Responsible Progress for Cornwall

As a lifelong resident of the Lower Hudson Valley, I attended the Newburgh Schools and later Rider University. I have been employed with a locally owned and operated construction company who has been in business in the greater Newburgh area for over 75 years. As Project Manager I lead multiple teams of individuals while routinely reviewing, executing and managing multi-million-dollar projects in both the private and public sector. In previously ho lding a position on the Sacred Heart Parish of Newburgh's Financial Committee for six years, I worked to develop a progressive plan to remove outstanding debt to create a positive economic environment. As Co-Chair of the Sacred Heart's Annual Community Feast, I've collaborated for the last ten years with many groups to organize, develop and manage a weekend-long fundraising event. Working with our youth, I have donated much time to coach soccer and football. As a member of school PTO groups both in Cornwall and Washingto...

With two children in the Cornwall Central School District, I am passionate about the future of our schools.  With my financial background I am able to manage budgets, long term planning and resource allocation. I have strong relationship building skills, which I believe will be essential in communicating the school district's vision to the community at large. Currently I serve on the Village Zoning board. I would be honored to continue my commitment to Cornwall by serving on the Board of Education.

Attending a BOE Candidate Forum, and wanted to share my responses to the questions posed. Please reach out with any follow-up questions to my respon ses. 1) How will you address the bullying problems in our schools, especially in our middle school? What are the next steps with regard to school safety? Unfortunately, bullying is a problem that takes place in every school district across the nation. As a Board Member, I will continue to support the work that is taking place in our schools and our community to promote a positive learning experience for all children. I believe that character education is one avenue to expand upon in disposing bullying from our schools. The most important step, however, is to continue to have an open and progressive dialog with all administrators, social workers, staff and community members. Safety in our schools is a serious topic. Fundamentally I have always been a proponent of taking a proactive approach rather than a reactive one. I believe this...

Attending a BOE Candidate Forum, and wanted to share my responses to the questions posed. Please reach out with any follow-up questions to my respon ses. 1) Bullying is not a new phenomenon for any school district throughout our country. I am not sure that there is any remedy that will completely remove it from our schools; however there are some effective tactics that can be used to minimize bullying in our district. In my opinion there needs to be a unified approach between all administrators, teachers, and counselors in all of our schools. A common code of conduct that is taught to all of our children with consequences for those who do not abide by this code. I also believe that bullying needs to be addressed on multiple levels. Parents are children’s first teacher; the topic needs to be discussed at home. I support character education at all levels, elementary through high school. The safe school ambassador program is a good example of proactively addressing the bullying issu...

Meet John Edelen - My name is John Edelen and I am running for the Cornwall Board of Education.   My wife and I chose Cornwall 17 years ago because of the community, its quality schools, and the surrounding scenic splendor. Our daughter is a student at the Middle School and attended Willow Avenue Elementary K-4. We consider ourselves fortunate for the dedicated and talented teachers, administrators and staff that have helped shape her education to this point and I want to ensure responsible progress for the future. I believe I possess a unique blend of competencies, experience and perspective to contribute as an effective board member and uphold its responsibility to provide a quality education for all in a fiscally responsible manner. As a husband, I understand trust is the foundation of all functional relationships and is earned through clear and honest communication. As a father, I understand the importance of setting a proper example for you...

Attending a BOE Candidate Forum, and wanted to share my responses to the questions posed. Please reach out with any follow-up questions to my respon ses. 1. How will you address the bullying problems in our schools, especially our middle school? Response: First, let me commend the community for publicly raising this important issue. The school district’s response in establishing a strict code of conduct that explicitly calls out bullying and in providing various anti-bullying training and events throughout the school year has been good, in my view. Enforcement is an area that would benefit from further transparency. Also, I am encouraged by the work of the Cornwall Cares Committee and by the publicly available data suggesting that student conflict throughout the district is down year over year. As we foster a culture of high character and consideration of others that we desire in our district, we must remain vigilant. School safety is a paramount concern, and more work is needed...

Meet Louis Argenio - My name is Louis Argenio and I am proud to announce my candidacy for the Cornwall Central School District's Board of Education.  My wife and I made the decision to move to Cornwall so that our children could benefit from being in the greatest school district around, and we have not been disappointed with the quality of education and experiences they have benefited from so far. Currently, I have children on the elementary  and middle school levels. As I attend their school and district-wide events, I am so pleased to be apart of every opportunity offered to them.  One of the main reasons we decided to move to Cornwall was so that all of the "extras" or "unattainable opportunities" that neighboring districts face are not taken away from our children. The mindsets to move our schools and our children forward and to work as a community to do so are the reasons why our schools are so successful. The level of academics, ...