Lancaster teachers' union endorses three board candidates, highlights donations and retirements

The Lancaster Central Teachers Association formally endorsed three candidates for the Lancaster Central School District Board of Education and described a series of recent charitable efforts and retirements during remarks at the district board meeting.

The announcement matters because teacher-union endorsements and the association’s fundraising activities can influence local elections and highlight ways district staff support students beyond classroom instruction.

At the meeting, Jamie Ferguson, principal at Lancaster High School, opened by recognizing Leah Owens, the student union president, for moderating a recent candidates program and by thanking the board for a budget that preserves programs at Lancaster High School. A representative of the Lancaster Central Teachers Association, identified in the meeting as Mrs. Farrar, said the union was extending condolences to members who had recently lost family members and noted two upcoming retirements — John Armstrong and Jackie Bull — and named Erin Gannon and Greg Hare as staff who will continue in those roles.

Mrs. Farrar outlined charitable work LCTA members have undertaken in recent months, saying the union held three dress-down days to raise funds for students affected by a house fire and a car accident and to support the Jermaine Scofield Memorial Scholarship Fund for unified athletes. She described school-based committees that collect donations for families, the Cares Closet at Como Park and a kindness-and-condolences team at William Street School, and said the union purchased two tables for the Depew Boys & Girls Club dinner. She also said members donated gifts for holiday drives and organized boxes of supplies for youth-bureau Easter baskets, provided scholarships for graduating seniors, and made donations to local organizations including the YMCA and Trinity Food Pantry.

"Her beautiful soul and smile will be remembered by all, especially those of us who are lucky enough to call her friend," Mrs. Farrar said of one deceased colleague during her remarks.

The LCTA representative closed by announcing the union’s endorsement of all three candidates running for the open board seats and thanking the board and community. The board’s next regularly scheduled meeting was noted as June 9, and the district’s annual budget vote and election was announced for May 20 at the high school.