001Hi everybody. I want to thank everybody for coming. My name is Dan Fully. I am the president. Um we appreciate everyone coming out. There's a lot going on schools tonight. Unfortunately, we only have a week to work with everyone here. So, we appreciate everyone coming. We're going to start. I'm going to let each kind of introduce themselves and then we have two questions, reset the questions that we're going to ask, and we'll open it up to audience questions if anyone has any. Um so we will start introduce [Music] yourself. Good evening. Thank you to the TFC for putting us together. Thank you for everybody um coming tonight. Thank you to Grace as well. Uh my name is Barbara O'ina and I'm running for a seat on the Deer Park Board of Education. My reason for
002running is to be an advocate for the children and taxpayers of Deer Park. I've been a Deer Park resident for 29 years and currently have two children in the Deer Park School District, grades four and six. I'm a retired NYPD lieutenant who served 25 years with the city of New York. During the course of my career, one of my many assignments was school youth officer. I worked as a liaison between the school system and the NYPD, interacting daily with school administrators, teachers, and students. Through this assignment, I learned a lot about the New York education system and how it operates. My family and I are active parishioners of St. Serial and Methodius Catholic Church. For the past 5 years, I have volunteered my time and worked closely with the director of the CIO basketball program.
003I also coach one of the girls basketball teams. I'm also involved in the Deer Park little league program. It is through these programs that I have met many Dear Park parents with school age children and have heard their concerns, questions, and complaints regarding the school district. I am a community oriented person and take great pride in the Deer Park School District and the town of Deer Park. I strongly feel that I am qualified to serve as a member of the Dear Park Board of Education and because of my vast experience, I will be an asset to the current members. As a board member, I will be dedicated to a school system that supports its students and works towards creating a strong future for our children as well as minimizing our school tax increase. My focus
004is to create an environment where every child has the opportunity to succeed. I will work in collaboration with parents, taxpayers, and administration. My priorities will be geared towards quality of education, fiscal responsibility, and encouragement of parent participation in their child's education. Thank you. And next we welcome [Music] [Applause] [Music] race. Hello everyone. I want to also thank you everybody for coming and to the PFCs for putting this together such short notice and to borrow my my you know my apartment if you will. Okay. So, my name is Grace Hayne and I am running for Anthony Hankle's open uh board of education seats. I am a lifelong Juart resident and an alumni of the district. I won't tell you where I graduated, but I'm in a long way now. I started kindergarten at JQA and subsequently
005graduated from the department school. I was accepted to Hash University and I graduated with a bachelor's degree in accounting. I raised two children in a district in our community, both of whom have graduated from Dear Park High School. I have been very involved in many aspects of our town. I was a Girl Scout leader for 12 years and I was also head coordinator for all of the Jun Park Girl Scout troops with the maximum term of 3 years. And at that time, I was responsible for over 20 troops with students ranging from grades kindergarten through 12th grade. Other involvements that I've been in is um setting up fundraising events, many fundraising events for whether it's um clubs I've been in or clubs my children have been in. And um for example, my daughter's pick team.
006We had fundraising events um her team through middle school and high school. Once she graduated in 2012, I I felt the need to still give back to the community. So I became treasurer of the high school PFC at that time. Later that year, I answered a call from the uh director of the fine arts. I answered a call for parents to step up in the fine and performing arts department. From there, I was one of four parents that founded the Deal Park Arts Council in February of 2013. I'll call it Dark for short. So, when we founded, I became I was treasurer and um I was one of the coordinators and I was treasurer. I brought my fundraising experiences to BPAC and together at that time we resurrected the former music association club. We put
007our own vision state into it. We put ideas into it and created something new for our district. I am proud to say that I have been part of an organization that has cumulatively given tens of thousands of dollars to park high school seniors in the fine performing arts departments through these 12 years and is still going strong. Our lady became president of DPAC in 2018 when our founding president had stepped down. And this past June, June of 2024, it was time for me to step down as president and then to pass the baton to eager to eager parents and a wonderful group of parents with the same vision. Through DPAC, the arts became part of my team. And so when it was announced that Mr. was not seeking re-election. I immediately knew what my next
008step could be cuz of course I can't just not do something right. So if elected, I hope to continue his legacy of being an advocate for the fine performing arts and do park while also being able to listen and learn and make informed decisions that reflect our community needs as a whole. Not just in the arts, but as a whole. Thank you. All right. So, we are kind of doing this rolling in it. This is the first time any of us have done this. So, we have seven questions, I believe, here. What we're going to do, I will ask a question or will answer first and Grace will go next. Grace is going to be our time keeper just to keep us on some sort of track. Um, we will read three minutes to respond
009to the question, then answer the next question and so on. So the first question and Robert will answer first is what motivated you to run for the school board. The questions are also up here in circles. [Music] [Applause] [Music] [Applause] Oh, what started my quest for a seat on the board was the basketball court. My son who attends JFK would complain about his recess time and say there were very limited options for the students to play. The children especially wanted a real basketball court. I decided to visit the school myself and what I saw I was greatly disappointed in. After talking with and researching with other parents whose children had graduated years ago, it turns out this is nothing new. Nothing has been improved at JFK over the years. And when parents go to uh
010field day, they see it for themselves. I feel that recess is so important to children, especially grades 3 through 5, because it's their unstructured time of play. It's when they really get to play with each other. Nowadays, kids don't really play with each other anymore unless it's a play date or a sporting event. So this at recess was very important for kids mentally and physically. Because I was so disappointed and frustrated with the outdoor brand of JFK, I began to attend board meetings to voice my concerns. I wasn't 100% satisfied with the answers I was getting or convinced that an improvement would happen anytime soon. So, I began to mold the idea of running for a seat on the board myself. When fellow parents got wind that I was thinking about running, they began to
011strongly encouraged me because they wanted me to be their voice on the board. Parents, especially the parents at JFK and Robert Frost, feel that there's no representation for them on the board. So, I want to run so I can represent specific everybody. I mean every student I want to represent all students in every grade and every school but my heart leans in the direction of Robert Frost and JFK in the younger schools because I feel that they are not represented by the current board members. A lot of the current board members don't have kids in the district. They don't hear what's going on. I am like a boots on the ground type person. I'm interacting daily with other uh kids parents, seeing them at the ball fields. So I know exactly what the parents and
012the students want and I want to represent them and see that everybody all our students are [Music] [Applause] happy. Okay. So the Lord gave me to run for the board. Actually the first time I've been thinking about it over the years but because of my involvement in different things I just couldn't give it the the the the time it deserved. So when I was stepping down from DAC a year ago I was thinking about it and then when I went to uh the budget vote last year um I wrote my name in. I don't know if anybody knows that. You know I told my family I wrote my name in I said I want to run to the awards. So this year, you know, feeling wrong with myself, but um but this year when uh
013like I said earlier when uh Anthony said that he was not going to step down, I think he was going to step down. Sorry. I wanted to I said, "Okay, well this is it. I stepped down from DPAC as the president. I have the time now that I can I can give it I can give it my all." So because I thought that this would be a smooth transition because Anthony is also an advocate for the performing arts. So I thought that this would be a smooth transition to keep the voice of the arts on the board and um and so with bringing my experience with all the different uh clubs and activities I've been in, I wanted to continue being a strong member of the community giving back but at a higher level. So
014that's that's really that's really that's what I want to look for. Thank [Music] you. The next question, what's your stance on funding for arts, athletics, and extracurricular programs? Chris, do you want to come up and answer the [Music] question? Okay. Well, my stance for the arts and athletics and extra extracurricular programs is very strong. I support it completely and I am all for funding it. These programs are a great representation of the school, you know, uh through our students and it builds confidence and the uh the input from the coaches and the public advisors would be something that I would I would look for to see if there was improvements needed or or um you know what the interest is but I am a uh um um a great proponent of that and what I
015also do one thing when I was thinking about this is that there's so many clubs right so we have um music and arts we have extracurriculars uh clubs let's say I'll just call it religious club any club and then we also have the academic school like maybe science math teams and stuff like that and children I children need that I know that my children although I don't have children in the um they did graduate. My youngest graduated almost 10 years ago, but I have been involved ever since. And with that, I have been speaking to parents at all the different things that I've done, whether not just concerts, but um you know, I've gone to football games, I've gone to many different things. And I know that athletics as well as um music and the
016extracurriculars are so important. Again, building confidence um in uh in the students. you just can't be academics 24/7. And um now you're also um and one thing about the um especially with the arts, I know someone people were talking about about the musical sometimes something I'll take the example of musical. It's it's um people know about it but not everybody knows about it, you know. So to make also the kids feel good whether it's at a football game or at a soccer game or at a uh a local math team thing or even a musical. It would be great if residents also come not just the parents cuz we know about it, right? But the residents, one thing I I did learn that um from not being a parent in the district, you know nothing.
017You know nothing about what's going on in the school because the um calendar doesn't come out anymore. So you have to go to go get it. you don't get the reminds and the uh and the text and the emails and parent reports and any of that. So I one thing I was thinking of was um as far as 55 local communities and things you know maybe have some county for free um or stack bus service we go to these places and bring the seniors or branch people to the musicals to the sports games to the pool you know maybe for usage of the pool and things like that. So these all these extracurricular things to me are very important. Thank [Music] [Applause] you. I agree with everything Bruce just [Music] said. I fully support fun
018in the arts, sports, and extra activities as well. School is not just about academics and sitting in a classroom. We also want our children to find school enjoyable and provide them with a broad range of extracurricular activities. The district should make every effort to support these programs and they should be of the highest priority to our children in addition to supporting academic needs and requirements. In my opinion, the more time children participate in clubs and other activities as less time they're buried in their homes. when my daughter was going to orientation starting her or summer or she went in August her orientation as a new student going into Robert and I'll never forget the principal and the guidance counselor specifically said that students who participate in after school clubs have a higher academic record. It
019really contributes and like Royce said it promotes leadership, teamwork and they learn so much. So the school I firmly believe that the school yeah should devote money to the to these programs whether it's arts, sports, chess club, golf club, anything just to get the kids involved. [Applause] Okay, our next question is, how will you support teachers in delivering high quality instruction to our students and barber [Music] [Applause] workers? I support teachers by letting them do their jobs. Deer Park schools have excellent quality teachers. This year at Robert Frost, 150 students were inducted into the Junior National Honor Society. 150 [Music] students. That's a lot of students and a direct reflection on our teachers. I believe our students are getting a high quality education and at this time we don't need the board doesn't need to
020interfere and breathe down their backs. Just let the teachers teach because they're doing a good [Applause] [Music] job. Thank you. Actually agree with myself. Well, the way that I also support teachers is that um I would ask them for their feedback. their feedback, their input, their feedback as far as uh maybe what other continuing education classes courses that they would need to, you know, further what they need in their classroom. And it's different for every teacher, right? You know, who teaches, you know, math and science and who teaches, you know, um gym or whatever. But that would be one thing. But with that again I would ask the teachers for their input and I would also put it out there that grants all right sometimes you know all these things are wonderful but oh my
021goodness how are they going to pay for everything right so one thing I I I was thinking of was grants there's so many grants out there that um and we do tap into it but I think it's an untapped resource I think it's something that we could get into more and if um maybe there's a a certain um thing that a teacher needs we could look for a brand for that. That's one way to supporting high quality education instruction. And I do have an example of that. One of our elementary school music teachers um went uh there was a tangle grant, a tangle grant for ukuleles. So his teacher applied for the grants and his teacher won the grant and his teacher got 30 got 30 ukuleles free. So it wasn't from our budget, it
022wasn't from taxpayers, it wasn't from anything else. So they were able to get ukulele by applying to this kind of grant and um so the students got to learn a new instrument, a new skill and that was wonderful. So it's these kinds of ideas that maybe we can bring to other things that we need in our district and and this way the grant opportunities that we have we don't you know we don't always have to go to the budget I always call it the booster club for the arts right we help help pay for what's needed what's asked for for things that are outside the budget sometimes other clubs and groups don't have that you know so maybe we can happen but teachers are the key teachers are definitely the key to asking for their
023input. Thank you. [Music] All right, the next question um for Grace um for you to start. How do you plan to address school safety? Both physical safety and mental health. Okay, safety is a big issue as far as physical safety. One thing I I I I I thought of was to know all your points of entry, right? Know all your points of entry, but not only into the buildings for all the schools, but also into the parking lots, right? Because, you know, we can lock down a school, but god forbid, you know, I think, you know, some that can go right into many, I think, all the parking lots, you know, but I do know that safety is something that the uh school district is addressing. I know superintendent had put um the uh gates
024around the high school. So that that's wonderful. That's great. So safety is definitely a big um a big topic. But that's how I would that's how I would address school safety or physical safety of it. And also training teams for the um the security teams, make sure that that's going on. Uh communicating procedures with staff sometimes might have a new staff on what's what to do in an emergency. Uh where's if there's a key to the to the question, where's the key to the question? I know that all the doors primarily lock themselves, but something can happen. Where's the key? Um things like this. So that's the physical safety part. The mental health safety to me um I am I support uh our governor's Kathy Hog's new new law, the uh bell to bell law
025having to do with taking cell phones away from kids during school. I I think that was a a great thing. I really do. And um because kids these days, they're focused so much, as you can see, on their phone. It's just not only distracting, you know, even if they're just looking at text messages, but what if you know there's something on there that got them very upset. Somebody said something, got them very upset, ruins their day for the classroom for the rest of the day. So, I think this um new law that I believe is going to be enacted in September, this coming school year. So, no cell phone in the classroom from the time the first bell rings to the time the last bell rings and nothing in between. No lunch or anything as
026far as the cell phones. To me, the challenge will be um how to implement that. But I also um know that New York State is, you know, has ideas where they'll help they'll help each district do that. But I think that's a great thing. So that's how we can help in the mess. Thank you. [Music] School safety in regards to physical safety begins with the security guard staff. Ultimately, they are the first line of defense. It's important that these security guards are highly trained and trained so that when something does hit the fan, so to speak, that they're ready to act. So they need to and in addition to going over procedure with the students and um the teachers, they need to know exactly what to do and must be able to contain any active
027threat until the arrival of Suffach police. School safety in regards to mental health. We just need to create a safe and supportive school environment where students feel physically and emotionally secure. promote a positive and supportive school environment where students feel valued, respected, and safe. I agree also with the cell phone ban from the first bell to the last bell. I don't I think it's going to be very tough to come September to enforce. I think there's going to be a lot of blowback from parents because parents I know already heard people say that you know I want my kid to have a phone cuz if something goes bad I want them to call me and I'm going to run down to the school because you know I have two rifles in my closet and I'm
028going to help which is the most ridiculous thing I've ever heard. I know. So uh um now it's my turn. But anyway, yes, I do support uh the cell phone ban. And if if something did something did something bad did happen in terms of say I think they say an active shooter, the children are going to be going in the classroom and being quiet. That's what you do to be quiet. You're not going to be stringing on the phone calling your parents. The teacher is going to want quiet. [Applause] And that's what Thank [Music] [Applause] [Music] you. All right. Next question is, how will you keep the community informed and involved in decisions that are happening in districts? [Music] in keeping the uh community informed of decisions involved and involved in decisions. I say transparency
029is key. We need to let all the parents know every and communicate what is going on. And there's so many methods of communicating with the community these days with social media, websites, emails. And I would also encourage parents and community members to ask questions, become engaged. [Music] [Applause] [Music] do this. Okay. So, keep the community informed and involved in decisions. Yes, I also agree communication is definitely key and I encourage parents and residents aka all taxpayers to voice their opinions with solutiondriven responses as well at our board meetings and that's very important so important. Um, this way we promote a a a culture of parents being hurt because there are different different concerns and things, you know, whether it's the basketball court or whether it's something else. There are many many different concerns and um
030if we develop a culture of parents being heard, then everybody will be more at ease with that. But again, come to the table with, you know, reasonable solutions so this way we can try to accomplish things and timelines and etc. Maybe we could have a um I was thinking a community forum, but like a town hall kind of thing every now and then to take questions, be open, you know, the board, you know, to be open to the residents because again, we're asking not only parents in the community, but the residents to support our budget, right? So, it's good for them to know what they're supporting and what what they're standing behind. So, this way they can get their questions and concerns answered. And of course, um, ways of communication, like Corvette had also said,
031letters, phone calls, websites, social media, just just put it out there. And we do get things in the mail. So, no, there are good forms of communication that we're doing right now. Um, and we're evolving as the times evolve. Thank you. [Music] [Applause] Okay, the next question. How would you support students with disabilities, English language learners, or students from lowincome families? [Music] Grace. Okay. So, students with disabilities, English language learners, and students with low-inccome or low income families. Well, I would make I would make sure I would advocate for programs to be in place first of all for these for these groups. No, but I recently read that according to data from the 20 according to data from the 2020 census, the eight population of 18 and below is the most diverse both racially and
032ethnically. Yes, 18. And that is the students that we're talking about. That's the block of students that we're dealing with in the schools. But to how would I support students with disabilities? To support students with disabilities, educators should implement personalized instruction and create inclusive environments. Special needs children want nothing more than be treat than to be treated like everyone else. So, it's vital for them to be included with mainstream kids. It's crucial that to offer students a wide range of accommodations and modifications to ensure that all students can succeed. I personally subscribe to the theory, it takes a village to raise a child. Students from low-income families must not be discriminated against because of their socioeconomic disadvantage. So, us as a school district, as a community, if there's children who are special needs or low
033income or don't speak our language, we need to do whatever we have to do. And the school needs, the district needs to spend money to help them. That's [Music] it. All right. This is our last question and we'll open it up to audience questions. What experiences have prepared you to serve on the school [Applause] [Music] [Applause] board? My experience as an NYP lieutenant has equipped me with a unique set of leadership and community engagement skills that will be invaluable in a board of education position. My background in fostering strong relationships within the community has provided me with insights into addressing the diverse needs of students, parents, and educators. Additionally, my expertise in conflict resolution and strategic planning will support the development of policies that promote a safe and productive educational environment. I also have a
034long history and knowledge of working with diverse [Applause] [Music] populations. My experience well first what I can say is my experience in my professional life. I'm an accountant and and a manager. I've been at my company for almost 30 years and with that accounting background I deal with balance sheets, profit loss statements, budgets, all those numbers things. So I feel extremely confident in coming in to the board to deal with one of the big thing one of the biggest things not the biggest but one of the biggest things that we um go through and that's the budget process. So I am a question asker. I ask questions um line item questions um for expenses. I I take it to the nitty-gritty. I do that at work. I um you know sort of you know do
035that at TAC. I do that with Girl Scouts. We have to have all sorts of uh accountability for money. So I feel that I have that and also with accounting comes the um I'm ingrained both from college and then in my professional life with confidentiality. confidentiality is a big thing and um all my clients know and my co-workers know don't ask me don't ask me about something else about somebody else because you know you're going to get a point there. So that's that's another thing I I bring to the table as far as what what my back what my background is and um professionally I have to collaborate many different departments many different opinions on things and with that I feel I have a strong a a strong way of um of uh standing my
036ground on a certain blessing on a certain stance on something and and work work with the other team work with the other Right. So I would bring that to the board as well as as I said I ask questions and I help so this way others can I ask questions not only to understand other people's point of views but also to have people understand where I'm coming from. So I ask leading questions as well. Additionally, my experience from the last 20 years from when my children went to school and then after school, I've experienced working with administrators, teachers, students, and parents on a variety of different levels. Like I mentioned earlier, Girl Scouts for 12 years supporting the students in planning and planning and budgeting things. And some students, some of my Girl Scouts didn't
037go all the way to the board. That was okay. and then where they were at, you know, that they wanted to do the bronze or the silver and then at that point and uh that's challenging. You know, as the kids get older, there's a whole different set of of uh factors there and also with the de arts council, I was treasurer there and then I was president. So again another whole um uh network of collaborating again with the schools with the schools and the administrators and everything from um even you know like uh um the security the security team the custodial staff the kitchen staff so I feel I have a very good diverse background in that. Thank you. Okay. Each candidate does have a closing statement, but we're going to open and ask for
038questions first and then we'll welcome their closing statement. Does anyone have a question? Either [Applause] candidate they're running for the same position. So, there is someone correct me if I'm wrong, but there is three positions that we open. two are board of ed members that are just rerunning for their their their term is is over but they're they don't have anybody running against them so they're running on oppose both are running for the same seat on the board that Anthony is stepping down from correct I mean I question no questions. All right. So, you started answer question. So, I do have I do have a question. It's it's a bit much. So, both of y'all do not hate me for asking this question, but I can speak louder. Trust me. So, so it's a it's
039a little bit long. So, however you feel comfortable answering this. All right. I'm fine. But this is something I think you all should be able to answer. What do you think of the biggest challenges that you're going to face when you become a board member? And then I want to know what your top three priorities are when you become a board member. And to elaborate on a question that was asked earlier, what do you do for students who are regardless of income, their background or ability have access to a quality education. So I know that's a lot. However you feel comfortable answering any one of those questions because I think all those questions are very telling or rather your response will be very telling. Thank you. Well, my first priority would be to actively engage
040with the community in order to build strong relationship with parents, teachers, and students. My second priority would be to dig in right away and learn what it's like to be on the board. I don't have teaching experience and I've never worked with with the board of education. So for me would be my first time and I need to learn. My third priority is to create a vision for the grounds at JFK and encourage other board members to go more attention towards improvement. [Applause] The last question was essentially a sort of a version of their last question was what would you do for kids who are uh disadvantaged and how and sort of make make a receive a quality education just well I mean kids that are disadvantaged the school district we need to we need
041to help them the school has to have programs to help them I'm not really familiar with what the programs are so I don't want to just speak and for the for the sake of speaking but any again when it takes a village to raise a student. The school district need and needs to have programs, after school programs, free lunches if somebody has socioeconomic problems or financial problems, free lunches, computers, help with homework, after school programs, you know, all things of that nature. Thank you. Thank you. [Music] [Applause] Okay, I will address the uh top three priorities I guess first. Um overall though, overall priority of mine would be because this is a learning thing. All right, obviously being on board, right? It's a learning thing. So I would want to uh listen and learn listen
042and learn from not only uh the parents but like I said earlier the residents all right cuz I want to be connected definitely want to be connected and I have been on many different levels but when it comes to being on the board it's um uh you know we need to we need to gather information before we just make rational decisions or anything like that but as far as my top three priorities one of them this comes out is security, right? So security is uh um great priority and knock on my hood. We you had a a wonderful school district with that. So I would be an advocate in making sure that that is always one of the top priorities and security. And another one would be another priority would be promoting kindness within the
043students. [Applause] I mean, I'm preaching to the choir here, you know, and I was kind of hoping that there would be more people here, more community, more parents in the community here, but I really feel uh yes, it takes a village. It starts at home you know and like I said teach I'm preaching to the choir here so I hope I don't get anybody but promoting kindness um from students this way that they can be kind kinder amongst their peers kinder to adults and and and just been promoting that having programs for that having a teaching if if you're not kind things happen consequences things like that and of course the budget is always a priority because we want to make sure that I mean in the end where is the money going we spend
044all these tax dollars right where is our money going what programs is it going to is it not going to is this going to something that is just going because it's on a budget long spend money or is it going to something that's really helping the kids the education that that low income and u uh you know Europe question you know low-inccome families and um people disadvantages disab facilities, you know, we need to really take a look at things like that. Not saying the board is not, but I would be one who would look at, you know, to make sure that that is being looked at. And um let's see here. And uh yes, yes, my uh um I think one of the things question was the biggest challenge right facing the board or being
045on the board. Um, I think that parent involvement is also really, really important. Parent involvement because again, I was really thinking this was going to be like I don't know almost about 4,000 students. So, if even a 10 5% were here, we'd be pulling out the room. So, how do we get more parents involved in things? Um, you know, we could, you know, one thing I noticed I I had written down for for ideas was if we have events again, we don't need any volunteers or working, I don't know, from somewhere else like with guest speakers, things that really um hit home with the residents and this would be by finding out home. So maybe we need uh a workshop in finding out about um drugs. I know we've had that. So that's good. Okay,
046drugs. Or what about having something maybe talking about mental health, talking about divorce, you know, how do you deal with divorce with, you know, whether it's the um the the parents dealing with it, the children dealing with it, you know, the children are the ones who bear the front um anxiety and stuff like that. It can be all sorts of different things that we can have workshops on to bring parents into the schools so the schools aren't you know or the high schools big of the you know scary thing but more parent involvement is really what I think is a big challenge. Thank [Music] you. Grace is absolutely right when she says parent involvement. when you go to the ball field or the gym for basketball or the dance recital or uh chorus, it's it's
047it's packed. There's parents everywhere. You go to a PFC meeting and there's one parent one parent showing up for the PFC meeting. That's where they need to be. Or the board meeting. You go to the board meeting. In the beginning of the board meeting, it's crowded because a student is getting an award or a teacher is being honored and then they take a little 10-minute break for it's very crowded this time in the room and then they take a little 10-minute break. I went to the bathroom, came back, and the room was empty. Well, where did everybody go? They're like, "Oh, yeah, everybody leaves now." As soon as the awards over and it comes down time to actually talk and ask questions of the board, everybody's gone. It's like when you go to awake, the
048room is crowded. As soon as someone says they see the priest coming, everybody leaves. Same thing. So parent involvement is is totally important. And also respect. A lot of times respect starts at home. We shouldn't be we shouldn't be sending our our kids to school and expect the teachers to teach our children respect. Respect starts at home. But parent involvement. Yes. I I would say word of mouth telling people come to the PSC meeting and the PSC you do so much work so much work and to be there and have one parent it's upsetting and I don't blame you so yes parent involvement is very important anyone else have questions [Applause] my closing statement my daughter asked me if I was going to be upset if I lost I decided to use this as a
049teaching moment and I told her I was going to work hard. I was going to do my best and hopefully I would win. But if I didn't win, it doesn't mean that I just stop and go away. I will continue to volunteer, attend meetings, and get involved in other ways because there's always work to be done. This election isn't about me. It's about the success of the Deer Park School District, its students, and the community. When you live a life of service like I have, you put community before self. Community before self. I want what's best for community. I want the Deer Park schools to succeed whether I have a seat at the boardroom table or Grace does. I believe the ultimate winner in this election is the Deer Park School District because you have
050two candidates who love Deer Park, are communityoriented, and truly want what's best for our children. And that's what makes me happy whether I win or not. Thank you. [Music] [Applause] Thank you, Barbara. and feel your sentiments exactly. And feel your sentiments exactly. No matter who wins, I know that both of us are going to be strong advocates for our kids and our communities. In closing, I'm [Music] [Applause] sorry. Okay. In closing, I feel that my experience both professionally in the accounting world, but more so as a parent volunteer in so many capacities for so many years, allows me to have a broad overview. And not having a child in the future currently, some can view it as positive or negative. I view it in the sense of it makes me more neutral that I can
051look at more things with that board overview, but also having had kids in the district that went through K through 12, I've seen the gamut. I've seen the gamut of everything and how things have changed. So, I come with that with that view as [Music] [Applause] well. In my in my um for myself, I'm the candidate that has an inside look with how to effectively collaborate with these different pieces of the puzzle within our school district because I've dealt with them. I've dealt with this school district. I've had the opportunity to work closely with, like I said, many um faculty and staff over the years and community based organizations through throughout all my all of my um programs. I'm very passionate to improve and maintain our children's education while still being fiscally responsible to you,
052the taxpayer, for which I won myself. I'm committed to being a positive collaborative presence on the Dear Park board of education. I bring years of hands-on involvement, creative approach to problem solving, and respect for the voices in our community. With your help, I can be your voice. Thank you again for your consideration and thank you again for Barbara. I'll be honored to earn your support in electing me as new member of board of education this coming Tuesday. Thank you. [Music] on behalf of Mayc. Thank you everybody for coming out tonight. Have a good day. [Music]