Arlene Martin, a 47-year resident of Massapequa, is seeking re-election to the Massapequa School Board where she has served for nine years.

Martin's background includes a variety of volunteer services both in education and in the community. She is the recipient of the 2007 Town of Oyster Bay Woman of Distinction in Education Award, a Professor at Molloy College, and a Cultural Arts instructor.

Her financial knowledge includes working on Massapequa's Budget and Finance Committee as well as the Audit Committee. She works both on the Fields of Dreams Committee and the Athletic Fields Committee.

Martin is seeking re-election because she believes that her experience in education and community organizations helps her to bring a positive perspective to the advancement of the Massapequa educational system.

Since being on the board, the schools, Martin said, have seen many significant changes, including the following items: the alignment of curriculum across the grades, scores above the county average, expanded efforts to meet the needs of special education children, and a steady growth in Regents diplomas, reaching 92 percent last year. In the area of finances, the district, Martin added, has moved from close to bankruptcy to a financial position praised by state, federal and private auditors, raising the bond rating to the AA standard.

Martin said that the major issue in Massapequa, as well as across Long Island, is taxes. The board, she claimed, has been successful in many areas to control costs. According to Martin, the rental of two buildings, the implementation of the Energy Efficiency Contract, the cooperative purchasing consortiums, as well as other such efforts have enabled the taxes to be $733 lower than the average Nassau County district. "Massapequa students are succeeding although the district spends one quarter the amount the average district does per student," Martin said.

Martin acknowledged that if administrative costs seem to be a concern, then it should be noted that Massapequa is third from the bottom out of 40 districts in money spent in this area. If two administrators were to be eliminated, she claimed, then the average home would save only $1.42 a month, four would equate to $2.84, and eight would total $5.68.

"This is a small amount to save considering the negative effect on curriculum development, delivery and assessment, which would ultimately impact the education of the students," Martin said.

Being actively involved in Nassau County's Committee on school tax relief, Martin said she is committed to working with the board to investigate additional specific measures to relieve the tax burden of the individual taxpayer. Working with consortiums of local districts to examine bank rates, energy purchases and legal costs are ideas that Martin said she will ask the board to research.

Martin said that she is looking forward to expanding the successful School-Wide Enrichment program into all the elementary schools. Providing additional technology learning, as well as a balanced literacy strand, is also of prime concern to her, as is developing a five-year athletic plan. Finally, Martin said that of utmost importance is the upcoming restructuring of the high school, which she said will greatly impact the students now and for years to come.