Beer to Run for Herricks Trustee
Debbie Beer has announced that she is running for Herricks School Board Trustee. She is the mother of three girls; one attending Adelphi University, working towards her master’s degree and two younger daughters who still attend Herricks schools. She graduated from Herricks in 1977 and has been a resident of Herricks since 1961.
Beer attended Nassau Community College and completed two classes at Phoenix Online University.
In 1991 she join the Center Street PTA as a member and was selected Kindergarten Head Class Mother.
From there she became more involved joining as an active committee member to the PTA Fundraising (Ways and Means) and Ecology Committee and becoming an activist in regard to the antiquated playgrounds and poor condition of our fields and grounds.
She was appointed by the Executive Committee of Center Street PTA to be the first chairperson of the new School Spirit Committee. As the chair she was responsible for Family Fun Day, and involved the elementary schools in Herricks Homecoming marching in the parade.
Continuing in her quest to make changes to the playgrounds, she became part of the Herricks District Five Year Capital Planning Committee. At the time the committee was broken up into subcommittees and she joined the “Building and Grounds Task Force.” By 1997 the ground cover was being replaced, and by 1999 the three elementary schools had new playgrounds.
She also was responsible for the first Center Street Carnival fundraiser. Then, as her children became older she became involved in the Herricks Youth Council which focused on violence and drug prevention. These meetings made it clear that parents and teachers needed to be involved and so with a one-time Oasis Grant of $2,000, The Friday Night Recreation Program began and continues to this day.
Beer was eventually elected as president of Center Street PTA, a director of the Middle School Recreation Program and a member of the Middle School PTA and elected President of Herricks District Council of PTAs. She focused on a traffic plan working with then, New York State Senator Michael Balboni and then, Nassau Legislator Craig Johnson. She state, “By the next school year our Traffic Plan included necessary changes not only to our parking areas, but also to the streets surrounding our community a designation of a school zone and a posted 20 mph speed limit with new signs installed.”
Having filled almost every PTA post in the district, she is currently (2008/09) Council’s Representative to the District Long Term Planning Committee, the PTA Liaison for the Coordinating Council of Site Based/Shared Decision Making Team, and has been a member of the District Committee for the Herricks Community Fund Mini-Grant Program. Beer added, “Working successfully with all parents and volunteers has been my greatest joy.”
Beer has been awarded the Honorary Lifetime Membership NYSPTA (Center Street PTA), the Distinguished Service Award NYSPTA (Herricks Council of PTA) and the Town of North Hempstead, May Newberger Woman’s’ Wall of Honor.
Presently, Beer is the owner/operator of Sunray Houses in Pt. Pleasant Beach in New Jersey.
Buckley to Run For Re-Election
Rich Buckley was born in New York City and bought a house in Williston Park 20 years ago.
He is married to Dr. Elaine Margarita and they have raised three daughters: Sarabeth, Emily and Julia in Williston Park. All three girls attended the Center Street School and Sarabeth has gone on to Tufts University, Emily is in Herricks High and Julia at the Middle School.
Buckley, himself, received his BA, graduating Summa Cum Laude, from Albany State University and his masters from Queens College. He has been a teacher of music and drama for 24 years at Lawrence High School.
He has been a very active community member in Nassau County. For example, he has been a presenter on Human Rights and a performer in several community theater groups.
In the Herricks district, Buckley has been on the board of education for the past six years. This year, he was voted to serve as president by the members of the board. Further, he states he has shown his commitment to the district through his service in a variety of roles such as vice-president of the PTA Council, co-director of a division of the Wildcats Soccer Teams, trustee on the Herricks Community Fund and an active member in many other organizations that service the children of this district.
During the last six years, as a trustee on the board, Buckley said he has worked to keep the focus on improving the education of the children. He was a member of the Capital Committee that created the cost-neutral bond that passed last year.
He was also involved in district-wide decisions on eliminating music sectional pullout from academic classes at the High School, creating more athletic teams at the Middle School and a full-day Kindergarten at no additional cost to the taxpayer,he said.
Further, he notes that heinsisted that the district solve the geese problem on the many fields in the district and due to his persistence, that problem has been solved.
Buckley stated that as a part of the Herricks School Board, Buckley has found many ways to give our students quality education for less.
Buckley said, “I hope that I am re-elected to the Herricks School Board so that I can continue to serve the Herricks community.”
Grisafi to Run for Re-election, Unopposed
The following is a statement from Herricks School Board trustee Peter Grisafi on why he wants to run for re-election:
“I am dedicated to enhancing our educational system while preserving the accomplishments this community has put in place in the past. I, my wife Marie, and our two sons Jason & Peter, have been residents of this community for the past 19 years. My son Jason is a graduate of Carnegie Mellon University, currently 1st year seminarian, and Peter is a sophomore at NYU. Having had children that attended our schools from kindergarten through high school, I am acutely aware of the issues in our district. As Sr. Vice President of Finance and Operations for The Institute for Family Health, a non-profit community health clinic organization, I have experience of how to maximize funds to provide the best services possible and of relationships between Administration and Board members. I have served as Board Trustee for 13 years and look forward to serving again for three more. There is a lot this district has accomplished, and I don’t want to see it all thrown away. We are facing difficult economic times and we need stability in our district’s oversight. I want to be sure that we tackle the challenges before us with the children of our community in mind. We must all work together to make sure this is achieved. I feel my financial background in a not-for-profit environment is an asset to the Board. I have always thought about our children first when making decisions and promise to continue that way of thinking. My record shows I have supported all enhancements put forth, that were fiscally possible, to better the educational system. I truly believe that the children of this community are the most important resource we have.”
