By Joyce Kryszak
Buffalo, NY – The Erie County Association of School Boards says good bye to it's old director -- and welcomes a new leader.
It came as a surprise last month when ECASB's Executive Director Jackie Paone announced she would be leaving. Paone, who headed several regional projects for area school districts, left the ECASB on January 13th to take a new position in Colorado.
But Thursday night, representatives from the 29 member school districts approved the appointment of a new director. Jane Burzynski, who was formerly communications director for Erie I BOCES, was selected from an initial field of 32 applicants.
Details of that contract weren't immediately available. But Shirley Nowak, ECSAB administrative assistant, says the advertised salary range was between $60,000 and $75,000 a year. She says Burzynski had all the qualifications they were looking for, including public relations and technical skills, as well as legislative experience.
The previous director, Paone was responsible for overseeing a multi-year regional collaboration study with Cornell Labor Studies. The study examined ways the 29 school districts and BOCES could consolidate and collaborate to save money. Recently, Paone also headed the independent group that was formed to initiate recommendations that came out of the study. Nowak says Burzynski will continue that work.
"New blood always energizes a project," Nowak said. "We're excited that she will take us to the next step."
Burzynski takes over her new post at ECASB on February 27th.