Archive: Around Town

Lansing's Board of Education bade farewell to Christine Iacobucci  at their Thursday meeting last week after six years of service on the board.  Iacobucci served two terms on the board before her defeat in the last election.  Her tenure on the board has been controversial and at times confrontational.  But she has said that she saw it as her role to ask hard questions and challenge decisions and the processes used to make them.

Douglas Land, a board member on the Central New York School Board Association, came to thank Iacobucci for her service on that board.  "Every year we make it a point to thank our retiring board members for their many, many years and countless hours of service," she said.  "I am here to thank Christine for her many years of loyal service.  She's been a great member of our Tompkins/Seneca/Tioga school boards team.  She always asks those penetrating questions, and we have enjoyed working with you so much."

District clerk Jodie Rusaw presented Iacobucci with a farewell cake as board Vice President Anne Drake thanked Iacobucci for her service.  "I just want to thank Christine for her six years on the Board," Drake said.  "It has been an honor being on the board.  I'll miss having you here to ask those questions and keeping things out in the open, and making me think about things I haven't thought of before, and looking at things differently."

"I'd like to thank the Central New York School Boards Association and the TST BOCES School Board Executive Committee for showing me what it means to be good neighbors, for making it possible for regional school boards to share and help each other toward our mutual goals of education," Iacobucci  said.  "Thanks you to the Lansing Central School Board of 2001 to which I was first elected, for helping to teach me what it means to be an honest, open, and hard working and caring school official and community representative.  I am grateful for the friendships that have lasted and grown from that year onward.  

"Most of all, thank you to the staff and teachers at Lansing.  Schools are all about people.  Bus drivers, child care staff, cafeteria staff, office staff, custodial and grounds staff, teacher aides, teacher assistance, nurses, counselors, principals and classroom teachers.  You are the backbone of our district.  Your genuine love for education makes what you do a calling, rather than a job.

"An informed and caring citizenry is the lifeblood of our society, and your service of education makes our community thrive.  I am proud to have been able to work with you.  It has been a great honor."

With only four of seven members present the board then set out to do the work of the evening.  But almost nothing could be passed, because four votes were needed to pass resolutions, and with only four members present everyone had to vote 'yea' in order to pass action items.  Iacobucci abstained on almost all resolutions, including passing a new tobacco policy and several other items, some of which will mean that paying this month's bills will be put on hold until the full board can meet to pass the financial items.

The next school board meeting is the annual organizational meeting in which new and returning board members decide on who will take on which responsibilities for the year.  The 7pm meeting will be held in Lansing High School library at 7pm on July 12.

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