Onteora voters will choose two school board trustees for two-year terms among four candidates and decide on a $58.78 million budget when they go to the polls on May 18.
Candidates in ballot order are Joseph-Daniel Letendre, David Alterio, Valerie Storey and Cynthia Bishop.
Joseph-Daniel Letendre
Joseph-Daniel Letendre has been a West Hurley resident since 2017 and has relatives who have lived in the area for decades.
Letendre is a registered nurse for Hudson Valley Hospice.
He is an avid reader and enjoys music, camping and hiking.
Letendre said he is running because he is a strong believer in education. He worked as an assistant for a student with disabilities at Darien High School in Connecticut before receiving a degree in nursing.
“It is important that students be well rounded in their education to be productive citizens of the world and to reach their full potential,” he said.
Letendre said one of the most important issues facing the district is finding a new superintendent. Covid-19 should also remain a priority, he said.
“As Covid remains in our midst, we must take into consideration the safety of students returning to school full time in September,” he said.
Letendre said he brings skills as a team player at his workplace and as a member of the West Hurley Library Board.
“In my capacity as an educator of patients and their families, I recognize the value of the teaching profession. I also possess strong organization skills and recognize the importance of follow through,” he said.
David ‘Dave’ Alterio
David ‘Dave’ Alterio was a resident of West Hurley from 1987 through 2000, then moved back in 2019. He graduated Onteora in 1992.
He is a sales manager for Fehr Brothers of Saugerties.
He has two children and one is currently enrolled in the district in the Class of 2024.
He is involved in amateur football, hiking and kayaking.
He was assistant and head Varsity Football coach at Onteora from 1994 through 2002, varsity Track coach from 2000 through 2001 and teaching assistant from 2000 through 2002. He has been a volunteer at the Belleayre Bash, an annual non-alcoholic graduation celebration held at the Belleayre ski complex.
Alterio said he is running for a better Onteora.
“I have seen our district go through many stages…the boom in the late 80’s, the IBM Closure in the early 90’s to declining enrollment with a growing second home population with surging property values now.”
Alterio said Onteora needs a transparent board that holds the administration accountable.
“We need to elevate the educational experience each student receives here. They need to know that they count and as a community we all achieve when they achieve,” he said.
“I feel the focus has shifted away from our greatest asset… our students. I would like to see that change.”
Alterio said declining enrollment and increasing budgets are among the most important issues facing the district.
“Where will we be in five to ten years? It’s a concern,” he said.
Valerie Storey
Valerie Storey lives in Glenford and is a 1996 Onteora graduate. She is finishing her third two-year term on the board. She lives with her husband of 20 years, Marshall. They have a daughter, Sabrina, who graduated Onteora in 2019 and is studying cybersecurity at Johnson & Wales University. Their son, Logan, is in the 9th grade at Onteora.
She enjoys reading, camping and spending time with family and friends.
Storey is running for re-election because she wants to be an advocate for all students and the community.
“We have a great school district with talented students and staff that only deserve the best,” she said.
Storey said the two biggest issues facing the district are the superintendent search and supporting students in a post-Covid world.
“It is important to find the right person to become the next superintendent for both our students and community as this person is the one that will lead our students and staff to future success,” she said.
“When schools closed in March 2020, education changed. We need to support our students in various new ways of teaching due to Covid-19 in order to continue to provide all of the appropriate education that our students deserve.”
Storey said her six years on the board have taught her to have patience, work as a team and listen to the public.
“Doing this helps me make informed decisions that are better for our students and community as a whole.”
Storey volunteered in various ways for many years in the district before being elected to the Board of Education. She assisted in the classroom, was involved in the PTA and was on various committees for issues such as drafting the Code of Conduct and changing the school start times.
She is currently co-chair of the Facilities Committee and the Health and Safety Committee.
She recently received a Lifetime Achievement Award from the New York State School Boards Association.
Storey, though quick to point out she is a single trustee on a board of seven, said she is proud of working on a state-of-the-art chemistry lab at the high school, a new press box on the athletic field, new bleachers and a capital project to be completed this summer.
“I proud of being able to keep taxes low while still giving our students the best possible education,” she said.
Cynthia ‘Cindy’ Bishop
Cynthia ‘Cindy’ Bishop was born and raised in Warwick and will soon retire as director of Pupil Personnel Services at Onteora, a position she held for nine years. She started in the field of education as a teacher in the Monticello School District. She became an administrator for Ulster BOCES in New Paltz. She then became director of Special Education for the Hyde Park School District before taking her current position at Onteora.
“Now that I am retiring, I look forward to fully enjoying everything the area has to offer,” she said.
Bishop is a single mom to a son, two daughters and a none-year-old granddaughter. Her daughter and son-in-law are both Onteora employees.
Bishop enjoys being outdoors, gardening, tending to her chickens and playing with her dogs. She also enjoys bicycling on the Ashokan Rail Trail, where she volunteers as a trail steward.
“I am running for the Board of Education because I love Onteora,” Bishop said.
“I want to give back to the district in retirement by offering my experience in education as a fresh perspective. I feel that now more than ever, having an educator on the Onteora BOE will be a real positive as our entire central administration will be new to the district.”
Bishop said she understands many of the systems that make the district run and she wants to do her part to see the district through a challenging time.
“I have also experienced the significant challenges of being a district administrator during the global pandemic, and can bring that unique perspective to decision-making around what school will look like in September and beyond,” she said.
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