No one person is responsible for a successful fiscal school year.
Customarily, during every opening month of a school year, it is important to reflect on all those who played a role in the fiscal success of school districts throughout the last school year as they align with the goals of the Statewide School Finance Consortium (SSFC). Obviously, it is the members of SSFC; board members, superintendents, business officials of member districts are among them. But there are many more contributors. Let’s take some time to mention a few.
Although the list is long and I’m sure I’ll forget someone, but I want to take this time to focus on certain individuals and organizations that have assisted the SSFC in its mission to ensure that school districts are fiscally healthy by creating a Foundation Aid formula that is fair, equitable, predictable, and sustainable. Along with that goal, it is also important to ensure that school districts have the best information available to them to maintain the fiscal integrity of their school districts long term. The SSFC, in that effort, has some official and unofficial partners along the way.
Let’s start with our own official governance group, the Central New York School Boards Association.
The leadership, support and guidance provided by Derrick Dorcey, executive director, and Ashely Stoltz, executive assistant are engaged with a dedicated and knowledgeable board of directors that include:
BOARD LEADERSHIP
PRESIDENT – JOAN REEVES
VICE PRESIDENT – MISSY RYNONE
CORTLAND-MADISON SBA
PEG PERI (Cincinnatus & OCM BOCES)
ONONDAGA-MADISON SBA
JOAN REEVES (OCM BOCES)
HOLLY FRAZEE (Fabius-Pompey)
GWENDOLYN RAEFORD (Syracuse City)
TOMPKINS-SENECA-TIOGA SBA
MISSY RYNONE (Newfield)
SUSAN TABRIZI (Lansing & TST BOCES))
OSWEGO SBA
NICOLE NADEAU (APW)
CONNIE DOUGLAS (Mexico)
TOM CIAPPA (Oswego City)
CAYUGA ONONDAGA SBA
* Vacant Seat *
CNYSBA Provides:
Board Training & Development
- The School for New Board Members
During four evenings in June, newly elected school board members learn how to have an immediate impact on their boards. Over 400 new board members have received this training. - Board President Roundtables
Board Presidents from throughout central New York can sharpen their leadership skills, discuss issues of common concern, and share ideas through CNYSBA programs designed specifically for board presidents.
Legislative Action
- Legislative Breakfasts
CNYSBA sponsors multiple legislative breakfasts in the Central New York region, enabling our members to share their concerns with the 16 NYS Senate and Assembly Members who collectively represent us.
Legislative Information
Legislative Updates
Provided to all board members and superintendents, these keep our members apprised of budget and political developments in Albany that affect state aid.
Additional supports:
The New York State School Boards Association (NYSSBA) has also played an active role in the same battle for a fair, equitable, predictable, and sustainable Foundation aid formula,. Led by Rob Schneider and supported by a fantastic Board of Directors led by President Sandra Ruffo, and the highly skilled team of Brian Fessler, Caroline Bobick, John Daley, and Kourtney Li of the Government Relations division. The contribution of these folks to many of our goals demonstrates the universality of the concepts of the Statewide School Finance Consortium and the CNYSBA. And let’s not forget Patrick Longo, of Member Relations, who never fails to deliver an inspirational message to us at our annual meeting each May.
Further, NYSSBA provided many services to school board members. Their educational programs for school board members on a myriad of topics are on target, timely and effective.
The NYSSBA leadership for regional School Board Associations (SBAs) is laudable through the use of the Council of Local School Boards Association (COLSBA) where regional SBAs can get together and gather information, compare notes, and move to action. Many of these SBAs have requested and received workshops from the SSFC this year.
The New York State Council of School Superintendents (NYSCOSS, The Council) led by Dr. Chuck Dedrick provides additional support to SSFC goals with the help and support of the very able and dedicated Bob Lowry, Deputy Director for Advocacy, Research & Communications and Greg Berck, Assistant Director for Governmental Relations. Keen observers of the politics of state aid and their willingness to espouse many of the state aid and related goals of SSFC and CNYSBA are a testament to their values of cooperation and collegiality.
NYSCOSS continues to champion school district goals that empower superintendents and board members to engage in dialogue and strategies to enhance the fiscal capacity of school district across the state. I have had the fortunate opportunity throughout the year to also provide workshops to various superintendent groups across the state for SSFC have numerous finance topics that they have found helpful and informative.
The Association of School Business Officials (ASBO) led by Brian Cechnicki, Executive Director, and Dr. Alissandra T. Stoyan, Director of Education and Research have also championed many SSFC initiatives related to state aid and other finance issues. Their involvement in effort to encourage legislators to embrace fair, equitable, predictable, and sustainable Foundation Aid improvements have been noteworthy.
I have had the fortunate opportunity throughout the year to also provide workshops to various ASBO chapters across the state for SSFC with numerous finance topic that they have found valuable and instructive.
Let’s not forget the wonderful BOCES District Superintendents that let us provide workshops for their component school superintendents, board members, and school business officials along with BOCES board members and administrators. From the North Country to the border with Pennsylvania, SSFC has been encouraged and welcomed to work with these fantastic leaders. And there is more to come in the 2025-26 school year.
We have many advocates that have come to assist, and we are grateful.
We must renew our effort to improve the Foundation Aid formula. I’m gearing up right now. I’ve still got a big list!
Be well,
Rick
