District News

In the applied technologies class of teacher Michael Gembar, students have the opportunity to learn through their work, creating items and solving problems using the design process and equipment ranging from a classic foot-powered scroll saw to a modern laser engraver.

“Not every problem has a single solution or right answer,” Gembar said. “You see their creativity in the solutions that they come up with to challenges.”

Gembar, a teacher in the Lancaster Central School District for 23 years, was named to the New York State Master Teacher Program earlier this school year. Already, Gembar said he has relished the opportunity to learn and share classroom ideas with some of the best STEM (science, technology, engineering and mathematics) teachers in the region and state.

“It’s great to see different perspectives on how to build a classroom culture that’s not just a teacher talking at them,” he said. “You can take what you learn with the group and apply it to your classroom.”

Gembar, a 1999 Lancaster High School graduate and son of a physical education teacher, said he initially went to college to study environmental science. However, a school visit as part of a Foundations of Education class made him change his future career plans toward education.

“It was a reality check that I do like working with kids,” Gembar said. He completed his undergraduate and master’s programs at Buffalo State University. 

Students could be seen in Gembar’s class taking turns using machines to cut pieces of wood to finish out a block whistle project, an item Gembar said has become a beloved keepsake for past students. Other projects in the class range from technical drawing work to making a pickleball paddle to play with in the school’s physical education classes, complete with a student-designed custom artwork they will engrave on the paddle faces, or creating a phone stand with only a blueprint for support. No matter the effort, the goal is for students to work towards improvement. 

“It’s amazing what the students are capable of when they’re left to their own devices,” Gembar said. 

Beyond his work in the classroom, Gembar advises the middle school STEM Club, and has also coached volleyball, rifle and trap teams in the district. Gembar was one of 177 STEM teachers across New York to join the Master Teacher program as part of the 2025 Cohort. 

"Educators play a vital role in preparing the next generation for a successful future by not only teaching them, but also by caring for them at every stage of their education," said Governor Kathy Hochul, in a news release about educators selected for the program. "I am proud to celebrate the exceptional teachers and counselors who are making an impact on New York State's students every day. We are grateful to our educators for their dedication to New York's children."

More information about the Master Teacher program can be found at https://www.suny.edu/masterteacher/