Last week, with a vote fast approaching on May 19, seven candidates made their case for four open seats on the Nyack School Board during a lively public forum hosted by the local chapter of the NAACP and the Nyack Parent Council at Nyack Center.
Next Tuesday, polls will be open to registered voters from 7 am to 9 pm. Find out if you’re registered here.
Find your polling site by clicking here.
Find a presentation of the 2026-2027 budget proposal by clicking here.
At the polls, voters will have the opportunity to vote for or against the budget proposal, as well as their four favorite candidates.
The three candidates with the highest vote totals will be elected to serve three-year terms from July 1, 2026, through June 30, 2029.
The candidate with the fourth highest vote total will be elected to complete the term left vacant by a trustee resignation (Bryan Burrell) earlier this year (currently filled by appointment), and will serve until June 30, 2027.
With an eye toward offering voters a more informed choice, the Nyack Parent Council, which represents the PTAs for all five schools in the Nyack District — three elementary schools, plus the middle school and high school — sent out a detailed questionnaire to all seven candidates.
Below you’ll find an excerpt from each candidates’ questionnaire (we chose “Current Budget Priorities” because crafting the budget is one of the board’s primary jobs; and we listed candidates in alphabetical order), as well as a link to pdfs of every candidate’s entire questionnaire.
(Below the excerpts, you’ll find a full video of the entire forum.)
Matthew Giovine
Question on Current Budget Priorities: What are your thoughts on the priorities set forth in the district’s 2026-2027 budget proposal? Are there other priorities you think should have been included? If so, how would you propose funding those priorities?
Link to a Google Drive folder that includes all of the candidates’ questionnaire answers.
Jessica Goodman (incumbent)
Question on Current Budget Priorities: What are your thoughts on the priorities set forth in the district’s 2026-2027 budget proposal? Are there other priorities you think should have been included? If so, how would you propose funding those priorities?
Link to a Google Drive folder that includes all of the candidates’ questionnaire answers.
Larry Jackson
Question on Current Budget Priorities: What are your thoughts on the priorities set forth in the district’s 2026-2027 budget proposal? Are there other priorities you think should have been included? If so, how would you propose funding those priorities?
Link to a Google Drive folder that includes all of the candidates’ questionnaire answers.
Kenan Kapetanovic
Question on Current Budget Priorities: What are your thoughts on the priorities set forth in the district’s 2026-2027 budget proposal? Are there other priorities you think should have been included? If so, how would you propose funding those priorities?
Link to a Google Drive folder that includes all of the candidates’ questionnaire answers.
Jen Marraccino (incumbent)
Question on Current Budget Priorities: What are your thoughts on the priorities set forth in the district’s 2026-2027 budget proposal? Are there other priorities you think should have been included? If so, how would you propose funding those priorities?
Link to a Google Drive folder that includes all of the candidates’ questionnaire answers.
Stacey McDonald (incumbent)
Question on Current Budget Priorities: What are your thoughts on the priorities set forth in the district’s 2026-2027 budget proposal? Are there other priorities you think should have been included? If so, how would you propose funding those priorities?
Link to a Google Drive folder that includes all of the candidates’ questionnaire answers.
Benny Vasquez (incumbent)
Question on Current Budget Priorities: What are your thoughts on the priorities set forth in the district’s 2026-2027 budget proposal? Are there other priorities you think should have been included? If so, how would you propose funding those priorities?
Link to a Google Drive folder that includes all of the candidates’ questionnaire answers.
Full Video of the Nyack BOE Candidates Forum
