Board of Ed. Candidate Profile: Dominic Bencivenga

With the Babylon School District budget vote and school board election a week away Patch will be providing readers insight on the spending plan, budget issues, community opinion and insight on candidates seeking election to board.

Board member Dominic Bencivenga is one of two incumbents running this year for Babylon's Board of Education. He, along with Roger Katz and former board member AnneMarie Martino, will seek the public's vote on May 21.

Patch asked Bencivenga, as well as every candidate, a short series of questions to provide readers with information about their backgrounds and views on the challenges facing the school district.

Dominic Bencivenga
Age: 51
Occupation: Communications professional
Children: Two in Babylon Junior-Senior High School and one in Babylon Memorial Grade School
Lived in Babylon: 18 years

Patch: Why are you running for another term?

We have a very good school district but we should always strive to be better. This means renovating and updating our facilities, embracing new approaches to learning, being willing to test new ideas and to try new ways of doing things. We are on our way down that path and I can help the district to move those initiatives forward. 

Patch: What is the biggest challenge facing the district?

Unfunded state-mandated programs, as well as financial constraints and costs that we do not control, such as retirement and health care costs, which drain funds that we could use for educational programs. 

Patch: What would be your top goals, if elected, to achieve within the district over the next few years?

Approval of a bond referendum to renovate the schools, fully integrating technology in all aspects of our educational programs, expanding the science research program, re-introducing foreign language programs in the elementary and grade schools, continuing to evaluate and align staffing and resources. 

Patch: What is one thing you want to do differently in the district?

We need to start our budget process earlier to provide sufficient time to evaluate options. Also, we have already improved communication by expanding the use of websites and e-mail but I think we can do more. I would like to see increased use of all aspects of digital communications throughout the district, including teacher websites, webcasts and social media, as well as webcasting board meetings.