Election 2004 for Members of the Committee for the Selection of School Board Nominees for the Mamaroneck District

The following information was supplied by the Selection Committee and the candidates.

Name: Leslie Newman

Address: 7 Iden Avenue, Larchmont, NY 10538

Number of years in district: 10

Children: age 8 (Chatsworth Avenue); age 6 (Chatsworth Avenue)

Educational Background:
--LLB, Queen’s University, Kingston, Ontario
--BA, University of Western Ontario, London, Ontario

Employment Background:
1992 – Present: Attorney, Motorola, Inc.
1990 – 1992: Counsel, Nortel Networks
1989 – 1990: Associate, Blake, Cassels & Graydon

School/Community and Other Activities:
Chatsworth Avenue PTA:
2003/04: Co-chair - Gift Wrap
2000 – 2002: Chair - Programs
2000 – Present: Art Appreciation Parent
2000 – Present: Carnival Volunteer

American Cancer Society:
Making Strides Against Breast Cancer, Registration Leader (1998 –2003)
Notes to Neighbors Campaign, Participant

Why you would like to serve on the Selection Committee:
As a parent of young children in the Mamaroneck schools, I have a strong interest in the quality of candidates for the Mamaroneck School Board. School Board members make important decisions that will affect our children’s education both now and in the future.

Over the past few years, I have spent a significant amount of time at Chatsworth School, both as a PTA volunteer and in my children’s classrooms. As a result, I have developed a better understanding of the issues facing our schools, teachers and administrators. In addition, through my involvement in my children’s extra-curricular activities, I have gotten to know parents of children in other Mamaroneck schools and can appreciate some of the issues that may be unique to particular schools.

I have substantial committee experience working with diverse groups in both educational and business settings. I have been a member of the Queen’s University Law School Faculty Selection and Admissions Committees. I am currently a member of the Motorola Contracts Policy Council, which helps set the policy direction for contracts professionals at Motorola, Inc.

I am prepared to devote the time required to be an effective Selection Committee member, including attending regular Committee meetings, attending School Board meetings, educating myself about the issues facing the School Board and the qualities needed to be an effective School Board member, networking to find qualified candidates, and interviewing prospective candidates.

If I am elected, I will bring my energy and experience to the Selection Committee to help ensure that the best possible candidates are put forward for the Mamaroneck School Board, so that the Mamaroneck schools can continue to offer a high quality education to all of the children they serve.