Two incumbents and three newcomers are running for two open seats on the Marlboro School Board. Their names will be on May 18th ballot, the same day residents will vote on the $58.3 million budget for the 2021-22 school year. A school board term is for three years.

Incumbent Frank Milazzo has served 3, two year terms. He has been a board member, the Vice President and is currently in his 4th year as President of the Board.

“It’s a matter of trying to just keep an organization to the meetings and to lead us all through the decision making process so that we can come to the best decisions possible of all the board,” he said.

Milazzo has lived in Marlborough for 35 years and is presently the Chief of Police for the New York City Environmental Protection Agency, based in Wappingers Falls.

Milazzo said the district has been through some very difficult times but the pandemic this past year was the most challenging. He said a virtual environment is very difficult because of the number of people involved.

“It’s very hard to do that remotely; I truly like us all being in person; seeing and hearing everyone is so much better,” he said.

Milazzo said the board has managed to keep taxes from rising while maintaining programs, “and we’ve been able to cut the budget even with doing the capital program. With all the outreach we’ve been able to lower the tax levy this year by 3.03% so the taxpayers will actually be able to see a decrease and in the next two years we’re going to get additional [foundation] aid, which means we’ll be able to bring the tax levy down for three consecutive years, this year and the next two, and I want to see that fully implemented along with finishing our Vision 2020 school project.”

John Marro, who is running for re-election for a second term, said he initially ran for a seat on the board so he could have a voice on taxes, “because the taxes in Marlborough have always been high since Dynegy went out of business.” He pointed out that for the past few years the board has put forth zero to zero budgets and the state, come September, is increasing their foundation. In 3 years it will reach 100%, or $15 million.

Marro grew up in Marlborough and graduated in 1986. He started out working with his father in the sanitation business but after selling the business he transitioned into teaching in 2007.

Marro acknowledges that this past year has been challenging, but his goal from the beginning was to get kids back in school. He is a teacher and Dean of about 300, K-8 students at the American Sign Language School in New York City. He believes being in the classroom is the best option for learning but the remote/live streaming scenario was driven and dictated by the state because of the pandemic.

“At the end of the day there is nothing that replaces the in-person. I fought like crazy every step of the way to get them back in school, five days a week,” he said.

Marro said the Governor’s order runs out on June 30th and if he does not sign another one, he expects kids will be back in school full time in September, along with sports and other after school activities.
“I love this job both personally and professionally because I get to see so much on how a school is run; for me its a win-win,” he said.

Faith Nannini is seeking a seat on the school board for the first time. She has volunteered with the PTA for 9 years and been President for 3 of those years at the Elementary School. She is also a graduate of the Marlboro School system and after she married, she bought a house in town because she wanted her child to attend school here. Her son is now in the 8th grade.
“I’ve worked with some of the teachers so I know some of the things they have going on behind the scenes and how hard they worked this year; they have gone above and beyond,” she said. “I just feel they need another voice, a parent’s voice, someone that’s going to be informed and know what’s going on.”

Nannini said she is willing to listen to all sides – the administration, the teachers, the parents and the community at large. She earned a B.S from Mount Saint Mary College and has certification in elementary education. In addition, she has worked in the medical field as a practice manager and in medical billing for the past 20 years. Her work experience has given her insight into budgets, promising that, “I will make sure our budgets are in check with what people can afford.”

“As a Board Member it is important to be inclusive of all students in the district. As a consistent and dedicated volunteer within the district, I have proven to go above and beyond in planning and facilitating events that benefit all students,” she said.

First time candidate Patricia Benninger has two children in middle school, who started out with two days and are now attending four days a week.
“I feel we need a greater presence of parents on that board who truly know what it’s been like this past year in finding a good balance with our children,” she said.

Benninger said sitting on the sideline was not an option for her because the issues facing the district are too important. She would like to help with the strategic planning phase that will help students transition back to a five day school week.

“Many of these children have [suffered] setbacks academically, socially, emotionally and I think that we all need to work together for their benefit and make sure that the students have access to all the resources and supportive services that they need to ensure their success as students,” she said.

Benninger has 25 years in the Health Care and Human Services field, having served in Social Services, Long Term Sub Acute rehab care and Acute Hospice and currently holds the position ad Director of Patient Relations at Montefore St. Luke’s Cornwall Hospital.

“I am very good at engaging and connecting with people from all walks of life and I look forward, if I am elected, to working closely with our administrators and teachers to see what’s working well in our schools and what isn’t and why isn’t it working well...We should look to evolve and improve as a school district so that we can really give all students who attend the best chance to be successful.”

Lisa Neer has been a Special Education teacher and a school psychologist in a career spanning 24 years with the Highland School district.

“I think I’m in a really unique position to bring my knowledge of mental health resources and strategies to the table. I think the pandemic made us realize as a country, as a state and a county just how important schools being open is,” she said.

Neer says she likes working with children, teachers, staff and families by helping them connect with community resources. “and when you see something come together, it’s amazing.”

Neer would also like to have more school-parent-community outreach, believing it is important and needed, given the circumstances of the past year.

“We can’t take things at face value anymore. We have to be really cognizant of school attendance and of kids that have been in remote learning environments,” she said. “I think I’m in a great position to do that, to reach out to family and community members and even to staff to just break those gaps and have everyone have a successful transition back.”

Neer said handling the intricacies of the school budget, “will definitely be a learning curve for me but I’m a quick study though. When I need to learn something I will do that but I do support school budgets because I have seen what happens when budgets fail. It’s never a good outcome for kids.”
Neer says she works well with groups.

“I have chaired hundreds of meetings in my current job and I know how to reach consensus, know how to problem solve and I know that schools are important for kids, for parents, for the community and for the economy,” she said.