Three seats on the Islip Board of Education are opening, with three unopposed incumbent candidates vying for the spots. Board members Tom Leggio, Paul Austin, and Eric Buehler have terms that expire on June 30, and are running for re-election for the new term.

The budget vote and board of education election will take place on May 21 in the Islip High School gymnasium from 6 a.m. to 9 p.m.

Tom Leggio

Tom Leggio is a dedicated community leader, currently serving as the vice president of the Islip School Board of Education. Leggio has raised three children in the community, emphasizing the importance of educational excellence. With over 40 years as a resident and homeowner in Islip, he has been deeply involved in both community service and education.

Professionally, Leggio worked at Entenmann’s Bakery for 49 years, where he developed skills in labor negotiations and budget management. He also has over 35 years of service in the

Islip Fire Department, including his role as commissioner of the Islip Fire District since 2008, overseeing significant budgets and operations.

In education, Leggio remains steadfast in advocating for student-focused initiatives and resource allocation to address evolving challenges, such as decreasing state aid. He collaborates closely with the superintendent to ensure that educational outcomes meet community standards.

Overall, Leggio’s significant contributions across various roles highlight his unwavering commitment to the Islip community, enhancing both its safety and educational framework.

Eric Buehler

Buehler was first elected to the Islip School Board in 2018 and was re-elected in 2021. His daughter is currently a student at Islip High School.

Buehler is a lifelong Islip resident and is the managing director of his family-owned Overton Funeral Home, an Islip business of more than 100 years. Buehler is a community volunteer, having served as president of both the Rotary Club of Islip and the Islip Chamber of Commerce, and is currently a board member of South Shore University Hospital, the Town of Islip Economic Development Commission, and was a founding member of the first Islip Schools to Business Partnership. He also served ten years as a commissioner of the Islip Fire District.

Buehler shares that his priority is to continue to offer and provide the best education for Islip students to enable them to succeed, whether that be in college, the military, a career—wherever their individual trajectories take them. Along with the rest of the school board, the superintendent and administrative team, educators, and the community, Buehler recognizes that having all stakeholders working together to recognize our educational vision is paramount. For his third term, Buehler states that it is necessary for the board of education to continue to make sound financial decisions, without sacrificing anything for Islip students, so they all may be prepared inside and outside the classroom to continue to achieve.

Paul Austin

Paul Austin was first elected to the board of education in 2018, and after being re-elected in 2021, he is now seeking another term. Austin attended Farmingdale College for horticulture and business. Austin was a manager in a supermarket before owning a small business, which Austin and his brother successfully ran and operated for 20 years. Austin is married and has two daughters, who are both Islip School graduates and college graduates. Additionally, Austin has been a homeowner in the Islip School District for over 45 years.

Over the years, Austin has been involved with many events at the schools, most notably, the Islip Post Prom. He is a proud two-time winner of the SCOPE Community Service Award.

Austin has a strong interest in making sure all Islip students are college and career ready when graduating, and believes the high school college trips are giving students the opportunity to see what is possible. He hopes to continue working on career days where students can meet with businesses and explore career opportunities.

Austin also hopes to see an expansion of the Cosmetology Program, which is a great in-house program that ensures students are career ready by graduation. He also prioritizes the board’s efforts to work with administration and the community to reopen the high school greenhouse, which will expand the science program and other educational opportunities for all students. Austin’s other priorities to improve Islip schools include outdoor classrooms for elementary students, the return of Islip High School’s musicals, and the continuation of the Post Prom, in which a dedicated committee and group of parents have been giving seniors a safe and secure after prom party for over 20 years.