Longtime Elmont School Board trustee Deanna Doreson resigned earlier this month after 17 years on the Elmont School Board and six years on the Sewanhaka Central High School District Board of Education. Doreson felt it was time to leave and her struggles with other board members led to the decision.

A product of the Gotham Avenue School and Elmont Memorial High School, Doreson became an Elmont School Board trustee 17 years ago. She served as school board president until the board voted to replace her with current president Aubrey Phillips.

There was some divisiveness that existed between Doreson and Phillips and school board members Joy Madera and Robert Nori. In May, her ally Carl Termini lost in a re-election bid to Pamela Montaverde. The other seat was won by another ally Lorraine Ferrigno.

During the board's reorganization meeting in July, Doreson and Ferrigno abstained from voting for Phillips as the board's president and Nori as the board's vice president since they were not confident in the leadership.

Doreson submitted her letter of resignation effective immediately on Jan. 4. Although Doreson may have had a hard time working with some of the current board members, she said she loved serving on both the elementary school and high school boards of education.

Doreson felt it was appropriate to leave now as the new year begins. The school board is undergoing the task of finding a new school superintendent as Dr. Maria Palandra is set to retire at the end of the school year.

"I loved it so," she said about serving on the board, but said she would rather not have conflict with other members of the board. "I tried really hard and I really did love it," she said.

In addition to serving on the Elmont School Board, Doreson was one of two representatives to the Sewanhaka Central High School District Board of Education from Elmont.

Doreson is proud of the time she served as a trustee on the two boards of education. Among some the most notable accomplishments was a successful bond referendum in 1999 that added space to all the schools in the district and more recently, the sale of part of the Alva T. Stanforth Junior High School (ATS) property for the purpose of erecting a new Elmont Library.

"I'm very pleased. I'm so pleased to get that eyesore of a building [ATS] down on Hempstead Turnpike. I made a commitment to the residents when I went up to the high school board and it took me years to get on that high school board. I'm so happy I was able to do that," Doreson said.

In its press release announcing its Feb. meeting, the Elmont East End Civic Club praised Doreson for distinctive service. "Throughout her tenure on both school boards, no one could ever challenge her dedication to the children of Elmont. The Elmont community is extremely grateful to this lady for the service she rendered to this community," the release said.

Madera was appointed to take Doreson's place on the high school board and will serve with Phillips.