Eight candidates are running for three at large seats on the Syosset School District Board of Education. Three current board members whose terms are up, Anthony Alizzi, Maria Anderson and Ellen Meller, are not seeking re-election. Residents are encouraged to vote on the budget and board candidates on Tuesday, May 17 from 6 a.m.- 10 p.m.

Residents should note that polling locations have changed. Residents will now be voting at the seven elementary schools and not at the middle schools or high school. All registered voters should be receiving a postcard in the mail listing what school they are to vote at. Any resident who has a question over their polling place, please call the district clerk at 349-5669.

Information on the eight candidates is listed here, and presented in alphabetical order.

Edward Adrion said he decided to run for Syosset School Board of Education because he is troubled by the way the Syosset School District handles its business. He is a concerned citizen and wants to be an independent voice on the Syosset School Board, he said.

"Things are getting out of hand with the spending," said Adrion, who said he wanted to get involved to make a change. "I think the school district is great, the teachers do a great job and the parents emphasize school with their kids, but we don't have to keep spending at this rate to get that great product."

According to Adrion, the amount of money that the district is spending in the district is going up at an exponential rate. "I don't think we need to spend that kind of money on a good education. It has been one of the best districts on Long Island since I have been living here and we weren't spending as much money then," he said.

Adrion, an equity trader on Wall Street, has three grade school children at Robbins Lane and wants to maintain a quality education but at a realistic cost. "Spending by the district is up 40 percent in the last four years," said Adrion. "We cannot continue to increase spending each year at the rate we have in the past."

Adrion believes Syosset can provide a terrific educational product without forcing hardship on the taxpayers. He moved into the district 12 years ago because of the schools and said he plans on doing everything in his power to maintain this great performance.

"I have 20 years experience on Wall Street and look forward to adding my expertise in financial matters to the school board," said Adrion.

As a member of Taxpayers United, he said he has been largely responsible for the somewhat restrained spending this year. "What about next year? We must continue the effort for fiscal responsibility and not revert to past spending habits," he said. "We need to concentrate resources in the classroom and not on administration. I would love an opportunity to represent the interests of the taxpayers as their independent voice on the Syosset School Board."

Stephanie Albert, immediate past president of Syosset Council of PTAs, has been a Syosset resident for over 24 years. Albert is a board member and registration chair for the Nassau Region PTA. She is also a past member of Syosset High School PTSA, South Woods Middle School PTSA, Berry Hill PTA and SEPTA and is currently the school board reporter for SEPTA.

Albert was a member of many committees in the Syosset School District such as the safety committee, food service committee and the search committee for a middle school principal.

Albert, a self-employed independent insurance agent, says that she is a child advocate and has lobbied legislators in Albany and Nassau County to ensure adequate funding for education.

One goal for Albert, if elected, is to set up a Community Advisory Committee, charged by the Board of Education, to actively participate in advocacy and the legislative process.

"I believe that we must seriously and aggressively think outside the box for additional sources of funding," said Albert. "I would suggest that we work with other districts to form consortiums of shared resources so that we don't duplicate efforts and thus save money."

Albert said that through her business endeavors, she has had a unique perspective in dealing with the public as well as maintaining a profitable book of business. "I have discovered the importance of treating others with respect in both words and actions because public leaders have a responsibility to earn and keep the public's trust", said Albert.

Albert is a member of the North Syosset Civic Association, Residents for a More Beautiful Syosset and the North Shore Synagogue. In 2002, she received the New Work State Distinguished Service Award and in 2004, she received the National PTA Lifetime Achievement Award.

Albert's campaign focused on fiscal responsibility while maintaining the stellar academics the district has achieved and increasing the accessibility and accountability to the community, which she said is much needed now.

Michael Cohen is a parent raising four school-age children and says he has a sincere desire to play a meaningful role in the educational process and that inspired him to seek a position on the Syosset Board of Education, in addition to the urging of several groups of responsible and dedicated residents from diverse backgrounds.

According to Cohen, his patience, willingness to carefully listen to and carefully consider multiple aspects of an issue are the strengths he believes he possesses that make up a successful board member.

According to Cohen, the primary concern of parents within the community is the safety, emotional well-being and provision of a quality education for their offspring. "Our continued success as a community can only be assured by affording each and every student the opportunity for a broad and challenging education," said Cohen. "This ongoing process of educating our children at a high level comes with a cost... Given the rising cost of living, the financial cost of schooling must be given realistic and serious consideration. The issue of monetary costs has indeed become divisive. We must all take heed of what is at stake. The investment made in our children's education will reap rewards for generations. Given the level of achievement and uncompromising standards of community members, it is unlikely that most would choose to sacrifice potentially vital components of their child's education in order to secure modest savings. Yet, this does not preclude meaningful discourse regarding this issue. A "knee-jerk" reaction to any issue will ill-serve our community. Only thoughtful and courteous discussion will foster resolutions that benefit all members of the community."

Cohen said that although he does not have the experience with the PTSA that other candidates may have, he can assure the voters of his extreme dedication to his own, as well as all of our children, and his firm commitment to maintaining the high standards to which Syosset residents are all fortunate to have become accustomed.

Dr. Richard Joseph, a resident of the Syosset area for approximately 20 years, is running for Syosset School Board. If elected, he said he plans to be a board member who has the community's best interest in mind.

A cardiologist practicing in Huntington, Dr. Joseph has served as chief of cardiology and has served on many boards as well, including the YMCA and YMHA boards.

Dr. Joseph led a tax protest to lower the tax increase in Syosset from nine percent to six percent last year and said that he is an active participant in trying to reduce the tax burden in the school district.

Dr. Joseph also said that he wants to create a more balanced and fair school budget to benefit the children and also help the community. "I want to try and prevent what we saw the last five years," Dr. Joseph said. "Tax rates were so much higher."

According to Dr. Joseph, his main goal, if elected May 17, is to try and make the school board more open and balanced. He also said he would listen to the community. "The board is openly hostile to the community's concerns at times," said Dr. Joseph.

Dr. Joseph said that many of the issues that the school district faces now stem from the "boom years" ten years ago when a bond issue was approved. "That is a rope around each and every citizen's neck," he said. "We need a representative for the community's concerns in addition to the children's on the school board and that is the role that I would play."

Dr. Joseph also said that he wants to represent the approximately 50 percent of people living in the district who don't have school-aged children. "They don't feel that they have been represented at all," said Dr. Joseph. "I want to keep the programs and help the children, but at the same time keep the community at large in mind."

Sandy Lupo, has been a resident of Syosset for more than 20 years. She said she decided to run for Syosset's school board for her love of children and her love of the community. She has two children in the school system and said that nothing is more important to her than seeing to it that the needs of all of the children continue to be met.

Lupo is a mortgage broker with 21 years experience. She has been involved with the PTA, Nassau Country District PTA as well as other school-based groups. She also was involved with Recycle-A-Cycle, Syosset Teen Council and the Syosset Chamber of Commerce.

"It is a very difficult time to be a school board member in light of everything going on," said Lupo. "I feel I can do justice on both ends as seniors are an important part of the community and they need to be able to stay in this community. I also want to see continued growth in education as well."

Lupo has lobbied the federal government for some laws regarding the safety of children and has worked with State Senator Carl Marcellino on cigarette and tobacco legislation. She graduated from the civilian police academy of Nassau County and is a liaison between the second precinct, the school and the community. Lupo also received numerous certificates of recognition and leadership awards including the volunteer of the year award from the Long Island Junior Soccer League.

"This is a difficult time to be on a school board. On one hand, our student population is still growing and certain costs beyond the board's control are skyrocketing," said Lupo. "On the other hand, many in the community can ill afford the escalating property taxes and see no alternative other than to vent their anger on school and library budgets. As a successful businessperson, I know how important it is to provide excellent service while watching costs. As a member of the Syosset Board of Education, I pledge to do both. As I have been in all of my service to the community, including the POTA, I commit myself to remain the independent voice of the children of Syosset"

Robert McCullough has been a local resident for over 45 years and said he has always been a community activist as he has been involved in Syosset in many capacities.

He was in educational publishing for 35 years. "With my years of experience as a tri-state school textbook salesman I know what students need to learn," said McCullough, who added that he knows about teaching students having been an adjunct professor at SUNY Farmingdale and Dowling College for many years.

He said he is also running to represent the seniors in the community as he believes that local senior citizens should have a voice on the school board. "With my senior voice I know where the district's money should be spent with my background in accounting and as an auditor," said McCullough. "I am a long-time resident and community activist and believe that, even those with no vested interest in the schools because their children have gone all through the system and have since graduated, deserve to be heard."

McCullough was also a sports official in Nassau County for 25 years and served on the board for the Syosset Public Library for five years. He also trained teachers at leadership conferences for 13 years. He was married to his wife for 48-years before she died and has five children and a son-in-law.

"You have to preserve a good educational system because these kids are going to be our future in America and in our community," said McCullough. "A lot of them are just graduating from school and then they are going onto college off of the Island. We have a drain of good people because they are leaving the Island."

McCullough said he should be elected because he will be a watchdog over the school's finances and education concerns and will represent everyone in the community well.

April Neuendorf, president of Syosset Council of PTAs and lifelong resident of Syosset, said she feels that her professional experience as a bookkeeper, title closer and current office manager of a CPA firm make her knowledgeable in the financial world. She also said she believes that it is time to put the public back into public school education.

"Recent scandals exposed by the office of the State Comptroller have resulted in a severe lack of confidence in school boards' stewardship across Long Island," said Neuendorf. "Board members must act in a fiscally responsible manner while maintaining educational excellence for our children."

Neuendorf said that she is an advocate for educating the community on issues affecting their tax dollars by disclosing district information in a timely and easily accessible manner, utilizing technology.

Neuendorf, who has two children in Syosset schools, has held leadership positions in PTA during her 15 years of service. She is the current president of the Syosset Council of PTAs, leading 11 units and has also held the position of South Woods PTSA President as well as council vice presidencies of committees responsible for overseeing the health, welfare and education of students as well as budgetary matters. She has also served as a catechist and grade coordinator at St. Edwards.

"I am fully committed to working with the board of education to ensure that each child receives the best possible education and that Syosset continues to be a nationally recognized school district," said Neuendorf. "As a taxpayer myself, I am fully aware that household incomes have limits and that quality education must be achieved in a fiscally responsible manner. Working collegially with fellow board members, I would thoroughly and critically review and analyze all information presented to the board, ask relevant questions, fully and reasonably discuss the merits and impact of options, and then have the courage to vote for those that are most appropriate based on balancing the needs of our children with the needs of our community. I will work diligently toward greater inclusiveness of ideas and expanded openness in the process, without loosing sight that our children only get one chance at K-12 education."

Fern Resnick, current second vice president of Syosset Council of PTAs, devotes her professional career to servicing the needs of children. She is a respected advocate for the community as well as in the work force, having been employed for 22 years as a speech and language therapist. Resnick also maintains a private practice, focusing on early intervention.

A Syosset resident for 24 years, Resnick said that she has developed a sincere respect for the integrity of the Syosset community. She said she recognizes the delicate balance between fiscal responsibility and meeting the needs of the children.

"Our educational system is the backbone of our community and to this end, our financial responsibilities to both the residents and children cannot be taken lightly", said Resnick.

If elected on May 17, Resnick said she will focus on fiscal responsibility while maintaining the stellar academics the district has achieved and increasing the accessibility and accountability to the community, which is much needed now.