Council Committees
Committees are an important part of the work of The Council. Each committee is led by a chairperson who is appointed by the President with recommendations by the Executive Director.
Membership on committees varies depending on the by-laws. Members are welcome to join the committees (s)he is most interested in. Committee selection is done in conjunction with membership and only active members of The Council may join committees. Join a committee and:
- Share your expertise in areas of Curriculum and Instruction.
- Select the next scholarship winner.
- Educate your fellow colleagues on wellness.
- Advocate in Washington, D.C. for New York school districts.
Join a Committee
Join one or more of these Council Committees when submitting your membership for the year and be more involved in helping students, school district communities and your colleagues. Assist The Council with important tasks that help this organization work for, with, and by our members.
Athletics
Liaison to the New York State Public High School Athletic Association;
provides input to legislative committees and NYSED on issues related to
athletics.
Chair: Angelina Maloney, Superintendent, Brunswick CSD
Council Contact: Charles Dedrick, Executive Director, NYSCOSS
Cabinet
The Cabinet Committee helps explore and develop professional development programs and services tailored to the needs of The Council's Cabinet members.
Chair: Lynn Allen, Assistant Superintendent, Putnam/Northern Westchester BOCES
Council Contact: Vreneli Banks, Director, LEAF, Inc.
Commission on Diversity and Inclusivity
The Commission is committed to cultivating diversity among superintendents and to support efforts by school districts to provide diverse and equitable communities.
Chairs: Luvelle Brown, Superintendent, Ithaca & L. Oliver Robinson, Superintendent, Shenendehowa
Council Contact: Vreneli Banks, Director, LEAF, Inc.
Conference Committee
Guides the design of the Fall Leadership Summit and the Winter Institute
to create a seamless experience for attendees including improving educational
formats, identifying leading meeting ideas, and creating content strands
and vetting presentation proposals.
Chairs: President-Elect Martha Group, Vernon-Verona-Sherril CSD and President Phyllis Harrington, Superintendent, Oceanside UFSD
Council Contacts: Theresa Wutzer Moore, Associate Director, NYSCOSS and Heather Rapp, Administrative Assistant, NYSCOSS
Curriculum and Instruction
Helps to formulate Council positions on curriculum, assessment and
instructional issues. Primarily responsible for advising The Council on
most issues addressed by the Board of Regents and disseminates
information to the membership pertaining to curricular concerns.
Co-Chairs: Lorna Lewis, Superintendent, Malverne UFSD and Kim Fontana, Superintendent, Pawling CSD
Council Contact: Robert Lowry, Deputy Director, NYSCOSS
Assessment Sub-Committee
Serves as a liaison between the Curriculum and Instruction Committee and
the NYSED Office for Standards, Assessments, and Reporting. Solicits
input and feedback regarding issues, questions, concerns, and
recommendations pertaining to assessment.
Chair: David Hurst, Assistant Superintendent for Educational Programs, Bethlehem CSD
Council Contact: Robert Lowry, Deputy Director, NYSCOSS
Special Ed Sub-Committee
This sub-committee of the Curriculum & Instruction Committee helps
to formulate Council positions on Special Education and serves as an
advisory subcommittee to the Curriculum and Instruction Committee on
matters related to serving students with disabilities in New York State.
Chair: Maureen Donahue, Superintendent, Southwestern CSD
Council Contact: Gregory Berck, Esq., Assistant Director for Governmental Relations, NYSCOSS
Dr. Mary Barter Scholarship
The scholarship committee explores and recommends strategies for recruitment of outstanding candidates to encourage diversity among educational leaders. They also select candidates for the scholarship each year through a comprehensive application process.
Chair: Gladys Cruz, District Superintendent, Questar III BOCES
Council Contact: Deidre Hungerford, Associate Director for Business Development, NYSCOSS
Federal Legislative
An advocacy committee which serves to monitor federal legislation and to
provide input on key issues affecting New York State schools to members
of U.S. Congress and the U.S. Department of Education. The committee
also coordinates efforts with the sub-committee of the American
Association of School Administrators (AASA)/Federal Relations Committee.
Membership on this committee includes New York's AASA Executive
Committee and Governing Board members.
Chair: Cosimo Tangorra, Superintendent, New Hartford CSD
Council Contacts: Greg Berck, Esq., Assistant Director for Governmental Relations, NYSCOSS and Robert Lowry, Deputy Director, NYSCOSS
Member Service Sub-Committee
A sub-committee of the Snapshot of the Superintendency Committee, which primarily is
responsible for reviewing current member benefits and determining
what/if any additional services may be beneficial to the membership.
Chair: To Be Announced
Council Contact: Melanie Seiden, Associate Director for Membership, NYSCOSS and Kelley Pratt, Program Associate, NYSCOSS
Wellness
Promotes the well-being of superintendents through informational programs and activities.
Chair: Bo Lawrence Wright, Superintendent, Rush-Henrietta CSD
Council Contact: Jacinda Conboy, Esq., General Counsel, NYSCOSS
The following committees are by appointment only.
APPR Task Force
Aids in formulating Council positions on teacher and principal evaluation issues and in identifying information and training needs of members about the evaluation system.
Chair: Open Position
Budget
Prepares budget for submission to House of Delegates. The House of Delegates at the Winter Institute meeting elects three Budget Committee members.
Co-Chairs: Council Treasurer Roberto Padilla, Superintendent and Executive Committee Members Lars Clemensen, Superintendent, Hampton Bays UFSD
Council Contacts: Deborah Orsini, Associate Director for Finance, NYSCOSS and Charles Dedrick, Executive Director, NYSCOSS
Constitution, By-Laws and Resolutions
Reviews proposed amendments and resolutions to The Council’s Constitution and drafts amendments for consideration by active members. Constitution limits membership to seven members.
Chair: Kevin McGowan, Superintendent, Brighton CSD
Council Contacts: Charles Dedrick, Executive Director, NYSCOSS and Jacinda Conboy, Esq., General Counsel, NYSCOSS
Distinguished Service
Selects recipients of The Council’s Awards including the Raymond R. Delaney Memorial Scholarship and Distinguished Service Award, both of which are given at the Fall Leadership Summit. Friend of The Council and Appreciation Awards are presented at the Winter Institute. The committee also selects New York State's candidate for AASA's Superintendent of the Year award and is composed of past presidents and Officers of The Council.
Chair: Hank Grishman, Superintendent, Jericho
Council Contacts: Deidre Hungerford, Associate Director for Business Development, NYSCOSS and Theresa Wutzer Moore, Associate Director, NYSCOSS
Ethics
Promotes high standards of ethics among school administrators; assists members in dealing with ethical issues; investigates allegations of improper practices; recommends financial assistance for initial legal consultation. The Council’s president appoints committee members.
Chair: To Be Announced
Council Contact: Jacinda Conboy, Esq., General Counsel, NYSCOSS
Finance and Investment
Responsibilities shall be to advise The Council on investments, recommend an investment strategy, ensure the preparation of an annual audit and tax forms, and review audited financial statements.
Chair: Charles Dedrick, Executive Director
Council Contacts: Charles Dedrick, Executive Director, NYSCOSS and Deborah Orsini, Associate Director for Finance, NYSCOSS
State Legislative
The mission of the legislative committee is to advocate for the support of public education with elected officials, state and local agencies, the media, and local communities. They stress the importance of public education as an investment in the country’s future through regular communication with policy makers and help shape education policy through position papers, letters to the editor, and timely articles. The also prepare a legislative agenda.
Chairs: Joseph Famularo, Superintendent, Bellmore UFSD and Michael Cornell, Superintendent, Hamburg CSD
Council Contacts: Greg Berck, Esq., Assistant Director for Governmental Relations, NYSCOSS and Robert Lowry, Deputy Director, NYSCOSS
Nominating
Places names of active members in nomination for Council offices and communicates with the membership relate to the process. The committee, consisting of seven members, is appointed at the Winter Institute.
Chair: Angelina Maloney, Superintendent, Brunswick CSD
Council Contact: Heather Rapp, Administrative Assistant, NYSCOSS
Past Presidents' Committee
The Council values the contribution that Past Presidents can make to the organization. Past Presidents have specific institutional memory that cannot be overstated. This committee is composed of Past Presidents, currently serving as active school superintendents as well as Retired Life Members (RLMs) and their goal is to provide support to the executive committee, LEAF programming and committee chairs. They meet regularly as well as participate in various Council events.
Co-Chairs: Maureen Donahue, Superintendent, Southwestern CSD and Executive Committee Member Cosimo Tangorra, Superintendent, New Hartford CSD
Council Contact: Theresa Wutzer Moore, Associate Director, NYSCOSS
Strategic Partner Advisory Committee
The Strategic Partnership Advisory Committee is composed of individuals participating in our Partnership Program that are interested in guiding our efforts in the support area.
It is open to all representatives from companies/organizations enrolled in the Partnership Program and who are invited by NYSCOSS staff to participate on the committee. The committee meets once a year virtually or in-person to plan the Fall and Winter events and review the Partnership Program. Decisions affecting the Partnership Program will be reviewed with the Advisory Committee prior to implementing changes.
Chair: NYSCOSS Vice President Jason Andrews, Superintendent, Windsor CSD
Council Contact: Deidre Hungerford, Associate Director of Business Development, NYSCOSS
Snapshot of the Superintendency
Primarily responsible for the design, development, and writing of the Snapshot of the Superintendency. Committee members possess expertise in research design and methodology as well as professional writing for publication. Members of the committee must attend meetings and contribute to the design, development, and writing of the document.
Chair: To Be Announced
Council Contact: Dena Gauthier, Senior Graphic Designer