Board of Trustees

The Board of Trustees, as the policy-making body, promotes the welfare of the school, especially in the areas of finance, fund raising, and public relations. The Board is composed of parents, former parents, and selected members of the community. The Board meets monthly, except for July and August, during the third week of the month, at the school. For the 2009-2010 school year, the members of the Board of Trustees are as follows: Chairperson Ellen Forrest, Vice Chair David Dickman, John Loester and Eugene Matalene.

Ellen Forrest, Board Chairperson

Ellen Forrest began her Vincent Smith School experience as a mother who was happy to have found a caring and appropriate school for her child. Eleven years later she is the driving force behind the Board of Trustees and its mission to improve all aspects of the outstanding education provided to VSS’ students.

As a member of the Board, Mrs. Forrest was given the opportunity to show her gratitude to VSS and to affect change for all students, not just her own child.

Mrs. Forrest is an attorney by trade and a philanthropist by heart. She volunteers her time to many charitable organizations that relate to people with learning disabilities and autism spectrum disorders – AHA, UJA, FFIL.  She spends a great deal of time promoting the school because she knows the difference it made in her son’s life. “Vincent Smith School enabled my child to get a great education in a small supportive atmosphere,” she said. “It provided him with the academic preparation he needed for college.”

During the course of her tenure on the Board, the school has increased program offerings; used its resources more effectively; and also attracted quality administrators and teaching staff who have been nationally recognized in their respective fields.  VSS students are being exposed to best practices in all subject areas with an emphasis on reading, socialization skills and self-advocacy.

“As a parent of a former student, I know the work that this school does with students and for families,” said Mrs. Forrest. “As a member of the Board, I want to ensure that increasing numbers of children attend VSS and experience the same levels of compassion and commitment that my child did while here. He discovered that it was okay to learn differently. VSS had a profound impact on his life.”

David Dickman, Vice-Chairman

David Dickman has been a member of the Vincent Smith School Board of Trustees for more than a decade. He is currently serving as the Vice Chairman. “I was recruited by Board Chairperson Ellen Forrest, with whom I had a shared vision for the school,” said Mr. Dickman. “That vision has enabled us to increase programming and improve the curriculum.”

Mr. Dickman brings a wealth of financial experience to his role on the Board. Prior to retiring in 2007 to devote more time to his son, he worked for Goldman Sachs & Company on Wall Street for 40 years as a Senior Vice-President on the floor of the New York Stock Exchange. Some of the deals Mr. Dickman worked on were the British Petroleum IPO, the AT&T American Wireless IPO, DreamWorks IPO, Las Vegas Sands IPO, just to name a few of the several hundred.

Mr. Dickman was drawn to the Board by Chairperson Forrest, but has stayed for a chance to make a difference, and out of appreciation for what the school has meant to the development of his son. Mr. Dickman’s son is a 2007 VSS graduate who went on to the Thames Program at Mitchell College.

“I believe it was the help of faculty and staff at the Vincent Smith School that helped prepare my son for his college education,” said Mr. Dickman. “The teachers at Vincent Smith went above and beyond what was required of them to teach my son, as well as his fellow students. It’s their dedication to teaching and the school that will make a successful experience for every child that attends here.”

Mr. Dickman envisions a VSS future that includes the expansion of our current programs and new facilities that will enable each and every child that attends the Vincent Smith School to have a successful education.

John Loester

John Loester has been actively involved at Vincent Smith School since his daughter began attending as a fifth grader several years ago. Mr. Loester’s commitment to the school led its trustees to ask him to join the Board last year.

Despite the professional demands that come along with being a busy ABC Television executive, Mr. Loester always finds the time to volunteer at the school’s events. He and his wife Pat, who serves as PTA President, are never far away when the school is in need of a helping hand.  Whether it’s an Open House, the Thanksgiving Feast, or the annual Scholarship Brunch, they lend their time, talent and monetary support to each event.
Mr. Loester shares the Board’s vision to increase enrollment in an effort to allow more Long Island and Queens’ students with special needs to experience a supportive atmosphere that applauds a child’s ability to learn differently.

“Learning is the key component,” said Mr. Loester. “It is an educator’s job to ensure that learning happens for every child.  Teachers at Vincent Smith are focused on supplying each child with what they need individually to be successful. That is what contributes to VSS being such a special place.”

Eugene M. Matalene, Jr.

Eugene Matalene joined the Vincent Smith School Board of Trustees more than a year ago. His son, Nicholas, began at Vincent Smith in the fifth grade. As he has watched his son’s progression into a young man,  he and his wife saw how much the educational and emotional support provided by Vincent Smith School had contributed to their son’s success and his ability to go on to further education.

“Once you see the impact the proper educational environment can make in the life of your child, you want all children to enjoy that same sense of accomplishment and pride,” said Mr. Matalene. “My son could never have made the achievements he has in a traditional school setting. Patient instruction, a tailored curriculum and caring support have been critical to his growth over the past several years – both academically and emotionally. He is looking forward to the challenges of being away at college.”
 
One of Mr. Matalene’s major goals is to help with the school’s fundraising initiatives. He hopes to see the school increase its fundraising efforts by 25%. By doing so, the Board would be able to provide additional scholarships for those in financial need, and increase program offerings.

Mr. Matalene has spent more than two decades working at major Wall Street firms in corporate finance. For the last ten years he has been a partner at EOS Capital, Inc, a private equity firm specializing in recapitalizations and buyouts. He is also Executive Director of Empire Investment Holdings and a director of the Juvenile Bipolar Research Foundation.

Administration

The administrators for the 2009-2010 school year are as follows: Arlene Wishnew, Head of School; Dr. Veronica McCue, Principal; Helene Chemick, Comptroller; Margaret Polino, Director of Special Education and Debra Galinsky, Director of Development.

Arlene Wishnew

Head of School

After 30 years, Arlene Wishnew approaches each day at Vincent Smith School with the same enthusiasm she did when she drove on campus for the first time. Mrs. Wishnew joined the VSS staff as a lower school classroom teacher before accepting multiple responsibilities as a remedial reading teacher and high school English/math teacher. She later moved up the ranks to principal before assuming the responsibility of Head of School.

I am extremely proud of our ability to provide a place for children that allows them to feel safe, nurtured and motivated to succeed. Many of our children were not exposed to such an environment prior to coming to Vincent Smith School. While more than 83% of our students go on to college and others on to post high school vocational programs, I believe that number would be much lower for our children had they remained in a traditional setting. The level of support we provide to our students is incomparable. It is borne out of the fact that each of us is genuinely concerned about the welfare of our students. I have always believed that only if my students succeed, can I myself be successful.

Mrs. Wishnew is an active member of the educational community and several professional organizations, which include, but are not limited to, the Council for Exceptional Children, the Nassau Counselors Association, the Long Island Association of Special Education Administrators, the National Center for Learning Disabilities, CHADD, the International Dyslexic Association, and the Clamdiggers (Heads of School on Long Island). Mrs. Wishnew received her bachelor’s and master’s degrees from CW Post College.

One might wonder what there is left for Mrs. Wishnew to accomplish. But after 30 years, she has no plans of riding off into the sunset. “This school has done great things, but there is still work to be completed. In the coming year, I want to refine the curriculum and further incorporate technology into the learning environment.”

Dr. Veronica McCue

Principal

Veronica McCue brought a wealth of experience to her position as principal of Vincent Smith School when she joined the administrative team in 2006. Dr. McCue has worked with thousands of children in east coast schools for more than 30 years. Her expertise in special education has served her well as a teacher and principal of special education programs and schools in New York City and Maryland. Dr. McCue received her undergraduate degree in child psychology and special education from Marymount Manhattan College. She earned her master’s degree in School Administration from CW Post and her doctorate in educational leadership from NOVA Southeastern University.

Margaret Polino

Director of Special Education

Prior to coming to Vincent Smith School, Margaret Polino spent four years as the Director of Training and Education for New York Families for Autistic Children. In this capacity, she created and conducted workshops on autism, Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA), the Picture Exchange Communication System (PECS) and sensory integration for schools, hospitals and agencies. Ms. Polino has also worked for Metro Children’s Service and YAI/New York League for Early Learning as an ABA teacher and trainer. While at these agencies, she worked extensively with preschool children who had been recently diagnosed on the autistic spectrum. She has also trained teachers and therapists on ABA methodologies and techniques. Ms. Polino has a BA in psychology from Queens College with a concentration in Applied Behavior Analysis and a MS.Ed in special education from St. John’s University with a concentration in severe/profound disabilities. She is a New York State permanently certified special education teacher and has New York State Department of Health clearance to provide early intervention evaluations and services.

Helene Chemick

Comptroller

Helene Chemick has been an invaluable resource to the Vincent Smith School for more than 12 years. As comptroller, she has used her grant writing experience to secure much-needed funding to provide additional programs and scholarship monies for families in need. Ms. Chemick has more than 32 years experience in corporate, public and private accounting.  She belongs to many professional and volunteer organizations, such as Association of Fundraising Professionals of Long Island and Habitat for Humanity. Ms. Chemick served as a judge for the Fair Media Council 30th Anniversary Folio Awards. She earned a bachelor of science in accounting from Brooklyn College.

Debra Galinsky

Director of Development

Debra has been in the Development and Fundraising arena since 1998. She has held the position of Development Director with other non-for-profit organizations on Long Island and has specialized in coordinating and implementing multi-million dollar Capital Campaigns. Debra holds a degree in Accounting and has an Advanced Certification from the Association of Fundraising Professionals, an international organization of professionals specializing in development and fundraising. At Vincent Smith School her responsibilities include database management, fundraising, special events, publications and alumni relations.

Faculty

Vincent Smith School is staffed by close to 20 New York State certified teachers who are highly trained, qualified, and dedicated to the philosophy of the school.