Great Neck Board of Education Vice President Donna Peirez will be the sole candidate running for re-election in the district’s May 20 election, with no candidates filing to challenge her.
The Great Neck Public Schools confirmed that Peirez was the only candidate filing to run by the April 21 deadline. While Peirez will be the only candidate on the ballot, individuals will still be able to elect individuals via write-in.
The term will be for another three years, expiring on June 30, 2028.
Peirez joined the Board of Education in 2016, filling a vacancy left by Monique Bloom, who had resigned. She last faced an election in 2022, when she defeated Emil Hakimi by more than 1,100 votes.
Peirez was nominated as vice president of the district’s Board of Education last year and previously served in the position from 2021 to 2022.
She also serves as chair of the board’s Policy Committee, a position she has held since 2017, and previously served on the district-wide Safety Committee from 2017 to 2019.
Peirez’s service in the district pre-dates her joining the Board of Education in 2016.
She was a teacher at the Lakeville School for nearly three decades, and served on the district’s Shared Decision Making District Biennial Committee from 1992 to 2016 and as elementary director for the Great Neck Teachers Association.
Peirez also served as chairperson of the United Parent-Teacher Council and was PTA president for Baker School and Kensington-Johnson School.
She earned her master’s degree in elementary education from LIU Post, and a bachelor’s degree in advertising/public relations from Boston University.
Also featured on the May 20 ballot will be the district’s budget with a 3.05% tax increase, which falls within the district’s allowable tax cap. The district has not yet released its total budget amount proposed for the 2025-2026 school year.
Community members will also vote on using $8,868,019 from the district’s capital reserve for various Improvements at the North Middle School. One would be field improvements, including installing a synthetic field and drainage improvements, and the other would be renovating a former shop classroom into a multi-purpose room. Voters will also decide on the Great Neck Library’s budget of $11,027,041.
