Meet The Candidates: East Quogue School Board

East Quogue School District

In East Quogue, three candidates are running for two open seats. The candidates are incumbent Joseph Tsaveras and newcomers Dianna Gobler and Carrie Bender. Meet them below.

Joseph Tsaveras

Tsaveras, who has served on the school board for the past six years is seeking another term in an effort to continue to reduce costs while also maintaining programs in the district.

If reelected, Tsaveras, who is a principal in the Greenport School District, said he will work to increase revenue through grants and partnering with businesses; continue to find ways to share services with other districts, and eenhance the educational value for students without increasing costs to the tax payers.

Tsaveras, who has two children who attend East Quogue, has also coached little league baseball and HYAL basketball.

Dianna Gobler

Gobler, who has lived in the district for the past seven years, said she is running "to help minimize the tax increases on our home owners, particularly the unfair burden of school taxes on the senior citizens of East Quogue.

To accomplish her goal, she said she will reach out to Senator Ken LaValle in support of his proposed bill which aims to establish a tax cap for seniors, allowing their school tax rate to be frozen as of the day that they turn 70 years of age.

Gobler, holds a Ph.D. in molecular biology and biochemistry from Stony Brook University and a Bachelor of Science in chemistry from Gettysburg College. She is a post-doctoral research associate at Stony Brook Southampton School of Marine and Atmospheric Sciences in Southampton.

Gober, who will have three children in the school district in the fall, is also a board member of East Quogue Beautification Committee and summer camp co-coordinator for the East Quogue Ocean Explorers. She also served on two East Quogue faculty hiring committees and is the annual fundraiser chairperson and web designer for East Quogue PTA, as well as a Girl Scout Leader.

Carrie Bender

Bender, an East Quogue resident who is a social studies teacher in the Westhampton Beach School district, told 27-east that she is running to find ways to integrate technology in the school district while also staying under budget.

According to 27-east, Bender has two children in the East Quogue School and the director of the local PAL girls lacrosse program and a coach for both girls and boys lacrosse and boys basketball.

Patch wants to know: Which candidates will you vote for? Let us know in the comment section below.