Voters will head to the polls on Tues., May 18 to select candidates on School Boards and vote on the proposed School Budgets in all three School Districts in Warwick.
Florida Union Free School District
In the Florida Union Free School District, voters are being asked to approve the proposed $23,537,680 budget for the 2021-22 school year. In addition, voters will choose among two candidates for two seats on the Board of Education each for a three-year term. The candidates are incumbents – John T. Redman II and Robert J. Scheuermann. Although Steven Vega is on the ballot, he informed the Warwick Valley Dispatch that he is withdrawing from the race.
John T. Redman
I have been on the Board of Education of the Florida Union Free School District, since 2000, now serving my seventh term. I have seen a lot of growth and improvement over those years, and I am proud to have been a part of it. We have an excellent faculty and staff, and we are continually improving our facilities and our technology equipment and programs are the envy of many larger school districts.
I have served as both President and Vice President of the Board, have twice achieved Board Mastery designations from New York State School Boards Association (NYSSBA), served for three years as President of the Orange County School Boards Association, served two years on the steering committee for the Council of Local School Board Associations (COLSBA) and have received the Mid Hudson School Study Council Excellence Award for School Board service.
In addition to serving as President of the Florida School Board for the past three years, I also represent five mid-Hudson counties as a Director for the New York State School Boards Association, and I also represent NYSSBA on the board of directors of the Rural Schools Association of New York State. I hold a Bachelor’s Degree in Fine Arts/Drama from The Colorado College where I also taught part-time before moving to New York. I have over 50 years’ experience in the performing and communications arts from theatre, dance and opera to film and video production. I am the President of the Union Square Group, a creative services firm, designing and producing promotional and award presentations and one-of-a-kind events for corporate clients across the country.
I am presently retiring from my business, and recently graduated as a Commissioned Ruling elder of the Presbyterian Church and I am currently proud to be serving as the Pastor of the Union Presbyterian Church in Newburgh, NY.
Robert Scheuermann
Elected by the District, I have served as a Board member on the Florida School District Board of Education since 2018. My wife, Kathleen, works at Golden Hill Elementary School and our three children, Robert, Elizabeth, and Lauren, attend Seward and Golden Hill Schools. As a local business owner, I have owned R.S. Landscaping for 23 years, as well as being a sixth-generation resident of our community.
While serving on the Florida School District Board of Education these past three years, I have worked with our Board to maintain fiscal responsibility with funds provided to us by our District taxpayers and, at the same time, strive to continue improving the quality of education for the students in our District. Even during recent difficult times brought on by the pandemic, we remained focused on our responsibilities to our students. Voting will take place on May 18 at the Memorial Building adjacent to S.S. Seward School in the Village of Florida.
Steven Vega
The Warwick Valley Dispatch invited Steven Vega to submit a profile for our special election issue. Mr. Vega notified the Dispatch that he withdrew from the race although his name will still be on the ballot.
Greenwood Lake Union Free School District
The Greenwood Lake Union Free School District is proposing a budget of $27,125,655 for approval. Voters will also select three of the five candidates to fill the three School Board seats that are each for a three-year term. The candidates are Michael Emsworth; Patricia (Patty) Kaminski; incumbent Yu Kwon Lee; incumbent Thomas (T.J.) O’Brien; and Jonathan (Jon) Thurber. Polls are open from 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. in the gymnasium of the Greenwood Lake Elementary School, located at 80 Waterstone Rd. in Greenwood Lake.
Michael Emsworth
I am running for the Greenwood Lake UFSD School Board. I am a lifelong resident of Orange County, the last eight in Greenwood Lake. My wife, Brianne, is a lifelong Laker and we have a son, who receives Early Intervention Services from the District. We are beyond happy with the services he receives, it is second to none.
I have a MSEd from Mt. St. Mary College, a BA from St. John’s University, and an AA from Orange County Community, along with a variety of experiences. I have worked as substitute teacher and a long-term leave replacement across all grade levels in various districts across the county, was the director of the YMCA’s afterschool program in two districts and briefly worked as the Education Coordinator for the Boys and Girls Club of Newburgh.
For the last ten years, I have worked with people with developmental disabilities as a direct care staff, head classroom teacher, Medicaid Service Coordinator, Care Manager, and currently, as Assistant Director of Employment Services. I am also looking forward to coaching tee ball this season. These experiences afford me a unique and varied viewpoint on issues concerning schooling and community resources.
I want to use my voice to advocate for all the students in the District and ensure they receive the best possible opportunities they are entitled to. I promise to be a balanced, reasonable, responsible and compassionate voice on the board as the community moves away from the COVID-19 pandemic and back to a traditional educational setting.
This has been an unprecedented time, but I want to commend the faculty, the staff, the current board, the families, and the students for persevering. I urge everyone to vote on May 18; it is always important to exercise this right and make your voice heard. I hope I can count on your support for this honor to serve the community. Thank you and stay safe and healthy!
Patricia (Patty) Kaminski
I have been a resident of Greenwood Lake for over 20 years. My husband, Marc, and I decided to settle down here after spending years visiting family. We fell in love with the “Lake” and knew it was the right place to plant our roots and raise our three boys. Two of my sons, Dallas and Caden, are currently enrolled in the Greenwood Lake school system. My oldest son, Jack, graduated last year and is now a Freshman at Warwick Valley High School.
My professional credentials focus on education. I have a Bachelors of Fine Arts degree from William Paterson University along with a Teaching Degree in grades K-12. I earned my Master’s Degree in teaching (MAT) from Marygrove College. I am currently a veteran educator with 18 years of experience in one of the largest school districts in New Jersey. I am a William Paterson University Mentor educator. I work closely with the education department to train and educate new teacher candidates.
I am also a liaison between my colleagues and the university to educate using STEAM/Arts Integration strategies to increase student achievement in academic subjects. I have taught summer workshops at William Paterson University for the past several years. These workshops focus on teaching educator’s best practices to facilitate the arts into the general curriculum in order to achieve the best overall academic success within their students. I am currently working on multiple grant projects including the Smithsonian Learning Lab and The Dodge Foundation both of which enable me to focus on how to best educate “the whole child,” something I feel very passionate about. My broad experience working with students of all abilities, languages and diversities enables me to best advocate for every child to have what they deserve and need.
My husband and I are dedicated to our community. My family and I are active members of Holy Rosary Catholic Church. I teach summer camp at the GWL Elks and also teach classes both in person and remotely for the Greenwood Lake Public Library. My boys are very involved in many areas of the community such as Greenwood Lake Soccer Club, Greenwood Lake Little League and The Rock Underground Music School.
We are living through a crucial time in education. The rules and expectations are changing all of the time. The children of this community need someone like me to raise awareness and facilitate student performance during this difficult time and beyond as we start heading back to life post pandemic. I feel that now more than ever our community could benefit from having someone with my knowledge of the educational system, social emotional learning and first-hand experience of teaching through a pandemic. I am able to offer a unique perspective that could only benefit the students. If elected I will serve my community with an open heart and open mind. I will listen with kindness and compassion. I will make thoughtful, educated decisions while maintaining fiscal responsibility and always do what is best for the children.
Yu kwon Lee
I’m an incumbent in the board of education and I’m writing this to let the people of Greenwood Lake know that I will be seeking re-election this coming May 18. I’m a proud father to two great kids and the best husband my wife has ever had I’m sure of it. Being retired and the wife working full time now, I’ve never had so much stress with figuring out what’s for dinner five days a week! In the past year or so, we faced many challenges with work, school, and our families because of the pandemic, but in the midst of this, it is amazing to see the children adapting and progressing even though so much is asked of them. The uncertainty has not affected the resilience that is childhood.
Since my coming to the board and thinking specifically the last year, there was nothing more important to me than reopening the schools and keeping them open. Sports are also of great priority to me and watching the kids finally play soccer outdoors was a very special thing, for the kids, and also to all of us in the community. Although much work has been accomplished my job on the board of education has just began. This is not the new norm. Normalcy will make a huge come back and I will work hard to do everything possible so our children can have the education and experience that they deserve. I will continue to support our teachers and staff. I will continue to put children first and keep spending on check! Work is an ongoing business at the Greenwood Lake School Board and with your support I will be able to proudly continue my service for the children and to you, the community. Please come out to vote May 18 and thank you for your support.
Thomas (T.J.) O’Brien
I’m running to continue serving on the Board of Education (BOE) for the Greenwood Lake School District. This has been a tough year for all of us, with many changes and challenges, but I think it has also shined a light on things that we’ve all been missing or taken for granted. During the beginning of the pandemic, the BOE and Administration made sure all families had what was needed including technology, internet access, food, and supplies.
Executive orders came often and we had to keep up. Throughout these times one thing was clear, we were doing everything we could to support students, staff, and the community. We have all worked tirelessly to follow all state and local guidance to have our schools open on time, full day, five days a week. This was no easy feat but proved to be successful. When you serve on a community elected board, you serve to represent everyone, big and small, which must never be forgotten.
One example of this was having distance learning as an option for our students. One question that I shared with the fellow board members that I felt very strongly about in August was regardless of my child being enrolled in in-person instruction, there are parents who aren’t comfortable with this option just yet. If we can offer distance learning as an option simultaneously without in-person or remote programming being affected negatively, then why would we not present that as an option.
We are simply a BOE, which doesn’t give us the right to tell parents they must send their child into school to have them educated with no other options during these uncharted times. Everyone’s feelings on the topic are different and I will never be comfortable with telling a parent that they do not have a say in what happens to their children or their health.
When conversation about starting sports again came, I made it a point to remind everyone that we needed to start the arts again as well. Some students will have the same success and happiness playing their instrument or singing as others will have to play their favorite sport. I am a big believer in “If we can, we will.” We have also worked to continue keeping taxes low, while still offering one of the best programs in the Hudson Valley.
ln my four years on the board, one of my focus points has been the security and safety of the students. In my line of work, I tend to view security in a different light. Since serving the district, we have partnered with local first responders to run drills, update infrastructure, and make sure that safety is our number one concern. I love this community, I was raised here, and decided to return to raise my children. If given the opportunity to continue serving on the BOE I would be very grateful and appreciate your support!
Jon Thurber
I am running for the Greenwood Lake UFSD school board. I graduated from the University of Delaware and I have worked for Deutsche Telekom as a Director of Project Management for over 20 years. My wife Elisa and I have been residents of this close-knit and wonderful community since 2000. We have three daughters, one in Warwick Valley High School who attended both the Greenwood Lake Elementary School and Middle School and two who currently attend in fourth and sixth grades.
Over the past twenty years we have met many amazing people from our community. We have seen not only the town grow and change, but the school district as well. As a family we have experienced first-hand; principals, teachers, and superintendents who have come and gone. Amid all the changes, I realize that our community and amazing families still require the support of a dynamic school board to review and discuss issues that arise and are brought to the attention of our school district. If elected I will bring an honest and fair opinion to all issues brought to the attention of our School Board, we as a group will make the correct decision to support the families and children of our community. The decisions made now not only affect our current students, but future students as well.
I have been actively involved in the community since our oldest was in kindergarten coaching sports and volunteering for community events and activities. I have been coaching recreation and travel soccer for the past 10 years. I am currently an active member of the Greenwood Lake Soccer Board and have been for the past four years. Currently I am the head coach of our youngest’s travel soccer team, the Greenwood Lake Dynamite. I have coached T-Ball, baseball, and softball for the past six years. This season, I am an assistant coach for both of our younger two girls’ softball teams Emerald Point in the junior division and Irish Whisper in the senior division.
This past year has been an unprecedented year for all of us, specifically our children. I look forward to the community and school board working closely together to bring our students lives back to as much normalcy as possible, as it was pre-pandemic. We have a lot of important work ahead of us. I will work hard to make that happen with your support if I am lucky and fortunate enough to be elected by you to the school board. I will bring a lens of fairness, understanding and the highest standards to do what is in the best interest of all. I will always do my due diligence to obtain factual information for you.
I am requesting you to support me in my endeavor to join our school board. I thank you in advance for your support! Voting will take place on Tues., May 18. Please feel free to reach me if you have any questions. Thank you for your time and consideration.
Warwick Valley Central School District
Voters in the Warwick Valley Central School District will vote on the District’s proposed 2021-22 budget of $98,620,042. Also on the ballot are three school board seats for a three-year term. The candidates are incumbent Sharon Davis; incumbent David Eaton; Bill Fanos; Tiffany Howell; Bob Larsen; incumbent Lynn Lillian; and Joe Melder.
In addition, the following proposition is on the ballot: Shall the Board of Education of the Warwick Valley Central School District be authorized to: (a) acquire six (6) school buses and incidental equipment at a maximum aggregate cost of $550,000; (b) expend such sums for such purpose; (c) expend from the Capital Bus Reserve an amount not to exceed $250,000 for such purpose; (d) levy the necessary tax therefor, to be levied and collected in such amounts as may be determined by the Board of Education taking into account state aid received and amounts disbursed from the capital reserve fund; and € in anticipation of the collection of such tax, to issue bonds and notes of the District at one time or from time to time in the principal amount not to exceed $300,000, and to levy a tax to pay the interest on such obligations when due?
Polls are open from 7 a.m. to 9 p.m. The School District has been divided into three election districts. The polling places are as follows: In the First School Election District – Pine Island District – at the Pine Island Firehouse, located at 684 County Rte. 1 in Pine Island; in the Second School Election District – Village District – at the Dorothy C. Wilson Education Center, adjacent to the Middle School, located at 225 West St. Ext. in Warwick; and in the Third School Election District – Kings District – at the Kings Elementary School, located at 199 Kings Hwy. in Warwick.
Sharon Davis
Twenty-two years ago, my husband, Jeff, and I decided to move back to Orange County where I grew up, and chose Warwick to raise our family. We are grateful for the educational opportunities that have been given to our daughters, Hannah, a 2019 graduate pursuing biology at Cornell, and Sarah, a student-athlete preparing to make her impact in her next college years. The teachers, staff, athletic coaches, and music instructors who supported their development from those early Kindergarten days at Sanfordville all the way through their final high school years not only prepared them to be college and career ready but also imparted those characteristics we hold dear in Warwick like community, service, and inclusiveness.
As a college counselor co-owning a small business with Lynn Lillian here in Warwick, my work supporting young people through the college admissions process has informed my perspective as a Board member. My awareness of what colleges seek from today’s students coupled with nine years of Board service has given me a strong foundation.
I understand the mandates and funding issues that distract us from our local mission, while at the same time I am gratified that we continue to meet the needs of our students while keeping our tax increases close to zero percent every year. In fact, over the past eight years, we have presented an average tax levy increase of just over 1.65%. At April’s Board meeting we voted to present a budget that continues our trend of providing near-zero tax levy increases.
When I began serving back in 2012, I relied on my business degree and finance background as a scaffold, but now I see more clearly that the experiences of nine budget and audit seasons, numerous capital campaigns, legal and human resource policy decisions, and continued professional development, have developed and improved my School Board service.
Warwick’s School Board leadership and decision-making have been an essential strength during this pandemic crisis, allowing the district to offer a robust remote education plan as well as more in-person instruction than most NYS schools – while not raising taxes. Auditors continue to be impressed by Warwick’s fiscal policies including the management of district reserves.
As stewards of taxpayer money, the district continues to improve education at Warwick. Meaningful professional development and new-teacher training have enhanced student learning. Harnessing the expertise of the District’s 300 teachers to author curriculum allows Warwick to build a sustainable, student-focused process that is always looking to better serve our students.
I am proud of the collegiality, focus, and motivation of the Board which has led to an improved “strength of school” and a robust menu of extracurricular athletics, clubs, and opportunities. Collaborative, student-focused Board members who understand that every student who walks through the doors at each of our schools should feel like they belong, understand that they are valued, and know that their teachers and staff support them, are vital if we are committed to ensuring that extraordinary learning continues to take place in the Warwick Valley School District.
Dave Eaton
My wife, Robyn, and I chose to settle in Warwick 33 years ago for its warm sense of community and for its excellent schools. Our two daughters graduated from the Warwick schools and went on to have successful college careers. We are also the proud grandparents of two curious and motivated young elementary students. My wife is a retired elementary teacher and I retired from a career in medical information. I am also a past President and active member of the Warwick Valley Rotary Club.
I fully believe in the concept of lifelong learning and see it is a fundamental goal of public education. A good education includes a rigorous curriculum as well as an expansive extracurricular experience. Warwick offers robust extra-curricular opportunities with a high level of excellence in athletics, music, and drama to name a few. These activities together with a solid curriculum lead to a well-rounded educational experience for our students.
I have served on the Warwick BOE for 16 years, five as president, the Orange Ulster BOCES Board for six years, and represented both at the Orange County School Boards Association. My School Board service has been informed by the relationships with the varied educational leaders I have worked with on these boards and gives me an excellent perspective on the schools in our region. Warwick is highly regarded among our peers and respected for our curriculum, our school leadership, and our collegial school board. We truly have a winning team running our school district.
In spite of the challenges this past year has presented, Warwick has maintained high standards for our students keeping their safety in the forefront. The boards I have served on have never wavered from our responsibility to provide the best possible education for our children.
Like all of us, I am very anxious to return our students to the classroom full time. However, this must be done carefully, safely and within established guidelines. This is fundamental to the health and safety of our schools and our community.
Our district remains both financially and educationally sound due to many prudent decisions and long-range planning. As a school board member, I remain committed to finding and supporting all measures that contain spending without compromising the high educational standards that the Warwick community expects, deserves and has steadfastly supported.
I believe that my perspective, passion, and experience will help us stay this course. If re-elected, I will continue to fight for fair school funding, promote efficient school district operation, evaluate fairly and critically the performance of our administration, seek ways to improve student achievement, stay up-to-date on education news and issues, serve as an ambassador for local school governance, maintain relationships with key policymakers, find cost savings and operational efficiencies, and, most importantly, listen to our community. Finally, I will support all efforts to make our schools safe and secure. These are all tasks expected of every board member and I pledge to continue to fulfill them.
Bill Fanos
I’ve been a Town of Warwick resident for the past 45 years. My wife, Jaclyn, is a Special Education teacher in Ridgewood, NJ. We are the proud parents of three beautiful girls, currently attending Warwick Valley Public Schools. I graduated Cum Laude, with a BA in History from St. Bonaventure University and am starting my 22nd year, as a Lieutenant, with the FDNY.
For the past seven years I’ve volunteered as a coach for the Warwick Soccer Club. Let me start by extending my gratitude and many thanks to the Warwick teachers who worked tirelessly throughout the pandemic; taking on the monumental challenge of keeping our children’s education and well-being their top priority.
They have demonstrated resilience, continuing to encourage our children to treat others the way they want to be treated. A virtue easily overlooked considering the circumstances. My mother, who was born in Ponce, Puerto Rico, migrated to the Bronx, NY, at age 17. Miriam instilled in me the values of a strong work ethic and a desire to serve others, personified in her profession as a Nurse, while maintaining a positive attitude, regardless of any obstacles.
My father, Bill, taught me the values of honesty and patriotism, by his example. His grandchildren would often hear him proudly say, “God Bless America, the greatest country in the world and never forget it!” As a parent of school aged children, it’s important to have a stake in our education system, that ultimately produces the next generation of entrepreneurs, doctors, lawyers, teachers, firefighters and law enforcement professionals, etc.
A fresh perspective on the Board of Education is necessary to tackle the current challenges facing our school district and support strong, honest leadership. First, in-person instruction five days per week for all students, K-12, is a necessity not simply an option. I’m committed to being a voice for parents and educators alike who answered the climate survey last summer overwhelmingly in favor of in-person instruction.
The unintended consequences for students in terms of lost learning in the classroom as well as the mental and emotional hardships needs to be actively addressed. As parents and educators, we have a moral obligation to be honest about the science and data which offers little evidence that the reward for lockdowns out ways the risks to our children. Second, the BOE has a civic duty to provide parents with all the facts in order to make an informed decision regarding any future school curriculum shift in standards or protocols before they are introduced into the classroom.
Finally, school budget transparency is imperative, requiring leadership. Decisions made by the Superintendent ultimately affect your family’s personal finances. Therefore, Board members have a fiscal responsibility to ensure your hard-earned tax dollars are spent wisely and any proposed spending increases receives the scrutiny it deserves. With your support and vote, on May 18, I look forward to serving your family on the Warwick Valley Board of Education.
Tiffany Howell
I moved here to beautiful Warwick ten years ago. My husband and I are raising two children who are currently enrolled at Park Avenue Elementary and the Middle School. For over thirteen years, I have been employed as a police officer. I currently work in Youth Strategies which aims to keep young people out of criminal justice system by referring them to resources and services. I have earned degrees in Criminal Justice (AS), Government (BA) and Criminology and Justice (MA). I have also been a Rotarian since 2007 and a member of the Holy Name since 2010.
I am seeking election to the board because I witnessed my own children and other Warwick children struggle immensely over the last year. I want to be a part of the solution. Although I understand how difficult the pandemic has been on the district, it doesn’t change the fact that other schools and towns found ways to get their children back to in-person learning, full-time, from September, or well before the spring.
Our kids are competing against other children for admission into college while being nearly a year behind them academically. There’s a lot of finger pointing towards the O.C. Health Department and Albany but other schools also answer to the same authorities. I understand that physical space was a major obstacle in regards to bringing all students back full-time but what about activating all existing space in the buildings?
Other schools utilized cafeterias, gyms, libraries and other areas as classrooms. Could temporary structures have been used? How about renting space in other locations or using existing town owned buildings? Hindsight is always 20/20 but opportunities were clearly missed by this administration and our kids have suffered as a result.
Another change I would like to bring to the district is transparency. Too many decisions are made behind closed doors before they are even mentioned at the public board meetings. The most recent example of this is bringing in Dr. Gess LeBlanc from Hunter College in Manhattan, as an advisor to roll-out the “Culturally Responsive-Sustaining Education Framework.” Why are we bringing in a person from New York City to roll out a frame work that was clearly designed for a big city, to Warwick?
The fact that Dr. LeBlanc is working with two other districts in the area is supposed to convince us that he is the right person for us? With all of the years of experience and talent, are we supposed to believe that our Warwick teachers and administrators aren’t capable of rolling out a framework for our district? People move here to get away from the New York City schools. Let’s not bring the city schools to Warwick.
I am concerned about fiscal responsibility. I will look for ways to cut waste while maintaining the high standard of education we expect for our children. As a person who serves youth every day as my career, I hope that you will allow me the opportunity to serve the youth of the town I love so much.
Bob Larsen
My family and I reside in Warwick. I own an IT Services Consulting business and have my NY State Realtors license. I am an active volunteer in local soccer and softball rec. leagues as a coach. My wife is a fifth-grade teacher in the Port Jervis City School District. My oldest daughter is currently a Sophomore at Mount Saint Mary College enrolled in their five-year teaching program where she will earn her master’s degree in education. Our two youngest daughters are currently enrolled in the PIE Program at Sanfordville Elementary School.
PIE (Partners in Education Program) is an excellent program in the Warwick School District as it provides for multi-age grouping which encourages and supports a learning continuum pertaining to the individual child. One of the cornerstones of this program is active family involvement so learning at home is consistent with integrated curriculum at school. Additionally, the PIE Program extends outside the classroom into natural outdoor environments which fosters more powerful hands-on and interactive learning.
Our family is grateful to have found our home in Warwick. We have enjoyed planting our roots in this community and love all the great things this town has to offer for our children to learn and grow. We are life-long learners, so education is essential in the process of raising our family. We put just as much emphasis into our children’s formal education as we do teaching them how to be good human beings. We encourage our children to ask questions, to exhibit a pure interest in understanding how things work, to exhaust all options while problem solving, reinforce why failing is an important step in achieving success and encouraging them to dream big because with honest effort and hard work, their wildest imaginations could ultimately become a reality one day.
If you stop and ask our girls what I say to them every morning before they get on the bus their answer will be; Learn a lot, be kind, help people and have fun. In my opinion, if they follow those four steps, they will live an extremely fulfilling life. As involved as I am with my own children’s education, I feel a sense of responsibility to be a voice in this district to ensure all children in our community are provided with the instruction and resources to thrive in their own educational pursuit.
The children in our community are coming off an inconsistent year with many interruptions and obstacles. Many students have fallen behind, but we do have the ability, facilities and resources to get EVERY student back on the course to success. It is time for leadership in the district to exhaust every option to get all students back into the classroom full time.
I am running for the school board to be a voice for families in Warwick who want to give their children the opportunity to achieve all their education goals just as we do with our own children.
Lynn Lillian
My husband and I moved to Warwick 30 years ago when we decided to start a family. It turned out to be a great decision. Our three children are all proud Warwick graduates who have been well-served by the opportunities they have had here. The time spent volunteering in their classrooms, at the track and the pool, at concerts and art shows allowed me to see how those opportunities enriched their learning and their lives.
I could also see the world changing fast, and expectations for our students changing right along with it. I originally ran for the Board because I wanted to be part of ensuring that our students not only thrive in school but also after they graduate, with the skills they will need to adapt, innovate and succeed in a global economy.
My board service and professional life have been defined by a fundamental belief in the transformative power of education. I am an Independent Educational Consultant, and co-own College Mode Consulting with Sharon Davis. We help students navigate the college admissions process, empowering them to find their best college fit while developing self- awareness and decision-making skills that will be the foundation of their success in college and beyond.
Serving on the Board for the past 12 years, four as President, has given me an in-depth understanding of what is needed to best prepare our students for their future, and working to help them get into college has given me a concrete view of what that future looks like. I am a better Board member because of my work and a better consultant because of my Board service.
During my tenure on the Board, strategic planning initiatives and community feedback have helped craft a vision for the district that assures our students graduate with the skills to thrive in an innovation driven-economy. The result has expanded academic opportunities, increased access to technology, developed robust community partnerships, continued environmental stewardship, and assured development of non-tax revenue while crafting yearly budgets well below the tax levy limit. I am proud of the district’s progress in service to our students, but there is still much to do.
Inevitably there are crises that distract us from our primary mission – whether it is chronic budget shortfalls passed on to local districts, or more recently the global pandemic. The district’s ability to meet these challenges depends on the leadership, planning, flexibility, professionalism, and hard work of our administration, teachers and staff. It also depends on a unified School Board, focused on our students and community, that empowers our staff to meet these significant challenges while continuing the work of preparing our students for their future.
School Boards are stewards of the public trust, providing oversight and ensuring fiscal responsibility while identifying and meeting the needs of our students. I understand the power of public education to shape lives and I remain committed to that work and to supporting the success and well-being of every one of our students.
Joe Melder
I have lived in the Warwick community for 58 years. I am a former school teacher of 40 plus years. I taught and was athletic director at Sugar Loaf Free School as well as taught and retired from the Middletown City schools. I coached and counseled many students.
I earned the following degrees – Bachelor’s degree of Science in Physical Education, Master’s degree of Science in Physical Education, Master’s degree of Science in School Administration and Supervision. After my 40 plus career in teaching I chose to retire in Warwick, a community I love.
I live in Warwick with my wife, Frances (Tomaselli) Melder, a long-time resident of Warwick. I have two children and three step children who all attended the Warwick Valley School system. I have eight grandchildren – four of whom live in the Warwick School district, three currently attend the Warwick school system.
I am dedicating my time to helping the community in any way I can. With my background I will be an asset to the Warwick Valley School System.
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