Lancaster Board of Education President Michael Sage was recently recognized with the Outstanding School Board Member of the Year Award from the Association of School Business Officials of New York.
The award goes to a school board member who has demonstrated support and appreciation for the role of the school business official and their contributions to a well-run school district. Mr. Sage is a long-time and valuable member of the Audit Committee and was nominated by Assistant Superintendent of Business and Support Services, Jamie Phillips.
“Mike is a staunch supporter of all things Lancaster, from attending all student academic, music, and athletic events possible, playing an active and engaged role on the Lancaster Board of Education as President and member of several committees, and supporting the district’s administration in every way possible,” Ms. Phillips said. “Mike is the first person to volunteer for any business office related committees and has been an involved and knowledgeable member of the audit committee for almost his entire tenure as a board member. He always seeks to understand, not criticize. He lends his financial expertise when needed. At board meetings, he constantly reinforces what good decisions are being made financially and the importance of maintaining our fiscal health.”
Mr. Sage has been a board member since 2014, and was recently re-elected President at the July 11, 2022, Board of Education meeting, has two children who have been actively involved and have excelled within the Lancaster School District.
“The future thinking work Jamie Phillips and our business official team does is very important. It is the first step to ensure we can provide an excellent education. It is easy to support a group that works tirelessly to ensure we use our resources wisely to benefit the students and the community of Lancaster,” Mr. Sage said.
Along with the award comes a $1,000 donation for a school program. Mr. Sage decided to designate the Unified Sports program as the beneficiary of the funds.
“Athletics, music and art are an important part of feeling included in a school community. Unified Sports opens up another way to feel included and frankly the games are amazing!” he said.
Athletic Director Eric Rupp thanked Mr. Sage, “Mike Sage is a huge Lancaster sports fan and can be seen at games throughout the year. Lancaster Athletics would like to sincerely thank Mr. Sage for his generous contribution to the Unified Basketball program.”
Currently, Lancaster offers a Unified Basketball program that brings together athletes with and without intellectual disabilities to train and compete on the same team. Participants improve their physical fitness, sharpen their skills and learn acceptance and inclusion while participating in Unified Sports. The district is also exploring a Unified Bowling program in the near future.
The Association of School Business Officials of New York is a non-profit membership organization that supports, promotes, and advocates for school business officials.
