Seven running for three seats in contentious Starpoint election

May 12—There are seven residents vying for three open seats on the Starpoint Central School District Board of Education.

The cancelation of the varsity wrestling team's season and subsequent legal action involving the district has brought more contention in this year's election than in previous years.

Three incumbents, Jeffrey Duncan, Shawn Riester and Kelley Swann are running for re-election against new comers Jennifer Argentieri, Lisa Kankolenski, Brian LaPlante and Christen Haseley.

The trio of Argentieri, LaPlante and Haseley have been linked together as parents of Starpoint wrestlers. All three have stressed that the cancelation of the wrestling season was just one of many factors in their reasonings to run for the school board.

The winners of the Tuesday election will receive three-year terms of office.

Jennifer Argentieri

Argentieri, director of Service Operations with AAA, has a 15-year-old freshman and 12-year-old sixth-grader in the Starpoint District. She is an active member of the Pendleton Athletic Boosters Association and the PTA.

The situation with the wrestling team "reignited" her interest in running for the board, but she mentioned that running for the board had been on her mind for a long time.

She understood the decision to cancel the remainder of the wrestling team's season, but was unhappy with how the board handled the "aftermath" of the situation when parents of the wrestlers addressed their concerns to the board of education, she said.

"It was a pretty disrespectful environment," she said. "I also saw there was very little done to protect those kids. It's a safety issue for not just my son, but for other kids."

If elected, Argentieri said her focus would be on growth in the district, particularly with the proposed capital project, addressing the needs of students and school safety.

Jeffrey Duncan

Duncan has been on the board for 13 years, serving as its president this year and was previously vice president. He is a client service manager with Siemens.

Duncan has two daughters that are a junior and a sophomore in the district.

He described the cancelation of the wrestling season as a difficult decision that created a lot of tension between the school and members of the community, but noted at last Thursday's 'Meet the Candidate' forum that he doesn't see the district as divided over the issue.

If re-elected, Duncan's focus would be on upgrading the school buildings and athletic facilities through the proposed capital project as well as reducing the district's carbon footprint.

Christen Haseley

Haseley has a freshman and sixth-grader who attend the Starpoint District. She is a real estate manager and is the secretary on the Pendleton Athletic Boosters Association board.

Haseley attributed her work in the community with PABA which has provided her with experience she feels would be beneficial if she was elected to the board.

She acknowledged that she started to regularly attend board meetings after the cancelation of the wrestling season and cited that as one of the factors that influenced her decision to run for a seat on the school board.

"There was a lack of empathy from certain people about the situation," she said. "I don't ever want to see something like that happen again."

If elected, Haseley would focus on upgrading various areas in the district through the proposed capital project as well as recruiting and retaining high-quality teachers in the district.

Lisa Kankolenski

Kankolenski has two children that attended Starpoint schools. One is currently a sophomore and the other graduated from the high school.

She is a French and special education teacher in the Niagara Wheatfield School District and a real estate agent.

Kankolenski said that her background in education would be helpful for improving the school.

If elected, her focus would be on safety and security in the school buildings as well as organizing events that would bring members of the district and community together.

"I want to be in a role that I can help make those changes and be proactive," she said.

Brian LaPlante

LaPlante has two sons in the district, an 11th-grader and ninth-grader who are both wrestlers. He is a physician's assistant at Excelsior Orthopedics and is a volunteer assistant coach with school wrestling program.

He acknowledged that the wrestling situation impacted his decision in running for a seat on the board, but also said he had considered running previously.

"I would be lying if it had nothing to do with it," LaPlante said at last Thursday's 'Meet the Candidate' event.

If elected, LaPlante said he would focus on improving student experiences with academics, athletics and extracurricular activities. He also expressed interest in having students learn more about careers in the trades.

"We have nice relationship with BOCES, but I would like to see how the district can incorporate that more into the school," he said.

Shawn Riester

Reister, a physical therapist, has been board member for four years. He has a first-grader, third-grader and sixth-grader in the district.

He said that the wrestling situation made being on the board "a little less enjoyable" but sees it as a learning opportunity to help improve the way the district handles conflicts in the future.

If re-elected, Riester said he focus on improving mental health services for students, faculty and their families in the district.

Kelley Swann

Swann is finishing her second term on the board and was its vice president this year. She has a junior and a freshman in the district.

She is the CEO and interim chief executive officer with the nonprofit group, NeighborWorks Community.

Swann said the decision to cancel the wrestling season was difficult, but that she stands by the board's decision.

If re-elected, her focus would be on school safety and addressing the needs of students who have struggled in the wake of the Covid-19 pandemic.

"We haven't even scratched surface to see how it's impacted kids," Swann said. "We need to make sure we stay on track with providing support for mental health needs and that kids are reaching their full potential."