This week, leading up to Farmingdale's school budget vote and school board election, Patch is running profiles of the candidates: All of the candidates were asked the same questions: Here is our first:
- Candidate: Russ Catanzaro, three-term incumbent.
- Profession: Construction Management
- Other: Catanzaro, 62, is the father of two Farmingdale graduates and another currently a junior at Farmingdale High School. He is the President of Farmingdale unit of P.A.L
Q1. Why are you running for the school board?
A: In addition to the academic and financial responsibilities and my more-than 40 years of experience in the construction field, I oversee a lot of the facility work such as windows, boilers, energy performance bonds, etc.
Q2. What are your primary qualifications that makes you (or would make you) an asset to the board and the community at large?
A: My construction management experience gives me an unique advantage on the board to oversee the different issues related to the facilities. I have a strong desire to get the facilities that our children learn in and our teachers and staff work in at the highest levels they could be.
Q3. Although there are many, what do you see as the biggest issue confronting Farmingdale schools?
Getting us on track with improving our grades while trying to keep up with the state mandates is a primary concern of mine.
Q4. Standardized testing and unfunded mandates are hot-button issues: How would you work to address these issues?
A: By pressuring the state through our elected officials by getting them on track with the understanding that their unfunded mandates for standardized testing are causing a hardship on our children and affecting our teachers ability to teach in the classroom.
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