This is Jeff Shi and I have been your trustee in the Great Neck Public Schools for the past six years. I am seeking re-election for a third term on May 16th.  My wife and I have been living in Great Neck for eleven years and our daughter currently attends Great Neck South High School.  Great Neck is the best place for us to live with welcoming neighbors, easy access to everything and the best school district on Long Island.  

As your Trustee for the past six years, I had the good fortune to meet many of you and hear your opinions pertaining to our school district.  I have learned so much about balancing the many needs of our children, parents, teachers and staff to preserve and protect the environment of excellence that we as a community have built for our children.  I find great value in the work of the many advisory committees that we have formed and myriad school events that I have attended.

Our Great Neck public school district, with its very humble beginnings two hundred years ago,  consistently ranks as a top school district on Long Island.  Our reputation has made our community a beacon for families who flock to our town to give their children the best opportunity.  Our students continue to earn numerous accolades from academia to performing arts to sports and go on to find success beyond this foundation.  At this time, we must not take this excellence for granted.  We are in a moment of transition as we search for a new superintendent to lead our district.  It is imperative that we conduct this search from a place of deep knowledge and institutional experience to ensure we hire a superintendent whose skills and understanding of how to build educational excellence align with our very high standards.  I have valuable experience to apply to this search and to the host of complex issues our schools face every day. 

While I appreciate the importance of investing in our district, I also understand that we must be fiscally prudent and cognizant of the price tag it creates. To address this, as Trustee, I have helped implement additional checks and balances on business operations.  I have engaged in commissioning a demographic study to plan for increased enrollment amid a wave of new construction on the peninsula to accommodate new students in the most cost-effective way possible. Additionally, aware of frightening trends in our nation, I have worked towards strengthening school safety for our children.

I want to thank you all for putting your confidence in me and giving a new immigrant like myself an opportunity to serve and contribute.  Our acts of kindness towards each other and our collaboration among ourselves are what made America the best nation of the world.  As an immigrant, I understand the importance of hearing the many voices and perspectives that make up Great Neck and it is always my goal to represent all of the district’s children, to attend to all of their strengths and all of their needs. I will be there for all of our children through thick and thin. 

I moved here so my daughter could benefit from this great institution.  As your Trustee, I will draw on my experience to steer the Great Neck School District through this transitional time  and advocate for an exceptional program that sets the standard for public education.  Please vote for Jeff Shi for Board of Education Trustee on May 16.

Jeff Shi

Great Neck