Antonucci Running for Second Term on School Board

The West Essex Board of Education has three open seats in this spring’s election. Dawn M. Smith will run unopposed for a three-year term representing the sending district of Roseland. Three candidates will vie for two Fairfield seats, that held by incumbent Frank Antonucci, and the seat being vacated by Council President Phyllis Helmstetter. Anthony Rubinich and David Zaccaria are first time candidates for the seat representing the sending district of Fairfield.

Antonucci and his wife moved to Fairfield in 1977. They raised three children who went through the Fairfield and West Essex school districts and are now college graduates.

Voters will go to the polls on Wednesday, April 27 for a chance to vote for Antonucci. The public will also vote on the district's proposed $34.5 million school budget.

Patch recently posed some questions to the incumbent candidate:

Please describe what qualifications you feel you have to serve on the school board. Why should a resident vote for you?

The knowledge from my job has been invaluable in dealing with the district’s challenges. During my current term, I’ve chaired the Buildings & Grounds and Technology committees. I have been on the Finance and Construction committees for two years during a critical time in the school construction process.

What do you think are the top three issues facing the district?

1. Finding a replacement for the . With the retiring of many superintendents in the state, the job will be even tougher this time.
2. The budget –“doing more with less.”
3. Improving the academics.

What do you think makes the district unique/special?

1. The students - we have a unique and diversified student body that is eager to learn. We must provide an atmosphere that is conducive to learning and a staff that encourages and challenges them.
2. The school administration, staff – cooperation between the Board, administration and staff can be best described by all employees accepting a pay freeze last year. It helped save jobs and programs.
3. Residents of the district – after the difficulties with the 2002 construction referendum, residents trusted the Board by passing the 2009 construction referendum.

As an incumbent, please describe what you have accomplished/helped to accomplish while on the school board.

1. Passage of the 2009 construction referendum and the 2009-2010 and 2010-2011 budgets.
2. Completion of the 2002 construction referendum: the renovation of the science labs, replacement of lockers, renovation of the Middle School bathrooms, and repaving of the parking lots.
3. Completion of the 2009 referendum work: replacement of leaky roofs and windows in both schools, boilers in the Middle School and new and renovated technology labs. Due to safety concerns, indoor bleachers were replaced and now the outdoor bleachers are scheduled for renovation.

 I am proud to have been part of the district’s progress, and I plan to continue to work hard to move the schools forward if I am re-elected.

What is your current occupation? 

For 11 years, a project manager for a major technology firm.

Describe your education.

• Graduated from Cliffside Park High School
• Bachelor of Science in electrical engineering from Fairleigh Dickinson University
• Masters of Science in computer science from Kansas State University