Mamaroneck School Board Nominates Candidates

 Two candidates have been nominated by the Mamaroneck School Board Selection Committee to fill two open positions on the Board of Education next year, announced the Board yesterday.

Incumbent Nancy Pierson is seeking her second 3-year term while newcomer Matthew Schoengood would fill the seat Janet Buchbinder will vacate.

"At the start of the year, finding applicants felt like an especially daunting task, with the Superintendent leaving and the challenging budget issues ahead," said Sunny Park Suh, co-chair of the Selection Committee. "But in the end, we felt extremely fortunate. We had a number of truly great applicants."

Founded in 1945, the Selection Committee is an independent volunteer group that screens and endorses candidates for the Board, according to a press release sent by the Board. It is made up of elected representatives from schools in Larchmont and Mamaroneck, and meets with school officials to become acquainted with issues facing our schools.

The two candidates will have to run for election on May 18th, when the budget will also be voted on.

(The candidates in the Rye Neck School District are incumbent Guy Pipolo and newcomer Bonni Gottlieb.)

Nancy Pierson (bio submitted by the Board)

Nancy Pierson has lived in Larchmont for 17 years.  Her three daughters have all graduated from MHS after having gone through Murray Ave Elementary and Hommocks Middle School.  Nancy received her BA from Colgate University, N.Y., and her Masters in Communications Disorders from Emerson College in Boston.  Prior to having children and moving out of the country for 6 years  (Barbados and Bermuda), Nancy worked in the Massachusetts Public Schools system as a Speech and Language Pathologist.

Nancy was an active member of the local PTAs, co-president of SEPTA, the MHS PTSA and PT Council.  She was also a Committee on Special Education (CSE) Parent Member for 10 years.  She is a member of St John's Episcopal Church in Larchmont.

Nancy has been a school board member since 2007.   In addition to being liaison to Central School, Hommocks and SEPTA, she has been on the BOE Communications Committee, and the Law and Policy Committee.   She is the BOE liaison to Safe Routes to Schools and the Wellness Committee.  She leads a sub-committee looking at community use of school facilities. 

Although this is a difficult time for all public schools, Nancy considers this time an exciting time to be involved.  Trying to find new ways to educate our students is challenging given the changing financial times, the changing world beyond school and changing technology and education research.  Under the guidance of Superintendent Dr. Fried, Mamaroneck is in a solid place and ready to move forward.  She is looking forward to working with a new superintendent next year while taking advantage of the experience she has gained over the past three years.   
 
 Matthew Schoengood (bio submitted by the Board)

Matthew Schoengood is a life-long New Yorker. Born and raised in the Bronx, he received his BA degree from Ohio Wesleyan University, where he majored in Speech and Theatre and Secondary Education. He then went on to receive an MPA degree in Labor Relations and Personnel Management from NYU's Wagner Graduate School of Public Service.

Schoengood has spent the last 30 years in public higher education administration at the Graduate School and University Center of the City University of New York, where he has been the Vice President for Student Affairs since 2001. Serving as the chief student affairs officer for the City University's doctoral degree granting institution, he has overall responsibility for the provision of student support services, most procedural student academic matters and the general quality of student life. He has had extensive experience in the areas of budget, psychological counseling services, housing, and admissions and financial aid.

He and his wife Elise Silvestri reside in the Village of Larchmont and are the parents of an MHS freshman and a 2004 MHS graduate. He has also coached baseball in the LMLL and basketball in both the LMBA and Westchester Temple League.

From the Board: Selection Committee members themselves have staggered, three-year terms, and must be elected via ballots set up near School Board polling places. There are still opportunities to serve on next year's Selection Committee. For more information, visit the Committee's web site www.selectioncommittee.org.