Board of Education Trustee Nanette Melkonian and her husband, Matt, moved their family to Port Washington in 2000. Nanette and Matt’s three children all attended the Port Washington schools and were involved in a wide range of programming, including the arts, athletics, PEP, Research, and the Integrated Co-Teaching Program. In her 30-year career as a parent, teacher, and advocate, Nanette has established connections across the Port Washington school district’s many constituencies and built a reputation as a listener who is willing to challenge the status quo. She consistently demonstrates the ability to build community and consensus by researching and understanding the issues facing our public schools.
Prior to raising her family, Nanette was an elementary educator in the public schools and a special educator at the elementary, secondary and post-secondary level. Nanette’s teaching and classroom experience involved a range of populations, needing a variety of services, including regular classroom, integrated co-teaching, secondary level resource room, and support services for students at the college level.
As a parent, Nanette’s experience and involvement in public education broadened to include volunteering as an educator in the Parent Resource Center’s Outreach Program, and then as a member of the Parent Education Committee with the Guggenheim HSA. In 2015, Nanette grew concerned with state and national policies that placed an undue emphasis on high-stakes testing rather than educational best practices and joined forces with other parent leaders to co-found Port Washington Advocates for Public Education (PWAPE), a grassroots community group dedicated to researching and providing information on education issues relevant to the Port Washington school district.
Nanette continued her public education advocacy, serving for three years as co-President of AGATE (Advocacy for Gifted and Talented Education), and as a member of Parents’ Council. Nanette has also served on a variety of district hiring committees and as a member of the District’s Vision and Mission Committee.
During Nanette’s current term as a school board member, she has represented our community in a variety of ways, asking the foundational question, “What are we doing well as a district, and how can we grow?” She has chaired the BOE Curriculum Committee, focusing on important topics that have included literacy, AI, PEP, and college admissions. As a member of the Policy Committee, Nanette utilized her experience and critical thought lens to help draft new district policies including grading, homework, and equity and inclusivity. Nanette has also served as an integral member of the District’s Guidance Advisory committee, the District’s DEI committee and the Nassau BOCES Budget Review committee. She has prioritized professional development for faculty and staff, language access for all BOE meetings, translation of district policies, the return of the ICT program, and introduced student voice through monthly updates/insights at BOE meetings. In addition, she supported an analysis of services for our students with disabilities, sensory friendly theater performances, recycling initiatives, exit interviews of students and retirees, board and community access to PGCD (Professional Growth and Curriculum Development) reports, programming for at-risk high school students, and a study of our District’s culture and climate. Furthermore, Nanette has proudly served as a BOE liaison with community organizations representing underserved students and families. While this is not an exhaustive list, it encapsulates Nanette’s approach to strengthening our schools, with a focus on educational excellence, for all learners and families.
Nanette maintains that with knowledgeable and diligent leadership on the Board of Education, a commitment to child-centered educational practices, and our talented and inspiring staff, Port’s future is bright. She welcomes a second term to build upon her work advancing professional development in a variety of areas, including literacy, enhancing services for students with disabilities, and prioritizing student and staff mental health. Additionally, Nanette will continue to focus on communication, consistency, and school culture and climate while recognizing the challenges of budget constraints in this economic environment.
Nanette seeks a second term as BOE Trustee as she believes that robust public schools are a pillar of our democracy that have the capacity to inspire life-long learners and citizens of the world. She would like to continue to use her experience and knowledge to nurture the next generation of students and families in the Port Washington Schools.
For more information about Nanette’s campaign, please email her at nan4BOE@gmail.com.
To join Nanette’s campaign, follow her Facebook page @Re-elect Nanette Melkonian for Port Washington BOE.
-Nanette Melkonian, Port Washington School District Board of Education Trustee
