Two Candidates on Huntington School Board Ballot

Two candidates will be on the Huntington School Board ballot when residents go to the polls next month. First time candidates Jenna Prada and Jon Weston submitted petitions to District Clerk Blake Dunn by the Monday afternoon deadline.

Residents will go to the polls on Tuesday, May 20 from 6 a.m. to 9 p.m. at Huntington High School. The two candidates will be running unopposed for three year terms commencing July 1 and running through June 30, 2028. Incumbent trustees Bill Dwyer and Michele Kustera are retiring after choosing not to run for re-election.

Huntington’s seven person Board of Education is all volunteer. Trustees serve without any type of financial or other compensation. They oversee a school system with eight buildings and more than 400 faculty members, plus hundreds of support staff members and part-time employees. The current budget is more than $152 million.

The following are snapshot profiles of the two candidates on the May 20 ballot:

Jenna Prada

Jenna Prada is a dedicated Huntington community member with 19 years of experience in education. Deeply involved in local organizations, she consistently supports families and engages students; co-chairing a state-recognized PARP program, coaching YMCA soccer, translating flyers and participating in Tri-CYA tutoring.

As co-president and a long-time board member of the Flower Hill PTA, Ms. Prada has a proven track record of strengthening school-family connections.

Ms. Prada holds a BA degree in Latin American Studies & Spanish from Rhodes College, an MS in Teaching degree from Pace University and an MS in School Leadership from New England College. She has engaged in postgraduate coursework in special education at various colleges.

With two master’s degrees in education and experience in teaching, school leadership and special education, Ms. Prada brings expertise in navigating school systems.

A bilingual Huntington parent, Ms. Prada is committed to empowering all students and raising every voice in the community.

Jon Weston

Jon Weston has lived in Huntington since 2012 with his wife, Kristin, a 1999 Huntington High School graduate. They have three sons, Harrison, Nate and Henry, who currently attend Southdown Primary and Jack Abrams STEM Magnet Schools.

Mr. Weston attended the University of Delaware, where he graduated with a bachelor’s degree in English education. He received his master’s degree at Stony Brook University. He has been teaching English and Broadcast Journalism at Sachem North High School since 2007, where he also serves as the National Honor Society advisor and senior trip coordinator.

Active in the Sachem CSD throughout his entire career, Mr. Weston currently serves as executive vice president of the Sachem Central Teachers’ Association, as well as a delegate for the NYS United Teachers and the NYS Teachers’ Retirement System. He is also a member of the Districtwide Health & Safety Committee.

Mr. Weston can be seen throughout Huntington UFSD supporting his kids’ education through events at the schools and through the PTA, of which he and his wife are both members. As an Eagle Scout, he has always appreciated the values created in Scouting and he currently serves as Cubmaster for Pack 310 in Huntington, as well as the leader for the Wolf and Bear dens.