Southampton School Voters Guide 2010

VOTING

10 a.m. to 9 p.m. Tuesday at the high school auxiliary gymnasium.

THE BUDGET

The district is proposing a $57,271,014 budget for the 2010-2011 school year, an increase of 3.45 percent over the current budget of $55,359,851. The tax levy would rise to $45,783,560, a 2.52 percent increase over the current figure of $44,656,991.

The average home assessed at $1,697,108 would pay $3,901.65 in school taxes, an estimated increase of 0.83 percent over the current figure of $3,869.41.

The proposed budget also includes a reduction of two teaching positions and five teaching assistant positions.

In addition to the budget, there are five propositions on the ballot. One proposes to reduce the terms of the school board from five years to four years, effective in July 2013. The second proposes that the district buy six school buses for a total of $558,000. The third would authorize the district to enter into a $376,400 contract with the Southampton Youth Association for a recreation program. The fourth authorizes the district to contract services from the Parrish Art Museum for $326,509. The fifth would allow the district to contract services from the Southampton Historical Society for $68,000.

District website:

southamptonschools.org

THE CANDIDATES

Incumbent Donald J. King and challengers Therese M. Allam, Roberta O. Hunter, Rose Marie T. Oliviero and Ronald F. Richard are running for two seats with five-year terms. Laura A. McMahon is not seeking re-election.

Therese M. Allam

BACKGROUND: Allam, 53, has lived in the district since 2000. She is a licensed bilingual social worker but now is a stay-at-home mother. Allam received a bachelor's degree from Buffalo State College, a master's of social work from Fordham University, and studied for a license as a school social worker and school district administrator at Long Island University. She and her husband, Medhat, have two children who attend Southampton schools.

ISSUES: Allam said she wants to see "character education" in Southampton schools that addresses issues such as cyberbullying and drugs. "Some of our schools implement that better than others," she said. Allam said her background as a social worker and school administrator in New York City schools would help her as a member of the school board. In addition, Allam said her experience as a school and PTA volunteer has led her to get to know many of the district's students and parents. "I'm looking to bring services to all children and bring the community together," she said.

Roberta O. Hunter

BACKGROUND: Hunter, 58, has lived in the district since 1978. She is a self-employed general-practice attorney and has taught at area colleges. She received a bachelor's degree from Bennington College, a master's of public administration from the C.W. Post Campus of Long Island University and a law degree from CUNY Law School at Queens College. She and her husband, Glenn S. Cuyjet, have three children - two of whom are grown and one who attends a district school. Hunter served on the Southampton school board from 2001-2005.

ISSUES: Hunter said she wants to increase the awareness of diversity within the school district - racial, cultural and other differences that can affect learning. "Our commitment is to try to have very diverse classrooms and to be able to teach to different learning styles," Hunter said. She said she's been involved in the school district since she was voted off the school board in 2005, including working on the district's budget committees in 2008 and 2009. "I bring this experience of understanding the role of the school board," said Hunter.

Donald J. King

BACKGROUND: King, 53, is a lifelong resident of the district. He is a manager at a private club in Southampton. King received a bachelor's degree from SUNY Plattsburg. He and his wife, Kerin Rea Guidera, have three children who attend district schools.

ISSUES: King said he hopes to continue the work he and the other board members have done in the past five years. He pointed to the extensive work on the district's facilities as a success. "There seemed to be neglect for many, many years, which we've started to address," King said. He added that he wants to continue to oversee the review of the district's academics as well, including the current look at the English curriculum. He also praised the school board's accessibility to the public, saying, "I think we do a lot more out in the open." He said he'd like the district to obtain more efficient "green" school buses and would like to find ways to join with the town to find more efficiencies in operations by working together. "People know what I am, they know what I've done," King said. "I'm not afraid to take responsibility."

Rose Marie T. Oliviero

BACKGROUND: Oliviero, 43, has lived in the district for 11 years. She is the owner of a consignment store and is a freelance fashion writer. Oliviero also is an assistant for the children's program at the New York San Ten Karate Institute in Southampton. She is divorced and has one child who attends a district school.

ISSUES: Oliviero said she was motivated to run because of her love of children. She said she knows many parents and children in the district, and those connections can help more people feel comfortable approaching the district. "I've seen over the last few years a lot of times parents have issues, and they're not sure what to do about it," Oliviero said. "They're not sure whether they should go to someone at the school, the administration, the school board. I think a lot of times people are afraid to say something." As a single parent, she said she understood the importance of having more after-school activities for the district's children. "It's not easy to have a family where someone can stay home anymore," she said. "And you need to occupy the children."

Ronald F. Richard

BACKGROUND: Richard, 60, has lived in the district for 19 years. He is the national program manager for the employee education system for the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs. Richard received a bachelor's degree and a master's degree in instructional media and technology from the University of Connecticut. He and his wife, Bertha, have four grown children, three of whom attended district schools.

ISSUES: Richard said his experience in education and business would serve him well in a term on the school board. He said he would bring a broad perspective to the board, rather than seeing school issues simply from the perspective of one's own child. "I think that when someone only sees it from their child's perspective, they miss the opportunity and understanding of the budget, the total structure of education, and how policy and budget systems have to function in concert with one another," Richard said. He said he supports differentiated education. "How do we provide development for our teachers, retooling our teachers to meet the diverse student needs?" Richard said. "We have to look at new models and new strategies in education."