Sara
Jones for North Shore Schools
Occupation: For 19 years,
I have been the owner and CEO of a successful,
national catalog-based company now serving 100,000 customers. I have consistently increased sales and
market-share through strong financial and strategic planning, pro-active
budgeting, sophisticated data-analysis, complex supply chain management, and
creative problem-solving. Previously, I
worked as a director of fundraising for the public-private partnership
Citymeals-on-Wheels raising several million dollars in donations annually and
gaining an understanding of the role of private fundraising for public
institutions.
Qualifications: I am the current President of
North Shore’s Board of Education; I previously served two years as
Vice-President and have greatly enjoyed serving our community as a trustee for
the past six years. I’ve worked hard during my tenure to preserve the
long-term financial well-being of our schools. I’ve supported a rich,
well-rounded curriculum for all our students where meaningful learning is not crowded out by outside pressures. I’ve focused on the well-being of our
students through the wellness and safety committees and the health of our
infrastructure on the construction steering committee.
During this
time, I’ve also been able to extend my involvement in the community by
co-founding the volunteer-run, nonprofit Sea Cliff MAKEshop which provides
coding, science and engineering and other hands-on science opportunities for
district students. We also created and run the annual Beach Science program and
the Spooky Pumpkin Walk for the community. I worked to organize the Coalition
to Save Hempstead Harbor’s annual Scudder’s Pond cleanup. Previously, I served
as Treasurer for the Friends of the Sea Cliff Library for which I still raise
funds annually; I have also been deeply involved in our schools through the Sea
Cliff PCA where I was former webmaster, created the book swap and chaired the
nutrition committee; I also served on North Shore’s district-wide nutrition
committee.
I
graduated in 1989 from Princeton University, A.B. cum laude.
Personal:
I am a 19 year resident of Sea Cliff. I have a son at North Shore Middle
School and a daughter at North Shore High and am a former Sea Cliff School and Roslyn
Trinity Co-op parent. Both kids have
taken advantage of the terrific opportunities our district has in the arts and
athletics, and it has been a great opportunity to meet so many of our neighbors
in our auditoriums and on our playing fields. We are the proud companions of
our rescue dog, two cats, and a frog raised from tadpole-hood in our daughter’s
kindergarten class.
Statement:
As your neighbor, a parent, and a tax payer, I see our schools as being
at a critical juncture. Our district provides a strong, well-rounded education
for all of our students, but we also face significant financial challenges
while we work to ready our schools and students for the future. The 19 years I have spent running
and building a successful business as well as my experience on our Board are
critical assets today. I want to be able
to use my demonstrated abilities in long-term planning, data analysis,
budgeting and creative problem solving, as well as my commitment to all our
students and our community, to continue to move our educational program forward
during these challenging times. We are
all the beneficiaries of our excellent school system, a tremendous gift that
enriches our entire community. For the last six years, it has been my privilege
to serve on the Board of Education, and I hope to continue my efforts to
provide the current and future students of the North Shore community with rich
and meaningful educational experiences.
