Lunchbox program receives statewide award, board of education sets budget vote

The New York State School Board Association (NYSSBA) recently honored Lansing Lunchbox for its dedication to furthering child nutrition at Lansing Central School District (LCSD) at the LCSD Board of Education meeting on April 26.

NYSSBA, a consortium of school boards from across the state advocating for the interests of districts all over New York, presented Lansing Lunchbox with its “Champions of Change” award. Peter Nowacki, the regional director for NYSSBA’s Section Four, was on hand at the board meeting to recognize the nonprofit’s mission. Region Four comprises districts in the counties of Broome, Cayuga, Chemung, Chenango, Cortland, Onondaga, Schuyler, Tioga and Tompkins.

Lansing Lunchbox, which has been around since 2019, is a local nutrition program that feeds children who don’t have access to safe and reliable food sources. The group was started by Lansing Parent Teacher Student Organization (PTSO) members Toni Adams, Amy Frith, Linda Pasto and Susan Tabrizi, and was first called Lansing Summer Lunchbox.

“This is a great award for what you folks have accomplished,” Nowacki said.

The award highlights the many district and Boards of Cooperative Educational Services (BOCES) programs and initiatives that are bringing positive, meaningful change to the students, communities and districts of New York.

 “You have a program that is giving students food throughout the day if they need it,” Nowacki noted. “Programs like this help our families across the state in terms of feeding the kids and giving them good nutrition.”

For Nowacki, Lansing Lunchbox’s mission is vital to education, as it improves the learning environment for students.

“If the kid is hungry and coming to school, they are not going to perform as well,” he added. “We can’t tell you how much we appreciate what you are doing with this program.”

To select award nominees, NYSSBA goes through a rigorous process of vetting mission-driven organizations across New York, Nowacki said. 

“In order to get this award, NYSSBA goes through all news articles [and] word of mouth. We go through the schools. We see unique programs,” he added. “Our members pick 25 to 30 programs that might be worthy. It then goes to a committee of school board members, and they go through that shortlist. These few that are selected are truly spectacular, so they deserve ‘Champions of Change’ awards.”

Lansing Lunchbox’s board comprises Lisa Scanlon, Amy Frith, Linda Paston, Susan Tabrizi and Sarah Segal.

“It really is an honor to be recognized by NYSSBA,” Tabrizi, the group’s president and executive director, said in a statement. “It’s encouraging when a group like NYSSBA notices your work — it gives you a boost that says you’re on the right track and keep going.”

NYSSBA serves more than 675 local school boards and BOCES, which represent more than 5,200 members — nearly half of the elected officials in the state.

The group provides information, training, advocacy and guidance on matters affecting school boards and collaborates with other educational and related organizations to promote excellence in education for public school students.

Additionally at the meeting, the LCSD Board of Education approved via a vote of 4-2 the finalized $18.9 million budget for the 2024-2025 school year. Board members Katherine Cole and John Stevens voted no on the budget.

The budget represents an increase in expenditures of $823,104 from last year’s spending plan.

A complete discussion of how the board voted to approve the budget can be found here:

There is a public hearing planned for May 13, when district officials will take input from community members at the Lansing High School auditorium. The event will also serve as a “Meet the Candidates” forum for district residents to hear from candidates for two board seats that will be up for grabs on Election Day, May 21. 

Voters can exercise their franchise from 7 a.m. to 9 p.m. that day at the R.C. Buckley Elementary School cafeteria. 

In brief:

The results are in for the 2024 children’s vote to decide the movie that will play at the Summer Family Movie Night shown at the Lansing Town Hall on July 13. The event is organized by the Lansing Community Library.

Young voters chose “Kung Fu Panda 4” as the film.