The South Orangetown Central School District is providing this page as a community service to inform voters and does not endorse any candidates for Board of Education elections. Information provided below was submitted by the candidate who will appear on the December 17, 2024 ballot. Candidates are invited to submit responses to a set of five questions along with a photo. Statements are the candidates’ own and have not been verified by the District.

Board of Education Responsibilities

The communities of the South Orangetown Central School District are served by a five-member Board of Education. Each Board member is elected by a public vote and serves a three-year term without pay. There are no term limits for Board members.

As a legal arm of the government of the State of New York, our Board of Education is responsible for:

• Affirming a shared vision for the school district
• Establishing district goals and setting priorities
• Overseeing the general operation of the district (including educational programs, public relations, facilities and contracts)
• Setting educational policy
• Adopting and maintaining current policies in written format
• Approving and adopting the annual budget
• Hiring and evaluating the Superintendent
• Approving the appointment of all personnel and related collective bargaining agreements/contracts
• Deciding on the best utilization of resources
• Setting high standards of governance
• Meeting all requirements of New York State law

New Board of Education members are required to participate in mandatory training courses through the New York State School Boards Association and attend Board of Education meetings and workshops, which are typically held on Thursday evenings twice monthly. Additional meetings may be added to the schedule, as needed, to carry out time-sensitive Board duties. Board members also serve on committees which may meet during the day or evening.

Candidate Information

On December 17, 2024, a special election will be held for one (1) Board of Education seat vacated due to resignation. The candidate elected will serve the remainder of the unexpired term, which ends June 30, 2027.

JOHN ROBERT COLEMAN

How many years have you lived in the South Orangetown Central School District?  I have lived in the district for 15 years with my wife Lisa and our three children. Residing here has left me with deep connections to the community and a clear understanding of the district. I seek to serve all members of the South Orangetown Central School District.

What is your post-secondary educational and employment/professional background? Professionally, I have served as a scientist, biotechnology entrepreneur, and educator. I have 16 years’ experience building successful biotech companies, securing over $500M in public and private financing to support development of therapies for infectious diseases and cancer. Serving as the CEO for these biotech companies I was responsible for managing multi-million-dollar annual budgets. In addition, I served as an Associate Professor of Biology at SUNY Farmingdale – where I shared my knowledge and experience, as well as provided guidance to the next generation of scientists and entrepreneurs.

My educational background includes

– BS, Cell Biology, Tulane University
– PhD, Molecular Genetics and Microbiology, Stony Brook University
– Post-Doctoral Fellow, Albert Einstein College of Medicine
– MBA, New York Institute of Technology

What is your vision for public education in our community? We are in an exciting and unique time as a society, with growing opportunities in technology, science, energy, and beyond. My vision is to bring to the Board a forward-looking viewpoint, work with the district to support the academic needs of our children and provide a fiscally and socially responsible perspective.

What are your priorities in terms of policy and governance? Goals as a Board Member:
1) Endorse a curriculum that remains aligned with current advancements in science, technology, energy, and beyond
2) Provide fiscal responsibility and budget management to ensure district is good stewards of our dollars
3) Foster a supportive environment for students and educators to achieve and grow
4) Task schools to have active plans for the 250th anniversary of the US given the historic roots of our district
5) Promote active feedback from district parents and stakeholders, while encouraging flexibility and responsiveness by the Board

What experiences and expertise have prepared you to serve as a Board of Education member? Aspects of my background that will help me serve on the SOCSD board include:

– Tenured Associate Professor at SUNY Farmingdale; Developed curricula for several degree programs
– Service and election to Corporate and Academic Administrative Boards
– Served as Chief Executive Officer to multiple biotech companies – leading all aspects of organizational functions
– Raised >$500M in capital to support drug development, with a demonstrated track record of securing public/federal funding to support science
– Published Scientist in high impact peer-reviewed journals: Science, Nature Biotechnology, Journal of Immunotherapy for Cancer
– Comprehensive understanding of budgets, fiscal responsibility, and sound management
– Track record of openness and willingness to hear all views