Below are bios submitted by the candidates who are running for the board of education. They are in the order in which they will appear on the ballot on Tuesday, May 17.
Leslie Hill
Years in District: 6
Family info: Stay at home mom of 2. Married
Reason for running for the Board of Education: I am a proud mother of two children that attend Golden Hill Elementary. Kayla, 10 and Brayden, 7. My husband is a NYPD Sergeant and together we have lived in Florida for the past six years. We chose this amazing community to raise our children based on its safe environment and immaculate school system.
I was raised in the Bronx and have been fortunate to have friends and family of different backgrounds and cultures. I was raised to treat and respect each person as an individual and never pass judgment on anyone based on reputation or another’s assessment. I will always embrace people, and not look at what makes us different, but what we have in common. As parents what we all have in common is the unconditional love for our children.
I have an open mind and an open heart. My two greatest assets are that I will listen and that I am respectful. We all have a voice and deserve to be heard. We may not all have the same opinion. But I believe if we can all communicate, then we can all understand one another and meet somewhere in the middle. All of us from time to time may have difficulties or encounter struggles in our lives, but I strongly feel that especially now, living with the unfortunate Covid pandemic, there is a lot of anger and misunderstanding going on in our community. I am a person that is willing to step up and bridge any divisions we may have in our town. I would humbly appreciate the opportunity if you so allow me to be a member of the School Board and make a difference. Our best days are always ahead of us!
James Revella
Years in District: I have been a lifelong resident of the Village of Florida NY for 43 years and an alumnus of S.S. Seward class of 1997.
Family Info: I am a proud father of 3 including a wonderful stepdaughter in the district. My oldest daughter is graduate of S.S Seward class of 2019, and now is attending nursing school.
Employment: I have worked in the medical field for the past 17 years, which I have been an Executive Director for 14 years. I manage a multi-million-dollar budget that employees over 100 team members to service the Hudson Valley community.
Reason for Running for the Board of Education: I am running for school board to help be an advocate and voice for the students, parents, and community members. If elected my commitment would be to help establish a vision that focused on providing polices that will improve student achievement for all children. I will help provide clear communication between the board of education and the public. I want to ensure we maintain the fiscal responsibility and budget appropriately. I will also be committed to repairing the trust and relationship between the school and community.
John M. Figliacconi
Years in District: Born and raised 45 plus years
Family Info: I am happily together with my spouse Mary, together we have and are raising 4 children. Our two youngest, still in the Florida School District, are Lilly Call-Figliacconi, 9th grade 14 years old, and Grace Figliacconi, kindergarten, 6 years old. Florida is our community where we plan to grow old together and continue being a home base for our 2 older kids and a home for our younger ones.
Educational Background: I am a 1995 graduate and alumni of S.S. Seward Institute. Post-graduation I graduated from Orange County New York Sheriff’s Office Corrections Officer Academy and 2000 graduated from Orange County Police Academy. Went on to also study at SUNY Rockland course of study Liberal Arts.
Employment: Self-employed Chairman Board of Directors and C.E.O. of JMJ Corporation of Orange County NY Inc. formerly dba Main Street Barbers of Warwick NY dba Classy Cuts and Curls Salon Warwick New York, dba as well as Nicole’s Corner Cuts Salon Warwick NY.
- Volunteer & Coach Florida Little League
- Currently on Board of Directors Italian American Civil Rights League chartered out of Blooming Grove N.Y., past Vice President past Treasurer.
- Currently expanding to multi charter and chapters nationally state by state for all Americans to be represented and their civil rights protected!!!
Reason for Running for the Board of Education: As there are 2 vacant seats and 1 incumbent running, I placed my name forward for one position out of three.
- To be a levelheaded voice for all students and residents and be a consensus builder!!!
- I am running individually on a platform that returns a policy of students and residents first.
- Return transparency to all in the district.
- Promote a campaign to all students for anti-bullying in school or online and a campaign of respect to each other and especially to teachers!!!
- Promote sports independence and the healthy results of being on a sports team with school spirit!!!
- Raise awareness of the opioid epidemic and dangers of smoking, vaping, drugs, and alcohol.
- Running individually as a consensus builder with whomever is on the Board. To obtain the best for all our students.
- Be fiscally conservative and lobby the state senate, and state assembly, representatives for grants and funding for our school district.
- When elected by you, I will always sit and listen with an open mind to all parents and concerned citizens to speak their peace and mind on hot button topics and would be open to additional meetings if necessary. Without censorship of your voice or speaking time.
- I will always listen to you the people it is our children as a community it is all our board of education and time for you to take it back. I am only your voice
If you elect me:
- I pledge to work hard for grants to create a pre-K program where no child is left out!!!
- Work hard line by line on budget review and even more simplified transparency to you the residents and parents!!!
- I would like for the children to just get back to being kids going to school learning reading, writing, arithmetic, science, history, music, sports, after school clubs, drama acting in plays and be even more involved in our community. Allow for healing where we as adults come together stop the bullying, name calling and blaming and come together to form a consensus for the sake of our community and all our kids.
I, John M. Figliacconi ask you to vote for me “Row A # 3 on the ballot” to represent you on the BOE with honor and selfless giving of my time and hard work for you and all students. I believe our children’s schools and district’s best days are ahead of us. Thank you for your consideration!
Lori Gorcsos
Years in District: 10
Family Info: Married, mother of 4 children in the district
Educational Background:
- Rutgers University, Rutgers College – BA degree with high honors, Dean’s List
- Double Major: Criminal Justice, Psychology
- Minor: Sociology
- Certification: Criminology Certificate
- Currently set to graduate in June 2022: Violence Against Women, from the Rutgers School of Social Work
Honors:
- Psi Chi: The National Honors Society of Psychology
- Golden Key International Honors Society
- Spanish Honors Society
- Additional trainings through my employment for 17 years, with a minimum of 40 hours per year, focusing on various topics in child protection.
Employment: Supervisor, Child Protection
Reason for Running for the Board of Education: Make sure that the values promoted in our schools reflect the values of the families in our community. We want transparency and open dialogue between the BOE and parents, voices are heard and that they are a part of the decision-making process. The school should be focusing on opportunities for the children to obtain high-quality education and pathways towards their personal success. Children should be afforded opportunities to participate in sports, the arts and other activities for personal growth.
Sue Wheeler
Years in District: 60
Family Info: Long family history in Florida, including both the Wheeler and Seward families. Two children who attended Golden Hill several years ago, now with families of their own, living out of state.
Educational Background:
- SS Seward Institute Graduate
- SUNY Orange, Middletown New York – Associate of Arts Degree
- Framingham State College, Framingham, Massachusetts – Bachelor of Science in Education – Early Childhood, Summa Cum Laude
- State University of New York College at New Paltz, New Paltz, New York – Master of Science in Education
- State University of New York College at New Paltz, New Paltz, New York – Certificate of Advanced Study
Employment: Retired Deputy Superintendent for Curriculum and Instruction, Pearl River School District, Pearl River, New York
Reason for Running for the Board of Education:
- Seeking re-election to a 2nd term.
- Committed to serving all children and families in the district.
- Steadfast belief that the best schools are those that create and sustain a healthy culture for teaching and learning, one where the diverse strengths of both students and adults are recognized, nurtured and supported.
- Share my experiences as a 40-year career educator in support of teaching and learning and student performance success.
- Dedicated to collaboratively working with the Board of Education to:
- Support administrators, teachers and staff in providing a strong academic and extra-curricular program where students graduate as resilient problem solvers, independent critical thinkers and respectful, responsible, productive citizens in an ever-changing world.
- Provide oversight for compliance with NYS regulations, including evolving NYS Learning Standards and assessments.
- Adopt and maintain appropriate policies.
- Maintain fiscal responsibility, balancing both program and operational costs with the needs of the tax paying constituencies.
Caroline K. Hanna
Years in District: 17
Family Info: Mother of 2 children who attended FUFSD from kindergarten to graduation.
Educational Background: UConn for Design and Textile Management.
Employment: Zircar Ceramics Inc, Plant Clerk and Pine Stone Stitchery, Owner
Reason for Running for the Board of Education: I have lived in the Village of Florida since 2005 and love this community. I feel that all parts of a child’s education are important, and I think parental involvement in education is vital for each child’s success. Let’s stop being divisive and start making a change. The children of our community deserve adult advocates that treat each other with respect and dignity. I am here to set an example for my own young-adult children that change can happen from within and that every voice can make a difference.
Rob Andrade
Years in District: 10
Family Info: Married father of 3 children, including students at S.S. Seward and Golden Hill.
Educational Background: Bachelor of Arts from Boston University and Juris Doctor from Syracuse University College of Law.
Employment: I work in the commercial insurance industry and am currently an Assistant Vice President at an international insurance company.
Reason for Running for the Board of Education: I am running for the BOE to:
- help provide our community’s children with a better education than they have been receiving;
- improve school safety;
- improve transparency in the BOE’s communications with parents and taxpayers;
- and bring greater accountability to the BOE as well as the superintendent and all district staff.