On May 20, district residents will elect three members to the Jamesville-DeWitt Central School District Board of Education. Four candidates filed nominating petitions. The three candidates with the highest number of votes will fill the available seats. Each term will run from July 1, 2025 to June 30, 2028.
The board is the official policy making body of the district. It establishes operational policies, sets educational goals and standards, evaluates program effectiveness, develops the annual school budget and balances educational needs with community resources.
The board is made up of nine school district residents whose terms are staggered. Board members are not financially compensated for their service.
Four candidates filed nominating petitions for the three available seats. Their names will appear in this order on the ballot:
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- Jing Lei
- Sharon Archer
- Laurin Haddad
- Lorianne DeForest
Voting will take place from 8 a.m. to 9 p.m. at the J-D High School Gymnasium, 6845 Edinger Dr., DeWitt. More information about the proposed budget and the vote is available on the district website.
The following candidate profiles were provided to the district:
Jing Lei is seeking her first term on the J-D Board of Education. She is a 16-year resident of the district. She and her husband, Qiu Wang, have one child attending J-D Middle School. She is the Associate Dean for Academic Affairs and a professor in the School of Education at Syracuse University. She oversees curriculum/program; facilitates the faculty review process, policies, and mentoring programs; manages standing and ad hoc committees; conducts research and teaches instructional design and technology for education. She has a Ph. D in Learning, Technology, and Culture from Michigan State University, a masters degree in Higher Education and Comparative Education from Peking University, and a bachelor of arts degree in School Education from Henan Province. She has participated in a number of school district activities and committees. She is also active in the community having facilitated international partnerships at F-M High School, supporting fundraising activities for the Jamesville Pantry, participated in an Entrepreneurship Project with the Southwest Community Center and more.
Candidate statement:
As an education professor with more than 20 years of experience and a proud J-D resident for the past 16 years, I am deeply committed to fostering innovation, equity, and excellence in our schools. My journey has taken me across diverse learning environments, equipping me with a global perspective essential in today’s interconnected and fast-changing world. As a researcher in emerging technologies, including AI in education, I look forward to contributing to our community through sharing forward-thinking insights and innovative practices on how we can strengthen our schools, enhance learning experiences, support education, and prepare students for the future.
Sharon Archer is seeking her third term on the J-D Board of Education, and is in her second term as Vice President. She serves on the board’s finance, facilities, and policy committees. She is a 13-year resident of the district. She and her husband David Archer have three children. One has graduated from Jamesville-DeWitt, one attends high school and the third is in middle school. Dr. Archer is the Principal of Roberts PreK-8 in the Syracuse City School District, where she has been employed since 1999. She also previously worked as a teaching assistant, teacher, Instructional Coach, Data Analyst, and Vice Principal. She has leadership experience in school turn-around, special education, section 504, ENL, restorative practices, Culturally Responsive Education, and reportable data for receivership accountability to New York State Education Department. She attended the State University of New York (SUNY) at Oswego and graduated with a Bachelors of Science in 2001. She attended the University of New England from 2003-2006 and graduated with a Masters of Science in Education. In 2011, she received her National Board Certification in Adolescent Mathematics. She earned an Ed.D. in Executive Leadership from St. John Fisher in 2020.
Candidate statement:
I have been proud to serve the J-D community on the school board for the last 6 years. This work has been very rewarding as we have watched the Jamesville-DeWitt Central School District grow and continue to serve our students. I feel a deep commitment to the district and believe in the power of public education. There is still much to be done to help support staff, students, and families to ensure Jamesville-DeWitt continues to be the gold standard of public education for all of our students.
Laurin Haddad is seeking her first term on the J-D Board of Education. She is a 3-year resident of the district. She has one child who attends J-D Middle School. She is self-employed as a litigator/trial attorney at Haddad Law Office. She practices family, criminal defense, and divorce court. She has worked at several different law firms and also taught as an Adjunct Professor at Bryant and Stratton covering Criminal Law, Contract Law, Bankruptcy Law, and Real Estate Law. She has a Juris Doctorate from the University of Detroit Mercy, a bachelor of science degree from Clarkson University, and an associate of science degree in Business from Mohawk Valley Community College. She has participated in a number of school and community groups like the Moses DeWitt Elementary Building Leadership Team, CNY Women’s Bar Association, and Leadership Greater Syracuse.
Candidate statement:
I wanted my son to attend Jamesville-DeWitt specifically for many reasons: quality of education, J-D’s ability to meet my son’s needs, diversity in its community. I want to influence the continued development of the district. Because of my family’s background, I have a unique perspective. My career sculpted my problem solving, knowledge of policy/law, and communication skills. I worked 25 years with individuals overwhelmed by policies and law, assuring their understanding and trust. Currently, social media; news; and third-party statements are heavily relied upon as truth. I want to use my skills to assist J-D with transparency and community trust.
Lorianne DeForest is seeking her third term for the J-D Board of Education. She previously served one year as Vice President and two years as President. She has also served on the board’s finance and facilities committees. She is a 26-year resident of the district. She and her husband, Scott DeForest, have two children who graduated from the district in 2020 and 2023. She is currently employed by OCM BOCES and works at the Central New York Regional Information Center. She previously served districts as a data coordinator, middle school assistant principal, Committee on Special Education building chair, math instructional specialist, and more. She has a bachelor of science in Elementary Education with a concentration in Business and a minor in Spanish from St. Bonaventure University. She has a masters of science in Education with a specialization in Technology for Educators from Johns Hopkins University. She also has a certificate of Advanced Studies in Educational Administration from Syracuse University. She has participated in a number of school district activities over the years supporting all grade levels and has served the DeWitt Food Pantry as a board member for 7 years.
Candidate statement:
I am grateful for the education, support and opportunities my daughters received at Jamesville-DeWitt, and I would like to continue to work with all stakeholders and our next Superintendent to create an environment where every student feels welcome, safe and supported and where all students grow and learn. I value the high standards at Jamesville-DeWitt in educating the whole child and would like to continue to promote a school culture that provides academic and extracurricular programs that engage, challenge and prepare our students for their future post-secondary successes. I look forward to continuing to increase student voice and build relationships across our J-D community.