Candidate: Matt Gribbin
Residence: Smithtown hamlet
Occupation: Physical Education Teacher
First Elected: 2017
Smithtown Central School District’s Board of Education (BOE) elections are on Tuesday, May 19. Matt Gribbin, a Trustee since 2017 who has also served as Board President, is running for re-election.
Matt Gribbin sat down with The Messenger for this candidate spotlight interview.
Q: Education and education policy have been at the forefront of political discourse as of late, namely as far as parental rights, administrative values, and what exactly teachers are teaching in class. Where do you think the lines should be drawn and how has Smithtown CSD embodied those values, if at all?
A: A functioning educational community values and involves all stakeholders – students, teachers, administrators, parents, and staff. We are a team where each has a role, or position, to play in the education of our children. I believe that Smithtown stays true to this vision as we encourage involvement from all stakeholders.
Unfortunately, we have seen the political narrative towards schools become very negative and conspiratorial. This seems to be by design to create distrust and to give public education a bad reputation in order to privatize public schools. I first saw this when NYS decided to use standardized testing to evaluate our youngest students and their teachers. When pass/fail metrics are changed after the fact to ensure that most students are labeled failing and teachers as ineffective, something just doesn’t seem right. This strategy has continued, but different issues and narratives have been used.
Q: Last year, mold was a big problem at HSW. Has that been remedied, and if so, how and at what costs?
A: The health and safety of our students, faculty, and staff has always, and will always remain, our top priority. Our Facilities Director, Dan Leddy, and his entire staff in Buildings and Grounds work tirelessly to keep our buildings up to Smithtown standards. We take all concerns seriously and always do a thorough investigation and testing. The concerns you are likely raising began in April about a mild mold issue that had been addressed the previous August. A few other concerns were raised based upon “alleged” pictures of mold that turned out to be dust. The issue was resolved and, as always, independent testing proved that the areas in question were safe. During the fall, the Board toured the district and saw the areas in question for ourselves.
Q: Another big question last year was that of the track and field lights at HSW, as well as other capital projects. There was a debate in the community on how those monies should have been spent. How did those get sorted out and to what costs?
A: The field lights at East were originally proposed as a bond referendum on the ballot for a community vote in 2024. This capital project included the lights and also desperately needed boilers at East. We had established a reserve fund in 2022 as a “savings account” for unexpected savings from the prior fiscal year. The community overwhelmingly supported the measure and the installation of the boilers and field lights were completed in August of last year. This has given our student-athletes the ability to compete “under the lights” and has really created an exciting atmosphere for the community. East Football completed an incredible comeback against Commack in the first night game using the new lights.
In the board meeting in March before the vote for this project, I spoke about my feelings on this issue. As a parent and former athlete, I love the excitement and atmosphere that the lights provided for the district and community. As a Board member, there were other immediate needs that need to be addressed. Currently, we are working on short-term and long-term plans to make sure that our infrastructure needs are met.
Q: What have some of your personal at-large prerogatives been on the board and how have you seen to those objectives?
A: I first decided to run for the board in 2017 when New York State was introducing Common Core and a reliance on standardized testing to evaluate students, teachers, and school districts. Teachers were told to follow a script for their lessons and that was something I knew was not in the best interests of students or teachers. Since then, I have focused on making sure our students are connected to the district and have opportunities to learn and explore their passions.
I am looking forward to the challenges that lie ahead. We are always looking to improve the overall educational experience for our students. We also have much work to do in order to address the infrastructure needs that we have. Over the next several years, the district anticipates that there will be a large turnover with our faculty and staff as a large percentage becomes eligible for retirement. It is extremely important that we attract and hire exceptional educators who will lead Smithtown for the next generation.
Q: Absenteeism is a big concern among many school districts. How does Smithtown CSD fair and in your view, what are the biggest culprits and remedies? What have you done to address it?
A: Absenteeism is a huge concern in education, including here in Smithtown. It’s tough to learn if you aren’t in the classroom. A positive environment where students and teachers are supported and connected to school creates an excitement where students want to show up. Also, we changed district policy for this current school year to help improve attendance as well. We are currently evaluating this change to see if we can make further improvements.
Q: Galvanizing community input is always a challenge, as it was on the BOE campaign trail last year. What have you done to increase community involvement on key issues?
A: Community participation, and involvement is something that we’ve been working on for quite some time. In fact, this was one of our Board goals for this current school year. Community involvement starts with communication, and this is an area we have made vast improvements in over the last nine years. We have overhauled our district webpage, making it easier for community members to access the information they are looking for. We have also increased our social media presence with Mr. Jaime Stuart being able to share all the great things happening in Smithtown. We have encouraged community members to get involved in organizations like the PTA and Booster Club. We have many district committees that we have encouraged participation in, and we have seen an improvement with community member involvement.
Q: We asked this question of last year’s BOE candidates. In 2023, just before the non-union-endorsed slate were seated, the incumbent board renewed the superintendent’s contract and pay until 2028. What was the purpose of this motion and your vote, and do you stand by it today?
A: A district’s superintendent is like the CEO of a company. This person has the responsibility of creating a learning environment where all students are given the opportunity to succeed. This takes consistency in leadership, something that has been lacking in Smithtown. Dr. Secaur has been our Superintendent for the past six years. This tenure makes him the longest serving superintendent since 1984. This consistency has led to an improved culture and atmosphere throughout the district. This includes students, parents, and educators. I can say this as fact as our annual district survey results show this improvement.
During this time, we have maintained low class sizes, especially at the elementary level. We have made improvements to curriculum by increasing opportunities in different areas of study. This is important because our students are able to follow their interests in pursuit of their desired career field. These opportunities include a path to college or careers in buildings and trades. We are excited for the future of Smithtown with Dr. Secaur in the leadership role for years to come.
Q: What is your favorite quote, motto, or work ethic?
A: I have two favorites. One is “The Man in the Arena” by President Theodore Roosevelt and the other is, “Be more concerned with your character than your reputation. Character is what you really are. Reputation is what people say you are. Reputation is often based on character – but not always.” Both hang on my wall in my office.
Q: How do you like to connect with your community?
A: My wife and I love having the opportunity to raise our family in the great Town of Smithtown. We were originally drawn here many years ago by the pride that our Smithtown friends spoke of this community. There is so much to offer in both the district and town. With that, we feel there comes a sense of responsibility to be an active participant in making Smithtown what it is. We both contribute our time to ensure that we do our part to continue to improve Smithtown in hopes of leaving it better than we found it.
The Messenger thanks Matt Gribbin for his time for this interview.
