Entering his new role of Assistant Superintendent of Human Resources for the Lancaster Central School District, Daniel J. D’Amico said he wanted to build upon the district’s sense of community.

“I’d like to be here for the long haul,” he said. “My goal would be to establish myself as a cornerstone in Lancaster, someone the district can rely on, both as a member of the community and as a supporter of the mission of our schools.”

The new assistant superintendent began working with the district in February, and in the role he will be responsible for planning, directing, and facilitating human resource and personnel resource activities and procedures for teaching and non-teaching personnel for the district, which has more than 1,100 regular and substitute staff.

D’Amico arrives in the role after more than a decade of service to public education across western New York, which he admitted wasn’t his initial plan as he developed an interest in labor law while studying at University at Buffalo Law School. Starting as a senior labor relations specialist with Cattaraugus-Allegany BOCES, D’Amico said he began appreciating the connections he was able to make. 

“People take pride in the schools where they work, and I liked being a part of that,” he said. 

From there, D’Amico moved to Erie 1 BOCES, where he served in multiple roles, including as the organization’s general counsel and the leader of its Labor Relations & Policy Services division. 

D’Amico said he was excited for the assistant superintendent role because he and his family live in Lancaster, and because of the leadership in place at the district.

“I appreciate that the administrative team here is established, respected and stable, and that was a big factor that led me to want to be a part of this team,” he said. 

Superintendent Dr. Michael J. Vallely told the district’s Board of Education that the district cast a wide net for potential applicants, and that candidates were evaluated by two separate evaluation committees composed of administrators, teachers and support staff in the district. 

“Dan D'Amico was the number one choice of both of those interview committees, and had the support and trust of all the constituency groups represented,” Vallely said.

Vallely said when he spoke to D’Amico’s references and other school administrators about D’Amico, he kept hearing praise for his work and character. 

“When we're hiring people, that's what we like to hear,” Vallely said.