Occupation: I have over a decade of experience working as a Director of Account Management at a national healthcare company. My responsibilities encompassed the oversight of multimillion-dollar accounts, totaling more than $20 million in revenue. I successfully created strategic partnerships with a diverse group of clients, including various collective bargaining unions like the NYC Transport Workers Union (TWU) and Hotel Employees Restaurant Employees International Union (H.E.R.E.I.U). My professional journey has equipped me with a distinctive skill set that I contribute to the North Shore Board of Education. My proficiencies extend to the orchestration of seamless customer experiences, identifying and resolving issues, ensuring steadfast adherence to client, federal, and state regulatory mandates, overseeing client audits, and spearheading the recruitment, training, and supervision of personnel. As Director, I sought to balance the often-conflicting priorities of long-term financial success with a high quality of patient care.
Qualifications: In addition to my career qualifications, I am the current Vice President of the North Shore School District Board of Education, and I am extremely proud of all we’ve accomplished over my 3 year tenure. Our schools continue to rise in the rankings and win numerous awards, from athletics championships to Regeron and ISEF scholars to our Robotics team going to Houston for the National Tournament! During my time on the board so far, I have actively contributed to various committees including the Athletic Advisory Committee, Wellness Committee, IEP Committee, and Construction Steering Committee. As a board member, I have been involved in the hiring of our current superintendent, assistant superintendents, 2 principals and 1 interim principal and I look forward to assisting in the decision-making process for hiring the new Glen Head Elementary School principal. Preceding my board membership, I volunteered extensively within the district and served on the Legislative Action Committee (LAC), the district's Social Emotional Learning (SEL) Committee and the Sea Cliff School PCA Executive Board. I believe strongly in innovative programming and assisted our school librarian by securing funds for author visits in my role as Book Fair Chairperson for 3 years at Sea Cliff School. I also spearheaded the Let Grow Project and previously served as Chair of Membership at the Roslyn Trinity Co-op.Relationship building, critical thinking, problem-solving, effectively communicating and, most importantly, listening are the strengths that empower me to be a successful Trustee.
Personal: My husband and I have proudly called North Shore our home for over a 15 years. We are current residents of Sea Cliff and former residents of Old Brookville. My son is a 6th grader at North Shore Middle School. We have enjoyed watching him benefit from the many educational and extracurricular opportunities that the district has afforded him. As a family, we are active in many athletic leagues where my son plays baseball, basketball, soccer, golf, and tennis. Sports have been a great way for my son to meet children from all over our district and have allowed me the benefit of getting to know different community members. When I am not watching a game or driving to another one, I am likely taking walks through our beautiful town or reading a good book.
Statement: It is an honor to announce my candidacy for re-election to the North Shore Board of Education. As the Vice President of the current board, I have the experience necessary to support our schools and guide them in a continued upward trajectory. Our schools are wonderful, and I want to ensure that we provide the best academics, athletics, fine and performing arts, electives, special education services and more so that each child finds their passion and is ready and prepared to be successful in a world beyond North Shore.
It is no secret that our district is facing imminent fiscal challenges. As the mother of a sixth grader and a taxpayer, I worry about protecting the tremendous investment we’ve made in our schools. Consequently, I am running for re-election to use my unique skill set to ensure our children are receiving the most robust education while remaining fiscally responsible. In my role as Director of Account Management for a national healthcare company, I managed clients whose revenue exceeded 20 million dollars. I ensured the relationship between my clients and my company was solid through financial success, customer satisfaction and quality assurance. These past corporate experiences prepared me well to advocate effectively on behalf of our own residents. I will work to ensure we continue to fight for all stakeholders, pressuring our legislators to protect us from further LIPA tax revenue losses, and advocate against unfunded mandates for our district. But most importantly, I will continue to use my voice and my vote to represent all members of our district.
During my 3 years on the board and my time volunteering in the district prior to becoming a trustee, I have gained insight not only into the operations of the North Shore School District but into our community’s shared values. Most districts espouse a strong commitment to academics, but what makes ours unique is that its emphasis on academic excellence encompasses educating the whole child. Many families, like my own, move to the district because of the North Shore School District’s Shared Valued Outcomes (SVOs). To be critical thinkers, problem solvers, effective communicators, collaborators, innovators, and committed individuals are the qualities we need to teach and instill in our students as well as exemplify in our Board of Education.
Please join me in voting on May 21st. I am invested in our children, our community, and our district’s long-term success. I hope that you will vote for me on May 21st, but most importantly, please vote, your choice matters!
Occupation:
During a 24-year career at Columbia University, I was Director of Teaching and Learning Technologies and Director of Student Information Systems, working primarily in the areas of administrative, academic, financial, and facilities services. My duties included managing teams of up to 25 people, directing all operations, budget administration, personnel, and strategic planning; working with students, faculty, Deans, and administrators at all levels throughout the University; defining new software application requirements, designing solutions, and providing oversight of development, testing, and rollout of new apps. I began working at Columbia right out of college because I loved the educational environment. I took a one-year foray away, to explore the Wall Street experience, but when my former employer asked me to return I realized the education scene was where I belonged. After early retirement from Columbia, I completed a degree in Landscape Design and pursued a short career in that field until motherhood beckoned. I have been joyfully parenting ever since.
Qualifications:
I received a B.A. in Geography from Barnard College and later completed an M.S. in Landscape Design at Columbia’s School of Professional Studies, but the skills I acquired during a long career in academia and my district volunteer work have been perhaps the best preparation for a role as Trustee.
Since joining the Board I have served as the primary Liaison to the Legislative Action Committee (LAC), a role I especially value and enjoy for its constant broadening of my perspective to encompass the complex but critical interdependencies of our District with its component communities and our County, Regional, and State governments. I am or have been an active member of several other committees including Policy, District-Wide Safety, Community Budget Forum, and Revenue Generation.
Prior to my election as Trustee I volunteered extensively, beginning within a few months of our arrival in the District, when I became the founding Manager of the Sea Cliff School Organic Garden, a role I cherished for seven years for its joyful interactions with students. At the same time, I was increasingly engaged as a volunteer on the K-12 Teacher & Learning strategic planning Committee, 2019 Bond Committee, SCS Shared Decision-Making Committee, Legislative Action Committee, and Littleworth Lane Joint Task Force. I also served three years as an SCS Class Parent and I am a Founding Member of the Think Outside advocacy group that was active during the pandemic.
Personal:
My husband, Art, and I have lived in Sea Cliff since Spring 2015, arriving shortly before our daughter started Kindergarten at the Sea Cliff School. Now an 8th-grader, she is savoring her final months in Middle School, which has been exactly the academic and personal growth experience we had wished for her. She can’t wait to meet the challenges and new experiences awaiting her in High School. When I am not volunteering, I love leisure time with my family and friends, the outdoors and gardening, reading, North Short Music & Arts, watching baseball through a young girl’s eyes, and the joys of watching my own and all our families’ young humans develop into accomplished world citizens as North Shore alums!
Statement:
I am honored to be running for re-election to a second term as Trustee of the North Shore School District Board of Education. My desire to serve my community and our schools is stronger than ever as I have spent three years with an up-close view of the stellar work of every member of our district and it is a privilege to be a part of supporting that.
I carry a deep commitment to the excellence of our schools in every aspect of my work as Trustee and I believe fervently in the importance of maintaining that excellence for today’s children and for subsequent generations. Having become a parent much later than most, I am keenly aware of the need to weigh District financial needs against taxpayer concerns. And I am inspired by the dedication, care, and vigilance with which our administrative leaders have balanced these sometimes-competing interests. I am eager to devote a second term as Trustee to supporting a hopeful future for all members of our community with creative solutions for revenue generation and State aid targeted to overcome the massive loss of LIPA tax payments without diminishing the superb schools of the North Shore District.
I hope you will continue to contact me with your concerns and ideas so that I may serve with as broad representation as I am given. My goal is to be a guardian of public education, bringing an open mind to the table – ready to listen to all stakeholders and collaborate with Trustee colleagues to achieve workable solutions. I will be grateful for your support on May 21st. Every vote counts!
Occupation: My entire 33-year career has been in education. I have been a teacher, administrator, and coach. I began my education career as a teacher in the NYC school system, where I spent 5 years teaching 5th grade. I moved on to the Lawrence School District as a teacher in 4th and 5th grades. After 4.5 years in Lawrence, I was ready to make the move to administrator and became the assistant principal of the Munsey Park Elementary School in the Manhasset School District. After 2.5 years there, I was offered a position in the New Hyde Park-Garden City Park School District, where I spent 15 years as the principal of the Garden City Park Elementary School. About 6 years ago, I was ready to move on to a Central Office position as the Director of Curriculum, Instruction, and Technology in the NHP-GCP School District. In this position, in addition to administering the curriculum and technology, I have been responsible for two large budgets and all Federal Consolidated Grants (as well as all the recently awarded ARP-ESSER Grants). I am very familiar with school budgets and the budget process. This is the position that I currently hold.
I also have a lifelong ‘career’ in soccer. It has not been a career in the sense that it is what I do to pay the bills, but I am not sure what else to call the thing that I have spent 40 plus years of my life working for. I began my soccer life playing back in 1973 as an 8-year-old for the Sporting Club Gjoa in Brooklyn NY. I started coaching at the age of 16 and joined the Executive Board of the club when I was 18. I have held the roles of President, Vice President, Secretary, and Athletic Director. I am still a volunteer Youth Athletic Director while having a full-time staff of 9 coaches and administrators that work for me and the club. I am honored to say that I am a Life Member and Hall of Fame Member at Sporting Club Gjoa.
At 18 years old, I also joined the Executive Board of the Cosmopolitan Junior Soccer League in NYC. I have been President, Vice President, and Secretary throughout the years for the CJSL. I am currently the Treasurer. I'm proud to say that I am a Life Member and Hall of Fame inductee for CJSL.
With both the SC Gjoa and CJSL, I have been a soccer coach at all levels and have taken teams traveling around the world and the US. While teaching in Lawrence, I also coached the JV Boys Soccer Team for four years and while teaching in NYC I was the JV Soccer coach at Xavier High School for 2 two years and I started the Girls Varsity Soccer Program at Bishop Kearney Girls High School.
Lastly, I have been on the Board of the Eastern NY Youth Soccer Association as a Trustee and I'm currently the Treasurer. I was honored to be inducted as a Member of the ENYYSA Hall of Fame for my contributions to the soccer community as an administrator and coach in NYS.
I believe that my time in education and soccer has prepared me for a position on the Board of Education. Being familiar with budgets, the inner workings of a district, state and federal funds and grants, school law, and school personnel is a great advantage for us all. The NHP-GCP district is fairly small and operates on a very tight budget with no wiggle room. Working within these constraints puts me in a unique position for understanding ways to save money for the district and the entire community. I also have a great deal of experience working with parents and families, all school staff members, and students. These experiences for a Board of Education trustee are key to understanding the various issues and concerns that are brought to a Board and working to develop solutions that are amicable for all members of the community.
Additional Qualifications: In addition to my career qualifications, I have also volunteered in various capacities in the North Shore School District. I currently serve on the district’s Teaching and Learning Committee. I have previously served on the Homework Policy Task Force and the Middle School Principal Search Committee. I am also the treasurer of the Middle School PTSO at this time.
Of course, as a teacher and administrator, I have served on every possible school committee there is. Shared Decision Making committees, interviews for staff at every level, drug task forces, curriculum and textbook committees, various technology committees, report card committees, school and district safety teams, and many years of PTA committees and meetings. I could go on.
Personal: My wife, Tammie, and I have called North Shore our home since 2016. We are current residents of Glenwood Landing. I have a 31-year-old daughter, Samantha. Tammie and I have twins, Jake and Eleanor, in the 6th grade. We have enjoyed watching Jake and Eleanor benefit from the many educational and extracurricular opportunities that the district has afforded them. As a family, we are active in an array of activities having two children with very different interests, including various sports and arts.
Statement: It is an honor to announce my candidacy for North Shore Board of Education Trustee during this extraordinary time. With the bad news of the LIPA settlement, we are facing additional fiscal strife, while trying to balance the wishes of the many voices in our community. How can we balance the needs of all the stakeholders in the community while not just maintaining, but growing our schools in a fiscally responsible manner? By working together as a community, I feel we can do anything. I pride myself on being a listener, communicator, and problem solver. I have done this in my professional career as well as my “volunteer” career in soccer and the community.
I can tell you in all sincerity that I do not go for a Board seat with any one particular agenda. I am certain that I can utilize my experiences to best help our school district. My goal is to come up with solutions, not just highlight problems. In my various leadership roles, I have learned to depend on the knowledge and expertise of the people around me to provide the input necessary to make decisions and then use that information to do the best we can for the community and most importantly, the students. I am a man of my word and will work on all the issues we face 100%. That includes the budget and LIPA issues, athletics, academics, facilities, and so on. I will always be honest with you and the people I serve. I welcome hearing from people. Please feel free to reach out to me at any time during this campaign with questions or concerns by emailing me at SvendsenForNSBoard@gmail.com.
I hope that you will vote for me on May 17th, but most importantly, please vote! Your choice matters! Effective communication, collaboration, honesty, problem-solving, and listening are the strengths that I bring to the table. Strengths that will help to ensure that I am a successful trustee. A trustee for the entire community.