Patty Kaminski announces her candidacy for Greenwood Lake School Board

My name is Patty Kaminski and I am running for the Greenwood Lake School Board.

I have been a resident of beautiful Greenwood Lake for more than 20 years. My husband Marc and I decided to settle down here after spending years visiting family. We fell in love with the “Lake” and knew it was the right place to plant our roots and raise our three boys.

Two of my sons, Dallas and Caden, are enrolled in the Greenwood Lake school system. My oldest, Jack, graduated last year and is now a freshman at Warwick Valley High School.

My professional credentials focus on education. I have a Bachelors of Fine Arts degree from William Paterson University along with a Teaching Degree Grades K-12. I earned my Master’s Degree in teaching (MAT) in 2007 from Marygrove College. I am an educator with 18 years of experience in one of the largest school districts in New Jersey. I am a William Paterson University Mentor educator. I work closely with the education department to train and educate new teacher candidates.

I am also a liaison between my colleagues and the university to educate using STEAM/Arts Integration strategies to increase student achievement in academic subjects.

I have taught summer workshops at William Paterson University for the past several years. These workshops focus on teaching educator’s best practices to facilitate the arts into the general curriculum in order to achieve the best overall academic success within their students.

I am currently working on multiple grant projects including the Smithsonian Learning Lab and The Dodge Foundation both of which enable me to focus on how to best educate “the whole child,” something I feel very passionate about. My broad experience working with students of all abilities, languages and diversities enables me to best advocate for every child to have what they deserve and need.

My husband and I are dedicated to our community. My family and I are active members of Holy Rosary Catholic Church. I teach summer camp at the GWL Elks and also teach classes both in-person and remotely for the Greenwood Lake Public Library. My boys are very involved in many areas of the community such as Greenwood Lake Soccer Club, Greenwood Lake Little League and The Rock Underground Music School.

We are living through a crucial time in education. The rules and expectations are changing all of the time. The children of this community need someone like me to raise awareness and facilitate student performance during this difficult time and beyond as we start heading back to life post pandemic. I feel that now more than ever our community could benefit from having someone with my knowledge of the educational system, social emotional learning and first-hand experience of teaching through a pandemic. I am able to offer a unique perspective that could only benefit the students of Greenwood Lake.

If elected I will serve my community with an open heart and open mind. I will listen with kindness and compassion. I will make thoughtful, educated decisions while maintaining fiscal responsibility and always do what is best for the children.

Thank you for your support and best of luck to all of the candidates. Please go out and vote on May 18. I love this town and would love the opportunity to represent our students.

God bless and stay safe,

Patty Kaminski

Greenwood Lake