Four seek three School Board seats: Election set for May 16

Four candidates are pursuing three open seats on the Board of Education this year.

Incumbents Tracy McCarthy and Dawn Hedberg are seeking re-election. The other two candidates are Anthony Rando and Emily Parsons.

Mr. Rando, a Shelter Island Police Officer, has been running the Drug Abuse Resistance Education (D.A.R.E) Program at the school for several years.

Ms. Parsons, a lifelong Shelter Island resident, has worked here and on the South Fork, primarily in childcare and tutoring.

Full stories on the candidates will appear prior to the May 16 election that will include a vote on two propositions — the $12.66 million budget and a proposal to transport students to private schools beyond the 15-mile limit mandated by the state.

The top vote-getter among the four candidates will be sworn in at the school as soon as votes are counted and will complete the term of Robert Strauss, who resigned his seat last month to accept an appointment as a chemistry teacher in the district.

The next two candidates garnering high votes will each start their three-year terms on July 1, the beginning of the next fiscal year.