Ben Tsujimoto

1 week ago | buffalonews.com | Ben Tsujimoto

A leader who is bold in the face of adversity. A transparent communicator with integrity. A person with financial wisdom, yet an awareness that kids need access to opportunities in the arts. An administrator focused on students’ needs, not the tradition of hiring “family and friends” in City Hall. These are some of the most frequent descriptions of candidates the Buffalo Schools community would like to see in a new superintendent.

1 week ago | buffalonews.com | Ben Tsujimoto

The Buffalo School Board on Wednesday night narrowly approved the district's proposed $1.19 billion budget by a 5-3 vote, but the outcome hung in the balance several hours into a meeting that was derailed by Board members raising their voices at each other. "We're waiting until the 11th hour to begin this nonsense?" School Board President Kathy Evans-Brown asked after pounding her gavel at least three times in an attempt to restore order.

1 week ago | buffalonews.com | Ben Tsujimoto

Fredonia Central Schools was one of six districts in New York State to have its proposed budget shot down Tuesday by voters 472-414, even though it did not exceed the tax cap and attempted to increase the tax levy by just 2.59%. District Superintendent Brad Zilliox on Thursday described the $38.3 million budget’s failure as “a little bit of a glitch,” but its demise was not for one simple reason.

1 week ago | buffalonews.com | Ben Tsujimoto

The Buffalo School Board last week amplified serious concerns with Superintendent Tonja M. Williams Knight’s proposed budget, particularly plans to cut roughly 20 student support team staff and spend almost $80 million in reserves to balance the budget.

2 weeks ago | buffalonews.com | Ben Tsujimoto

The head of superintendents for public schools in Erie and Niagara counties said the 100% passage of school budgets Tuesday represents a serious win for local education. “I think there’s a prevalent sense in Western New York that our schools are getting it right,” said Michael Cornell, president of the Erie-Niagara School Superintendents Association and former Hamburg Schools superintendent.