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Paul Warhit
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Paul Warhit is an at-large representative on the New Rochelle School District school board in New York. Warhit won a first term in the at-large general election on May 16, 2017.
This candidate participated in Ballotpedia's 2017 school board candidate survey. Click here to view his responses.
Elections
2017
Two of the nine seats on the New Rochelle School District school board in New York were up for at-large general election on May 16, 2017. Four candidates filed for the open seats: former candidate Vincent Malfetano and newcomers Amy Moselhi, Moraydda Rosado, and Paul Warhit. Warhit and Moselhi won the election to win their first terms on the board.[1][2]
Results
| New Rochelle School District, At-Large General Election, 5-year terms, 2017 |
||
|---|---|---|
| Candidate | Vote % | Votes |
 Amy Moselhi |
38.47% | 1,921 |
| Paul Warhit |
31.70% | 1,583 |
| Moraydda Rosado | 17.26% | 862 |
| Vincent Malfetano | 12.56% | 627 |
| Total Votes | 4,993 | |
| Source: New Rochelle School District, "Official Results of Votes Cast at the Annual School Board Election/Budget Vote of the City School District of New Rochelle," accessed September 6, 2017 | ||
Funding
| 2017 Campaign Finance Deadlines in New York[3] | |
|---|---|
| Date | Deadline |
| April 17, 2017 | First report due (pre-general) |
| May 11, 2017 | Second report due (pre-general) |
| June 5, 2017 | Third report due (post-general) |
All school board candidates in New York who raise or spend more than $50 are required to file campaign finance reports. If candidates raise or spend less than $1,000 they are required to file with their city or county's board of elections. If they raise or spend over $1,000, they must file with the New York State Board of Elections. Candidates who raise or spend less than $50 (including their own personal funds) do not have to file any reports. If this occurs, candidates are required to file an exemption statement with the appropriate board of elections.[4]
Campaign themes
2017
Ballotpedia survey responses
Paul Warhit participated in Ballotpedia's 2017 survey of school board candidates.[5] In response to the question "What do you hope to achieve if elected to the school board?" the candidate stated on May 4, 2017:
| “ | Improve internal board function. Improve communication and cooperation between the school board and city government. Improve communication with public.[6][7] | ” |
Ranking the issues
The candidate was asked to rank the following issues based on how they should be prioritized by the school board, with 1 being the most important and 7 being the least important. Each ranking could only be used once.
| Education policy |
|---|
 |
Click here to learn more about education policy in New York. |
| Education on the ballot |
| Issue importance ranking | |
|---|---|
| Candidate's ranking | Issue |
| Closing the achievement gap | |
| Improving post-secondary readiness | |
| Improving relations with teachers | |
| Expanding arts education | |
| Expanding school choice options | |
| Blank | |
| Blank | |
| “ | Not necessary.[7] | ” |
| —Paul Warhit (May 4, 2017) | ||
Positions on the issues
The candidate was asked to answer eight questions from Ballotpedia regarding significant issues in education and the school district. The questions are highlighted in blue and followed by the candidate's responses. Some questions provided multiple choices, which are noted after those questions. The candidate was also provided space to elaborate on their answers to the multiple choice questions.
| Should new charter schools be approved in your district? (Not all school boards are empowered to approve charter schools. In those cases, the candidate was directed to answer the question as if the school board were able to do so.) |
|---|
| No. |
| Which statement best describes the ideal relationship between the state government and the school board? The state should always defer to school board decisions, defer to school board decisions in most cases, be involved in the district routinely or only intervene in severe cases of misconduct or mismanagement. |
| The state should defer to school board decisions in most cases. |
| Are standardized tests an accurate metric of student achievement? |
| Yes. Standardized tests CAN be an accurate metric IF all students are receiving the same educational opportunities. |
| How should the district handle underperforming teachers? Terminate their contract before any damage is done to students, offer additional training options, put them on a probationary period while they seek to improve or set up a mentorship program for the underperforming teacher with a more experienced teacher in the district? |
| Offer additional training options. Offer additional training options. |
| Should teachers receive merit pay? |
| No. |
| Should the state give money to private schools through a voucher system or scholarship program? |
| No. Separation of Church and State should be upheld. |
| How should expulsion be used in the district? |
| I don't know. |
| What's the most important factor for success in the classroom: student-teacher ratio, the curriculum, teachers, parent involvement or school administration? |
| Teachers Teachers set the tone and expectations. Teachers are the key. |
Candidate statement
Warhit submitted the following statement to Talk of the Sound:
| “ | The New Rochelle school system has served my family well, and it is now time for me to give back. Our public schools draw residents to New Rochelle, and it is in everybody’s interest to ensure continued educational excellence throughout the district.
My wife, Ilissa and I have lived in New Rochelle for 27 years. We’ve raised our three children here and made meaningful connections with people from all backgrounds. I spent my 25 year professional career owning and operating a family retail business with 80 employees. I have also served as president of several not-for-profit boards, including Temple Israel of New Rochelle, The Westchester Jewish Council, and The New Rochelle Public Library Foundation. My intent is to fulfill the school district's mission while spending public funds in a responsible and transparent manner. If elected, I promise to work hard to ensure the following: That our schools continue to EXCEL That our money is spent WISELY That our city continues to PROSPER Ilissa and I firmly believe it is our responsibility to give back to this community that has done so much for our family. I hope you will consider joining me on this journey. I thank you in advance, and I look forward to working with you to make New Rochelle schools the best they can be.[8][7] |
” |
See also
External links
Footnotes
- ↑ New Rochelle Talk of the Sound, "New Rochelle School and Library Budget Pass; Democrats Win 3 Seats, 2 on School Board, 1 on Library Board," accessed May 17, 2017These election results are unofficial and will be updated after official vote totals are made available.
- ↑ Elisabeth Moore, "Email exchange with Liz Saraiva, Clerk and Secretary to the Board of Education," May 2, 2017
- ↑ Cite error: Invalid
<ref>tag; no text was provided for refs namedfinance - ↑ New York Board of Elections, "Campaign Finance Handbook," accessed May 8, 2017
- ↑ Note: The candidate's answers have been reproduced here verbatim without edits or corrections by Ballotpedia.
- ↑ Ballotpedia School Board Candidate Survey, 2017, "Paul Warhit's responses," May 4, 2017
- ↑ 7.0 7.1 7.2 Note: This text is quoted verbatim from the original source. Any inconsistencies are attributable to the original source.
- ↑ Talk of the Sound, "New Rochelle Board and Budget Vote Set for Tuesday, May 16th," May 2, 2017
| New Rochelle School District elections in 2017 | |
| Westchester County, New York | |
| Election date: | May 16, 2017 |
| Candidates: | At-Large: Vincent Malfetano • Amy Moselhi • Moraydda Rosado • Paul Warhit |
| Important information: | What was at stake? |
