Four candidates will compete for two seats on the Great Neck Public Schools Board of Education after the filing deadline closed at 5 p.m. Monday.
Incumbents Rebecca Sassouni and Joanne Chan are seeking re-election, while two first-time candidates — Marisa Brandeis Kermanian and Callie Ives — have entered the race.
Sassouni, first elected in 2017, is running for a fourth three-year term. The 55-year-old attorney said she remains motivated to serve and pointed to her experience guiding the district through major challenges.
“I think the biggest challenge…is how to do more with less,” she said, citing mandates such as expanded prekindergarten, limited funding and the need to stay within the state tax cap. She added that the district is working to balance fiscal constraints with enrollment changes and program needs.
Chan, 56, was elected in 2023 and currently serves as board vice president. A longtime resident and medical office manager, she has been involved in PTA and districtwide parent leadership for decades.
She said the district’s most immediate challenge is staffing and leadership continuity.
“The most immediate priority is to put the right people in the right positions,” Chan said, pointing to administrative turnover and upcoming retirements. She said the board should support the superintendent and trust the hiring process.
Marisa Brandeis Kermanian, 45, a retail executive and Great Neck native, is making her first run for public office. A graduate of Great Neck North High School and parent of three children currently in the district, she has held leadership roles in PTA organizations, including co-president of the United Parent Teacher Council.
On the district’s biggest challenge, she said navigating the growth of technology in education while maintaining core learning skills is key.
“One of the biggest challenges…is navigating the rapid growth of technology in education while preserving the strength of traditional learning,” she said. “The real challenge is finding the right balance — using technology to enhance learning without losing fundamentals like critical thinking and meaningful teacher-student interaction.”
Source: LI Press
