Meet the Islip Board of Education candidates

Two seats on the Islip Board of Education are opening, with three candidates vying for the spots. Incumbent board member Matthew Clareen is running unopposed for his seat. Candidates Kristin Presti and Hilary Crowe Breig are both running to fill the seat that will be vacated by current board member Danielle Flora, who is not seeking re-election.

The Islip budget vote and Board of Education election will be held on Tuesday, May 20, from 6 to 9 p.m. in the Islip High School gymnasium. Additionally, a presentation of the budget will be held on Monday, May 12 at 7:30 p.m., followed by a Meet the Candidates night for the BOE candidates at 8 p.m.

Kristin Presti

Kristin Presti is an educator, wife, mother and an active member of the Islip community. She began her career as a public school educator in 2007 and is an active member within her own teacher union. Presti’s three children, aged 5, 7 and 8, attend Islip Public Schools, and the Presti family regularly attends various fundraisers, SEPTA events, sporting contests for all levels, annual Multicultural Night Celebrations, PTA sponsored family fun nights, and school theater productions.

Presti has sat on various district-wide and school specific committees including the COVID taskforce and the assistant superintendent for curriculum and instruction hiring committee, both as a parent representative. For the past five years, she has actively attended and participated in Board of Education meetings. Full transparency and parental involvement are deemed necessary by Presti, who hopes to further empower parental voice during Board of Education meetings as well as during daily happenings within the school setting.

Presti is committed to ensuring every student gets as much personalized differentiation as possible districtwide. Presti seeks to further analyze data in regards to the recent removal of various Honors classes in the high school and would love to reinstate more Honors-level options, offering a more robust course catalog to students. Within the early elementary years, (Wing, early CRES and early Sherwood), it is Presti’s belief that Chromebooks are not an appropriate vehicle for daily homework.

She notes that none of these educational goals are possible without ensuring the safety of students. With our ever-changing world, the review, application and/or upgrading of security systems through use of cameras and/or guards is of paramount importance districtwide.

Presti looks forward to working collaboratively with the community, parents and district personnel to ensure Islip students reach their full potential.

Hilary Crowe Breig

As a proud parent, an educator, a volunteer and an Islip lacrosse goalie mom—Go Bucs!—Crowe Breig brings 20 years of experience serving children and families through both professional and community work. She currently serves as program coordinator of Islip Handles Hunger and is vice president of the Sherwood PTA. Professionally, Crowe Breig is a special education teacher and vice president of her teachers’ union.

If elected, Crowe Breig will focus on strengthening academic outcomes and making sure every student has the opportunity to reach their full potential in a school that prioritizes both their academic wellbeing and their personal safety. She believes academic excellence must remain at the core of the board’s mission through supporting high standards, innovative instruction, and vital resources for our kids. Crowe Breig noted physical safety is essential and the district’s facilities need to be hardened to make certain Islip’s children are safe and promote students’ emotional wellbeing.

Crowe Breig believes fiscal responsibility underpins the board’s ability to serve students effectively. She emphasizes the importance of stewarding taxpayer dollars with transparency and integrity, investing wisely in programs, facilities, and staff.

The educator believes that teachers and staff are the heart of our schools. She noted that when we invest in their professional development, listen to their insights, and provide the tools they need, we enhance the quality of education across the board.

Crowe Breig believes that strong school-community partnerships further enrich student outcomes; collaboration builds trust, and connecting students to real-world experiences prepares them to be thoughtful engaged global citizens. She views community engagement as not just a priority—it is a responsibility. According to Crowe Breig, when we invite voices from every corner of our community, we create policies and programs that reflect our shared values.   

Matthew Clareen

Matthew Clareen is a middle school E.L.A. teacher at St. Martin of Tours School in Amityville, lifelong resident and Islip High School graduate. An active Board of Education trustee since 2016, Clareen has worked with the superintendent and fellow school board members to support eight school budgets which have remained at or below the tax levy limit, ensuring the district is fiscally responsible.

He frequently volunteers at districtwide events held by the PTAs, Booster Club, Blessings in a Backpack, and I.A.M.P (Arts). Clareen is a choir member at St. Mary’s Church and a former president of the Historical Society of Islip Hamlet. In 2024, he was a recipient of the Board Lifetime Achievement Award from the New York State School Boards Association, which recognizes school board members who continually strive to expand their knowledge and skills for better board governance. Furthermore, he is the Suffolk vice president of the Nassau-Suffolk School Boards Association and a former N.Y.S.S.B.A. Resolutions Committee chairman.

Clareen’s top priority includes continuing to address the social-emotional needs of the students and staff through workshops and different programs. Over the past few years, the district has spearheaded working on growth mindset initiatives and have been supporting essential professional development for their teachers through the “Research for Better Teaching” program.

Recognizing the district’s rich and diverse student population, Clareen believes increased efforts to hire highly qualified staff who reflect our community and who will collaborate well with our families is essential. Inclusive classrooms where all students and staff can be seen, heard, and succeed, is an ongoing goal.

Clareen is proud of the work that he has accomplished during his tenure and believes that the Islip School District is poised to continue to achieve excellence, with more to strive towards in the upcoming years.