On Tuesday, May 20, voters in school districts across the state will determine the fate of budgets for the 2025-26 school year, and will elect trustees for their board of education. Hudson Valley One sent brief candidate questionnaires to candidates in local school districts, and this week we will profile those in the Saugerties Central School District (SCSD) and the Onteora Central School District (OCSD).
Onteora Central School District (choose two)
Name: Daniel Aliberte (Challenger)
Occupation: Paralegal
Prior school board experience: None
Do you have children in the district?
Yes — My six-year-old son currently attends Woodstock Elementary, and my three-year-old daughter has applied to First Steps Preschool.
What made you want to run for school board?
The proposed closure of Woodstock Elementary and the decision to take on $70.5 million in new debt during uncertain economic times motivated me to get involved. I started attending meetings, reviewing district data and asking questions — and I quickly realized that the public hadn’t been given the full picture. There was no serious financial comparison of alternative options, and no plan that reflected what the community has consistently said it wants: to keep our local schools open.
I’m a member of the Woodstock PTA and a little league assistant coach. As a parent of a child with a health condition, I care deeply about school accessibility and smart planning. I’m also a lifelong resident and Onteora graduate (Class of 2000), and I want to see this district thrive — for my children and for future generations.
What are the most pressing issues facing the school district?
• Lack of transparency and planning. The district has only studied one scenario: closing WES and expanding Bennett. We’ve never been shown what it would cost to renovate our schools without shutting one down. That’s not due diligence.
• Unnecessary long-term debt. Taking out a $70.5M capital project in this economic climate — amid rising interest rates and tariffs — is risky. Especially when our $15M capital reserve could cover immediate MS/HS upgrades without a vote.
• Staffing sustainability. About 75% of the budget goes toward staffing and retiree costs. With many veteran teachers nearing retirement, we need a plan to bring in and mentor new talent in a way that’s financially sustainable.
• Post-closure consequences. Since Phoenicia Elementary closed, transportation costs and taxes have increased — and the community has suffered. Some families even turned to homeschooling instead of transferring to Bennett. There’s been no evaluation of whether that closure saved the district money.
• Enrollment and community health. Woodstock Elementary has rebounded from pandemic-era lows and is now near full capacity. The district’s own projections show K–5 enrollment beginning to grow in 2026. Meanwhile, Woodstock is taking active steps to attract families — with new housing initiatives, youth center plans and a renovated library. Closing WES would undermine all of that momentum.
• Visibility and reputation. Woodstock is the “storefront” of the district. If we close the elementary school, we risk losing that visible signal that young families are welcome here. Families often discover Onteora through Woodstock. Let’s keep that discovery alive.
A healthy, visible elementary school in Woodstock strengthens the entire district. I’m not running against anything — I’m running for smart planning, stronger schools, and a future that reflects the full potential of our community.
Name: Jenny Jared (Challenger)
Occupation: I am a mother and a chairperson of the board for a non-profit.
Prior school board experience: I have ten years of board experience in the non-profit sector and am deeply engaged with the school board as a parent and active PTA and Booster Club member.
Do you have children/grandchildren in the district? I have a daughter in elementary school and a son in middle school in the Onteora district.
What made you want to run for school board? As a dedicated parent and community member, I’ve served on the Woodstock Elementary PTA, as president of the Bennett Elementary PTA and as booster club leadership in the middle school/high school.
I’ve seen the challenges that our school’s declining enrollment is creating first hand, not only in building utilization but also around providing access to sports, arts and music and maintaining strong course offerings in the middle/high school despite very small class numbers.
I am proud to be a point of trust and information for parents and community members, and I take that role extremely seriously. I’ve educated myself on the many issues facing our district and I am confident that I have the skills and passion needed to serve our district effectively using creative solutions.
What are the most pressing issues facing the school district?
The Onteora district has lost around half its student population since 2000 and now hovers around 1,000 students. In 2023, the board of education passed a resolution to close Phoenicia and Woodstock Elementary and bring all the elementary students to one central campus in Boiceville.
This solves several serious issues our current configuration creates including a lack of equity for our special-needs children, older buildings that are in constant need of repair and one of the highest costs per pupil in New York state, which is primarily driven by duplicate staff and transportation among multiple elementary buildings.
With our district expected to lose a large share of State Foundation Aid over the next five years, we have reached the moment that we must make hard, but necessary decisions to ensure our children’s programming does not suffer and our district’s taxes do not rise unnecessarily.
The Onteora district has an amazing opportunity before it to vote yes on Proposition 2, which is a tax-neutral bond that will enlarge Bennett to hold our whole elementary population, but also update the middle school/high school science rooms, track and more. This will bring the children from all six towns in our diverse and beautiful district to one campus, knitting our community back together again for our kids.
Name: Rory Smith (Challenger)
Occupation: I work for the Department of Environmental Protection (NYC DEP) as a Watershed Maintainer at their location in Shokan, NY.
Prior school board experience: None.
Do you have children/grandchildren in the district?
Yes, I have a son (age 18) in his senior year and a daughter (age 21) who graduated in 2022. Both of my children attended Onteora kindergarten to 12th grade.
What made you want to run for the school board?
With having had two kids go through the school district who received so much support and opportunity through excellent staff, athletic programs and extracurricular activities, I want to help support the future generations of kids by ensuring that they receive the best resources and opportunities just as my kids did, if not better. Long-term availability of resources are at risk, and I believe this is an important time to get involved in the school district. My kids both put themselves out there to push their limits and they are a great inspiration to me.
What are the most pressing issues facing the school district?
For decades, the district has faced significant challenges related to ongoing enrollment decline, including underutilization of elementary school space, shifting school borders, and continuum of services for students with special needs. Delays in consolidation plans are straining efficiency in use of transportation, staff having to travel among buildings, and services for students located in different elementary schools. Making these issues especially pressing is New York State Foundation Aid and facing significant threats due to budget cuts and potential revisions to the formula itself impacting how funding is distributed. The writing is on the wall…our wealthy district stands to lose over $7 million a year in the near future.
These candidates have been invited to a meet the candidates night at Onteora middle/high School on Thursday, May 15 at 6 p.m. The community is invited to come learn more about the candidates.
Saugerties Central School District (three seats)
Name: Christine Bellarosa (Incumbent)
Occupation: Group controller
Prior school board experience:
My first school board term was from 2022-2025. I am running for a second term.
Do you have children/grandchildren in the district?
I have two children in the district. One in elementary school and one in junior high school.
What made you want to run for school board?
I am running for the school board because I am a parent of two school-aged children and I would like to continue to support the school district and the community in which we live. I first became involved in volunteering through the PTA in 2020. I have served as PTA treasurer for the past five years in two of our elementary schools and most recently for the PTSA. My initial run for school board in 2022 was largely driven by my interest to be more involved in the district. I believe that my background as a financial controller helps me to provide an important perspective and it is my hope to continue to share my experience as a board member. In my first term the district began work on a new strategic plan focusing on academic excellence, family and community engagement, professional culture and the student experience. I would like to continue to be involved in these endeavors and hope to see our district reach their goals in all of these focus areas.
What are the most pressing issues facing the school district?
The district continues to face financial pressures due loss of the federal funding provided during the Covid pandemic and the rising costs to meet the needs of the students. I believe that I can be an asset in this area and additionally help with policy and governance in the role of trustee of the board of education.
Name: Robert J. Thomann (Challenger)
Occupation: Retired school administrator, educational consultant
Prior school board experience:
Twelve years on the Saugerties School Board, nine years as board president
Do you have children/grandchildren in the district?
No.
What made you want to run for the school board?
After serving on the board for 12 years and then not being re-elected I had no intention of running for the school board. I felt I had served my time and invested my time in other activities. I saw the notice to file petitions to run and was curious to see who would respond and be willing to serve.
On the Thursday before Easter I received a phone call from superintendent Dr. Daniel Erceg. He explained that there were only two potential candidates for the board and asked if I would consider running. I told him I would have to think about it. Later in the day after thinking about it, I called Dan and asked if I could meet with him to discuss the matter. We met. I wanted to know what his current priorities were, what was his current relationship with the board and why he decided to call me.
After Dan answered my questions he explained that if there were only two candidates on the ballot for three seats, the person with the highest number of write-in votes would be elected. In my prior board experience, I had seen write-in votes with comical names such as Mickey Mouse or people who had been outspoken in their criticism of the district. At that point to protect the integrity of the board functioning I reluctantly agreed to run, with the stipulation that if a third candidate came forward, I would withdraw.
There was an additional dilemma. Since I talked with Dan on Thursday afternoon he informed me that I would need signed petitions by Monday at 5 p.m. to be a candidate. I asked Dan why I was informed of this on a Thursday, when the district was on spring break and how was I going to get enough signatures in time? Dan said go to the little league field tonight. I did, accompanied by my spouse. When I told potential signees what I told you, I received more than enough signatures to be placed on the ballot. On Monday afternoon I was informed that there was still only two candidates and agreed to have my name placed on the ballot.
What are the most pressing issues facing the school board?
Financial solvency. The state was more than a month late in adopting a budget that has still not been fully finalized. Creating a budget with a set deadline for a budget vote makes developing a budget extremely difficult. Beyond that the way schools are funded with local property tax is extremely unfair. Students in wealthier districts get access to better educational options. A student in New York state should not be deprived of educational opportunities because of their zip code.
Name: Michelle Gramoglia (Challenger)
Occupation: CEO of Woodland Pond at New Paltz
Prior School Board experience:
No
Do you have children/grandchildren in the district?
Yes, an 18-year-old daughter, Anna, who will graduate in June and has committed to SUNY Cortland, and a 15-year-old son, Michael, who is finishing up 9th grade.
What made you want to run for School Board?
I have been considering running for the Board of Ed for some time, and this is the first year that I have felt that I will have the adequate time to commit. My motivation to run is a desire to bring my financial and leadership backgrounds to the district and be a liaison between the public and the district on all things “finance and budget.” I also have a strong desire to be a vocal advocate for our faculty, staff, and coaches: I think they very much deserve the fullest support of the Board!
What are the most pressing issues facing the school district?
Of course, finances. This is everywhere, though. As a parent, my bigger concern is the growing problem of students being disconnected (in large part due to always “being connected” to their phones), and the challenges our kids are facing in being able to come out of school well-adjusted, and ready to begin young adulthood. I see it acutely everyday as an employer. The kids need more training and support in preparing to become productive members of our community.
The candidates running for school board in the Kingston and New Paltz Central School Districts, along with an all-district budget primer, will be featured in next week’s issue of Hudson Valley One.
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