Three seeking election to Board of Education

A $34,730,650.00 proposed 2022-2023 Akron Central School budget and candidates for three Board of Education seats will be presented at a public hearing on May 10, and will come before district voters on May 17, 2022

Candidates for the three open seats are Ryan Allen, Heather Cayea, and Kristy Pingitore.  Their bios, as submitted to District Clerk Roxanne Rebmann follow:

Ryan Allen

My name is Ryan Allen and I have lived in Akron for the past four years since moving back to the area from New England. I am the proud father of five children and work in the Heavy Equipment field as a Crane Technician.

I have served the communities in which I have lived, from WNY to Vermont, to Maine and back again as a First Responder with dual roles as an EMT and Fire Fighter for the past 22 years. I am proud to serve the Village of Akron in my current capacity as a Volunteer Fireman with the Akron Fire Department. I take the responsibility that comes with that role very seriously and feel blessed to serve alongside the men and women in my Company.

I am a motorcycle enthusiast and enjoy getting out as often as possible to ride. I’ve been a long time member of the motorcycle club I belong to which is comprised of fellow Fireman from the area.  We use our platform to help various organizations within our townships and participate in community outreach through charity rides and fundraisers regularly.

I pride myself on my ability to keep an open mind, a cool head and an analytical approach when faced with adverse situations and find that most things can be resolved by stepping back and pausing to have a conversation as opposed to an argument.

I am running for Akron Board of Education because parents deserve to be active and informed participants in their children’s education. They have a right to know about the curriculum and content their children are being taught and they have a right to ask questions about the use of their tax dollars. Communication, transparency and accountability are not optional when it comes to our kids. The parents in the Akron/Newstead community deserve a Board of Education made up of Trustees who are committed to ensuring the best interests of Akron students are upheld, tough questions are asked about proposed use of hard-earned tax dollars and who realize that our children cannot thrive without the teamwork between the parents and members of the school board and administration. I humbly ask for your vote on May 17th.

Heather Cayea

Heather Cayea has been a resident of Newstead for 14 years.  She lives with her husband Bill and four children, who all attend Akron Central School District.

Heather is a strong advocate for children and public service.  She has volunteered in numerous organizations in our community such as Den Leader for Akron Cub Scouts, Akron Girl Scout Co-Troop Leader, Committee Chair for Akron PTA, a volunteer Akron Celebration Committee, Newstead Recreation Department, and Akron Soccer League.  As a teacher for 16 years, she brings an educational background and is an advocate for students with disabilities.  She understands many of the challenges our schools, teachers, and students face on a day-to-day basis.  Heather is seeking re-election after serving 3 years on the Akron School Board.

During this time, she worked with the Board to overcome the many challenges the District faced with the COVID-19 pandemic.  “I feel it has been a privilege to serve on the Akron School Board.  I look forward to working together with our community to secure quality education for all our students.”

Kristy Pingitore

My name is Kristy Pingitore, and I have been a resident of Akron since moving here from my home state of Maine in 2004. My husband (Anthony) and I have six children ranging in age from seven to twenty-four. Three graduated from Akron in 2016, 2017 and 2019, and three currently attend Akron Central in the 2nd, 6th, and 10th-grade levels.

I am running for the Akron Board of Education because much has changed in our district in the few short years since my oldest kids graduated. When the pandemic hit and school went remote, I saw several areas of concern with curriculum content, both with what I observed being taught and what I considered to be educational basics that were not being taught. As a result, I began attending school board meetings and asking questions, researching state education laws and board responsibility. It is my goal to open the lines of communication between the parents of this district and the school board that serves it.  Transparency and accountability are key to that change, and I believe I would be instrumental in the facilitation of that change with my background and vested interest as a district parent myself.  

Since graduating, I have worked in the contracting and forensic accounting fields, with a primary focus on the construction industry. I have enjoyed 19 years of success in helping to build and re-structure several firms during that time. My husband’s family has owned and operated B+B Door Service in Newstead since 1982, a business built on my father-in-law’s hard work, strong ethics, and belief in fair service to his neighbors within this community. In 2018 my father-in-law retired to become a full-time Papa to our kids and passed B+B Door Service down to my husband and me.  Since that time, I have made our business my career. I have focused on Re-branding, Industrial and Commercial Client Development, and the implementation of operating processes alongside my husband, who handles the service side of our business. Both he and I are very invested in continuing to operate our business in Akron and, more importantly, to serve within our community and give back to it in any way possible.

That commitment to community was the main factor in my becoming involved with the Akron Chamber of Commerce in 2020. I am currently on the Board holding the position of Treasurer. In addition, I am Chairperson for the Chamber’s Thursday Cruise Nights on Main and Super Cruise event, and I am honored to have brought the Akron Hometown Heroes Banner Program to the Chamber. The banners feature Akron/Newstead Veterans and current service members and will be hung on light posts throughout the Village annually from Memorial Day through Veterans Day beginning this year.  This program is especially near and dear to my heart as my oldest son is currently serving in the US Air Force.

I am also a member of the Blue Star Mothers of America, serving in the NY Chapter 7 locally and nationally as an advocate in the 22 a Day program, helping to end Veteran suicide and bring awareness to the Mental Health of our Servicemembers.  Serving in this organization has helped me as a military mother cope with the many challenges military families make as their loved ones serve. It has been such an honor to be a part of this organization.

I believe that when there are things that can be improved upon, action and not criticism from the sidelines is how those improvements are best made. As someone who has never been a sideline observer and will not hesitate to stand when called on, I humbly ask for your vote on May 17th.

Absentee ballot applications for the Akron Central School May Budget Vote and School Board Elections may be acquired by contacting the District Office at (716)542-5006 or by emailing the District Clerk at districtclerk@akronk12.org.

The completed application must be returned to the district on or before Tuesday, May 10 if the ballot is to be mailed to the resident.  Or, the completed application must be received by the district no later than Monday, May 16 if the ballot is being picked up by the voter.

Ballots are due in the Clerk’s Office by 5 p.m. on vote day, Tuesday, May 17.

Applicants must be at least 18 years old.  They also must be a U.S. citizen and a district resident for at least 30 days prior to the vote date.

Questions regarding absentee ballots should be addressed with the District Clerk, Roxanne Rebmann, at (716)542-5006.