Four candidates are running for two open seats on the Massapequa School Distrct Board of Education this spring, with each candidate believing they have something unique to bring to the board.

Trustee Danielle Ocuto and Secretary Cher Lepre are seeking reelection, while newcomers Lynn Russo and Bobby Bonett are challenging them. Each at-large seat comes with a three-year term.

Ocuto has served on the board for three years and is now seeking a second term for the Massapequa community. She is proud of the district being fiscally responsible and saving taxpayers money, capital improvement projects that have been completed throughout the district, special education services, and creating pathways for students post-high school, she said about her time on the board.

“I think we’ve done a lot of good things,” Ocuto said, while also saying that she would want to continue working on what the district has accomplished if she were to be reelected. She also said she wants to see the learning gap, as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, continue to be combated.

Ocuto is a Massapequa High School graduate herself and has kids attending the district. She said she volunteers as a Girl Scout troop leader, the local Little League, and an organization called Girls On The Run. She is a former PTA president.

“I think that when you’re choosing someone to be the voice for the families in the community, there really isn’t a better choice than someone who’s dialed in with that community,” Ocuto said.

Lepre joined the board in 2019, making her one of the most experienced board members in the district.

“We’ve had a real impact on the direction of Massapequa, not just academically, but also in how we connect with students, staff and the community,” she said.

Lepre said she is proud of the district’s financial success, the investments made into the schools and the improvement of programs throughout the district during her time on the board.

She said her experience and background in finance and education, working for a neighboring school district, put her in a position to understand the needs of the students and the taxpayers. Lepre said she wants to continue to expand opportunities for students during their time in the district and for their future.

Source: LI Press