Results in local school board elections and school budget votes are in, confirming that if there is a certainty in life, it is change.
In East Irondequoit, a proposed structural change will take place. Voters approved a proposition to reduce the size of the school board from nine to seven seats, effective 2027. The district stated that the reason for the proposition was to account for declining enrollment.
Spencerport’s school budget was defeated by a margin of 53 votes. A spokesperson with the district said what comes next is yet to be determined.
“This outcome means we must now determine next steps, which could involve adopting a contingency budget or holding a revote in June,” Lanette Cypher, director of communications at Spencerport Central School District, said in an email. “We will inform our community once a decision has been made.”
In Greece, incumbent school board member William Maloney’s bid for re-election ended with an upset as more voters favored newcomer Jenne LaPlaca.
In a turn of events in Penfield’s school board race, two incumbents were not re-elected to their seats. Newcomers Stacy Lonardo and Susan Kavanagh will serve three-year terms. Both were endorsed by the staff and teachers’ union, Penfield Education Association.
Late last week, Board President Aaliyah El-Amin-Turner suspended her campaign for re-election, stating that her decision was due to an onslaught of racist vitriol.
“The level of hostility, misinformation, personal attacks, and dehumanizing rhetoric directed toward myself and others has taken a significant toll,” El-Amin-Turner said in a Facebook post on May 14.
“Across this country, Black women in leadership are often held to impossible standards …” she added. “To the students who saw themselves reflected in my leadership: please know this decision is not a reflection of your worth or your future. You belong in every room you walk into. Your voice matters. Your leadership matters. And no amount of resistance should convince you otherwise.”
Superintendent Tasha Potter published a letter to the community on the district’s website stating that a disproportionate targeting and scrutiny of Black and brown leaders in the district “cannot be ignored.”
“Over time, there has been a growing pattern of harmful, hateful, and dehumanizing rhetoric directed toward me and toward members of my administrative team, particularly those who identify as Black and Brown,” Potter said.
Though she suspended her campaign, El-Amin Turner still received 820 votes. She did not respond to a request for comment on Tuesday.
The tallies reported tonight are the unofficial results which still need to be finalized.
A full breakdown of voting results is below:
Brighton
Proposed budget of $114.7 million: Passed 1,669-730
Board of Education results (3): Susan Gasparino, 1,616 (incumbent); Sarah Schlagman, 698; Robert Cole, 1,271; Carrielyn Bertino, 1,694 (incumbent); Richard Kraude, 574; and Jeffrey Sachs, 596.
Proposition 2 to spend $13.6 million — including $3.5 million from a reserve fund — on a capital project for improvements at Twelve Corners Middle School, French Road Elementary School, and Brighton High School. Passed 1,569-821
Brockport
Proposed budget of $108.5 million: Passed 697-467
Board of Education results (1): Matt Hennard, 584; the district did not provide totals for Joann Lentz and Terry Ann Carbone (incumbent).
Churchville-Chili
Proposed budget of $113.4 million: Passed 543-285
Board of Education results (3): Amy Wilson, 649 (incumbent); Kevin Johnson, 647 (incumbent); and Michelle Aloi, 642 (incumbent).
Proposition 2 to authorize the district to buy eight 66-passenger diesel buses at a cost of approximately $1.7 million. Passed 553-275
Proposition 3 to authorize the district toestablisha $20 million capital reserve fund to finance future site work, construction or reconstruction and equipping of school buildings and facilities, and the acquisition of land. Passed 528-299
East Irondequoit
Proposed budget of $101.2 million: passed 788-217
Board of Education results (4): Carol Watt, 578 (incumbent); Jill Ricci, 752 (incumbent); Elena Matthews, 651; Dan McInerney, 656 (incumbent); and Katrina Davenport, 671 (incumbent).
Proposition2 toestablishan equipment reserve fund to begin saving for future equipment replacement purchases. Passed 809-195
Proposition 3 toreduce the school board from nine to seven members, effective 2027.Passed 738-257
East Rochester
Proposed budget of $33.9 million: Passed292-38
Board of Education results (2): Brian Gravelle,121; Kristina Lantzky-Eaton, 275; and Michael Sisson, 210.
Proposition 2 to transfer $70,000 from its Liability Reserve to bring its balance in line with current guidelines. Passed 297-37
Fairport
Proposed budget of $172.3 million: Passed 1,931-1,094
Board of Education results(3): Lisa Christensen, 2,504 (incumbent); Erica Belois-Pacer, 2,400 (incumbent); and Peter Forsgren, 2,497.
Proposition 2 to elect one Fairport Public Library trustee to a five-year term: Elizabeth King (incumbent). Passed, 2,580
Proposition 3 to approve Fairport Public Library’s $3.5 million budget. Passed 2,255-768
Proposition 4 to authorize the district to use $185,000 from two of its capital reserve funds to help purchase nine school buses. Passed 2,111-903
Proposition 5 to authorize the district to create a capital reserve fund. Passed 2,059-962
Gates Chili
Proposed budget of $146.5 million: passed 585-247
Board of Education results (4): Christina (Tina) Carney, 468 (incumbent); Kathryn Davis, 579 (incumbent); Michelle Jennings, 584; Adam Reinhardt, 523 (incumbent), and Angela Stout, 487 (one-year term).
Proposition 2 to authorize the purchase of school buses at a total cost of no more than roughly $2.4 million using capital reserve funds. New York state is expected to reimburse the district for 75% of the cost. Passed 588-243
Greece
Proposed budget of $335.4 million: Passed 1,540-792
Board of Education results(3): Todd Butler 1,693 (incumbent); Jenne LaPlaca,1,556; William Maloney, 1,350 (incumbent); andNichole Siwicki,1656.
Proposition 2 to authorize the purchase of 35 replacement gas and diesel buses at a total cost of $5.9 million or less with $2.7 million of that coming from the district’s Bus Purchase Reserve Fund. Passed 1,559-776
Hilton
Proposed budget of $109 million: Passed 851-492
Board of Education results(2): Lynda Donovan, 624; Samantha Fowler, 895; and Kristine Price, 793.
Proposition 2 to authorize the district to buy 14 gas and diesel school buses for a total of $2.6 million. Passed 933-417
Proposition 3 to approve the purchase of an electric bus for a total of $475,000, facilitated by a state grant of $220,500 and state transportation aid of $254,500. Defeated 860-491
Honeoye Falls-Lima
Proposed budget of $67.7 million: passed 774-361
Board of Education results (3): Thomas Gaborski, 569; Lynley Guckian, 574 (incumbent); Julie Masterson, 732; Rachel Rivera, 361; and Caralyn Ross, 633 (incumbent).
Proposition 2 to authorize the use of up to $1.2 million for the purchase of student transportation vehicles “including necessary furnishings, fixtures, equipment and all other necessary costs.” Passed 777-356
Penfield
Proposed budget of $136 million: Passed 2,466-1,222
Board of Education results (2): Aaliyah El-Amin-Turner, 820; Krista Kahn, 1,323 (incumbent); Susan Kavanagh, 2,498; and Stacy Lonardo, 2,509.
Proposition 2 to authorize the purchase of 14 replacement school buses, funded through the 2024 Bus Purchase Reserve. Passed 2,529-1,160
Pittsford
Proposed budget of $176.5 million: Passed 2,251-617
Board of Education results (2): John Pizzutelli,1,825; Robin Scott, 2,074 (incumbent); and Anwar Upal,1,296.
Proposition 2 to authorize the district to purchase nine diesel school buses using up to $1.6 million from its capital reserve fund for purchasing buses and/or any available state aid. Passed 2,286-577
Proposition 3to allow the district to purchase up to two electric school buses using up to $941,222 from a capital reserve fund and any available state aid. Passed 1,792-1,074
Proposition 4 to authorize the district to spend up to $850,000 from its Capital Instructional Technology Reserve on laptops and other technology to support the 1:1 device program. Passed 2,375-489
Proposition 5 to widen the scope of a previously approved capital improvement project to include the improvement and addition of outdoor signage. Passed 2,236-622
Rush-Henrietta
Proposed budget of $187 million: Passed 1,372 – 1,178
Board of Education results (2): Dre Collins,1,223; Shiloh Arthmann, 1,328; and Laura Borate, 1,565 (incumbent).
Proposition 2 to authorize the district to spend $2.7 million on gas and diesel school buses. Passed 1,748-796
Spencerport
Proposed budget of $107 million: Defeated 798-745
Board of Education results (3): Sean McCabe, 1,165; MarkMcLean, 1,236; and David Gibbardo, 1,084 (incumbent).
Proposition 2 to authorize the district to purchase student laptops using $536,620 from the district’s 2013 Technology and Classroom Equipment Reserve. Passed 920-621
Victor
Proposed budget of $116.3 million: Passed 921-283
Board of Education results (2): Bryan Adams, 765 (incumbent); Christopher Parks, 817 (incumbent); and James Sawers (449).
Proposition 2 to authorize the district to levy taxes up to $1,566,837 to purchase eight diesel schoolbuses. Passed 901-294
Proposition 3 to allow the district to levy $993,000 in taxes to support the Victor Farmington Library. Passed 934-271
Webster
Proposed budget of $227.1 million: Passed 2,506-1,196
Board of Education results (2): Janice Richardson, 2,956 (incumbent) and John Barker, 2,729.
Proposition to authorize the district to spend up to $1.8 million topurchase10 diesel school buses. Passed 2,399-1,305
Proposition 3 to authorize the creation of a $45 million capital reserve fund with a 10-year term to replace the current reserve, which reached its funding and time limits. Passed 2,534-1,165
West Irondequoit
Proposed budget of $105.6 million: Passed 1,163-354
Board of Education results (2): Gary Adams, 1,199, and John T. Vay, 1,250 (incumbent).
Proposition 2 to authorize the district to spend just over $1.8 million on three building maintenance projects: $573,890 on roof replacement at Dake Jr. High School, $1 million on roof replacement at Irondequoit High School, and $177,111 on ceiling replacement and asbestos abatement at Seneca School. Passed 1,224-298
Proposition 3 to allow the district to access an additional 10% in state aid to implement its energy efficiency plan. The district said the plan will lead to long-term savings on energy costs. Passed 1,318-200
Wheatland-Chili
Proposed budget of $25.6 million: Passed160-72
Board of Education results (3): Shanna Fraser, 187 (incumbent); Courtney Panek, 194 (incumbent); and James Musshafen, 180.
Proposition 2 to authorize the district to use up to $215,000 from its transportation and grounds fund to purchase a replacement 42-passenger gasoline school bus. Passed 182-51
