Meet the Candidates

Posted: 
Wednesday, May 5, 2021

On May 18th, Re-Elect our Pro Education Team. Experience + Commitment= Positive Impact.

Sisi Townson, Board of Education Trustee

Sisi Townson has served as a Plainedge School Board Trustee for the past six years. She is a 19-year Plainedge resident and a proud parent of a student in the high school. She is a first generation immigrant who came to the United States at the age of 8 and acquired a love of learning from her teachers.

Ms. Townson began her career in a corporate travel agency and is now the co-owner of a highly successful, woman-owned, Long Island travel entertainment business. This has provided Ms. Townson great experience running an organization, and as a result, her success was featured in USA Today in 2002. Ms. Townson’s knowledge in business has been instrumental in guiding her in her role as a Board Trustee to balance both fiscal and educational accountability with the goal of providing the very best educational programs for the children of Plainedge.

Ms. Townson served as the Charles E. Schwarting Elementary School PTA President and Plainedge Middle School PTA President, as well as leading multiple PTA Committees. Today, she continues to serve in her capacity as a Board Trustee and as a member of the Board of Education Policy Review Committee. Along with balancing both her family life and business life, she is committed to her involvement in her church, school, and the Plainedge community.  Ms. Townson has been instrumental in creating awareness about the challenges of implementing the NYSED Next Generation Learning Standards and the deficiencies in the manner that NYS tests our children.

She has been an advocate for creating and expanding educational opportunities for all children in areas such as STEAM, the arts, music, extra-curricular, and athletics. Ms. Townson is dedicated to continuing to advocate for all children, their families, and members of the Plainedge community.  She would be honored to continue to serve as a Board of Education Trustee in Plainedge.

 

Lynnda Nadien, Board of Education Trustee

Dr. Lynnda Nadien has served as a Plainedge School Board Trustee for the past three years and has lived with her family in Plainedge for twenty years. Dr. Nadien has made service her signature and firmly believes all children deserve the best possible educational experiences to enhance their opportunities for future accomplishments.

Dr. Nadien has been an educator for more than 30 years, and has received on-going recognition for her work related to character education, literacy, and multicultural education. She is currently an elementary school principal and serves on the Advisory Board for SUNY Old Westbury and the Alumni Board at Nassau Community College.

She is a published author, a college radio host at 90.3 WHPC, and an adjunct professor at SUNY Old Westbury. Dr. Nadien received her Mental Health First Aide Certificate in October of 2020.

Dr. Nadien takes pride in her work as a school board member and seeks opportunities to advance her skills by continuing to participate in workshops and presentations offered by the New York State School Boards Association. She keeps well prepared for her board position by staying informed on the latest educational practices and mandates - a fundamental requisite to achieving success on a school board.

Dr. Nadien will continue to work with the community at large to foster dialogue that enables the best educational opportunities for every child and a safe and healthy school environment. As we navigate the future of our school systems nationwide, Dr. Nadien is committed to keeping the Plainedge schools on the path to full achievement for all children, families, and the community.

 

Joseph Netto, Board of Education Trustee

For the past 15 years, Dr. Joseph Netto has been a proud resident of the Plainedge School District.  He has served on the Board of Education for the last 4 years and is seeking reelection so that he can continue to work with his fellow volunteer Trustees to create outstanding educational opportunities for all students in the district. 

Originally from Westchester, Dr. Netto and his wife Marie didn’t search for long when they were looking for a place to raise their family.  Marie, a Long Island educator, grew up in North Massapequa and has fond memories of her time in the Plainedge schools.  As a father to Plainedge Middle School student, Michela, and Schwarting Elementary student, James, Dr. Netto can often be found on the sidelines cheering his children and all of their teammates on as they play soccer, baseball, basketball, tennis or volleyball. 

Dr. Netto is a certified School Psychologist who holds a Ph.D. in Clinical and School Psychology from Hofstra University.  In his career as an educator, Dr. Netto has worked for the last 15 years in a reputable Long Island school district as an integral member of the mental health team.  He serves on his district’s Professional Development Advisory Committee, and he has led numerous workshops for staff, parents, and aspiring educators on a range of topics related to mental health and social emotional learning.  Additionally, Dr. Netto is an adjunct professor at both Brooklyn College and Hofstra University where he leads newly certified educational professionals in the New York State workshop on the Dignity for All Students Act. 

Dr. Netto is passionate about providing an exceptional education for all students while maintaining fiscal accountability. This mission has been the guiding force behind many of the initiatives, programs, and policies that the current Board of Education has supported and approved.  Throughout his time on the board, Dr. Netto has been a champion and advocate for the needs of every Plainedge student and community member.  A compassionate and empathetic listener by trade and character, Dr. Netto welcomes dialogue with his fellow community members in order to make Plainedge the best district for all students.

As a school psychologist, Dr. Netto understands how schools work, and he has been instrumental in bringing significant improvements to Plainedge.  An award-winning partnership with Northwell Health that focuses on the mental well-being of our children, elementary class size caps, full time ICT in all elementary schools, and top notch security and facility upgrades are just a few of the ways that Dr. Netto has helped enhance our schools.  He has been proud to serve as a board member in a community where his wife has been a lifelong resident, and where his children are receiving such a wonderful education. 

Dr. Netto’s dedication to Plainedge is unwavering, and he would be honored to continue to represent this community on Plainedge’s Board of Education.


Click here to see what these candidates have accomplished during their time on the Board of Education.

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