My name is David Hoffman and this is why I want to be a trustee on the Wantagh School Board. We are a community and everything that goes on here matters, from PTA, SEPTA, the Teachers, Custodians, Administration and most of all our children. I want to help things move forward and create change for the better. As an extremely proactive parent, who believes children always come first, there are a number of things I will fix.
First, after what happened in Newton CT, we need to increase the security levels at all of the Elementary Schools. I have a plan is to implement these changes after I have been elected to the School Board. I will describe them at the meet and greet on Monday, May 13th from 7 to 9 PM in the High School Cafeteria.
Secondly, we need to change how we handle the GPA scores for our High School Students. Higher GPA scores mean better opportunities for students to get into colleges and compete with other High Schools.
Next, it is unacceptable for any teacher not to respond to an email. When you go to back to school night, you are informed that the best way to communicate with teachers is through email. Most teachers will get back to you within a day when you email them. However, some do not, and that is not acceptable. As such, when elected to the School Board, I will make sure teachers understand this. My email and phone number will be available to the Wantagh Community so every single person in our District can contact me at any time and I will receive a response by the end of that day.
APPR is something we need to address as it is very convoluted. Teachers are concerned because 20% of their evaluation is based upon the Regents. That Regents grade only accounts for 1/9 of the total GPA and is only a concern for NYS Colleges. Thus, we are focusing way too much on the regents and not on making sure the student population maintains strong overall grades.
I do not believe in the NYS testing system. In fact, we opted out our 3rd Grade child of the NYS Math Test. We need to fix this problem and once elected to the School Board, I will work extremely hard to get this changed with Albany. I know I can’t promise I will be successful but I will make every effort to try and make it happen.
Lastly, we need to find room in the Budget and get the High School Social Worker back on a full time basis as she is truly needed, as is finding a compromise with the Custodial Union.
Now about me, I graduated Wantagh Senior High School in 1978 and came back to Wantagh 15 years ago. My wife and I have 3 daughters, one who graduated Wantagh High School in 2010, one in 11th Grade and one in 3rd Grade at Forest Lake Elementary School.
I graduated from Hofstra University in 1982 with a Bachelor of Business Administration, Specialization in Accounting, and I am a licensed CPA. In 1985 I became a Free Mason at Shakespeare Lodge #750. My Bio is listed on my business website www.nyshose.com. My twitter account is dphoffman60, and my Facebook account is David Hoffman. Please feel free to friend request me on Facebook and follow me on twitter. You can find me at World Gym in Wantagh on Park Avenue every Monday to Friday at 5:15 to 7:00 AM and Sundays from 7:00 to 9:15 AM. Come by to say hello!
As a Certified Public Account, CFO and VP of Sales for my own company, I understand all aspects of budgets, finance, managing numbers and making sure things happen with a purpose. I successfully sell Hosiery products because I understand people, know how to make things work by being able to compromise and find a balance. This is what we need at the Wantagh School Board. We cannot take the position “this is what I want and nothing else matters”. That is never a successful solution to any problem. We can address and correct any and all problems that arise. This is my promise to the Wantagh Community and all their families!
