After serving six years on the East Williston school board, President Mark Kamberg is running for re-election to the board because he says he still has work to do.
“There are always so many things you wish to accomplish both for the students and for the community at large,” Kamberg said. “I’m proud of what we’ve been able to accomplish so far. I’m excited and humbled about the opportunity to continue to serve the community.”
Kamberg, who has been board president for the past four years, is running unopposed in the May 20 school district election.
He said his goal during a third term would be “to continue to improve our safety enhancements” and “growing our academic offerings and maintaining facilities at proper standards.”
Kamberg said he is proud of the leadership role he has taken in developing open enrollment in the accelerated science and math curricula, expanding AP offerings and implementing a new nine-period day of study. Foreign language initiatives were expanded, with a new foreign language program at the North Side School, he said.
Kamberg said he also takes satisfaction in the school board keeping the district’s annual tax levy increases within the state-mandated tax cap.
The $55.74 million budget for 2014-15 approved by the board is a 2.52 percent increase over the current $54.38 million budget. The tax levy is projected to increase 2.43 percent.
“As a district, we’ve taken great strides to restructure and recognize cost drivers within the budget that are just not one-year fixes, but multi-year cost savings,” Kamberg said.
He said he and the school board have saved money by reorganizing the school district’s curriculum chairs and by eliminating positions through retirements and restructuring the remaining staff.
The district implemented a program Kamberg said he touted to upgrade safety in district buildings that includes student I.D. cards, the locking of non-main entrance doors and the posting of after hour security guards at the high school.
He said infrastructure improvements made during his tenure include new sidewalks, crosswalks and stop signs installed at the entrance to the Willets Road School and new roofs on two of the three academic buildings.
New boilers were installed at the Wheatley School, new light fixtures in all buildings and cost-saving initiatives to the district.
Prior to his election to board, Kamberg served as a volunteer on several district committees, including committees to hire the superintendent, assistant superintendent for business, and the curriculum associate for social studies. He also served as a facilitator at a community meeting to cull input for the superintendent search. He also participated on the North Side School Shared Decision Making Committee and has acted as the Parent Teacher Organization Board of Education observer.
Kamberg, who has lived in Albertson for 13 years, also served on the Board of Education at Temple Beth Sholom in Roslyn before being elected the East Williston school board.
He also served as director of operations for the Annual Woodbury Autism Disco Ball, supporting children with autism, chairman for the Annual Children’s Funfest for the Children’s Cancer Center at Winthrop-University Hospital and chairman for the Young Professionals Division of UJA, helping to raise funds for global charities.
Kamberg and his wife, Marci, have two children, Adam, 10 and Alexa, 14, who both attend East Williston district schools.
