Award Descriptions and Past Recipients: 

See here for the most current information

 

Diana R. Miller Service Award: 

 

The Diana R. Miller Service to Education Award was established in 1981. It is given in memory of Diana R. Miller who, at the time of her death on September 9, 1981, was a teacher, school board member for the Lancaster Central School district, and President of the Erie County Association of School Boards. The first award was given posthumously to Mrs. Miller and was presented to her family at the ECASB Fall Dinner meeting on November 12, 1981.

 

The Diana R. Miller Service to Education Award honors an individual or an organization who has made contributions to the betterment of education and/or assisted ECASB in achieving its mission on behalf of public education.

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 APPLICATION - DIANA R. MILLER AWARD: 

 

PAST RECIPIENTS:

Robert M. Walker, Esq.-1982; Frederic Sievenpiper-1983; Merton L. Haynes-1984; Marjorie C. Chase-1985; Edward J. Sakowski-1986; Chester A. Nowacki-1987; Betty T. Quinn-1988; Mary Ellen Murphy -1989; Robert A. Binner-1990; Jean W00d-1991; Stan- ley J. Figiel-1993; Janet Sweet-1994; Alison Hyde-1995; Linda U. Riley-1997; James A. Powers-1998; Dr. Eugene Steinberg-1999; Eileen Rucker-2000; Judith Katz-2001; Florence Johnson-2002; Dr. Charles Stoddart-2003; Jan Peters-2004; Wayne Schlifke- 2005; Linda Hoffman-2008; Raymond Carr-2009; Delia Bonenberger-2010; Dr. Thomas Coseo-2011; Lorie Sabo (posthumously)-2012; Kathyann Lorka-2013; Julie McCullough-2014; David Lowrey-2015; Mary Busse-2016; Maryellen Kloss-2017; Brenda Christopher-2018; Ron Catalano-2019; Sharon Belton-Cottman-2020; John Sherman-2020; Robert Polino-2021; Terrance Heard - 2022; Dr. Christine Gray-Tinnesz-2023; Kristin Schmutzler-2023; Denise McCowan-2024; Ken-Ton Superintendent, Sabatino Cimato-2024, Ken-Ton Board of Education-2024.

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Laura M. Burns Advocacy for Children Award: 

 

The Laura M. Burns Advocacy for Children Award was established in 1998. It is given in memory of Laura M. Burns, who passed away in 1998. Laura served as a teacher and served on the Hamburg Central School District, serving as president for 2 years.

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The Laura M. Burns Advocacy for Children Award honors a current or former school board member who has provided outstanding service in advocacy for children, demonstrating leadership in the district and community with actions that clearly benefit children and show a willingness to stand up for principles that “put kids first”.

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APPLICATION - LAURA M. BURNS AWARD:

 

PAST RECIPIENTS:

Laura Burns (posthumously)-1998; Linda Hoffman-1999; Margery G. Baumler-2000; Lorie Sabo-2001; Raymond Carr-2002; Margaret Fletcher-2003; Mary Michael Egan- 2004; Andrew Loeb-2006; Jane Okun & Michael Morrow-2007; Dolores Mendola-2008’ Louis Reuter-2009; Richard Vogan-2010; Thomas Kulaszewski-2011; William Freeman- 2012; Jan Dalbo and Elaine Diederich-2013; Patricia Brunner-Collins-2014; Renee Wilson-2016; Charles Specht-2017; Dr. Jill O’Malley-2018; David Yoviene-2019; Sylvester Cleary-2020; Dwight Eagan-2021, Scott Johnson-2021, No recipient named-2022; Matthew Chimera-2023; Sharon Belton-Cottman-2024.

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Lorie E. Sabo Advocacy Award: 

 

The Lorie E. Sabo Advocacy Scholarship Award was established in 2012 after the untimely passing of long time Orchard Park and Erie 2 CC BOCES Board Member on November 25, 2011.  The Lorie E. Sabo Advocacy Scholarship Award is funded through the ECASB Annual  Awards Dinner Basket Raffle and Split Club.  The funds are available to ECASB Member District Board of Education Members wishing to attend Lobby Days in Albany and Washington, D.C.  to help offset the cost of any funds that may not be available through the local school district advocacy budgets.  Board members wishing to be considered to receive funds should fill out the Lorie E. Sabo Advocacy Fund form and submit it to the ECASB Awards committee by deadline date to be considered for the award.  Additional details are available on the application.  In September of 2020, it was decided by the Delegate Assembly that we should also have a Lori Sabo Advocacy Award that would honor an ECASB member that was active in advocating for public education.

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APPLICATION - LORIE E. SABO AWARD:

 

PAST RECIPIENTS:

Kathleen Chiavetta-2021; Scott Johnson-2021; Erik Polkowski-2022; Edward Schaefer-2023; Michael Franey-2024;

 

Hodgson Russ Excellence in Collaboration Award: 

 

The Hodgson Russ Excellence in Collaboration Award was established in 2005. The award honors a school district and at least one community partner who has developed an education program that has propelled the district toward greatness and has the potential to be replicated elsewhere. The program must be unique, exemplary, and go above and beyond the ordinary. 

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APPLICATION - HODGSON EXCELLENCE IN COLLABORATION AWARD:

 

PAST RECIPIENTS:

West Seneca CSD and its partners, NFIEC and Erie 1 BOCES for the Business & Education Employability Portfolio (BEEP) program – 2005;

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Holland CSD and its partner, Young audiences of WNY for “A rainforest come to Holland”-2006; Cheektowaga Central School District for it “Seniors and Students Partnership” with the Cheektowaga Department of Senior Services – 2007;

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Lake Shore Central School District for “Substance Abuse Training”-2008; HONOR Award: Orchard Park – 2009

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Cheektowaga Schools and Cheektowaga Alliance for Healthy Communities/Healthy Youth – 2010

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Cleveland Hill/UB Partnership and Erie 2 CC BOCES and Partners Central Business Office Service – 2011

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Eden Community Service Project and Hamburg Finance Academy – 2012

 

Springville GI and the Springville Community Foundation – 2013

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Erie 2 Chautauqua Cattaraugus BOCES Virtual AP Academy: HONOR Awards to Hamburg Central Schools EMT Training and Certification Program AND Ken-Ton UFSD Ken-Ton Academies – 2014

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West Seneca CSD Raising Readers WNY: HONOR Awards: Erie 1 BOCES Twilight Program and Erie 1 BOCES New Visions Program: Connections and HONORABLE MENTION to Hamburg CSD Drug and Alcohol Parent Forum – 2015

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Tonawanda Schools and Herschel Carousel Museum for “T-NT S.T.E.A.M. is Dynamite!”: HONOR Award: Erie 1 BOCES and Carubba Collision – 2016

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West Seneca Schools and health/medical partnering organizations for “West Seneca Academy of Life Science”: HONOR Award: Springville Students for Human Rights and human rights partnering organizations - 2017

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Amherst Central Schools “Tiger’s Den Food Pantry” in partnership with St. Paul’s Lutheran Church and the WNY Food Pantry - 2018

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Grand Island Central School District “Growing Readers” in partnership with Grand Island Pediatrics, Grand Island Memorial Library, Grand Island Neighbor’s Foundation, Grand Island Rotary, Grand Island Teachers Association, Grand Island School-Related Professionals, Grand Island CSD Administrator’s Union, Fucillo Automotive Group, Grand Island Golden Age Center and Private Community Donors. - 2019

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Iroquois Central School District & Central Community "It Takes A Community" – 2020

 

No recipient named-2021

 

Clarence Central School District & "The Clarence Clothing Closet" - 2022

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Alden Central School District - BullDog Manufacturing - 2023

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Sweet Home Central School District - Northwest Community Center in conjunction with the Town of Amherst, the Amherst IDA and Zaepfel Development - 2024

 

Wayne Schlifke Lifetime Achievement Award 

 

The Wayne Schlifke Lifetime Achievement Award was established in 2017 to honor the memory of Wayne Schlifke. Wayne served on the Depew Union Free School Board for 5 years, Erie 1 Boces Board of Education for over 25 years, and served as Area 1 Director for NYSSBA. Wayne also served as the Vice President of the NYSSBA in 2006 and served as President in 2008. The award recognizes an individual whose lifetime efforts have resulted in outstanding service to the Erie County Association of School Boards and the education community.

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The award will not be presented every year. Rather, it will be designated by the Awards Review Team in the specific and unique circumstances where lifetime achievement recognition is warranted.

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APPLICATION - WAYNE SCHLIFKE LIFETIME AWARD:

 

PAST RECIPIENTS:

Karl Kristoff, Esq. – 2017; Linda Hoffman – 2021; David Little - 2022; Raymond Carr - 2023; Scott Johnson - 2024;

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ECASB School District Clerk Service to Education Award

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The ECASB School District Clerk Service To Education Award Sponsored by Webster Szanyi, LLP may be awarded in 2020 for the first time to honor a School District Clerk that has made contributions to the betterment of education or the betterment in the operations of Board of Education meetings within the district. The nominee must have served in the role for at least 5 years and must have assisted ECASB or other District Clerks.

 

APPLICATION - SCHOOL DISTRICT CLERK SERVICE TO EDUCATION AWARD:

 

PAST RECIPIENTS:

Jessica Neischel, Depew UFSD – 2020; Deborah Custodi, Amherst CSD – 2021; Gina Santa Maria – 2022; Cindy Sadowski (Former) -Iroquois CSD - 2023; Wendy Limardi, Cleveland Hill - 2023; Not Presented - 2024;​

Friend(s) of ECASB Award

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Friend(s) of ECASB Award may be awarded for the first time in 2020. Nominations will be accepted by District Clerks, Board of Education Members, or Superintendents to nominate individuals or groups of individuals that are NOT ECASB members that have been helpful in advancing ECASB’s Mission and Vision.

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APPLICATION - FRIEND(S) OF ECASB AWARD:

 

PAST RECIPIENTS: (2020 will be the first year for the award)

Kathy Ann Queeno, Kathy Ann Queeno Accounting - 2021; Dr. Rick Timbs, R.G. Timbs, Inc. - 2022; Wayne Drescher, Shared Business Manager 2023; Assemblyman William Conrad - 2024; Senator Patrick Gallivan - 2024;

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