You’d think that working a full-time job, being the mother of two teenagers, and pursuing a Certificate of Advanced Study at SUNY New Paltz would leave little time for much else. Yet, Highland resident Diane Chaissan is living proof that where there is a will, there is a way. In addition to all of Chaissan’s responsibilities, she still finds time to be an active member of the Ulster BOCES Board of Education as a representative from the Highland Central School District.
Chaissan has been a member of the Ulster BOCES Board for a little over one year, and she was also a member of the Highland Central School District Board of Education for 10 years.
Chaissan’s commitment and dedication as a school board member was recently recognized when Carl Onken, NYSSBA Area 9 representative, presented the New York State School Boards Association’s (NYSSBA) Award of Mastery to her at the annual meeting of the Ulster County School Boards Association (UCSBA).
The Award of Mastery recognizes the numerous hours of time given by Chaissan in the pursuit of developing the skills needed to be an effective school board member. The award is presented to those who hold an outstanding attendance record for school board member conferences and conventions. Over the 10 years that Chaissan has been a board member, she attended many conferences covering a wide variety of topics, including budgeting, community relations, school law, and understanding the roles and responsibilities of school board members.
“It is important to remember that school board members already volunteer a considerable amount of time to serve on boards, and therefore making a commitment to improve one’s skills at conferences and workshops is commendable,” says Martin Ruglis, district superintendent for Ulster BOCES.
“It is an honor to receive the award, but I’ve felt all along that it was the training and information gathered at the conferences that was important,” says Chaissan. “I have met so many wonderful and dedicated board of education members from all over New York State.”
In addition to her duties as a member of the Ulster BOCES Board of Education, Chaissan is also a member of the UCSBA executive committee, of which she was president for three years. She is employed as a school business manager by the Management Advisory Group (MAG) in Eldred, which supplies various services to school districts, such as district payrolls, accounts payable/receivable, and special education refilings.
Chaissan graduated from SUNY New Paltz this past December with her master’s degree in Educational Administration and is currently working toward her Certificate of Advanced Study (CAS) in School Business Administration.
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