As the school year nears its end, two seats of the West Islip Union Free School District’s Board of Education are up for election. Richard Antoniello and Debbie Brown, both incumbent candidates, are running unopposed for the two open seats.

The district will be holding their budget vote and trustee election on Tuesday, May 21, from 7 a.m. to 9 p.m. in the West Islip High School gymnasium.

Debbie Brown

Debbie Brown is a 43-year West Islip resident and West Islip High School graduate. She is married with three children, two of who currently attend West Islip schools.

A registered nurse for 27 years, she received her nursing diploma at St. Vincent’s Hospital School of Nursing in New York City and holds a Bachelor of Science in nursing from Stony Brook University.

Brown recently attained her NYS real estate license and is now serving her community in a new capacity, partnering with local families on their journey to home ownership and supporting those looking to transition out of their home. Brown earned her Associate Level Orton Gillingham credentials through the Academy of Orton Gillingham Practitioners and Educators. This, coupled with her personal experiences with dyslexia, has helped her collaborate with district leaders in reshaping elementary literacy practices.

As Brown nears the completion of her first term as a trustee on the West Islip Board of Education, she feels one of the greatest opportunities in her first term was to be part of the superintendent search process. She credits the hiring of superintendent Paul Romanelli, Ed.D., as the critical step in forging a new trajectory for West Islip School District from both a cultural and visionary perspective.

Brown is proud have been a part of numerous other accomplishments as a trustee, including districtwide air conditioning, armed guards, revamping elementary literacy, investments in mental health, improvements in delivery of special education services, and a community win on the Masera property that includes a 10-year lease with BOCES while preserving field use for the district.

Brown attributes the trust, collaboration, and student focus the board shares as the key ingredients to ongoing evaluation and improvement.

Brown has volunteered in various capacities for her three children and their peers. She has been an active supporter of the Parent Teachers Association, Special Education Parent Teachers Association, Boy Scouts Troop 1, Cub Scouts Troop 279, and Daisy/Girl Scouts Troop 1126.

Brown hopes to be able to build upon the success of her first term on the West Islip Board of Education with her communication, advocacy, and professional skills using a collaborative, respectful, transparent and inclusive approach.

Richard Antoniello

Richard Antoniello lives with his wife, Allison, and their two daughters, Olivia and Ava. He was born in Elmont in 1971 and grew up in Commack, graduating from high school in 1989.

Between 1989 and 1993, Antoniello attended the University of Delaware and graduated with a bachelor’s degree in history education. In 2001, he earned a master’s degree in history education from C.W. Post.

His family moved to West Islip in 2007.

He currently teaches history in Plainview, where he has worked since 1996. Antoniello was elected to the West Islip Board of Education in 2018 and again in 2021.

As a current educator, his experience teaching and background in education offers an important perspective to the board.

Throughout his years as a member of the board of education, Antoniello played a key role in helping facilitate air conditioning and armed guards for the district.

In seeking reelection, Antoniello’s top priorities lie in including age-appropriate science and math scheduling and stabilizing student attendance.