HERKIMER – The annual Herkimer-Fulton-Hamilton-Otsego BOCES Board of Education reorganization meeting always involves voting on the board leadership, but this year, it also included officially appointing the next district superintendent and chief executive officer.
Board members formally appointed Donald (D.J.) Shepardson to the district superintendent and CEO position, and Shepardson signed a three-year contract. The board then took a brief recess to hold a dessert reception in his honor.
Shepardson, who is superintendent of West Canada Valley Central School District, starts at Herkimer BOCES on Oct. 1, following the retirement of current Herkimer BOCES District Superintendent and CEO Sandra Sherwood.
The Herkimer BOCES Board of Education’s reorganization meeting took place on Thursday, July 6, in the new Herkimer BOCES Gateway Center on the second floor of the Arc Herkimer Business Park building at 420 E. German St. in Herkimer.
During the meeting, board members re-elected Holly Pullis to a one-year term as board president and re-elected Ronald Loiacono to a one-year term as board vice president. They both started their previous terms in the roles in January 2023, after then-Board President Michael Clements passed away unexpectedly in December 2022. Pullis was then the board’s vice president and was elected as president, and Loiacono was elected as vice president.
On April 20 during the BOCES administrative budget and board vote, four people were elected to the Herkimer BOCES Board of Education. Loiacono and James (Bob) Schmid were re-elected to three-year terms. Michele Szarek, who was appointed by the board in fall 2022 to fill a vacant seat, was newly elected to a three-year term. Kathy Sarafin, who was appointed on Feb. 9 to fill Clements’ seat on the board through April 19, was newly elected to fill the rest of the term from April 20, 2023, through June 30, 2024.
Loiacono and Szarek were sworn into their board seats by Board Clerk Shawn Maxson during the reorganization meeting. Schmid was absent and will be sworn in at a future meeting. Sarafin was sworn in immediately following the April 20 election. Pullis represents Owen D. Young on the BOCES board, Loiacono represents Mount Markham, Schmid represents Dolgeville, Szarek represents Poland and Sarafin represents Frankfort-Schuyler.
From left: Future Herkimer-Fulton-Hamilton-Otsego BOCES District Superintendent and Chief Executive Officer Donald (D.J.) Shepardson signs his contract with Herkimer BOCES as Board of Education President Holly Pullis and Board Clerk Shawn Maxson look on, during the board’s reorganization meeting on Thursday, July 6, in the Herkimer BOCES Gateway Center.
From left: Future Herkimer-Fulton-Hamilton-Otsego BOCES District
Superintendent and Chief Executive Officer Donald (D.J.) Shepardson
signs his contract with Herkimer BOCES as Board of Education President
Holly Pullis and Board Clerk Shawn Maxson look on, during the board’s
reorganization meeting on Thursday, July 6, in the Herkimer BOCES
Gateway Center.
Herkimer-Fulton-Hamilton-Otsego BOCES Board of Education President Holly
Pullis is sworn in by Board Clerk Shawn Maxson, after being re-elected
to a one-year term as board president during the board’s reorganization
meeting on Thursday, July 6, in the Herkimer BOCES Gateway Center.
Herkimer-Fulton-Hamilton-Otsego BOCES Board of Education Vice President Ronald Loiacono is sworn in by Board Clerk Shawn Maxson, after being re-elected to the board in April and re-elected to a one-year term as vice president during the board’s reorganization meeting on Thursday, July 6, in the Herkimer BOCES Gateway Center.
Herkimer-Fulton-Hamilton-Otsego BOCES Board of Education member Michele Szarek is sworn in by Board Clerk Shawn Maxson for a new term as a board member during the board’s reorganization meeting on Thursday, July 6, in the Herkimer BOCES Gateway Center.