Lcta endorsement

[Socrates]

Looks like the Lancaster Central Teacher Association did their due diligence.

The LCTA has decided to endorse Uhteg, Sage, and Jackson for the Board of Education.

I applaud the LCTA for taking the time to listen to each candidate, doing their homework, and making a decision based on what they felt would be in the best interest of the Teachers they represent.

[abc123]

great news. all three candidates very much are worthy of their endorsement. historically, the lcta has not endorsed incumbents in the last few years and it seems to me they were trying to play a switzerland role as greg and his group continue to attempt to exact revenge at dr vallely and the boe, at the expense of students, principals, teachers and residents.

three years ago, 3 seats were open. patrick uhteg and marie mckay were incumbents. mike sage and beverly shamblin were new. the lcta endorsed shamblin only. it is noteworthy that neither uhteg nor sage were endorsed last time they ran.

two years ago was the redskins fiasco. 2 seats were up. wendy buckert and kim nowak were the incumbents. brenda christopher and kelly depcyznski were the change it back candidates. the town was divided. the lcta endorsed wendy dellenave, a big opt-out proponent. a clear switzerland choice

last year, 2 seats were open. bill gallagher was the incumbent, running with him was sue metz. they were opposed by mary jo schaefer and brian osika who were both very active in the redskins groups and vocal dr vallely bashers. the year before. also running was dr kristi perillo okeke, who was the only candidate to receive an lcta endorsement.

this year 3 seats are open. 2 incumbents running, patrick uhteg and mike sage. neither of which were endorsed 3 years ago. their running mate is glenn jackson. opposing them are melissa diaz-studly and bonita brown - surprise, surprise, 2 more people from lancaster's put-the-mascot-vendetta-first club that greg is the apparent spokesperson of here. the only small difference is that they roped in someone without those ties, but you can see by cincinatus's posts that i am sure they fit right in.

it is clear to me that the LCTA has had enough of this, had enough of people running for the school board without the best intentions. they are sending a clear message that things are moving in the right direction, and that they are done with candidates like studley, brown and hossain (and schaefer, osika, christopher and depczinski before them) putting themselves and their vendetta first.

[shortstuff]

Although this will be the first time I have not felt the two Republican BOE candidates were suitably worthy of my vote, I reserved my personal choice to only one candidate that I feel has my vote, that will be for Jackson. With that said, historically regarding the BOE seats, most candidates whether incumbents or not, if they are registered Democrats they will get the endorsement from the Teacher's Association. Therefore, this is a no-brainer. Stop stating abc123 that they have done their due diligence.

[abc123]

completely false about registered democrats being a slam dunk endorsement, shortstuff as illustrated by my history of who was not endorsed in the last three years above.

[gorja]

Ballot Position 1B – Patrick Uhteg

Mr. Patrick Uhteg earned his Bachelor of Science degree in business management from Cornell University and his Master of Science degree in elementary education from D’Youville College. He is a 16-year veteran teacher of Depew Schools and currently works as a student leadership coordinator and math academic intervention services (AIS) teacher at Cayuga Heights Elementary. In addition, Mr. Uhteg has taught courses for the BOCES Teacher Center in the areas of public speaking and character education as well as a course based upon Harry Wong’s book How to be an Effective Teacher. During the summer months, Mr. Uhteg works for the Franklin Covey Company delivering teacher workshops based upon the Seven Habits of Highly Effective People and The Leader in Me to a number of schools in New York and across the country.

Mr. Uhteg is finishing his second term on the Lancaster Board of Education and has served the last two years as the board president. He and his wife, Melissa, have two children, Vanessa, aged 14 and Patrick Jr. aged 17, who attend Lancaster High School and, “have benefited greatly from their exceptional educational experience in all Lancaster schools,” Mr. Uhteg said.

In addition to his teaching, lecturing, and board member duties, Mr. Uhteg is involved in many community service groups. He has coached in the Lancaster Depew Soccer organization for the past 13 years, serves on the board of directors for the Lancaster Youth Foundation, and has served as committee chair for the Cornell Alumni Admissions Ambassador Network, connecting alumni with prospective freshmen.

“During my tenure on the school board, I have supported and approved a new contract and extension for the Lancaster Central Teachers Association, helped craft and pass five consecutive budgets focused on keeping taxes low while sustaining all programs and services, and was a voice for civility and professionalism during a turbulent period,” Mr. Uhteg said. “I feel very strongly that educational, budgetary, and policy experience is vital to strong leadership on a board of education, especially during a period of problematic educational reform and unpredictable funding from the state.”

Mr. Uhteg said he fully supports the outstanding work of Dr. Michael Vallely, Lancaster Schools Superintendent and parent of four Lancaster students, as well as his fine team of professional administrators and teachers.

Mr. Uhteg said he and his family would be proud to continue serving their community and humbly ask for your support.

Ballot Position 1F – Michael Sage

Mr. Michael Sage and his wife, Elizabeth, have been Lancaster Central School District residents for 12 years. “We are the proud parents of two children,” Mr. Sage said. His daughter, Kaylie is 13, attends Lancaster Middle School, and cheers for the junior varsity Legends. His son, Cooper, is 12 and attends the William Street School where Elizabeth Sage is the PTO president.

Mr. Sage earned a Bachelor of Science degree in business administration from Old Dominion University in 2005, where he majored in finance and minored in economics.

As an assistant vice president at a Western New York bank, Mr. Sage said he manages a bank branch focusing on coaching and feedback to ensure outstanding customer service while optimizing a complex profit and loss program in a changing rate environment.

Mr. Sage served as the treasurer of the Court Street Elementary PTO for three years and also served as the organization’s president for one year. Mr. Sage also served on the parent committee which assisted in the interviewing process to hire the current high school principal and as a parent representative on the Comprehensive District Education Plan (CDEP) Committee. The CDEP committee is tasked with guiding the district’s education plan for a five-year period. Mr. Sage currently serves on the district’s audit, health insurance, and food service committees.

Mr. Sage said he is very proud to have served as the vice president of the Lancaster Education and Alumni Foundation (LEAF) during its formation. He said LEAF is an outstanding organization whose goal is to benefit the students of the Lancaster Central School District and community.

Mr. Sage “loves going to art, music, and athletic events to support the students,” he said, in addition to enjoying watching his son’s basketball games and his daughter’s cheerleading competitions.

Mr. Sage said he looks forward to continuing as a board member, where he wants to keep focusing on supporting students, teachers, and administrators while taking very seriously his fiduciary responsibility to the taxpayers.

Ballot Position 1E – Glenn Jackson

Mr. Glenn Jackson resides in Lancaster with his wife, Amy, an alumna and active PTO member, and two daughters, Kaylie and Jayda, who attend William Street School and Court Street Elementary, respectively. Mr. Jackson said he “possesses a deep-rooted belief that education is the universal key that can help each of us unlock our talents and live to our full potential.” He said his number one priority is to collaborate with the current board and administration and shape the Lancaster Central School District into the best district for each of our students and the best community for each of our residents.

As the Chief Operating Officer and Senior Director of Programs of M&T Bank’s Buffalo Promise Neighborhood (BPN), Mr. Jackson said he manages a team responsible for data and financial management, community affairs, volunteers, marketing and development, communications, and various programming all aimed at enhancing educational opportunities for children and families within the neighborhood.

“Perhaps the most unique and encompassing program of its kind, BPN expands upon M&T’s long-standing commitment to elementary education by providing a host of services that help neighborhood children on Buffalo’s east side from cradle to career,” Mr. Jackson said. He said he feels his leadership role allows him to combine his passion for community betterment with a professional vocation.

Mr. Jackson holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in economics from Harvard University and joined M&T Bank in 1999 as a management trainee. Since then, he has held management positions in a variety of areas including finance, treasury, retail deposits and, most recently, network planning, where he was responsible for the strategic analysis, planning, and assessment of bank locations.

Mr. Jackson said he is an active member of the community and supports The National Federation for Just Communities of Western New York Inc. as board chairman and Teach for America Buffalo as a member of its board of advisers. He also hosts a radio show on WUFO highlighting key partnerships between M&T Bank and the Western New York community.

[Lee Chowaniec]

great news. all three candidates very much are worthy of their endorsement. historically, the lcta has not endorsed incumbents in the last few years and it seems to me they were trying to play a switzerland role as greg and his group continue to attempt to exact revenge at dr vallely and the boe, at the expense of students, principals, teachers and residents.

three years ago, 3 seats were open. patrick uhteg and marie mckay were incumbents. mike sage and beverly shamblin were new. the lcta endorsed shamblin only. it is noteworthy that neither uhteg nor sage were endorsed last time they ran.

two years ago was the redskins fiasco. 2 seats were up. wendy buckert and kim nowak were the incumbents. brenda christopher and kelly depcyznski were the change it back candidates. the town was divided. the lcta endorsed wendy dellenave, a big opt-out proponent. a clear switzerland choice

last year, 2 seats were open. bill gallagher was the incumbent, running with him was sue metz. they were opposed by mary jo schaefer and brian osika who were both very active in the redskins groups and vocal dr vallely bashers. the year before. also running was dr kristi perillo okeke, who was the only candidate to receive an lcta endorsement.

this year 3 seats are open. 2 incumbents running, patrick uhteg and mike sage. neither of which were endorsed 3 years ago. their running mate is glenn jackson. opposing them are melissa diaz-studly and bonita brown - surprise, surprise, 2 more people from lancaster's put-the-mascot-vendetta-first club that greg is the apparent spokesperson of here. the only small difference is that they roped in someone without those ties, but you can see by cincinatus's posts that i am sure they fit right in.

it is clear to me that the LCTA has had enough of this, had enough of people running for the school board without the best intentions. they are sending a clear message that things are moving in the right direction, and that they are done with candidates like studley, brown and hossain (and schaefer, osika, christopher and depczinski before them) putting themselves and their vendetta first.

Spot on!

This BOE election should have been based on nothing but candidate qualifications, character, dedication and commitment to making the school district an even better entity than it now is. For some it became a divisive political game where the district was constantly under negative attack taking away from all it accomplishment under the tutelage of Dr. Vallely and the incumbent board members seeking re-election.

I have long believed that the LCTA supporting any candidate appears as is a conflict of interest. Studley, Nargis and Brown did not get the LCTA endorsement most likely not because of political party affiliation but because the campaigns run by the three were so disingenuous, lacking in knowledge on how a district is managed/engaged and downright irresponsible.

Lancaster has a great school district. You don’t get that impression from these three candidates. The LCTA saw through the divisiveness these three candidates would bring should they be elected.

Good post ABC – timeline and accuracy.

[Neubs24]

Although this will be the first time I have not felt the two Republican BOE candidates were suitably worthy of my vote, I reserved my personal choice to only one candidate that I feel has my vote, that will be for Jackson. With that said, historically regarding the BOE seats, most candidates whether incumbents or not, if they are registered Democrats they will get the endorsement from the Teacher's Association. Therefore, this is a no-brainer. Stop stating abc123 that they have done their due diligence.

I wasn't aware that there are Republican and Democratic candidates.

[abc123]

Thanks Lee. Turns out it was ALMOST entirely accurate. Mr Uhteg was in fact endorsed by the LCTA in 2014

[NY The Vampire State]

School elections are pretty simple. Vote for the candidates not endorsed by the unions. School boards represent the people of the district. When you have union puppets on the school board the union is at both ends of the negotiating table leaving taxpayers and students in the dark. These school board members lie and bamboozle the public into believing that the tax increases are for the children. Now anybody who takes a minute to examine their local school budget can see tax increases go for fat salary and benefit increases year after year after year. So taxes go up, diversity of educational opportunities go down in order to benefit the union members all while the public is lied to. NYSUT and its affiliates are nothing but a criminal enterprise.

[Socrates]

https://sites.google.com/site/lancas...rd-endorsement

[Socrates]

https://sites.google.com/site/lancas...rd-endorsement

Shame on you Vampire! The teacher's in our district are not only some of the best in the state, if not the country, they are hardly overpaid. Our teachers are paid mid margin at best for all they do. They are with our children, in most cases, for more hours in a day than we as parents are. They spend hours educating our children, hours at home correcting papers, preparing lesson plans, taking phone calls, text's messages and emails from our children. Spending money out of their own pockets to make sure our kids have the supplies they need in the classroom. I speak for a whole lot of people when I say our teachers are more than glorified, overpaid babysitter's, they are a intricate part of the proper raising and education of our children. IMO, teaching should be one of the most highly paid professions in this country, teachers are among the most highly educated people, they should be paid accordingly. It it not just because of the teacher that our taxes go up,it's many factors including umfunded mandates, the cost of maintenace to our aging buildings and the lack of state and federal aid. What these teachers do is PRICELESS!!

Funny how you and Greg fail to mention the years we had a 0% tax increase! Why is that? This district was able to do that partially because of the very teachers you criticized​ Not only because Lancaster is consistently named one of the most frugal district, but because our teachers union and the other unions made consessions, they took a pay freeze, as did the bus drivers, maintenance, principals and administration. This district pulled together like no other when times got tough. We were facing a 10% tax increase and they said no way, not our community! I for one will never forget what they have done and what they continue to do for this district,for our kids and our community.

I wonder if you would be willing to take a pay freeze or cut to save the company you work for. Well our district did, and we are a community that benefitted from it and appreciate it!

Stop blaming the teachers and go after your congress men and women and your senators for more funding for our schools, tell NYS to give back the money they stole from our schools! It's not the teacher unions that are the criminals it's the lawmakers who make the laws and then exclude themselves from them.

[NY The Vampire State]

Shame on you Vampire! The teacher's in our district are not only some of the best in the state, if not the country, they are hardly overpaid. Our teachers are paid mid margin at best for all they do. They are with our children, in most cases, for more hours in a day than we as parents are. They spend hours educating our children, hours at home correcting papers, preparing lesson plans, taking phone calls, text's messages and emails from our children. Spending money out of their own pockets to make sure our kids have the supplies they need in the classroom. I speak for a whole lot of people when I say our teachers are more than glorified, overpaid babysitter's, they are a intricate part of the proper raising and education of our children. IMO, teaching should be one of the most highly paid professions in this country, teachers are among the most highly educated people, they should be paid accordingly. It it not just because of the teacher that our taxes go up,it's many factors including umfunded mandates, the cost of maintenace to our aging buildings and the lack of state and federal aid. What these teachers do is PRICELESS!!

Funny how you and Greg fail to mention the years we had a 0% tax increase! Why is that? This district was able to do that partially because of the very teachers you criticized​ Not only because Lancaster is consistently named one of the most frugal district, but because our teachers union and the other unions made consessions, they took a pay freeze, as did the bus drivers, maintenance, principals and administration. This district pulled together like no other when times got tough. We were facing a 10% tax increase and they said no way, not our community! I for one will never forget what they have done and what they continue to do for this district,for our kids and our community.

I wonder if you would be willing to take a pay freeze or cut to save the company you work for. Well our district did, and we are a community that benefitted from it and appreciate it!

Stop blaming the teachers and go after your congress men and women and your senators for more funding for our schools, tell NYS to give back the money they stole from our schools! It's not the teacher unions that are the criminals it's the lawmakers who make the laws and then exclude themselves from them.

Fool, more funding for schools? Where do you think it comes from? Magic money tree? You pisseed and moaned that taxes had to be raised during the GEA and they were. Then GEA funding was restored and taxes still go up. Nice scam on the taxpayers. More money for the broken system is not the answer.

[shortstuff]

completely false about registered democrats being a slam dunk endorsement, shortstuff as illustrated by my history of who was not endorsed in the last three years above.

Yes, I'll clarify-you ran as a Republican. Not the rule, as there are exceptions. But we know historically, unions back liked minded that will support their causes. Even you must know that.....

Teachers deserve better, administration overrides their accomplishments. And for the record, I am not supporting the Republican slate for the school board as well as the incumbents. I think Jackson is a excellent candidate. I also feel most run for these elected positions because of historical family ties and political connections. I'm a pragmatist.