Hewlett-Woodmere School Board Candidate: Stephen Witt

On May 15, School District 14 residents will vote on a $105 million budget, as well as choose three school board candidates in an at-large election. Current school board member Stephen B. Witt is one of four people seeking a seat. The following is the questionnaire put to all candidates by the Hewlett-Woodmere Central Council PTA.

How long have you lived in the district and are/were you a parent of a child in the public schools?

I have lived in the district 43 years and both my daughters attended and graduated from the Hewlett district.

What particular experiences or skills qualify you to serve as a school board member?

I bring over 34 years school boards experience both on the Hewlett school board with an MBA degree in finance and accounting, president of Nassau BOCES, president of the Nassau Suffolk School Boards Association and on the board of directors of the New York State Schools Board.

What do you see as the major issue(s) facing our school district?   

Eliminate all unfunded mandates and require new mandates be funded by the state, specifically mandates for which school districts have little or no control over. The current fiscal constraints on education budgets calls for some immediate and decisive relief from those mandates that are diverting scarce local education dollars to fund state responsibilities. Require that the comptroller’s office to make public a yearly report card on all unfunded state mandates.

What do you see as the greatest strength of Hewlett-Woodmere schools?

Our commitment to excellence in education for all students starting with one of the first and finest early childhood program and concluding with programs in the high school to meet the needs of all students that is dedicated to student’s academic, artistic and athletic abilities. Supporting this is a policy that allows students to take a variety of rigorous courses from our vast array of offerings to a twilight program that provides additional support to students that need extra help at every level.

What do you see as the greatest weakness in our district and what would you do to change it? 

I think there is too much pressure put on our children to succeed academically in preparation for college, starting with too much testing, much of which is mandated. I would continue to work with the state and federal departments of education to reduce the number of tests and for elementary school students the length of the tests and would provide elective courses in the high school preparing students for SAT and ACT tests.

What changes, if any, should be made in the district’s budget?

I think we need to continue to simplify the budget as presented to the community to make it easier to understand, but at the end of the day the majority of the budget is mandated so we need to press harder with our legislators both at the federal, state and local level to eliminate all unfunded mandates thereby giving back local control to the community.

Is there any other information you would like to share about yourself or your goals? What would you like the community to know about you? 

I would like the community to know that I was selected New York State’ s outstanding school board member in 2009, on the STAR Commission which reduces property tax, chairman of the New York State School Boards Association, Nassau BOCES and Hewlett-Woodmere Audit and Investment Committees and given the 2009 Town of Hempstead Make a Difference Award. I was also given the President's Council on Service and Civic Participation award by George Bush, Sr. Lastly, I am a Member of Peninsula Kiwanis and serve as the liaison to Hewlett High School's Key Club.

Note: One of Central Council Presidents’ responsibilities is to help publicize information on the board of education candidates either through a Candidate’s Night or a questionnaire. All information coming out of Central Council this year regarding the candidates and budget has been handled by Central Council Co-President, Mitchell A. Greebel only. There will be no Candidate’s Night due to scheduling restraints. The questionnaire used this year is the same one that was used in the last two (2) contested elections with a few minor changes developed in consultation with all the unit presidents. The responses were written by the candidates first hand with no editing or changes other than to consolidate and format the information here. The answers are provided here in the order that the candidates will be on the ballot. The order was chosen by lottery pick, which was conducted by the district clerk and witnessed by a district security guard. By law, the lottery is held the day after the petitions are submitted.