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Meet the Candidates: (The voters will elect (2) members to the Board of Education). The candidates are listed in ballot order.
David Finch - David Finch, 62, is a graduate of Milford (N.Y.) Central School. He holds a Bachelor of Science degree in industrial arts education from SUNY Oswego, and master’s degrees in educational technology and elementary education. Finch retired from the Coxsackie-Athens Central School District after 35 years as a technology teacher and is now a full-time farmer. He was recently elected to the Questar III BOCES Board of Education. Finch coached baseball and girls AAU basketball and helped run a 4-H Club. He has been married for 39 years.
Elaine Dykeman - Elaine Dykeman has lived in Greenville for five years and is a 24-year resident of Greene County. She serves on the board of the Greenville Country Estates Homeowners Association. She is a retired public school administrator and a former school social worker. She said this experience will help her if elected. “These experiences give me the tools and skills necessary to successfully carry out the duties of a school board member,” Dykeman said. “I’m able to work well as part of a team and I’m confident that I will be able to work with the board to achieve consensus on issues that will have positive outcomes for students, the district and the community.”
Kevin R. Bucci - Kevin Bucci, 36, is a 33-year resident of the Greenville-Westerlo area. He is married and the father of two sons and a daughter. He is a home inspector and utility locator for Bucci Enterprises. He is running for elected office for the first time. He is a member of the Greenville Volunteer Fire Company and a member of the Greenville Rotary club. Kevin Bucci is a 2003 graduate of Greenville High School and attended Columbia-Greene Community College and ITT. Like his brother James Bucci, he wants to reduce taxes, uphold parents’ rights over their children’s health, restore traditional education, respect teachers and staff and obey the Constitution if elected.
S. Jay Goodman - Jay Goodman is married with children. He works as an energy attorney in Greenville. In the community, he is a former CYL baseball coach and has served on the Greenville Planning Board for four years. He also holds a Ph.D. in cell biology. He is an incumbent Greenville school board member, serving for three years. He is the board’s current vice president. “Initially, I joined the board because I value education as an investment in our kids and in our community,” Goodman said. “I want our kids to have a quality education so they have options and opportunities to choose their path when they graduate.” He said the most important issue facing the district is ensuring that elementary and middle school students are working at grade level in math and reading. “I’ve been working with the board and the administrative team to address this, for example, by approving funding for summer school and after-school help,” Goodman said. Goodman supports fiscally responsible school budgets that are within the tax cap and can sustain investment in a quality education without forcing a decision to cut teachers or staff. “If reelected, I will continue to focus on improving student performance,” Goodman said. “I also will work with the board and administration to review how we ensure career and college readiness — to be sure that this is more than a catchphrase.”
Dr. Glenn Yelich - Glenn Yelich lives in Rensselaerville. He is married and has two adult children. He holds several degrees and certificates including a Bachelor of Science in psychology from Union College, a Master’s in educational psychology from the University at Albany and a Doctorate in school psychology from the University at Albany. In 1984 he received a Certificate of Advanced Studies in School Psychology from the University at Albany. Yelich is permanently certified as a school psychologist by New York State and has national certification by the National Association of School Psychologists. He is currently school psychologist for Bethlehem Public Schools. In the late 1980s he held similar positions in the Shenendahowa Public School and Mohonasen Public School districts. In the community, he is a social member of the Rensselaerville Volunteer Fire Department, a former member of the Rensselaerville Library Board and a former member of the Board of Directors of the Epilepsy Foundation of Northeastern New York.
James A. Bucci, III - James Bucci, 42, lives in South Westerlo with his wife and two daughters. He is the owner of the Bucci Painting Corp. in Greenville and is an industrial coatings applicator. He is running for elected office for the first time. He has an extensive record of community service, including 10 years as a religious education instructor at St. John the Baptist Roman Catholic Church and more than 20 years as an assistant instructor at Starr’s Karate. He is a youth group instructor at Horizon Christian Fellowship Church and an assistant Girl Scouts leader. He coached Greenville Girls Youth Basketball in 2017. James Bucci is a 1998 Greenville graduate and he holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in economics from Siena College. This marks first time in memory that brothers are running in the same year for the Greenville board of education. “My brother Kevin Bucci and I are running together to bring balance to the board,” James Bucci said. “We would like to lower taxes, uphold parents’ rights over their child’s health, restore traditional education, respect teachers and staff and obey the Constitution.”
By Raymond Pignone, Columbia-Greene Media May 10, 2022