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Sackets Harbor CSD Superintendent Jennifer L. Gaffney Named as 2026 New York State School Superintendent of the Year

September 29, 2025

Albany, NY - The New York State Council of School Superintendents (The Council and NYSCOSS) announced that they selected Jennifer L. Gaffney of Sackets Harbor CSD as its Superintendent of the Year for 2026 at it's 2025 Fall Leadership Summit Monday Morning Keynote on September 29, 2025.

NYSCOSS President Dr. Donna DeSiato and Superintendent of East Syracuse Minoa CSD said “In a time when visionary leadership is more critical than ever, Jennifer Gaffney exemplifies creative thinking, a strong work ethic, resourcefulness, and an unwavering student-centered approach. Jennifer’s commitment to students, educators, and the future of education embodies the very spirit of this award. It is an honor to recognize a leader whose impact will be felt for generations.”


Jefferson Lewis-Hamilton-Oneida BOCES District Superintendent Stephen Todd said “Jennifer Gaffney is one of the best superintendents I have had the privilege to work with in my 31 years of education. She has led an amazing district on a shoe-string budget, getting more opportunities and programs for her students year after year, even as resources in her district and community have become scarcer. She does this through creativity, partnerships with other districts and community agencies, and a work ethic that keeps her on the go all the time.” 

Gaffney will be formally honored during The Council's Winter Institute, taking place in Albany, March 1–3, 2026. She will also represent New York State as its official nominee for National Superintendent of the Year, awarded by the American Association of School Administrators (AASA) at the National Conference on Education in Nashville, Tennessee in February 2026.

Gaffney’s tenure has been marked by visionary yet practical leadership, and her work has drawn attention at the regional, state, and national levels for maximizing impact with limited resources.

She spearheaded the creation of the Sackets Support Center, an initiative that broadened student access to social-emotional, mental health, and academic services by harnessing her team’s expertise and establishing innovative partnerships.

Gaffney led with courage, compassion, and conviction through two major challenges - the COVID-19 pandemic and a regional immigration crisis - grounding her district’s response in student-centered values and transparent, inclusive communication. Her calm, principled leadership during these critical moments, paired with her unyielding commitment to doing what’s best for students, earned her Superintendent of the Year nominations in 2021 and again in 2025.  

NYSCOSS President Dr. Donna DeSiato and Superintendent of East Syracuse Minoa said "In a time when visionary leadership is more critical than ever, Jennifer Gaffney exemplifies creating thinking, a strong work ethic, resourcefulness, and an unwavering student-centered approach." 

This past school year, Gaffney and her colleagues were also named inaugural recipients of The Courage Project Award, a national honor supported by United Way Worldwide, the Freedom Together Foundation, the MacArthur Foundation, and the McKnight Foundation. The award recognizes bold, mission-driven leaders who enact meaningful change.

Under Gaffney’s creative and resourceful leadership, the district has consistently delivered an exceptional educational experience, despite limited resources, by prioritizing innovation, community engagement, and whole-child development. Her leadership is guided by a strong, principled vision: to develop compassionate, confident, and engaged individuals who are ready to lead and succeed in an ever-evolving world.

Under her guidance, the district has advanced five strategic goals:

Engaging all students in meaningful, future-ready learning
Promoting a safe and inclusive climate rooted in belonging and connectedness
Recruiting, developing, and retaining exceptional employees
Building highly engaged family, community, and business partnerships
Aligning resources to sustain impactful programs and services

“These goals aren’t just strategic, they’re personal,” said Gaffney. “They reflect our shared belief that every student deserves to be seen, heard, supported, and empowered - and that every member of our school team plays an essential role in shaping the collective future of our communities.” 


“Jennifer is more than deserving of this recognition,” added the Sackets Harbor Board of Education President, David Altieri. “She works tirelessly to serve and support the students of our community, relentlessly striving to provide all of them with meaningful learning opportunities in a safe, inclusive climate. Jennifer is consistently recognized as a role model of leadership in building partnerships in our community and by marshalling all available resources to support impactful programs and services.”
Gaffney’s selection as the New York State Superintendent of the Year is a testament not only to her accomplishments, but to her deep human approach to leadership, one that centers on relationships, equity, and a belief in the potential of every child.

Executive Director Dr. Charles Dedrick said “Jennifer is one of those steady education leaders who understands the work that needs to be accomplished on behalf of students while simultaneously being a thoughtful, informed leader providing insight into key issues impacting our state and nation. Leadership is at the heart of who Jennifer is. Her leadership example is one to be emulated by other superintendents.”
 
She lives in Adams, New York, with her husband, Derrick, and their three children - Caeden, Bryce, and Josie. As both a mother and a superintendent, she understands firsthand the hopes families carry for their children and the responsibility schools share in helping them realize their full potential. This dual perspective fuels her drive to create schools that nurture not only academic achievement but also compassion, curiosity, and character.

Sackets Harbor CSD Superintendent Jennifer L. Gaffney named as the 2026 New York State Superintendent of the Year.

Tarrytown UFSD Superintendent Dr. Raymond Sanchez Named as 2025 New York State School Superintendent of the Year

September 23, 2024

Albany, NY - The New York State Council of School Superintendents (The Council and NYSCOSS) announced that they selected Dr. Raymond Sanchez of the Tarrytown UFSD as its Superintendent of the Year for 2025 at it's 2024 Fall Leadership Summit Monday Morning Keynote on September 23, 2024.

Dr. Sanchez was honored at our Winter Institute & Lobby Day in Albany on March 2-4, 2025, and he represented New York as the state’s nominee for consideration as the national Superintendent of the Year, awarded by the American Association of School Administrators (AASA) at their National Conference on Education in New Orleans on March 6-8, 2025.

“Ray’s recognition as the New York State Superintendent of the Year is a testament to his focus every day on what is important–success and opportunity for every student he serves,” said Council President Lars Clemensen, who serves as the superintendent in Hampton Bays, NY. 

Dr. Clemensen added, “All throughout his career, Ray has been a leader in the superintendency, from driving advocacy initiatives that increased resources in high-need communities across New York State and as an educational leader, creating trajectory-changing opportunities for his students. The Council looks forward to honoring Ray with this award.”

Dr. Sanchez explained, “What has always driven me is a personal maxim: my good intentions are never enough. The hard work lies not in wanting to do the right thing, but in actually doing it. And that requires the efforts of many. I want to thank the communities of Ossining and Tarrytown, the many fine professionals I have worked with, and especially my Boards of Education for encouraging meaningful change on behalf of all children by recognizing that each child brings the potential for achievement and growth– and it is our moral responsibility to nurture and sustain them.”
Dr. Sanchez began his work as superintendent of Tarrytown UFSD on July 1, 2023, after spending most of his career just a few miles up the Hudson River in Ossining, NY, where he brought an energy marked by coalition-building, a focus on equity, and a zeal for community and district advocacy.  

After beginning his career in the Arlington (NY) School District as a teacher in 1998, he quickly found a passion for leadership through serving in a variety of capacities at Ossining, including ENL Supervisor, ELA Supervisory, and Assistant Principal. After a brief hiatus in service as a principal in a neighboring district, Ray began a deeper journey in Ossining, working as an Assistant Superintendent and Deputy Superintendent before being named Superintendent in 2013, in which he served for 10 years.
  
“Ray's recognition as the New York State Superintendent of the year is a testament to his focus every day on what is important-success and opportunity for every student he serves, said Council president Lars Clemensen, who serves as the superintendent in Hampton Bays, NY. 

Dr. Sanchez is extremely proud of the commitment to social justice and equity for all students that exists in both Ossining and Tarrytown. In the latter, a community whose demographic profile closely resembles that of Ossining, he has brought the same passion and the same principles of fairness and individualized focus on the families of the community. He has collaborated with his staff members to peel back the layers of the status quo to isolate unconscious biases, appreciate cultural differences on a more informed level, and use data to drive objective decision-making and resource allocation. Ossining UFSD was in the throes of demographic change when Dr. Sanchez was named superintendent, with significant numbers of recent immigrants, many from Central America, now calling Ossining home. Having worked in the district for years, he was acutely aware of the emerging challenges of the district that could only be addressed through a re-evaluation of principles, priorities and programs. And as a proficient bi-lingual speaker (English/Spanish) of Cuban heritage, he embraced the communication challenges that were key to building success.

His ethos centers on the needs of the youngest students to create both systemic and generational change. “The research is clear that the earlier we can get to students, the greater opportunity we have to erase inequities, mitigate negative cycles, and lift young people to greater heights,” he said. Indeed, his focus on creating a full-day Prekindergarten program at Ossining is a testament to his commitment to starting the youngest members of his community (and their families) with resources.

While the focus on the youngest students potentially carries a long-term impact for good, Dr. Sanchez also believes firmly in an integrated community-school model to support ALL students and families, and especially bringing to light the value of family-school-community partnerships. He is particularly proud of programs that leverage relationships with community partners to reimagine schools as ‘hubs’ of support for families seeking resources like health providers, legal counsel, clothing, and housing. Internally, he initiated diversity job fairs and created more focused HR processes anchored by a commitment to diversifying the teacher workforce, providing the highest quality certified staff, and building diversity, equity, and inclusion into HR practices.

Dr. Sanchez is also proud of the dual language programs he has instituted in both Ossining and Tarrytown–programs help all students become bilingual, bi-literate, and bi-cultural, and which contribute significantly to a broader appreciation of the power and promise of diversity and equity efforts. 

“We are delighted for Ray and honored to be part of this recognition,” said Tarrytown UFSD Board of Education President Michelle DeFilippis. “His passion for social justice, his commitment to equity for all students, and his relentless support for the power of diversity is incredibly meaningful to our residents. In his short time in Tarrytown, he has inspired our educators, our families, and our broader community through his tireless efforts to create a fabric of collaboration and pride.”

Dr. Sanchez, who holds an Ed.D. in Educational Leadership from Manhattanville College, has a passion for school leadership that extends significantly through his colleagues and many professional organizations, where he has served as both a leader and a mentor. Dr. Sanchez has been on the executive board of NYSCOSS, was the president of both the Lower Hudson Council of School Superintendents and the Putnam Northern Westchester Curriculum Council and served as a delegate for both AASA (national school administrators association) and the NYS Association for Bilingual Education. Outside of public education, he has been a board member at NY Presbyterian Hospital and the United Way, among other groups. 

“The New York State Superintendent of the Year is a recognition that honors exceptional leadership and this year it is being awarded to Dr. Raymond Sanchez, a superintendent who has demonstrated a commitment to improving outcomes, fostering innovation, and championing the needs of students, teachers, and his community. Dr. Sanchez exemplifies excellence in administration by serving as a visionary leader who inspires others. His work is characterized by a proactive approach to address issues through collaboration, communication, planning, and unwavering dedication to his students. We are proud to have Dr. Sanchez represent New York as the 2025 Superintendent of the Year,” said NYSCOSS Executive Director Charles Dedrick. 

In May 2024, Dr. Sanchez was awarded an honorary doctorate from Mercy University in Dobbs Ferry, NY.

Tarrytown UFSD Superintendent Dr. Raymond Sanchez named as the 2025 New York State Superintendent of the Year.

Council Provides Testimony on Future of Foundation Aid

August 14, 2024

Questions? Contact:

Robert Lowry, Deputy Director
Greg Berck, Esq., Assistant Director
E:  advocacy@nyscoss.org

ALBANY, NY – Today, Bob Lowry, The Council’s Deputy Director for Advocacy, Research, and Communications, is providing testimony on the future of Foundation Aid at a hearing conducted by the State University’s Rockefeller Institute of Government.

Our submitted testimony is available here

The testimony outlines a general approach for reviewing the formula, suggests principles to guide review, and recommends some specific changes for adoption or consideration. It concludes by offering observations on enrollment declines, save-harmless funding, and district reserves.

The 2024-25 state budget charged the Rockefeller Institute with producing a report and recommendations by December 1.

Please write to advocacy@nyscoss.org with any questions or suggestions. 


Read The Council’s testimony on the future of Foundation Aid and our approach for reviewing while providing recommended changes for the 2024-25 budget.

State Legislative Committee

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Committee PositionCommittee Member Contact InfoTerm StartTerm End
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Co-ChairDr. Joseph S. Famularo
Superintendent of Schools
Bellmore UFSD
580 Winthrop Ave Bellmore, NY 11710-4200 UNITED STATES
7/1/2018 
Co-ChairMr. Jeffrey P. Simons


7 Brinker Dr. S. Rensselaer, NY 12144
7/1/2024 
MemberDr. Christine M. Ackerman
Superintendent of Schools
Chappaqua CSD
PO Box 21 66 Roaring Brook Road Chappaqua, NY 10514
7/1/2023 
MemberMarc P. Baiocco
Superintendent of Schools
Clarkstown CSD
62 Old Middletown Road New City, NY 10956
7/1/2023 
MemberAndrew Cook
Superintendent of Schools
Hartford CSD
4704 State Route 149 Hartford, NY 12838
7/1/2021 
MemberAnthony Davis
Superintendent of Schools
Syracuse City SD
1025 Erie Boulevard West Syracuse, NY 13204 UNITED STATES
7/1/2023 
MemberMr. Andrew M. Doell
Superintendent of Schools
East Bloomfield CSD
45 Maple Avenue Ste A Bloomfield, NY 14469 UNITED STATES
7/1/2023 
MemberDr. Tom J. Douglas
Superintendent of Schools
Horseheads CSD
143 Hibbard Road Horseheads, NY 14845
7/1/2021 

Your Advocacy Team

 

Robert Lowry, Jr.
Deputy Director, NYSCOSS
BobLowry@nyscoss.org
Greg Berck, Esq.
Assistant Director, NYSCOSS
Greg@nyscoss.org

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