The Candidates
Moor, a graduate of Onteora and a resident of Woodstock has a daughter who attends Woodstock Primary School. He recently became an advocate for small class size when youngsters were found in overcrowded classrooms primarily at the Woodstock school. In an email statement he wrote that based on collected research, children in small classrooms, “perform better academically than peers who are enrolled in larger classes.” Moor began his career as a lawyer, followed by a Master’s in Education and currently teaches at Rhinebeck High School. He is dual certified to teach Social Studies and Business and Marketing. Moor believes that the State Education Department handled the rolling out of Common Core standards in an abysmal fashion and will advocate for “children, parents, teachers and administrators in pushing back against ill-considered policies coming from Albany.”
McGillicuddy, the current board president, is a seasoned trustee, who has grown into her position with an even-handed soft tone. She is nearing the end of her second term or a total of six years. A Shandaken resident, she has three children who attend schools in the district, with one going off to college in August. McGillicuddy attends various forums throughout the State as a representative of the district and founded the Onteora Legislation Action Committee which is now part of a County Wide group titled 20/20. In an email statement, McGillicuddy wrote, “Policy writing, advocacy, and creating an educational vision are among the top priorities when serving as a trustee.” McGillicuddy has attempted to secure more funding from the State, noting that funding is unfortunately only at 2008 aid level. “Governmental mandates that may not always serve our students, as well as inadequate and inequality in funding need to be addressed,” she wrote.
Write-in candidate Tanya Davis, who lives in Shokan, is a business owner, lawyer and has three children who attend schools in the district. When asked why the last minute write-in, via email she wrote, “I was approached and asked to run after the April 21 date. I had considered running before and even printed out the [petition], but hesitated to do so because I was concerned abut the time commitment.” After encouragement from local folks, “I have decided that serving on the board of education is worth the time involved.” She’s been a resident since 2001 and her husband is an Onteora graduate. She is the Chair of the Special Education PTA (SEPTA), past president of the Bennett PTA and current member of the New York State Bar Association’s special needs planning committee, committee on issues affecting people with disabilities and estate, trusts and tax committee. “I have focused my professional career fairly equally on education and the law,” she writes.
Letters were recently circulating via email and social networks that Davis was endorsed by all three elementary school PTAs, however bylaws state that the PTA cannot endorse political candidates and have since retracted the statement.
Shokan resident Rick Wolff served two-years of a three-year term as an Onteora trustee that began in 2007. He resigned along with another trustee Michelle Friedel, as a new fiscal term was about to begin in July 2009. Both cited personal reasons for their departure. The board chose Tom Hickey and Rob Kurnit to fill the two vacated seats until the next election, where the two have remained as trustees. During a phone conversation Wolff said petitioning and campaigning was time consuming and he didn’t wish to run again. However, because there was no third candidate, the decision was made to become a write-in because, “I don’t want the board to handpick somebody.”
Wolff has four children who have attended Onteora district and is a bus contractor for Ethan Allen Bus Company. He attends board meetings on a regular basis, often as the only audience member.
Copies of budget available for viewing
A copy of the school budget is now on file at the district’s schools including Central Office from 8am to 4pm Monday-through-Friday, local town libraries in Hurley, Olive, Phoenicia, West Hurley and Woodstock during regular library business hours, and by going to the district’s website at Onteora.k12.ny.us.
