Meet the Board of Education

The Central Valley Central School District Board of Education is comprised of seven members, each elected to a three-year term.

Contacting board of education members: address email to boe@cvalleycsd.org. (A copy of the email automatically forwards to each board member.)

The current members are:

  • Jason Sanchez (president)

  • Marguerite Wesolowski (vice president)

  • Jonathan Boucher

  • Travis Costin

  • Matt Darrow

  • Pattie Day

  • Valerie Day

Jason Sanchez

Jason Sanchez

Term expires June 30, 2025

Jason attended the University of Rochester, earning his Bachelor of Arts in History in 1999. He earned his Master of Arts in Teaching in 2001. Jason began teaching in 2001. He received his Certificate of Advanced Studies from SUNY Cortland in 2010. He has worked as a teacher and an administrator for over twenty years. Jason is the Director of Pupil Personnel for Mount Markham Central School District. Jason lives in Mohawk with his wife Erin and their four children.

What are the most important issues you believe face the Board of Education of the Central Valley School District?

  • Student programs and opportunities—An essential role of the School District is to provide world class opportunities for students through programs that help our students compete in both career and college.

  • Fiscal Responsibility—The board must ensure that the school district has a vision for sustainability that is mindful of our businesses’ and residents’ resources.

  • Community—Fostering community connections is important for the future of our community. I would like for our students to develop a love for our community and the value of working and living here after they have graduated.

Marguerite Wesolowski

Marguerite Wesolowski

Term expires June 30, 2024

Marguerite is a graduate of Frankfort-Schuyler High School. She earned her BS degree from Syracuse University in Elementary and Special Education, her MS degree in Education from SUNNY Cortland, and her BS degree in Business from Syracuse University at Utica College. She moved to Ilion 28 years ago to raise her family. Marguerite taught for 40 years in both the Ilion and Central Valley School Districts before retiring in 2017. During her tenure as a teacher she was actively involved in curriculum development, served as a grade level chair, served as the teacher member of the CSE committee, and worked on numerous committees that supported school initiatives. Marguerite continues to be involved in education by working as part of a team of teacher who administer ELA tests to Herkimer Elementary students three times a year. Marguerite is married with a grown daughter, son-in-law, and two grandsons.

What are the most important issues you believe face the Board of Education of the Central Valley School District?

  • Communication: In order for a school district to operate successfully, the lines of communication between all the stakeholders need to be open and transparent. Teachers, students, staff, and community members need to know that their concerns are being heard. Open dialogue will insure that issues are addressed and resolved.

  • Curriculum: Curriculum development and review is an ongoing, ever changing process. We need to guarantee that we are offering our students a strong academic foundation that will enable them to succeed in their future pursuits beyond CVCSD whether that be college, trade school, the military, or employment. We also need to provide amble opportunities for students to participate in the arts, athletics, and clubs that will make them well rounded individuals. For all this to happen, we need to support our staff with the resources and training needed to make these offerings successful.

  • Financial Responsibility: We must be vigilant with our finances so that our district will have the funds needed to operate in the future when the merger money is no longer part of our budget. We will have to carefully weigh our expenditures and evaluate their impact on our students.

  • Safety: The safety of our students and staff must be of paramount importance to us all. We have to do all that is necessary to provide a safe learning environment for our children and our staff.

closeup of man, smiling

Jon Boucher

Term expires June 30, 2026

Travis Costin headshot

Travis Costin

Term expires June 30, 2026

Matt Darrow

Matt Darrow

Term expires June 30, 2025

Matt was born and raised in Ilion and has lived in the school district his entire life. He graduated from the Ilion Jr/Sr. High School in 1995 with a Regents diploma and attended Herkimer County Community College where he received an Associate’s Degree in Criminal Justice. He is currently employed as a School Resource Office at Frankfort CSD. He is the owner of R.A.M Property Maintenance, which provides mowing and snow plowing services for residential and commercial customers.

Matt is has volunteered as a coach for the Central Valley Intramurals Basketball Program, Ilion Pop Warner flag football program, Ilion AYSO soccer program, and Ilion Little League Baseball program. He is a member of the Ilion Elks Lodge. He has also served as a member of the Central Valley Foundation and was on the transportation committee for the proposed merger.

Matt is married and has three young children.

What are the most important issues you believe face the Board of Education of the Central Valley School District?

  • Student achievement – I feel that we need to ensure that all our children have access to the programs and support they need to be able to achieve their full potential and that our teachers should be properly supported to offer students excellent instruction.

  • Lack of Communication — There needs to be more communication with the staff, parents, and community members. We need to develop trust and effective communication with all stakeholders by communicating a vision for the district and why the option that was chosen is the best balance of all the needs.

  • Alignment of schools and consistency of curriculum — I feel we need to examine the alignment of our elementary schools. There are many factors that impact this issue and we need to figure out what is the best option for our students and staff. We should also need to have a consistency when it comes to the curriculum.

  • Transportation — We need to re-evaluate ways to ensure that students are not riding buses for long periods of time.

closeup of man, smiling

Pattie Day

Term expires June 30, 2024

Jane North

Valerie Day

Term expires June 30, 2025