For Great Neck’s upcoming special election for the Board of Education, I have spent time listening to the ideas of the candidates and have had the opportunity to work with a select few during my time as an active member of our school district. It is abundantly clear to me that the person most prepared to address the current demands, desires and diversity of our district is Josh Ratner.
As the executive director of a national education advocacy group, I have worked with leaders from the White House to Fortune 500 executives and traveled the country seeing the best and worst in education. I recognize two universal themes among the best school district leaders: consistent community engagement and innovative thinking.
We have critical fiscal decisions to make on the bond and budget, which Josh has exhibited his experience with, overseeing $20 million of university funding, reviewing over $500 million in capital projects at the city level and developing multimillion dollar revenue strategies replicated at flagship academic institutions across the country during his time studying policy.
Josh has also asserted his commitment to our community through his career as a local community organizer and time as a former volunteer with the Great Neck Vigilant Fire Company.
I served with Josh on the Shared Decision Making Committee at Great Neck South and have seen the impact of his work on higher education policy. I have witnessed firsthand his dedication, vision and collaborative abilities that our district so desperately needs.
Vote for Josh Ratner on Tuesday, Dec. 6, and you can be confident that our district will have the best leadership to move Great Neck forward.
—Zak Malamed
