The Baldwinsville Central School District will hold its annual budget and Board of Education vote from 6 a.m. to 9 p.m. Tuesday, May 21, in the Baker High School Auditorium. Voters will decide on the 2019-2020 school budget, select three BOE candidates and vote on a handful of propositions. See last week’s Messenger or visit bville.org/teacherpage.cfm?teacher=1858 for more information about the budget and the propositions on the ballot.
Three seats on the Board of Education are up for election. The three candidates who receive the three highest vote totals will be elected to three-year terms.
Voters can meet the BOE candidates at 6:30 p.m. Tuesday, May 14, in the cafeteria of Durgee Junior High School. Each candidate has five minutes to introduce themselves and speak about why they want to serve on the school board. The budget public hearing immediately follows at 7 p.m. May 14.
The order of the candidates is the order in which they will appear on the ballot:
Brian Dingle
Brian Dingle has been a Baldwinsville resident since 2010. He and his wife, Emily, chose Baldwinsville’s excellent schools after his military retirement. One of their children graduated in 2017 while another is a freshman at Durgee. Since moving to Baldwinsville, Mr. Dingle has been involved in youth sports. He has coached Pop Warner, Swarm Baseball, and Sting Basketball, coaching kids between the ages of 10-15. He continues to lend a helping hand whenever needed.
Mr. Dingle earned his bachelor’s degree in marketing and an MBA in human resources from Columbia Southern University. He currently works for the Social Security Administration. Mr. Dingle proudly served his country in the U.S. Army, retiring as a sergeant first class in 2009. He enlisted in 1985, serving honorably for 24 years with assignments all over the world including Iraq during Desert Shield and Desert Storm. SFC Dingle’s most impactful Army role was that of jumpmaster, completing necessary jumps and rigorous training to ensure the safety of his fellow Airborne Soldiers in the 82nd Airborne Division. He went on to be a successful leader of recruiting stations in Virginia before moving to New York.
Mr. Dingle looks forward to the opportunity to serve on the board in order to make an impact in Baldwinsville, keeping children’s education and safety a top priority while supporting educators and school community members and encouraging inclusive curriculum.
Burrill Wells
Burrill Wells is a fifth generation Baldwinsville resident and a 1983 graduate of Baker High School. He holds a B.A. in French from SUNY Oswego, an M.A. in French and Francophone Studies from Syracuse University, and a master of public administration from SU’s Maxwell School of Citizenship and Public Affairs. He has lived and studied abroad in both Europe and South America.
Mr. Wells is a NYS certified teacher of French, with over 12 years of teaching experience at the secondary and college levels. For the past fours years, he has been the French teacher at JCB High School in the Phoenix School District where he teaches four levels of French. He has served as a yearbook co-advisor and freshmen class advisor. Currently, he is a member of the JCB School Improvement Team (SIT) and a member of a book study group, Fostering Resilient
Learners. Prior to teaching, Mr. Wells worked in the labor and nonprofit sectors. In addition, Mr. Wells is a member of the New York State Association of Foreign Language Teachers (NYSAFLT), from which he received two scholarships to study in Québec. He is also a member of the Language Educators of Central New York (LECNY) where he participates in professional development opportunities.
Mr. Wells was a member of the Baldwinsville school board for 19 years. He served as president for three years and vice president for four years. He participated on several committees, including the Audit and Facilities committees. In addition, Mr. Wells served one term on the Baldwinsville Village Board of Trustees where he was a member of the public works committee and chaired the labor relations committee. Currently, Mr. Wells is a member of the YMCA Downtown Writers Center where he enjoys taking courses in poetry.
Steven Schweitzer
Steven Schweitzer has been a resident of Baldwinsville since 1993 and a member of the Board of Education since 2010. He currently serves on the health insurance committee.
Mr. Schweitzer earned a bachelor’s degree in engineering from the State University of New York Maritime College and a master of science degree in mechanical engineering from the Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute. He is a licensed professional engineer and a senior project management engineer working in the field of energy efficiency and renewable energy technology. Mr. Schweitzer also serves the community as a firefighter with the Moyers Corners Fire Department.
Mr. Schweitzer and his wife, Kim, have two children, a daughter, Krystina, who graduated from Baker High School in 2007, and a son, Paul, who graduated from Baker High School in 2010.
Joan Reeves
Joan Reeves has been a member of the Board of Education since 1981. She served as vice president for 14 years and as president for six years. She is a member of the OCM BOCES Board of Education serving on the facilities, board self-assessment, advisory, and superintendent’s contract committees. She is also a member of the Board of Directors of the CNY School Boards Association, a member of and current president of the Board of Directors of the Onondaga Madison School Boards Association, a past member of St. Mary’s Parish Council, past president of the Baldwinsville Basketball Boosters, team captain for Relay for Life team “Reeves Farms Runners,” a member of the Board of Directors for Baldwinsville Little League, and a member of the Community Committee for the Diane Reeves Memorial Park.
In 2015, Ms. Reeves received the Everett R. Dyer Award for Distinguished Service from the NYS School Boards Association. This is the association’s highest honor, presented annually to a current or former school board member in recognition of extraordinary service to education and children. She has been nominated for the SAANYS (School Administrators Association of New York State) Friend of Education Award. While on the Board, she has served on numerous committees including long range planning, facilities, policy, contract, insurance, transportation, audit, sustainability, legislative, negotiations, BCEPT, intermunicipal, Anheuser Busch PILOT, mental wellness, code of conduct, and strategic planning.
Ms. Reeves is a graduate of Baldwinsville schools as are her eight siblings and parents, Cecil and Dorothy Reeves. She attended SUNY Oneonta and Oswego and was employed as an assistant manager for Reeves Farms and Plainville Farms in charge of purchasing, regulatory compliance and product development. She has three children who are products of Baldwinsville schools and six grandchildren.
Denise Falso
Denise Falso moved to Baldwinsville with her husband, Anthony, because of the opportunities the school district could offer their three children: Enzo (11), Sergio (8) and Giuliana (5).
Ms. Falso earned a B.S. in biology from Le Moyne College and an M.S. in biology/science education at Syracuse University. She is a NYS certified teacher in biology, general science and students with disabilities. She currently teaches life science for the Fulton City School District, where she has worked for a total of 11 years. Past teaching experience includes living environment, earth, physical and environmental science at OCM BOCES. She also taught biology lab as an adjunct professor at Le Moyne College. In addition to her teaching experience, Denise earned the Foundations of Financial Services Certification for Insurance Fundamentals: Life, Annuities and Health. She holds a property/casualty and broker’s license.
Ms. Falso has been an active volunteer in the PTA and participated in district PTA meetings. She and her husband have supported various local organizations and charities such as Baldwinsville Little League, Pop Warner, CNY Family Sports Centre, St. Baldrick’s Foundation, Griffin’s Guardians and Evan’s Mission for a Cure.
Ms. Falso is running for the Baldwinsville Board of Education because she understands that the decisions and policies the board develops and approves are important and affect each student. She is an advocate for school curriculum that is challenging yet appropriate for all students. Her experience in education will help her make beneficial and informed decisions.
Sally Dayger
A resident of Baldwinsville since 1965, Sally Dayger holds a bachelor’s degree in elementary education from SUNY Oswego and has certification in mathematics as well as administration and supervision. She taught at Van Buren Elementary School, then taught math at Durgee Junior High School and Ray Middle School for 33 years for a total of 35 years teaching. She has served the district in administration capacities as assistant principal at Ray Middle School and Baker High School and summer school principal for 13 years. Upon retirement she continued substitute teaching and taught math at SUNY Oswego where she also supervised student teachers.
Ms. Dayger has served the Baldwinsville community in diverse ways. She is currently coordinator of the Baldwinsville Community Food Pantry and a member of the PAC-B Board of Directors. She has also served as chair of the Zoning Board of Appeals for the village of Baldwinsville, a trustee for her church, as treasurer and board member of McHarrie’s Legacy, and as past president of the Women’s Garden Club. She has also acted as a costume designer for Baker High School productions and for local theater companies. Presently, she serves as an adjudicator for SHSTA and Cortland Repertory Theatre.
During her tenure on the Board of Education, Ms. Dayger served on the strategic planning, policy, insurance, wellness, and mental health committees. Ms. Dayger continues her professional involvement with education providing private tutoring, working for OCM BOCES as a superintendent hearing officer, and serves on the Baldwinsville Central School District Funding the Future Community Advisory Committee.
Victor Jenkins
Victor Jenkins is privileged to have served on the Baldwinsville Board of Education for almost 12 years. His accumulated experience and insights provide significant background to help improve and elevate the educational experience of each Baldwinsville student. He is a firm believer in providing the best possible opportunities to each and every student. Mr. Jenkins has supported investments in the safety of our schools and advocated for mental health and other support structures to assist the learning readiness of our children. He has been a long-term member of the facilities committee where he has championed many building and campus upgrades like the new transportation center, renovated auditorium, stadium improvements and general building maintenance. Other involvements are the audit, insurance, policy, and technology committees. Mr. Jenkins takes pride in always making child-centered decisions.
Since moving to B’ville in 1980, Mr. Jenkins has acquired notable financial and management experience through his professional work as controller for Xerox and financial advisor for Cigna, Wilmington Trust, and Morgan Stanley.
His two daughters attended B’ville schools and he has been an active community participant. He was selected as the Baldwinsville Male Volunteer of the Year for 2017. Victor serves on the Session of his church and previously served in various capacities with B’ville Youth Soccer, Baldwinsville Community Scholarship Foundation, B’ville YMCA fundraising committee, and Estate Planning Council of CNY.
