Four vying for three open seats in Newfane school board election
May 14—NEWFANE — Four residents are competing for three open seats on the Newfane Central School District Board of Education.
The top two vote-getters in Tuesday's election will receive three-year terms of office that will take effect July 1. The candidate who receives the third highest number of votes will serve a one-year term of office that takes effect immediately after the election. The one-year trustee will complete the term of former trustee Noah Everett, who resigned in June 2023.
These are the candidates:
Anthony Casinelli
Casinelli, 78, is seeking re-election after having served two consecutive terms on the school board. He is retired after working as a human resources manager at various local plants.
He has two children who graduated from Newfane schools in 2019.
Casinelli said that he is seeking re-election to continue being a part of what he described as a "pretty successful board" during his tenure.
"The board has done a lot as far as upgrading facilities ... including the capital project that is improving the safety of facilities," he said.
He also believes his background in human resources and previous experience on the board will be helpful as the district goes through some personnel changes.
"Being able to continue that in a time where we have to replace a superintendent and an elementary principal is very important to me," Casinelli said.
Rachel Maziarz
Maziarz, 35, has three children in the district, including two in the elementary school and one in preschool.
She is the business manager at the Historic Palace Theatre and is currently the vice president of the Newfane Alumni Association.
Maziarz said that her desire to increase the visibility of the board to district parents was the main "spark" in her decision to run.
"There was... something that was brought up where I went through the proper sources and wasn't getting answers or results that I was looking for. I knew that the next step was the school board ... that's not saying anything against the current board. I just think that we need to be more visible for our district, our parents and the community members," Maziarz said.
If elected, Maziarz said she would also like to focus on bringing more "diversity" to district programs and sports and also cited increasing safety measures in district buildings as top priorities.
Corrie Murray
Murray, 50, is retired after working as an office manager in the healthcare field.
She has three children who all graduated from Newfane schools and is a former president of the Parent-Teacher Association in the district.
She sees running for a seat on the board as the "next step" and a way "to give back" to the district that her children graduated from.
"The school is on a good path. I like the ideas and vision they have and I'm ready to join team and help them continue that," Murray said.
If elected, Murray said that she would like to be an "advocate for the kids" in the district and would like to be a part of the various capital improvement projects that the district already has in progress.
"It's important that we not only give students a great education but help with the social and emotional well-being of students and staff," she said.
Emma Oudette
Oudette, 48, has two children who have attended Newfane schools. Her oldest graduated from Newfane High School in 2021 and her youngest is currently a senior.
She is the manager of Village Eatery in Lockport.
Oudette is seeking election after being appointed for a one-year term to the board in July 2023. She has served a total of five years as a board member.
She is seeking a full three-year term on the board in an effort to continue the enhancement of programs and services in the district. She also believes her experience on the board can be helpful as the search for a new superintendent gets underway.
"Finding someone who is a good fit for the district is a huge focus of mine," Oudette said.
