4 candidates to run for Port Washington School Board

Sarah Minkewicz

Four candidates will be vying for three of the Port Washington School Board seats at stake in the May 17 election. 

Former Town Council candidate Emily Beys and parent Dave Sattinger filed petitions on Monday to join school board President Karen Sloan and Trustee Christine Nadolne in the race.

Beys has served as HSA Co-President Schreiber High School, HSA co-president Weber Middle School, co-president Port Washington Parents’ Council, Membership Vice President Weber Middle School HSA, Archangel Michael Greek Language Institute School Board Co-President, and Archangel Michael Greek Language Institute PTA co-president. 

She ran last year in an unsuccessful bid for Town Council, losing to Town Councilwoman Dina De Giorgio.

Sattinger, who ran unsuccessfully last year for a seat on the school board, is the parent of an eighth grade student at Weber Middle School 

He graduated Roslyn High School in 1981, received a bachelor’s in political science at Binghamton University, and currently works in garment sales and production. 

Sattinger said he’s running because he believes he can offer a new perspective to the school board. He said there is a lot he’d like to change but he wants to start with increasing the communication and transparency between the school board and the community. 

“I want parents to know that I would be listening to them,” Sattinger said. 

Efforts to reach Beys were unavailing. 

Both Sloan and Nadolne announced last week that they will run for re-election.

Sloan, who is running for a second three-year term as board president, said Tuesday she is seeking re-election because she wants to continue with efforts to improve the school district.

“I’m very devoted to the school district and to the students in the school and I’m just loving the direction the school district is taking now and I still want to be a part of it,” Sloan said.

Sloan said she dedicates her time to maintaining quality academic and programs that result in high achievement and meaningful opportunities for children, both in the classroom and in the greater community as an extension of their education.

“One of my biggest accomplishments is being able to help facilitate on the board and continue improving the school district,” she said.

Sloan has served on the Board of Education for nine years, including seven as president. She has also served as president of the district’s Parents’ Council as well as the Guggenheim Elementary School PTA and has held numerous volunteer positions both during and after her children’s years attending Port Washington schools.

Nadolne said she’s running for a second three-year term because she wants to continue contributing to the school district. 

“I’m excited to run again,” Nadolne said. “I feel I’ve done a good job addressing concerns, most recently about should teachers be allowed to tutor.”

Nadolne currently sits on the policy committee and said she has been responsible, along with other board members, for rewriting the code of conduct. 

“Hard to pinpoint exactly what I’ve done because it is a group effort,” Nadolne said. “Most of the work is committee driven.”

In the future, Nadolne said, she plans to come up with ways to generate more revenue for the district that’s fair but still met the need for students.

“Again would love to see on a state level more work done in fair share in state aid,” Nadolne said.   

Nadolne said she did a letter-writing campaigning to end the state’s Gap Elimination Adjustment and personally handed out letters and lobbied in Albany. State legislator eliminated the Gap Elimination Adjustment, which was instituted in 2010, last week as part of the state’s 2016-16 budget 

Nadolne said she has worked in lab research and as a dental hygienist, and received a master’s in education. She also volunteers with St. Peter’s teaching religion.

Residents will vote for the 2016-17 budget and board seats on  May 17 from 6 a.m. to 10 p.m.

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