Two members of the Auburn Enlarged City School District Board of Education have expressed interest in its leadership roles for the upcoming school year.
At the board's , member Jim Van Arsdale said he is interested in serving as president for the 2025-26 school year, and member Matteo Bartolotta is interested in serving as vice president.
Van Arsdale, who teaches fifth grade at Millard Fillmore Elementary School in the Moravia Central School District, joined the Auburn board in 2022听补苍诲 secured another three-year term in 2025. He is also the program director and cofounder of youth music nonprofit Perform 4 Purpose.
Bartolotta was first voted onto the board in 2021. He originally wasn't going to run for another term in 2024 and did not file petitions to do so, but later decided to launch a write-in campaign听补苍诲 won another three-year seat. He is the owner of Nino's Pizzeria in Auburn.聽
Neither Van Arsdale nor Bartolotta have held leadership roles on the board before.
No other board members, including current Vice President Danielle Wood, expressed interest in a role next year. But any member can still pursue one at the board's reorganization meeting next month.
Current board President Dr. Eli Hernandez endorsed Van Arsdale and Bartolotta at Tuesday's meeting before they announced their interest. Hernandez, who has been on the board since 2011, said that in 2024 he intended to run for only a single one-year term as president because he believes in "developing leaders."
"But I will tell you that this job is not easy and it takes people to be committed to it," he said.聽
The board's reorganization meeting, where members will officially vote on the leadership roles, is set for 4 p.m. Wednesday, July 2, at the Harriet Tubman Administration Building at 78 Thornton Ave.
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KABC, ASSOCIATED PRESS
Staff writer Kelly Rocheleau can be reached at (315) 282-2243 or kelly.rocheleau@lee.net. Follow him on Twitter @KellyRocheleau.