The Palm Beach Post recommends Matthew Lane and Charman Postel for school board
Prior to the Aug. 20 primary, voters in Palm Beach County had the chance to fill three open seats on the county school board as incumbents Barbara McQuinn, Alexandria Ayala and Frank A. Barbieri Jr. aren't running for re-election. It's now down to two races, as Virginia Salvietto won the District 2 seat without opposition.
School board races are nonpartisan, although candidates can declare their party affiliation. Regardless of party affiliation, all voters can vote in the school board elections running in their district. If no single candidate secures a majority of the vote in either race, the top two will appear on the general election ballot Nov. 5. What follows are The Palm Beach Post endorsements for the primary races in school districts 1 and 5:
Choose Matthew Jay Lane for District 1 seat
District 1 encompasses a northern patch of the county that includes Palm Beach Gardens, Jupiter and parts of The Acreage and Riviera Beach. The Palm Beach Post recommends voters in that district choose Matthew Jay Lane. He's the best prepared to address school district issues.
Lane, 69, is an attorney and former Palm Beach Gardens commissioner. His connections with the north county community include serving on the boards of the Anti-Defamation League and Big Brothers/Big Sisters. It's those professional and community experiences that will be helpful in guiding the 10th largest school district. Before opening his law practice, Lane worked as a vice president and general counsel to a financial corporation, a plus in understanding a $4.9 billion educational enterprise of 23,000 employees and 170,000 students.
If elected, Lane will focus on teaching the fundamentals of reading, writing math and science, given school data that shows between 47% to 55% of students in grades 3 through 8 are meeting grade level standards in those subjects. He would also find ways to prioritize spending to attract and retain talented teachers. Security and devoting more resources to improve school mental health services are also priorities.
There are two other candidates in the race. Paige Lewis, 57, is a mother of two and director of literacy at a Christian youth ministry in West Palm Beach. Improving literacy, boosting test scores, school safety and hiring more talented teachers are her priorities. The third candidate, Francesca Wernisch, a 39 year-old recreation department employee in North Palm Beach, didn't have the level of relevant experience the others did.
Elect Charman Postel in District 5
Frank Barbieri Jr. leaves big shoes to fill on the Palm Beach County School Board. In a contested primary race that features five candidates hoping to represent Boca Raton residents, The Post Beach Post editorial board urges voters to choose Charman Postel. She may be a newcomer to Boca Raton politics but has deep experience in school affairs that brings credibility to her candidacy.
Postel, 37, is a Boca Raton resident making her first bid for political office. She brings an energetic and very deep involvement in school affairs to the race. She has three children in the schools and works in the school system as a substitute teacher. She also has a long list of school and student volunteer work she has done, ranging from chairing the Academic Advisory Committee, to serving as treasurer of the Palm Beach County PTA Council, working as an ambassador with Take Stock in Children and volunteering with the Pierre Garcon Helping Hands Foundation.
Improving literacy and increasing teacher pay and resources are her top priorities. So, too, are boosting parental involvement in school and school district affairs. She'd also work to review the district's current mental health programs to better address the needs of students and the district's mental health professionals.
There are four other Boca Raton residents seeking the seat. These include Gloria Branch, a 56-year-old consultant and substitute teacher, Mindy Koch, 70, the former chair of the Palm Beach County Democratic Party and a longtime schoolteacher and educator, and Michael Todd Letsky, a 47-year-old entrepreneur and owner of FutureGen Robotics. The fifth candidate in the race, Suzanne Page, declined to participate in the Post endorsement process.
District voters have a chance for a fresh start on the board. They should take advantage by electing Postel.
This article originally appeared on Palm Beach Post: The Post recommends two candidates for Palm Beach County school board
