Megan Messmann
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I am a lifelong resident of Amityville. My husband and I are now raising our two elementary aged children in the community, and they both attend the Amityville public schools. I am a NYS registered professional engineer and certified project management professional. I have volunteered as an Amityville girl scout troop leader for the last five years and was a CYO volleyball coach for one season. I am also in my fourth year as a board member for the Long Island Chapter for the NY Water Environment Association.
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I initially began attending the school board meetings via zoom. However, the audio was unreliable. I then started to attend in person, and I would leave with a multitude of questions around the decisions being made, and the lack of transparency and public deliberation. I ran unsuccessfully for a trustee seat in May 2023. I have continued to attend the school board meetings, asking hard questions of the trustees and administrators. I am running for a trustee seat for the second time, as I am driven to be a voice for the community and students. One of the primary reasons I ran in May 2023 was to find ways to better embrace the entire school community. I found myself surrounded by parents whose native language was not English, and I felt that I could be a strong voice for these families and their students.
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Now in 2024, I am still inspired to embrace all of the constituents into the process. However, now I am disappointed that overspending at the top has led to staff excessing from the bottom, the prospect of closing Northeast, suspending programs, intramural sports, and the list goes on, to bridge the gap caused by our district’s mismanagement of funds. Amityville, unlike surrounding districts, will continue to receive state aid. Approximately 37% of the district’s budget is funded by state aid.
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It is time for a change in the district’s governing body. The board is making decisions with hard-earned tax dollars that directly and negatively impact the students, with increased class size and cuts in extracurricular activities.
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The children of this district are our future. They deserve a high-quality and enriched education to serve as a foundation for their future endeavors. I am running because I feel strongly that the Amityville students can achieve greater academic success. I am running with the intent to make student-centric decisions, revitalize district policies, foster a supportive environment for our educators, emphasize student success, and improve graduation rates.
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As a current parent, I am running to encourage more authentic family engagement. The parents of this district should feel that their voices are heard and that they are partners in their children’s education, regardless of their native language. I am running because I am ready to commit the time and effort to bridge the gap between parents and the administration, and be an avenue for answers. I am running untethered to special interest groups, determined to bring discussion and deliberation to the public meetings.
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As an engineer, I am a big picture person and problem solver. I manage schedules and budgets and meet demanding client needs daily. I have been involved with complex contract negotiations. I feel as though my professional experience can readily translate to the role of a school board trustee. I thank you for reading and hope that you consider me for this important role in our community and district. I have only good intensions to serve in this demanding role on behalf of the entire school community, and most importantly for our students. Please come out to vote for new, strong, unbiased voices driven to protect the interests of the students and taxpayers. Please vote on May 21st for a brighter future for the Amityville UFSD.
