Four Candidates Vie for Three Board of Education Seats in Hastings-on-Hudson
Four Candidates Vie for Three Board of Education Seats in Hastings-on-Hudson
Two incumbents and two newcomers are running in the local election.
by Janine Annett
Hastings-on-Hudson — Village residents will have a chance to vote for the 2024-2025 school budget and three board of education candidates on May 21st. There are four contenders for three open seats: incumbents Doreen Bucher (current board vice president) and Alexander Dal Piaz (current board president) are joined by newcomers David Barone and Catherine DiMartino in the race. Damaris-Lois Lang, whose term also expires this year, decided not to run for reelection.
The incumbents:
Doreen Bucher has been on the school board since 2021 and has served as vice president for the last two years. She was instrumental in creating the Communications Committee, which helped streamline the flow of information sent from the district administration to parents and revamped the district’s website. She also advocated for the creation of the Technology Committee, which she serves on, making sure technology is used responsibly in schools. Bucher believes having consistent leadership (particularly that of Superintendent William McKersie) has been good for the school district, where her children are currently in the seventh and ninth grades.
Professionally, Bucher is a vice president of marketing for an international company. “I’d like to make sure we can keep Bill [McKersie] for at least another three years [through his contract term],” Bucher told the Rivertowns Current. “I also want to make sure the teachers’ contract works for both the kids and the teachers. I want to make sure we use technology smartly in the schools, and I support the arts and athletics in the school district. We need to make sure we keep the budget balanced so we can keep doing all these things.” Bucher said she’s learned a lot during her first three-year term on the board and would like to apply her experience to another term.
Learn more about Doreen Bucher at her website, https://www.doreenbforboe.com/.
Alexander Dal Piaz, the current board president, has also served on the board of education for the past three years. He was initially inspired to seek a seat to help get the school system back on track after the disruptions of the COVID-19 pandemic. Like Bucher, Dal Piaz also feels that the district has benefitted from McKersie’s consistent leadership. Dal Piaz currently has two children in Hastings High School, a sophomore and a senior; both have been in the Hastings School District since kindergarten.
Dal Piaz started his professional career in the restaurant business, later transitioning to developing software for the hospitality industry. He describes himself as a “lifelong learner” who, through his work, has learned about the importance of managing people so they can be their best selves, as well as coming up with ways to find the simplest possible solutions to complex problems. “I don’t think people appreciate the level of coordination that goes on [in the school district], particularly when kids transition from grade to grade or school to school,” Dal Piaz told the Rivertowns Current. “The teachers make wonderful connections with the kids, and they build on it.” Dal Piaz spoke of the need to support kids at all levels of learning. “Funding will continue to be a challenge,” he added. “The rise of AI and the use of technology will also continue to be an issue in the schools.”
Learn more about Alexander Dal Piaz at his website, http://adforboe.com/.
The newcomers:
David Barone grew up in the Bronx and moved to Hastings-on-Hudson in 2021. He began his career working in finance, then transitioned to working in education. He has taught physical education at a K-5 public school and has worked on physical education and health curricula at the city-wide level in New York City. He co-wrote the city's first K-5 Phys Ed Scope and Sequence, helped enhance the K-12 HIV/AIDS curriculum for NYC schools and has advocated for the OUT for Safe Schools campaign. For the last two-and-a-half years, Barone has exclusively worked on enhancing restorative justice initiatives in schools, focusing on mediation and conflict resolution. Barone said restorative justice is about community building as well as repairing harm that has been done to and/or by students. Barone is a board member of the Hastings Rainbow Families & Ally Group, which is dedicated to serving the needs of LGBTQ+ families.
As for what’s motivating him to seek a seat on the school board, Barone said, “Between my history with education and my understanding of what I could bring to the school board from my perspective and my lived experience, I decided to run. I know how to advocate for system-wide changes.” Barone emphasized that he has experience in finance as well as education and school administration, giving him a broad base of expertise to draw from. “I want children to be able to have the ability to be themselves,” Barone said. “I think that’s what the work is all about.” If elected, Barone plans to serve as a representative of, and an advocate for, LGBTQ+ children in the local school system.
Learn more about David Barone at his website, https://davidbaronehoh.squarespace.com/.
Catherine DiMartino has worked in education for more than 25 years. For the last eight years, she’s been a Professor of Education at St. John's University, where she trains principals and superintendents across the NY metro area. Her specializations include using data for continuous improvement, school and community relations, and budget management. DiMartino has also served as the Chairperson of the Department of Administrative and Instructional Leadership at St. John's. She previously taught middle and high school social studies in NYC, conducted research for the RAND Corporation, and was an Assistant Professor at Hofstra University. In Hastings, DiMartino has served as a Hastings Education Foundation Board Member, PTSA Grade Liaison, Farragut Middle School Building Leadership Team Member, Hastings Rainbow Families Member, PTSA Inclusion Working Group Member, Hastings Rec League basketball coach, and Girls on the Run coach. She’s running for the Hastings BOE because she believes her experience will enable her to serve as a good advisor for the school district and to help steward the budget. She believes in advocating for an equitable and inclusive learning environment for all students. DiMartino told the Rivertowns Current she currently has three children in the Hastings school district, including two in middle school and one in high school.
"I am passionate about being an educator and have a deep respect for the profession. As a board member, I will actively listen to parents and educators and use my extensive educational experience to support our district’s continued success in academics, the arts, and athletics," said DiMartino.
Learn more about Catherine DiMartino at her website, https://www.catherinehohboard.com/.
For more information on the Hastings Board of Education and the school budget, see https://www.hohschools.org/board-of-education/board-of-education.
The League of Women Voters of the Rivertowns will be hosting a virtual Candidate Forum for the School Board election for the Hastings-on-Hudson School District (co-sponsored by the Hastings PTSA) on Monday, May 13 from 7-8:30 PM. To register for the forum, go to https://bit.ly/ HastingsSchoolBoard. Questions for the candidates can be submitted in advance and should be submitted by 5 PM on Friday, May 10th, either while registering or by emailing info@lwv-rivertowns.org. The event will be recorded and made available on the LWV Rivertowns YouTube page, the school district website, and other media locations.
Looking for another way to support Rivertowns Current?