Meet the School Board Candidates: Robert J. Grados

• Correction: Robert Grados has served on the board for one three-year term. He is seeking to serve a second term.

Residents of the Irvington School District will take to the polls on Tuesday, May 21 to vote for two seats on the school board, as well as the 2013-14 budget.

There are two seats, currently held by Robert Grados and James McCann, up for grabs on the Irvington Board of Education. McCann is not seeking re-election, while Grados is. David Graeber of Hillside Terrace, John Montogmery of Meadowbrook Road and Seth Oster of Riverview Road have also submitted petitions to run a three-year term on the school board.

Voting in the election and on the budget takes from 7 a.m. to 9 p.m. at Main Street School in Irvington, 101 Main St. 

Patch welcomes letters to the editor about school budget and school board elections. Click here for information on how to submit a letter to the editor.

Read below to learn more about your school board candidates.

Name:  Robert J. Grados

Age: 44 

How long have you lived in the village? Since 2006

Who do you live with? My wife and 3 children

Family:  Wife: Nichole; Children: Jack (11), Lilian (8) and Nicholas (5)

What do you do for a living? I am an attorney and partner at Allen & Overy LLP, an international law firm. In that role, I represent banks and borrowers on high profile real estate transactions. I have practiced law for 18 years.

What is your education background?

• University of Michigan (Bachelor or Arts, 1991)
• University of Pittsburgh (Juris Doctor, 1995) 

Are you involved in any other community-oriented roles?

I am the current president of the Irvington School Board.  I have coached boys and girls sports in Irvington, and have been involved in various fund-raising capacities that benefit our schools and children.

How long have you served on the school board? One three-year term

School Board Member Compensation: None

Why do you want to continue as a member of the school board? 

• Capitalizing on the successes of the school district over the last 3 years, I would like us to develop a long-term plan and strategy for the district that is fiscally prudent but has, at its core, the best interests of our children and of the school district at large. I also look to raise the Irvington School District's reputation in the eyes of the upper-tier colleges throughout the country.

Why did you originally want to join the school board? 

• I am a strong proponent of public education, and my wife and i chose to move to Irvington, in part, because of its strong schools. I wanted to volunteer my skills to the community as a member of the school board to ensure that the school board practiced good governance and made decisions that were in the best interests of our children and the district.

Why are you an ideal candidate for school board and why should you be elected to another term? 

• I approach each issue that the board faces with an open mind, and rather than being guided by politics or ideology. I base my decisions solely on what is in the best interests of the district and our children.  In my legal practice, I represent lenders and borrowers in multi-million dollar transactions, and work routinely with budgets and contracts, and want to continue to bring those skills to the board. In addition, much of what the board deals with are legal and policy matters that face the district.  As the only attorney on the board, I am able to assist in interpreting legal issues for the other board members. 

What are your greatest accomplishments as a member of the school board? 

• I contributed to delivering the Irvington school district some of the lowest tax increases in Westchester three years running while working as best i could to make sure our kids education didn’t suffer. I also contributed to settling all collective bargaining contracts, which delivered to the Irvington school district over $2,000,000 in savings. 

What are the biggest issues facing the school district? How would you address these issues?  

• Irvington is a very good school district, but we must strive to become elite, both in educational product and in recognition by colleges and universities. If re-elected to the board, I will make it my goal for the board, with the assistance of the community and our administrators and teachers, to adopt a long-term plan that has as its goal elite status for our schools.

What is your opinion on the district’s proposed 2013-14 budget? 

• I believe the budget is fiscally sound and prudent and maintains the quality of our schools.

What is the most important thing to you when it comes to the district’s budget? 

• The board needs to strike a balance between the pressure imposed by state unfunded mandates and the desire to maintain the high quality of our schools.  The board continually needs to explore cost-savings and efficiencies, but must always be mindful not to sacrifice our children's education in doing so.

What is your favorite thing about the school district?  

• I value the diversity of the community and the close-knit nature of the friendships my wife and I have made since moving to Irvington.

Anything else you would like to add… 

• I want to thank the village of Irvington for allowing me to serve our schools and community for the last three years, and I look forward to another three years of success for our schools.

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