1. education
2. school

2015 NYC Education Council Elections
Candidate Profiles for
Community Education Council 30
Candidate
Salina Akter
DBN: 30Q152
IEP: No
ELL Yes
Applicant I'm volunteering in 30QPS152 school like Book Fair , Science Project Fair, Picture Day and many field
Background trip. Always attend in Parent Association Meeting .
Personal I'm a mother and a house wife. I have 2 daughters . They are study in PS152 school. I love kids and
Statement like to teach them . I was a teacher before I enter in USA.
Candidate
Noreen Alam
DBN: 30Q148
IEP: No
ELL No
30Q148
30Q148
No
No
No
No
DBN: 30Q150
IEP: No
ELL No
Applicant VOLUNTEER IN PTA
Background
Personal
Statement
Candidate
Deborah Alexander
Applicant I have been a member of PS 150Q’s PTA for the last 3 years, as well as our School Leadership Team
Background (Chair for the last 2). Two years ago I was instrumental in challenging the DOE when they wanted to
shut down the middle school G&T program at PS 122, forcing massive overcrowding throughout the
school. I was one of the few parents invited to sit down with then-Chancellor Walcott, who eventually
reversed course and allowed the program to continue. I have one child in the G&T program, and one
child about to start Kindergarten in General Education, so I have a unique perspective into both
worlds. Additionally, next year I will have children at schools in both Astoria and Sunnyside, which
allows me to observe and be active on two opposite ends of the District.
Personal As a current member of CEC 30 I have been an effective and dedicated Council Member and parent
Statement leader. I was elected the Council’s Treasurer and Chair of the By-Laws Committee. I am a core
member of the ECC (Education Council Coalition), comprised of CEC members throughout the city
who meet with Chancellor Farina every six weeks. I also co-founded and run the District 30 Education
Facebook page, which has over 600 members throughout the District. It is a successful tool for parents
across the District to ask questions and share information. I hope to continue my work on the Council
because it is my belief that parents are an untapped resource in our community, and we are not serving
many of them, particularly those in the ELL community and in struggling schools. As a liaison to the
ECC, I have been working with Council members across the city to share best practices and raise the
profile of CECs (and, therefore, District parents) so that we may have a bigger voice with the DOE
when it comes to *our* schools and *our* kids. I believe that my experience and current relationships
within the educational system make me qualified to continue representing the parents and children of
District 30. Thank you for your consideration!
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Page 1 of 10
2015 NYC Education Council Elections
Candidate Profiles for
Community Education Council 30
Candidate
Ivan Beacco
DBN: 30Q070
IEP: No
ELL No
Applicant volunteer as chef with wellness in the school program
Background
Personal
Statement
Candidate
Tahmina Begum
DBN: 30Q258
IEP: Yes
ELL No
30Q152
Yes
No
Applicant Currently I am in the S L T team, and I am also the vice president in PA at PS. Q,152
Background
Personal
Statement
Candidate
Eileen Bendoyro
DBN: 30Q329
IEP: Yes
ELL No
Applicant I have been serving on CEC 30 for a year and a half. Visiting schools and helping parents work through
Background the DOE system is one of my goals. When my child started attending East Elmhurst Community
School I became a member of the parent volunteer corp. As a member of parent volunteer corp,we
help students during lunch as well as during recess. I also volunteer in the school program. As a
learning leader I help with the children`s homework and supervise a small group of students who are
english language learners.
Personal As a parent ,I want to be involved in the advancement of the schools and the district . I have been a
Statement part of this community for many years and I want to make sure that the voice of this community is
being heard loud and clear by the district and DOE. I am out spoken and believe that the improvement
of children`s education is something worth fighting for . Continuing to serve on CEC 30 would be an
honor and privilege.
Candidate
Mafijul I Bhuiyan
DBN: 30Q166
IEP: No
ELL No
Applicant I am involved in Bangladesh society INC. Which is a none profit organization. In that organization my
Background position in public relation and publicity Sectery. We do have civic program for the community to help
people.
Personal I am a father and I committed my self to give my children best education as much possible. My older
Statement boy is attending second grade in public school gifted talented program.
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Page 2 of 10
2015 NYC Education Council Elections
Candidate Profiles for
Community Education Council 30
Candidate
Kristin Elizabeth Burns
DBN: 30Q150
IEP: No
ELL No
Applicant Since my daughter has joined the family of the Dual Language program at PS150Q, I have enjoyed
Background watching her learn and grow. As a working mom, I am not able to volunteer during school hours, but
the school offers us other opportunities to take part. I am computer-savvy, so I created and maintain a
web-based contact sheet for our class as well as an email list for parents. This allows us to support each
other and share questions as well as engage socially outside the classroom, important for DL learning.
My family also love to go to evening events like the fantastic year-end celebrations and drama
performances. I am proud to say I have been able to take part in every "Parents as Learning Partners"
morning in my daughters class. Outside of my experience as the mother of a NYC public school
student, I tutored both athletes and international students while at Syracuse University. I am a Digital
Asset Manager for a media company and I enjoy mentoring fresh talent as well as learning more about
my field and the industry as whole through conferences, self-led and departmental education.
Personal I have lived in Sunnyside, Queens since 2001 and have strong ties to the neighborhood. My husband (a
Statement Queens native) and I have considered ourselves very lucky to have found this neighborhood and value
the good public school education walking distance away. My family and I are members of the local
cooperative park and owners of a coop apartment. As happy as we are with our situation, I would like
to advocate for our whole district to feel the same way about their schools. I have hoped to find a role
to improve our local schools and think joining the Community Education Councils (CECs) as a Parent
Leader would be a wonderful way to help.
Candidate
Monica Cabrera
DBN: 30Q152
IEP: No
ELL No
30Q152
30Q152
No
No
No
No
Applicant none
Background
Personal
Statement
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Page 3 of 10
2015 NYC Education Council Elections
Candidate Profiles for
Community Education Council 30
Candidate
Eugenia Fickens
DBN: 30Q286
IEP: No
ELL No
Applicant Preschool educator at Astoria Blue Feather Head Start working with typically developing and
Background developmentally delayed students. Before working as a Child Development Associate I served on the
Policy Council for two terms as the Secretary. Currently serves as an SLT member as a parent at
TYWLS of Astoria..
Personal I am a mother, student, teacher and homemaker. Currently I am employed at Astoria Blue Feather
Statement Head Start, an AHRC organization. My first position at AHRC was a volunteer, intern, substitute
teaching assistant and now a Child Development Associate. I have observed and experienced
developmentally and culturally diverse preschoolers for over eight years and throughout the years I
have applied teaching strategies for an entire classroom, groups of children and individual children. I
am proud of my ability to do so effectively. I am a firm believer in parent involvement, parents
advocating for their children, bridging the gap from school to home and parents being their child's first
teacher. I have a strong work ethic that I have carried my entire life that I attribute to observing my
parents. I welcome the opportunity to be a positive model for my child.
Candidate
Ka-Trina Harris
DBN: 30Q234
IEP: Yes
ELL No
30Q450
No
No
Applicant SINCE MY CHILDREN STARTED SCHOOL, I HAVE VOLUNTEERED AND HELPED. FOR
Background MANY YEARS, I SERVED ON THE PTA EXECUTIVE BOARD INCLUDING THE
POSITION OF PRESIDENT FOR 4 YEARS. I HAVE HAD THE PRIVILEGE OF SERVING
ON CEC30 FOR 2 YEARS AND HOPE I GET OPPORTUNITY CONTINUE. PROVIDING A
VOICE TO THE COMMUNITY IS VERY IMPORTANT TO ME.
Personal I HAVE BEEN SERVING ON COMMUNITY EDUCATION COUNICL 30 FOR 2 YEARS. AS
Statement A PARENT OF CHILDREN ATTENDING D30 PUBLIC SCHOOLS, ONE IN HIGH SCHOOL
AND ONE WITH AN IEP, I FEEL IT IS MY RESPONSIBILITY TO GIVE BACK AND
ASSIST. DURING MY TENURE, I HAVE WORKED CLOSELY WITH PARENTS
IMPROVING SAFETY & TAFFIC CONDITIONS AROUND THEIR SCHOOLS AND
EXPLORED WAYS TO IMPROVE PARENT ENGAGEMENT. PARENTS KNOW ME IN
THE COMMUINTY AND I LISTEN!! I BRING THEIR CONCERNS TO THE COUNCIL
AND APPROPRIATE DOE STAFF.
Candidate
Nick Konstantakos
DBN: 30Q002
IEP: No
ELL No
Applicant
Background
Personal
Statement
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Page 4 of 10
2015 NYC Education Council Elections
Candidate Profiles for
Community Education Council 30
Candidate
Valarie Lamour
DBN: 30Q291
Applicant
Background
Personal
Statement
Candidate
IEP: No
ELL No
30Q166
No
No
I was selected and then voted onto the CECD30 board twice with the highest number of votes (2013) in
the district and all of Queens. As a member of CECD30 I have had the opportunity to establish new
residential zoning lines in our district, making sure that community input is always paramount. I have
been a strong supporter of translation services for our non-english speaking parents and have a track
record of support to the special education population in our district. With community support we
successfully saved PS122’s Middle School G&T district program from being abolished and successfully
lobbied for a G&T City-wide middle school program in our district. Also as a CEC board member, we
advocated to preserve our NEST program at PS 76 by avoiding a co-location in that building and
stopped the Voice Charter School from only taking older five year olds into their Kindergarten lottery.
My advocacy has also driven me to solicit with my surrounding community and politicians to stop the
closing of Long Island City High School. I have served on the SLT at PS166, in Long Island City since
2009 and I am currently Co-President of the Parent Teacher Association of PS166.
I feel that my efforts and those of my fellow board members I have served with on the Community
Education Council and the community relations that I have established within Educational District 30
have demonstrated that I have been an effective and a positive advocate for my community. I believe it
is important to give back and serve our communities and this is the way I have chosen to do it, for the
past six years. I enjoy helping parents and children get the resources for education that we are all
promised and entitled to as New York City and New York State residents. I will always support the
efforts of my neighbors and community on how we feel educational policy should be implemented in
our city. I feel that education is one the most important factors in keeping our City prepared and
relevant for our future and our children’s futures.
Mark Loewy
DBN: 30Q152
IEP: No
ELL No
DBN: 30Q111
IEP: Yes
ELL No
Applicant
Background
Personal
Statement
Candidate
Lina Lopez
Applicant
Background
Personal
Statement
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Page 5 of 10
2015 NYC Education Council Elections
Candidate Profiles for
Community Education Council 30
Candidate
Adriana Lynch
DBN: 30Q002
IEP: No
ELL No
Applicant I am currently serving as a member of the P.S 2 School Leadership Team
Background
Personal My name is Adriana Lynch and I grew up in the NYC public school system. I have always felt proud of
Statement the education that I have received in this wonderful city. Now my daughters attend public school and I
look forward to giving back in any way that I can. Our public school system can thrive and achieve great
things. Policy makers, educators and parents working together can make anything possible. The
children of our great city deserve a top notch education. My goal is to be an informed advocate for
positive progress in public school education.
Candidate
Lavern Marcia Maison
DBN: 30Q069
IEP: No
ELL No
Applicant I am a current member of CDEC30 and have been a member since December 2013 and I am happy
Background to work with some great Parent Leaders on issues that directly affect children. I am also a Center
Director of after-school and youth programs at the Ravenswood Community Center where I serve
District 30 students and provide academic services and enrichment activities for youth ages 5 - 21 years
old.
Personal .I was inspired to join the council and become an advocate for students and parents in District 30
Statement because of my work first as an after-school director, and most recently as a parent to a flourishing 6 year
old enrolled in a District 30 school. I have worked in the district as an after-school director for the last 8
years, of which a large part of my work entails building parental involvement and engagement in our
students' lives. There is a lot of work to be done in this district and I believe that the Education Council
is a great starting point. This is a great time to be involved in educational advocacy as there are many
challenges ahead, however; I believe there is much strength in local networks like education councils
who work on the ground with parents and local schools to reach results. My target issue on the council
has been support for failing and low-performing schools. As an after-school director I see the direct
effects of high poverty and low parental support on students' academic achievement. However, I am
convinced that with school and community support many students can overcome these barriers and
bridge the achievement gap.
Candidate
Ekrema Melkic
DBN: 30Q070
IEP: No
ELL No
Applicant
Background
Personal
Statement
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Page 6 of 10
2015 NYC Education Council Elections
Candidate Profiles for
Community Education Council 30
Candidate
Michael Nardiello III
DBN: 30Q069
IEP: Yes
ELL No
Applicant Former Community Board 3 Member Both children have IEP plans in PS 69 Q Visited schools
Background attentively for sake of children as a concerned parent Deeply concerned about the quality and caring
plus nurturing aspects of a sound Public School Education
Personal I believe in the Public School Education system. My children attend Public School PS 69Q and I as a
Statement concerned, caring, and dedicated parent who advocated for my children believe I can be a caring and
dedicated concerned person who will advocate for all who attend public schools in our wonderful and
beautiful City where all can get a piece of the American Dream through our NYC Public Education
System.
Candidate
Robert F. Novak
DBN: 30Q122
IEP: No
ELL No
Applicant I have been a high school English teacher for the past 12 years. I began my career as a teacher at
Background Richmond Hill High School, and I currently teach at Manhasset High School. Because the schools
serve very different populations, I have a unique perspective on the current educational climate. I have
worked closely through the years with a wide range of student populations, including special education,
ELL, autism-spectrum, and honors-level students. My daughter, Stella, is a Kindergarten student in
Astoria's PS 122, a school that educated both my mother and grandmother. My son, James, will follow
her there in two years. My wife, Destiny, is also a high school English teacher at Aviation High School.
We are educators and parents with a passion for helping this system be the best it can be!
Personal I am passionate about preserving good-quality education in a safe and nurturing environment for all of
Statement New York City's children. Many like to say that the system is "broken," but I don't think that's true; I
think it has been bent to its breaking point, and is in desperate need of some relief. I understand that
the public schools of the greatest city on earth have complex problems, and that the solutions for these
problems will be harder to find in a political environment that seems to add only more obstacles and
challenges. We deserve better. As a parent, an educator, and a citizen, I am shocked and dismayed at
the idea that changes are being made to the public education system by those who have little to no
experience in the classroom. The decisions that will shape the future of our public schools need to be
made with the input of its hard-working teachers, its dedicated administrators, and its passionate
parents. These are the people who make good education happen. If I am fortunate enough to serve on
a Community Education Council, I will serve as the voice of a concerned parent and educator, and I
will work with the Department of Education to help find the solutions needed to best serve the needs of
our children.
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Page 7 of 10
2015 NYC Education Council Elections
Candidate Profiles for
Community Education Council 30
Candidate
Nuala O'Doherty
DBN: 30Q145
Applicant
Background
Personal
Statement
Candidate
IEP: No
ELL No
30Q230
No
No
30Q149
No
No
I have 3 children currently in schools in Jackson Heights. I have served on the School Leadership
Teams of PS 222, PS 149, IS 145 and IS 230 over the last 10 years. I have learned that it is critical to
voice parent concerns and to work through the SLT to make change. I have been PTA president or
involved in the PTAs of both PS 222 and PS 149. I am also a director of the Jackson Heights
Beautification Group. Over the last 5 years, I have organized a “Meet the Principal Night― so
parents of children entering kindergarten in Jackson Heights can learn about our local schools. It is
critical that we educate our parents about the NYC School system. I believe that involved parents make
good schools. My 3 children have all been in dual language programs since pre-kindergarten and I am
currently working to expand dual language to IS 230. I also have 2 older children who were English
Language Learners and attended Newcomers High School (Q555) in Long Island City.
School are more than systems to educate our children, they are the heart of our communities. Schools
must work better with parents and other community partners to build a system were parents,
community members and school work together. For the last 10 years I have work tirelessly to improve
my neighborhood schools, but it took me a long time to understand the Department of Education and
how I can make a positive impact. We need to educate our parents when they first enter the system on
how the process work and how they can best advocate for their children. The best way to improve our
schools is to have active parent involvement, but this take an investment. In district 30, many parents
did not attend NYC school and they do not understand the bureaucracy of the system. I believe it is the
role of the CEC to change that. We must educate, inform and empower our parents to become
effective advocates for their children. I have had children attend 5 different schools over the last 10
years. I have attended more PTA and SLT meetings than I could count, I think that with this
experience, I can now work at a higher level so that I can use this experience to influence other schools.
Myrna Sobeyda Palacios
DBN: 30Q228
IEP: No
ELL Yes
Applicant In the past, I have participated in the parent leadership of my daughter's school. I have a Learning
Background Leaders ID. I also participate in the parent education committee of Make the Road NY, Queens. We
advocate for seats in schools and after school programs. I sometimes facilitate the parent committee
meetings.
Personal
Statement
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Page 8 of 10
2015 NYC Education Council Elections
Candidate Profiles for
Community Education Council 30
Candidate
Nazmul Quayyum
DBN: 30Q230
IEP: No
ELL No
Applicant I have been in PTA ( Treasurer from 2006-2011 at PS 69) and active SLT member in PS 69 from
Background 2006 -2011. Currently i am the PTA co-president at IS 230 & an active SLT member at IS 230 from
2012 to present. I am also involved in helping students of my neighborhood to understand and learn
english, also a volunteer reader to the 1st & 2nd grader at Queens library.
Personal Since my daughter statred public school at the age of 5, i got involved into the NYC public school
Statement sysytem by joining the PTA, SLT for the elementary and middle school. I learned lot about the NYC
public school and try to explore the knowledge to the parents and wanted to involve more with special
activities related to parents and kids.
Candidate
Tahmina Rajib
DBN: 30Q084
IEP: No
ELL No
Applicant My son started Kindergarten in the Fall of 2014. I have started to attend PTA meetings, meeting with
Background parents and having an open line of communication between my son's teacher and myself. I want to get
more involved and become an active parent member.
Personal I am an attorney by trade but always a mother first. I am a public school graduate from District 30 and
Statement am a firm believer in public education for our children. Recently, there has been bad press reviews on
the education system, blaming administrators, teacher, etc. I believe education is a partnership among
parents, students and educators. Sending a child to school does not end a parent's responsibility of
"providing education" to their child. Parents and teachers need to work together to understand the child
strengths and weaknesses. In the five months that my son has started school, I have noticed so much
improvement for him and I certainly attribute many of them to his teacher. His teacher and I keep in
constant contact so that I can advise her of what I feel he needs help with and she tells me things I need
to work on at home. A school does not just teach academics but it is an environment where a child
develops socially and emotionally. Our schools are receiving less funding, getting arts, music, computer
programs cut from the curriculum. It may sound like a cliche, however, our children are the future. If
we do not invest in them, we are not investing in our future.
Candidate
Martha Sanchez
DBN: 30Q092
IEP: No
ELL No
Applicant PTA President. Parent volunteer for PS 92Q. I participate in the SLT leadership, in the community
Background organization Make the Road New York, and the CEJ Coalition, which advocates for the education of
children.
Personal
Statement
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Page 9 of 10
2015 NYC Education Council Elections
Candidate Profiles for
Community Education Council 30
Candidate
Cesar Eduardo Tejeira
DBN: 30Q148
IEP: No
ELL No
Applicant I'm the PTA co-president of PS 148. I also have a daughter in special education.
Background
Personal I am a dedicated parent to my family and to my daughters. I have much to learn but also much to give
Statement to the community. I hope to represent each and every one of the parents of my school and district.
Thank you.
Candidate
Clover Yordanova
DBN: 30Q069
IEP: No
ELL No
Applicant I am an Intervention Specialist in a Charter school and have worked as grades 2,4 and 3 teacher in
Background public school.
Personal Every child deserves a great education! As parents, we need to do our best to be the change we want to
Statement see!
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Page 10 of 10