My name is Jessica Stalters and I am running for reelection to the East Quogue School Board. I have two sons, an eighth-grader at Westhampton Beach Middle School and a fifth-grader at East Quogue. I am a special education teacher in the Rocky Point School District and have been an educator for 21 years. I was born and raised in East Quogue.
Over the past six years while I was on the board, I made it a priority that programs and positions that had previously been cut were reinstated. As a result, East Quogue now has a library program and a foreign language and STEAM teacher, as well as four AIS teachers, who provide academic support for struggling learners.
I have worked with the board to maintain a fiscally balanced budget year after year. Not once in my tenure on this board have we pierced the cap. I have kept our debt services down. I was an integral part of the BOND project and attended construction meetings with the architect to ensure that our new facility, which included a playground, STEM lab, new sixth-grade wing, renovated bathrooms and updates to our technology infrastructure, along with a new and safer gymnasium, was top notch for our students and faculty. I supported projects that improved the safety of our school, which included a brand new security vestibule and the use of security guards throughout our building.
Prior to my election, universal prekindergarten did not exist, which prompted me to lobby for funding utilizing Assemblyman Fred Thiele and Senator Ken LaValle. As a result, East Quogue now has a universal prekindergarten program, where children can attend at no cost to their families — but, more importantly, so that our youngest learners could receive an essential education at an early age.
I have a passion for supporting some of East Quogue’s most important programs and have planned and hosted fundraisers that raised thousands of dollars to offset the cost of maintaining our art department and outdoor garden and greenhouse. I have experience in negotiating fair and equitable contracts within the district.
I also have been advocating for our students over at Westhampton Beach. As vice president, I meet with Westhampton Beach’s administration multiple times a year, along with board members from surrounding school districts and their superintendents. We collaborate and address issues that affect our students. I am a strong voice for the students of East Quogue once they leave our building, and I genuinely care about their educational future over at Westhampton Beach schools.
When you go to the polls on Tuesday, May 17, please consider voting for me, Jessica Stalters, a vote for our children and our community.
Thank you very much.
Jessica Stalters
East Quogue
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