Joshua Lafazan Running for Syosset School Board

Friday, 27 January 2012 00:00

Senior class president calls for major change in district function

This statement was submitted by the candidate:

“I am Josh Lafazan and I am running for the Syosset School Board of Education in the election on May 15th, 2012.  I am the current senior class president at Syosset High School, and I am the founder and CEO of Safe Ride Syosset, a community outreach program helping to keep Syosset students safe from alcohol and drug related driving dangers.  I will be attending Nassau Community College in the fall of 2012 and with the voting support of the Syosset citizenry, I intend to effect positive change from within the system.

“Please Google Joshua Lafazan or Safe Ride Syosset to learn about my commitment to making a difference in our community.  Many students have joined me in the fight to help keep our students and roads safe, but without leadership and direction there is no change.

“I intend to fill that void in our school district and be a fresh voice for the 21st century!

“I want to implement improvements that will make Syosset an even better place to get an education than it already is.  In these difficult financial times, the school district, led by a proactive board, should behave much like a current Fortune 500 company.  Creating improved efficiencies, realizing greater yield for each dollar spent, and squeezing productivity out of our existing resources are essential in retaining the broad spectrum of activities and educational opportunities Syosset has always offered its students. My goal, and I hope yours, is to reach these objectives without adding to the existing tax burden of Syosset homeowners.

“I have too many positive ideas to list them all here, but these five changes will be the initial focus of my agenda as soon as I am elected. You may read my blog on the “Syosset Patch” for a more detailed explanation of the ideas briefly summarized below.

1) “The Syosset Central School District does not have an organized recycling program.  It is realistic to assume that a districtwide supported recycling effort could raise enough funds to install solar panels on the high school roof, allowing us to eliminate our electricity costs.  We could even yield a profit by selling the excess energy back to the grid. The ultimate goal should be to install solar panels at all 10 of our schools and become energy independent over the next decade.  

2) “Directed donations should be encouraged, not denied, as is the current practice. Passing a resolution (Education Law, Section 1709, subdivision12 and 12A along with Education Law, section 1718, subdivision 2- NYSED.GOV) allowing projects to be funded by donations is possible and should be encouraged.

3) “The Syosset School Board should take advantage of the many experts that reside within our community.  Accounting, law, insurance, pensions, investments, bond financing, risk management, health insurance, building maintenance, human resources, all IT needs, are just some of the expenditures within the school budget.  

Example: Insurance

“A committee of insurance experts within our community, agreeing in writing not to solicit any business from the school board, would examine our insurance coverage and could suggest improvements or changes.  The board would then be able to negotiate with more knowledge, and they could invite a member of this committee to help negotiate improved terms.  This line by line examination of the budget could yield great savings and improved services in many areas.  If some of these objectives are realized, then the community will learn that the board has made wonderful decisions, since this new process will have much more transparency than the current process.

4) “Improved management and direction of the current security staff will result in reduced traffic at the high school in the morning. The same principles can be applied to all the schools. This would also help our neighbors who live on adjacent streets such as South Woods Rd.

5) “Create a portal on the district website to allow consumers to begin their online shopping there.  Using redirection, consumers will help the district earn income, (or a non-profit set up for this purpose) with all the income directed to a general student activity fund.  The district should utilize students managed by the instructors of the classes teaching web design to make all improvements. The website should also become a resource for the current parents in Syosset to get advice and answers to many questions about their children and their future needs and experiences from parents having already been through the process.  Thousands of successful websites rely on readers to contribute and share their experiences.  We can do the same.

“I will continue to reach out to the community via blog, videos, e-mail and door to door if necessary, to urge the current residents of Syosset to elect Joshua Lafazan to the Syosset School Board.

“Joshua Lafazan, a fresh voice for the 21st century!”