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Six candidates speak at Sodus Central School District forum ahead of May 19 board election
Summary
Six candidates for two open Sodus Central School District board seats introduced themselves and outlined priorities including staff pay, school culture and student support at the board’s May meeting; incumbent members stressed continuity and community partnership.
Six people seeking two seats on the Sodus Central School District Board of Education made brief statements at the district’s May board meeting, outlining priorities that include staff pay, student support and community engagement.
Alyssa Flynn, running for the board and introduced by the chair, described herself as a parent, taxpayer and longtime Sodus resident and said she wants every student and family to be “heard, respected, and supported.” Flynn said she serves as vice president of her neighborhood association, the PTO and as a cub scout leader and asked the community to back her in the election.
Candidate Julie Stapler said her time working in the district — first as a one‑to‑one aide, then as a TA in the high‑school special education program — gave her practical knowledge of school operations. Stapler called for higher pay to help the district recruit and retain staff and said she would work to build a positive culture that “translates to the students.”
Incumbent board member Sarah Oberdorf Williams, who said she has served on the board since 2020, recounted the district’s COVID‑era challenges and said her focus remains on staff, student safety and maintaining a secure district. “Serving on the board means striking that fine balance between compliance and maintaining tough decisions with fairness,” she said.
John Hale, a district employee for more than 15 years, framed his candidacy as a continuation of community service and stressed his desire to help students “stay on a good track.” Recent graduate Simeon Van Dyne said his own education was disrupted by COVID and voiced a goal of improving the experience for current students. Incumbent Brian Wagner, who has served on the board about eight years, noted recurring performance patterns in math and reading and urged respectful advocacy and openness to changing one’s mind after new information is available.
Board members did not take any formal action related to the election at the meeting. The district’s election is scheduled for May 19; candidates asked residents to vote.
