Statement from SCSD Board Candidate Chris Nicpon

I am honored to be running for a seat on the Suffern Central School Board.  By way of introduction,  I was born and raised in Albany, New York. I attended Siena College, Albany Medical College, and The University of Connecticut for my residency in Pediatrics. My wife, Kathy Verboys, is from Suffern and benefitted greatly form her time at Montebello Elementary School and Suffern High School.  A major reason for us to decide to settle in Suffern is the exemplary school district and the wide variety of programs and resources it offers.  We have lived in the district for 19 years and we have seen and experienced the remarkable effect which it has had on our three children. 

Brian is our eldest and just finished his sophomore year at Texas A&M University.  He received an NROTC scholarship-marine option and is studying Sociology/Criminal Justice with a minor in Arabic.  Our daughter, Madie, will be graduating Suffern High School this year.  She will be attending Tufts University in the fall where she will be premed and play lacrosse.  Our youngest son, Mikey, is finishing his sophomore year at Suffern High School.  He continues to excel in the classroom and on the athletic fields.  This year he cofounded the First Responders Appreciation Club which looks to highlight the important role which these individuals play in our community.  The Suffern Central School District has given a lot to my family and as a parent in this district, I feel compelled to give back.  My primary reason to run for the school board is a deep sense of gratitude to the people- teachers, mentors, and coaches, who have taught and demonstrated the attributes which my children are using to become contributing members of society.

I am proud of my history of service to the community as a whole.  I was a  Suffern Midget Mountie football coach for the 10 years that my sons played in the program.  I became familiar with many of the children who go to school in the district and considered myself lucky to be able to coach them as well.  I am also very active in my church community.  Two years ago, I was a chaperone on the Church of Presentation’s  youth ministry trip to Nicaragua.  The trip was an amazing experience in which we helped build a dormitory for an orphanage.  I was also able to utilize my medical knowledge by consulting with the nurse at the orphanage regarding the resident’s health issues.  I have thoroughly enjoyed being a part of this community and view this opportunity to be on the school board as another way to give back to it.

I have a unique perspective that I believe will translate well to being a successful member of the board of education.  I have dedicated my entire professional life and career to caring for children.  My work as a practicing pediatrician for the last 19 years puts me squarely on the frontline in combatting complex issues which children and families deal with every day.   I help them work through and overcome issues related to physical and mental health, education, behavior, and  substance abuse.   I take great pride in my ability to work with families in an empathetic way while remaining diligent  and methodical when dealing with complex information.  I strive to be approachable and open to the opinions of other people.

As a partner/owner of my pediatric practice, I have experience and success in being fiscally responsible and knowing the importance of managing resources.  I am comfortable working with people and always try to develop an environment of cooperation into my personal and business relationships.  I believe working as a team ensures success and being united for a common goal is an essential principle for a group of individuals to function well together.  This is the unique skill set which I will bring to the board.

In terms of what I will focus on in my first year if elected, I will be trying to restore a sense of unity and normalcy to the way the board functions.  I will work hard to reestablish a collaborative relationship between the board and the administration.  I understand the role of a school board to be one of policy oversite and budget decisions, and I feel very strongly that the school board should not be involved in running the day to day activities of the school district. I will also focus my efforts on maintaining a tax rate which will not further burden families who may already be paying high taxes to the local municipalities in which they live.  It will be challenging to maintain the diverse resources and programs for which Suffern is known, but I will work as hard as I can to create an environment which will lead to success.

I would like everyone to know that I am greatly invested in this district, and I care a great deal about the children and their safety.  We need to offer them some stability.  We need to continue to care about their educational experiences.  It is important that the children of this district know that we want them to succeed. Please show them by voting on May 21st.