure on Albany for additional school aid to compensate for the aid that has been drastically reduced over the past 10 years.

Bennett has been a resident of Massapequa for over 25 years and has two children who are Massapequa High School graduates. He attended Minnesota University, where he received his associates degree with a GPA of 3.7. He was drafted to play professional tennis and became a marketing executive for Wilson Sporting Goods, and later became vice president Holland Associates New York.

When asked why he is the best candidate for the Massapequa School Board, incumbent Richard Krebs did not hesitate to say, "Experience."

Krebs has attended over 95 percent of the school board meetings over the past 12 years as a community member and as a board member. He has served on the board twice: from 1994-1997 and from 2002-2005. He has also served on numerous district committees throughout the years, is active in the community and has stood for the rights of community members many times.

"I am very familiar with the problems we face and steps that have been taken to solve these problems over the years," Krebs said. "Most of all, I am a good listener, an ability needed by a board member. The ability to listen to all sides of an issue, to see everyone's point of view, and to base my decisions on this information is a valuable skill."

Krebs cited the hiring of a new superintendent of schools, a new assistant superintendent, and another elementary principal as first and foremost among the challenges facing the Massapequa School District. He also mentioned the continuation of the "Good to Great" initiative, which seeks to ensure that high school students participate in a program that has rigor and relevance for their future college and work experience, as an ongoing challenge for the district.

Accomplishments that Krebs is particularly proud of include the building projects at Birch Lane Elementary School and Ames High School Campus to address space constraints, the alignment of the district's curriculum, the extended day kindergarten program. He also noted the energy performance contract that enabled the district to receive approximately $8 million in building improvements for free, and the positive results of the New York State audit.

Krebs is a 25-year resident of Massapequa, married, with one son who is a Massapequa High School graduate currently attending the State University at Albany. He currently works as the director of Youth Programs for the Suffolk County Department of Labor. These programs serve approximately 1,000 youths in educational, vocational, occupational and employment programs throughout Suffolk County.

Challenger Steven Pearl cites his pride in the Massapequa School District as his motivation for seeking election to the school board. "I have always been proud of the commitment to education that the Massapequa School Board has shown to our children and our community," Pearl said. "I feel that I have both the drive and the determination to uphold the integrity of our schools in an ever-changing political and financial landscape."

Having raised his own five children in the Massapequa School District, and now having four grandchildren about to enter Massapequa Schools, Pearl said he understands the importance that schools play in the lives of children and families. "I want to ensure continuing academic success for every student enrolled in School District #23," he said.

Pearl also credited his 33 years of work experience in the financial sector as equipping him with the tools and knowledge to make sound fiscal decisions that will benefit students enrolled in Massapequa Schools. "With my many years of fiscal experience and the responsibility of maintaining profitability through good and bad economic times, I know I can be a valuable asset to the Massapequa School District," he said.

While Pearl mentioned that there will always be issues and challenges in the world of education, the most pressing challenges he sees facing the Massapequa School District are the new state mandated testing of students in grades three through eight, the outsourcing of students with special needs to BOCES and other districts, and the continuing challenge to remain a financially viable school district while maintaining the current level of services.

"I am most proud of having raised five children, all of whom attended Massapequa Schools, and each of whom is now a successful adult contributing back to his or her community in their own way," Pearl said. Regarding accomplishments within the community, Pearl said he was most proud of his involvement with the Town of Oyster Bay Planning Advisory Board for several years.

"My role on the Advisory Board was to ensure that the 'quality of life' for community members, my neighbors, was sustained and, I hope, improved," Pearl said. "If elected to the school board, I would like to continue the work of ensuring both 'quality of life' and most importantly, 'quality of education' for all of our children."

Incumbent Christine Perrino is seeking re-election to the school board in order to continue what she calls "the extraordinary progress that has been made in the Massapequa District during the past five years."

Citing the accomplishments of the current school board, such as the extended day kindergarten program, the departmentalization of the sixth grade to better prepare students for secondary education, and the "Good to Great" initiative recently introduced at the high school level, Perrino credited her experience as a current board member as making her the best candidate for the position.

"I believe all children should have every opportunity to be challenged to reach their individual capabilities," Perrino said. "An exceptional education should prepare students to be well-rounded independent thinkers and achievers."

With three children currently enrolled in Massapequa schools, Perrino said that she believes her perspective as a parent on all ongoing educational programs and initiatives is invaluable to the board. She also mentioned her "strong business sense" in reviewing budgets, analyzing data and disseminating information as making her an effective representative of the community. "I will always keep the focus on the children of the district," she said.

Perrino referred to growing enrollment and space constraints as the biggest challenges facing the board during the last election. "I am proud to say that we have successfully addressed our space constraints at Birch Lane Elementary school by adding four new classrooms, and at our Ames High School Campus by adding eight classrooms that will be complete for the September 2005 opening," she said.

This was accomplished financially with a bond the community approved in 2003 that did not raise the tax rate. Perrino said the board is currently evaluating how to approach space constraints at the main high school campus, and plans to begin work are underway. This work was also covered financially in the same bond approval.

"I am sure it will also be a challenge to continue our path of academic excellence with the fiscal unrest that has been occurring throughout Nassau County," Perrino said. "Continuing to achieve our goals in a fiscally responsible manner is a priority."

Perrino has been a resident of Massapequa for the past 18 years. She has a BBA from Pace University and a 13-year Marketing and Sales career in Manhattan, primarily in the fashion industry. She is the current co-president of the Young Peoples Cultural Arts Workshop of Massapequa, served on the PTA executive board for the last eight years, and is a current member of the Massapequa Takes Action Against Alcohol and Drugs (MTA).