Greece Central School District board candidates stress funding, mental health and teacher retention ahead of May 19 vote

Four candidates seeking three seats on the Greece Central School District Board of Education used a Meet the Candidates forum to press shared themes and different emphases on how to navigate tightening budgets and student supports ahead of the May 19 district vote.

The forum, hosted by Doctor Mary Caitlin White, featured current board members and challengers who all said financial pressure, student mental-health needs and staffing shortages top the district’s challenges. The candidates urged turnout for the May 19 vote, which will determine three three-year terms beginning July 2026.

Candidate backgrounds and opening statements made clear overlapping priorities. William Maloney, a current Greece Central School District board member who worked in the district for 40 years, said he is running for a fifth term. Jenny LaPlaca, registrar at the Eastman School of Music and parent of two students, framed her candidacy around her experience with curriculum and a personal story about her son’s testing anxiety. Todd Butler, a first-term board member, cited nonprofit leadership and local ties. Nicole Suki, a lifelong Greece resident and active volunteer, said a parent voice is critical on the board.

On funding, candidates described two consistent aims: press state leaders for more predictable support and make district spending more transparent. “The most pressing issue that’s facing us right now is to prepare for changes in our funding,” Todd Butler said, urging planning that avoids “knee-jerk responses” to revenue shifts. Nicole Suki praised the district finance team but called for clearer public communication about how funds are spent and for board involvement in five-year strategic financial planning.

Several candidates pointed to the state foundation aid formula as a core advocacy target. Maloney said, “Our challenges are gonna be, is money. What are we gonna do with the money that we have?” and warned that the district will have to make difficult choices if state support does not keep pace. LaPlaca said she would seek to learn more about funding mechanics but suggested rebalancing aid to reflect Greece’s size and needs.

On classroom supports and student wellbeing, candidates emphasized multiple pathways and wraparound services. Nicole Suki described district improvement teams and said community schools help meet students’ socioeconomic needs so children “come to school prepared, and ready to face each day.” Butler highlighted community-school events and turnout — “we had 500 families, 500 people turn out for this math night” — as evidence the partnerships boost attendance and family engagement.

All four candidates raised teacher recruitment and retention as central priorities linked to student outcomes. LaPlaca and others said rising social and emotional needs among students require greater mental-health supports while boards and administrators work to avoid overloading teachers. Candidates also noted space and special-education capacity as local constraints that will factor into budget choices.

The forum spent time on the New York State Portrait of a Graduate framework; candidates generally said the district’s administration is already aligning work to those graduate outcomes and described the board’s role as accountability—ensuring strategic planning, budgeting and staffing choices support the portrait’s goals.

The event closed with final appeals to voters and reminders about the May 19 vote. The top three vote-getters will serve three-year terms from July 2026 to June 2029, and the district encouraged residents to consult mailed materials and greececsd.org for more information before casting ballots.