On Tuesday, May 17, 2005, school districts across New York will be holding their annual budget vote and school board member elections. At Lake Shore, there are five candidates running for two positions on the Board. Each position is a three year term beginning on July 1, 2005. The seats are currently held by Bill Connors and Jill Barrett. School Board members are not paid for their service. The position is volunteer and takes up considerably more time then going to a meeting once a month. The board members shoulder tremendous responsibility. According to the New York State School Boards Association web site, one of the most important duties of a School Board Member is to help set goals and establish the school system. “A board member must remember decisions are to be made only by the board acting as a whole in a public meeting. Individual members’ opinions on board matters can and should be defended vigorously, but once the board has made a decision as a unit, its members should accept it gracefully and help implement it wholeheartedly. No individual board member may bind the board of education to a particular course of action. Effective board members establish good working relationships with the superintendent of schools. The board should refrain from becoming involved in the day-to-day operation of the school, but it should follow up on the administration and operation of the school and require periodic reports for purposes of evaluation. Perhaps the most important work a board member can do is to help build the community’s support and understanding of public education. This means serving as a link between the school and the public and interpreting the schools to the public and the public to the schools. Members also can help establish a climate for change when change is necessary. ” Board members are to Inspire and nurture the highest level of ethics and integrity. With that in mind, following are pictures of the candidates and a brief article from each that describes who they are and why they are running. The candidates are listed in the order they will appear on Tuesday’s ballot.

On why I have decided to run for school board: I feel the board needs some semblance of balance, guidance and direction on matters of policy and accountability. I also feel that the present board is lacking in experienced leadership on matters of building construction, administrative matters and common sense when it comes to spending1 taxpayers money. I feel I can bring some unity to the board in the form of mediation and my professional background as well as in dealing with the public in general. I am a proponent of parochial and private schools and will continue to favor assistance the district can provide to better serve the parochial and private schools in the areas of transportation and programs for the schools in which our district students attend. Our district is faced with many upcoming challenges in the coming fiscal year. Specifically those being the challenges of appointing a new district superintendent, dealing with a new assistant school superintendent (recently appointed, James Przepasniak); a $19 million capital buildings project; and the reality that all three (3) of our contract labor agreements, teachers, administrators, non technical personnel (teamsters, clerical, nurses,, bus drivers etc.) are up for negotiation. I feel that I can lend some support in these matters as I have experience in contract labor negotiations and contract negotiations in general. Lastly stated (although first and foremost in my thoughts) is that representing the school district one needs to stand up for the children of our district. I can honestly say that all of my competitors are equally qualified to represent the students and children of our district ant that all of the candidates have the children’s interests at heart. My record of working with children speaks for itself. In the school district I have worked with the schools at every level (pre-school; elementary, middle and high) and have come to know the educators and students well enough to see the needs of our schools and the problems facing our district within these schools. As a scout leader I see the needs of the district on a community basis and my involvement in scouting has helped me interface with the boy scouts and girl scouts of the entire Town of Evans.

Sincerely, Carmen M. Garozzo

I am a 1989 graduate of West Seneca East High School, coached cheerleading for West Seneca Little Loop for 6 years, Competitive dance and cheerleading for 15 years, School and District Band and chorus, Drama club in school and town groups. I have worked in the medical field since 1990. I worked at Children’s Hospital in the Dental Clinic billing department for a total of 7 years. I worked with families helping them to meet the financial needs of their child’s dental health. I was responsible for billing, collections, front desk staff training, surgical financial agreements and billing. I then worked for Dr. Shirley Anain, plastic surgeon for 5 years. I again did billing, transcription, surgical financial agreements, and front desk operations. I worked for Dr. Michael Grant, orthopedic surgeon, for 2 years. I was responsible for front desk operations as well as insurance collections. I then was asked to work for Dr. Darren Bell, Affordable Chiropractic Life Center, in Derby. I have been with Dr. Bell for almost 2 years and currently am the office manager of his practice. I am responsible for all aspects of his office including billing, transcription, front desk operations, inventory/ordering, and training/management of staff. I have been a resident of the Town of Evans since 1990 and have 3 children attending Lake Shore Central Schools. I have been a PTG member since 1998 and officer since 2002, involved in planning numerous activities and fundraisers including: Guest Reader , Kindergarten registration, Kindergarten writing program, Kindergarten Tea & Tears Program, Picture Day, Field Trips, Book exchange, Teacher Appreciation Week, Book Fair, Ice Cream Parties/Classroom rewards, Holiday Shop, Visit w/Santa to each classroom, Fall Festival, Attending regular PTG meetings, and Spring Family Night I am actively working to establish an active PTG group at the Middle School Building including meeting with the principal, assistant principal, and presenting ideas to the faculty. I have regularly attended school board meetings over the past two years and have completed “Learning the Ropes of School Board Leadership” presented by the EC Association of School Boards. I have experience bringing issues before the school board, (ex. school bus monitors) and have participated in the Community Panel Interviews for Middle School Asst. Principal, and Asst. Superintendent of Curriculum and Instruction. I recently joined the Building Safety Committee at the Middle School. We need to continue to work to improve the education our children are receiving. Every year at budget time we are fighting just to keep the programs in place that we currently have. I believe we need to be accountable to our tax payers with a responsible budget, but at the same time, I would like to see us fighting to add more programs for our children. The new standards being handed down from the state will be challenging for students, teachers, and parents. We need to do all we can to support them in meeting this challenge by providing the support that will be needed to accomplish this task, hopefully with highest honors. Our district is facing many new changes all at the same time. I believe we can take this opportunity to work together to do great things for our district. It will take hard work and commitment from everyone, but it is possible.

“Finding the Balance” is what it’s all about. I believe that all schools have to be committed to providing the best possible educational experiences for children. However, I also feel that schools have to remain accountable to their communities and spend every tax dollar wisely. As a stay at home mom of three boys, I know what it means to live on a budget. I also know how tax increases can impact families. As a school board member I will commit to making wise decisions regarding Lake Shore Central. I will be cognizant of the impact that our decisions have on students as well as communities. I believe that we, as a community, can offer wonderful things to our school system. Learning is fun for kids when it involves a multitude of experiences and avenues for obtaining new knowledge. I believe that our communities have the ability to enrich our student’s education in a positive manner. I would like to bridge the gap between our school system and our district towns, opening the lines of communication and recognizing our ability to come together to educate children. As a graduate of Lake Shore Central as well as a previous substitute teacher in the district, I know that Lake Shore is a great place for children to attend school. It is critical, to me, that Lake Shore continues to grow and be a place that we can be proud of. I think that when the recipe is right and things are in place, the end result is a nicely finished product. I want the children who leave Lake Shore to be something that we can all be proud of as parents, teachers, administrators, and communities. While each student is unique and capable of something different, every single one of his or her accomplishments is important. Below is some information about me, but please feel free to visit me online at http://hometown.aol.com/JillUtley/index.html or email me at JillUtley@aol.com I have lived in Brant for 9 years and Evans for 13 years. I am a 1991 Lake Shore Graduate and 1995 Fredonia State Graduate. I am a stay at home mom of three boys:Zakary:7, Ryan:5 and Collin:1 ½. My husband, Jamie, and I have been married since 1996. He is also a Lake Shore and Fredonia State Graduate. He has been teaching social studies at Eden Central for nine years. I was a previous substitute teacher within the Lake Shore District and have tutored many Lake Shore children. I am the coordinator of the Parent Teacher Group for Brant Elementary and remain very active in all activities that we plan. I was a community member on one of the first Compact for Learning Teams at the W.T. Hoag School and I recently was on the panel of community interviewers for our new Assistant Superintendent/Brant Principal. I have completed the “Learning the Ropes of School Board Leadership” workshop by the Erie County Association of School Boards. My husband and I are opening an antique store in the Village of Angola and are committed to helping Lake Shore utilize our knowledge regarding history and how it relates to education. PLEASE VOTE FOR ME ON TUEDAY MAY 17th at the Middle School from 9:00 a.m. to 9:00 p.m. EVERY vote is important in this race.

As a member of our current School Board, I have been an advocate for open communication. I am absolutely committed to finding the best possible leadership for this generation of students. On the personal side, I attended LSC from 2nd through 12th grade. I am the owner and director of Suzanne’s School of Dance, and known by many as “Miss Jill”. My children, Robert (20) and Victoria (16) attended LSC from 1990-2001. For the LSC district, I have volunteered in PTG’s Building Level Planning Team, Parent Education Group, Book Exchange, Safety Committee, and Kids Voting and have choreographed musicals in WT Hoag, JT Waugh and the Middle School. In the community, I am a member of Evans Brant Chamber, Friends of the Village, Recreation Advisory Board of the Town of Evans, Meals on Wheels Volunteer, Southern Erie County Neighborhood Advisory Council and Founder of Kids Day in the Park. While serving on LSC Board of Education, I have attended workshops at the National School Board Convention, New York State School Board Conventions and Erie County School Board Association. I attended and graduated from School Board Institute (National School Board Association) and represent the Lake Shore Ddistrict on Erie County School Board Association’s Legislative Team. I would like to continue to represent the community by serving on the Lake Shore Board of Education. Our Board has seen many changes in the past 3 years since I have been elected. I believe the most important being our increased efforts to communicate. Our willingness to openly discuss issues and listen to all views have helped to guide us in making informed decisions. I have completed the necessary training through the School Board Institute which shows my dedication in accomplishing the goals we, the School Board, have set for a better education for our district. Please vote on May 17th.

A town of Evans resident for twenty-three years, David Baczkowski has lived here with his wife Gail, who works with troubled teens at Hopevale in Hamburg. Their two sons graduated from Lake Shore with many honors. They are both attending college. Aaron is graduating with a Masters degree in Architecture at Tulane University, and Matt is in Pre-Law at Michigan State university. The Baczkowski’s have been a host family for ASA International Exchange Students for several years. Dave Baczkowski has been employed as a Senior Special Investigator in the Department of Social Services Welfare Fraud Division. He supervises a team of investigators in a Division that is responsible for generating nearly twenty-five million dollars last year in Fraud detection and prevention for the County. Before that he worked for Central Police Services, and was the President of the Central Police Services/911 Unit, CSEA Local #815. He is a member of several Fraud Prevention Organizations, including the New York Welfare Fraud Investigators Association and the United Council of’ Welfare Fraud. Dave has a degree in Social Work from Buffalo State, plus graduate course work. Dave Baczkowski has been a board member for Lakeshore Youth Soccer for fourteen years, and President of the organization for about eleven years. With the help of the area’s parents, the organization has grown from two hundred fifty kids to over a thousand soccer players from the Town of Evans as well as many bordering communities. Dave Baczkowski has been a coach for fifteen years, involved with a great number of House League and Travel teams. He estimates that he has coached over twelve hundred children in his years with the organization. He has been involved with Troop 634 at L.E.B. Hall, and was a former Instructor in the Lake Shore Adult education program. Mr. Baczkowski believes that this year’s School Board has some important opportunities facing it. The three employee contracts are coming up for renegotiation, and the Board will choose a new Superintendent. That alone has the potential to change the course of’ the school and the quality of education for the students for many years to come. We need to make the best possible choice for the community. The School Board needs qualified, independent members that are able to make informed decisions for the best interests of the whole school district. The members must he able to oversee the finances of the district, and guarantee that taxpayers’ dollars are spent wisely. “I believe I’m the best candidate for the School Board. I’m not affiliated with any interest group in the district, and I can make the informed, independent decisions that are in the best interest of the people the school board should be representing: students, parents, staff, teachers and taxpayers. The candidate for the School Board needs to be able to oversee the finances of the district. Trust the administrators, but double­check the check book. That’s the responsible way to make sure the taxpayer’s dollars are appropriately spent.” If you agree with this philosophy, vote for Dave Baczkowski May 17th.