The 2026-27 budget hearing will be held Tuesday, May 12, 2026 at 6:30 p.m. in the Depew High School Cafeteria.

The Budget Vote will be held Tuesday, May 19, 2026, Noon to 8 p.m. in the High School Gymnasium.

Board petitions are no longer available for anyone interested in running for the Depew Union Free School District Board of Education.

Three seats are available.

The May ballot will have the following openings for candidates of the Board of Education.

• Two (2) Members of the Board of Education, each with a term of three (3) years to commence on July 1, 2026 and continue through and including June 30, 2029 (expires as of July 1, 2029).

• One (1) Member of the Board of Education to serve a term of approximately two (2) years and five (5) weeks (remainder of a term due to vacancy), to commence on May 20, 2026 and continue through and including June 30, 2028 (expires as of July 1, 2028).

• The individuals with the two (2) highest votes will serve the full three-year terms and the individual with the third highest vote shall serve the remainder of the term for a vacancy, two (2) years and five (5) weeks.

My name is Nicholas LaMarca and my children have been attended school in the district since they were kindergarten.  I am an Army Veteran and I have been on the Depew School Board for 6 years beginning during the height of COVID.  I believe in being active in the community and I believe the local school is the backbone of the community.  I am proud of our district and the direction we are heading in and would like to continue to serve the community on the board.  I have a very active 7th and 9th grader in the district and love all of the opportunities they have across all aspects of their education and will work to ensure that all students have the same continued opportunities.

My name is Mark Durham. I am both a retired Air Force and airline pilot. Although my primary job was to fly, I have always had additional duties or volunteered for positions that improved my squadron or made my organization better. My responsibilities were wide-ranging, from workplace security and safety to training and course development, test and evaluation to process engineering, continuous improvement to project management, and marketing to union organizer. All of those experiences have provided me with a broad set of skills which can also lend well for serving as a member of the school board.

My wife Molly and I have been Depew School District residents for the last twenty years. Our three daughters have benefited greatly from the Depew school system. Jenna is currently in the 7th grade, Katie is a junior and Julie graduated as her class valedictorian in 2024 (now attending University of Rochester).  We are proud to say their achievements could not have been possible without the dedication of teachers, counselors, coaches, administrators and school staff who are committed to ensuring our children succeed.

I believe school boards provide critical oversight to ensure federal, state, and local tax funding are utilized effectively in the pursuit of student academic excellence while holding the school accountable to community expectations. Voting for new school board members usually helps to reinvigorate the board- new faces bring in fresh perspectives, ideas and energy that ensure our schools reflect community expectations.

To date, our Board of Education has done a great job in their capacity; however, school boards are always in need of volunteers to fill their seats. Last year we had four open seats and only three volunteers ran, leaving the fourth as a board appointee. This year there are three seats to fill- I would appreciate your consideration for one of those seats at the May 19th Budget Vote.

Regardless of who you choose, thank you for taking the time out of your day to vote!

I am the mother of two Cayuga Heights Elementary School students and an attorney by trade. I am running for the Depew Union Free School board because I believe that every child deserves a quality education, a safe environment to learn in, and teachers and staff need the support and resources to ensure our children thrive. I have served on various non-profit boards, as an adjunct professor, and founding board member of a charter school. With my diverse experiences in public service, I will bring a unique perspective to the Board that will help our school district continue to meet the needs of students and their families.