Four Interested in Filling Board Vacancy

Four residents have filed applications to fill the board of education seat vacated by Patricia Toubin for the remainder of 2012, and the board is expected to fill the position at tonight's meeting.

Desiree DeNourie, Kathy Helewa, Arthur Pravato and Patricia Zohn filed for the vacancy by the March 2 deadline. Toubin resigned from her board seat, which was to expire in April but is now extended to the end of the year because of the board's vote to move the school election to November, in February.

All of the candidates are parents with children in the district, and have been involved in the school system.

DeNourie has three kids at Woodland School, where she volunteers as a "Homeroom Mom" for one of her kids' kindergarten class, as well as in the school library and the lunchroom; Halewa has been active in the Woodland School PTO since her daughter, who is now in the fifth-grade, was in kindergarten. Pravato has two children at Angelo L. Tomaso School, where his wife is active in the school PTO; and Zohn, a fixture at the school board meetings, has two kids at Central School and a third at Warren Middle School. 

Professionally, DeNourie is certified as a teacher, but works with her husband, Bill, in real estate development at Deer Path LLC. Pravato is a CPA, currently working with KPMG Advisory Services, while Halewa is a full-time homemaker and Zohn is an attorney in a partnership with her husband, Edward.

"I'm just a proud member of the school community and enjoy being involved in any way I can." DeNourie said when asked why she decied to seek to fill the seat. She added she would like to continue with the "responsible budgeting of the last few years," is appointed to the board.

Halewa said she has a "real public service" drive motivating her to seek the board seat.

"I've been involved in the PTO since my daughter was in kindergarten," she said. "I've lived in town for 11 years...I do have a lot of time to listen to people and hear their concerns."

Halewa said, if appointed, she would like to be involved in helping guide curriculum decisions.

"My interest in joining the board is to make a positive difference in the community that is broader than directly impacting my children’s education," Pravato said. "Philosophically, I support educational investments that promote best in class student achievement while driving operational efficiencies that enable incremental investments without solely relying on increasing taxes.  Furthermore, I look forward to supporting Dr. Crader’s efforts to transform Warren Township into a model for 21st Century learning."

"I am deeply committed to excellence in public education," Zohn, who has followed the board for seven years and has a strong interest in educational matters, said. "While I have been a PTO member throughout, and a homeroom Mom once, my primary involvement has been at the district level.  I am primarily focused on issues related to curriculum, education reform, finances."