Cathy Lewis and Vivan Parson are re-elected to three-year terms on the Board of Education
Cathy Lewis: 467 votes
Vivian Parsons: 404 votes
Rennie Glasgow: 322 votes
Badewattie Ramlochan: 234 votes
Two Board of Education seats are up for election on May 20. The seats are currently held by Cathy Lewis and Vivian Parsons.
Click below to watch the League of Women Voters Candidate Forum
NAACP Candidate Forum
The Schenectady NAACP, with support from the League of Women Voter, hosted a candidate forum. You can watch that on Facebook by clicking here.
About the Candidates
Cathy Lewis- Catherine Lewis has been a member of the SCSD Board of Education since 2010, serving as its President for her first seven years on the board and again in 2021-2022. She is also the Area 7 Director for the New York State School Boards Association (NYSSBA),representing school districts in Albany, Columbia, Rensselaer, Saratoga, Schenectady, Warren and Washington counties. In that capacity she has co-chaired the Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Committee since December 2020. NYSSBA provides advocacy, training, and information to school boards in support of their mission to govern the state’s public schools. In 2023 she was elected to the Board of Directors for Capital Region Board of Cooperative Educational Services (BOCES), serving students from Albany, Schenectady, Schoharie and Saratoga Counties.
Cathy has an extensive record of nonprofit service, including leadership positions on the boards of directors of organizations directly serving Pre-K -12 students, including the YWCA, Girl Scouts of Northeastern New York, Hometown Health Center, and SAFE, Inc. Her other significant service activities during the past four decades include a term on the Schenectady City Council and officer positions on Habitat for Humanity and the Visiting Nurse Service Foundation (now part of the Ellis Hospital Foundation).
Cathy is a graduate of Ohio Wesleyan University with a bachelor’s degree, majoring in German and Mathematics. She received a master’s degree in Business Administration from Union College graduate program. She is retired after a 44-year career in varied financial positions for General Electric. She and her husband Brad have resided in Schenectady for most of their adult lives.
Vivian Parsons- I currently serve as the Business Office Director for an assisted living facility dedicated to memory care residents, where I work passionately to support and improve the lives of seniors and their families.
As a hardworking single mother of a proud Schenectady graduate and two Schenectady students, I first ran for the school board in 2022 with a core commitment to transparency, integrity, and educational excellence for ALL students. I have upheld that promise by fostering honest, open discussions and making decisions that prioritize our students and their families. I am deeply invested in the initiatives that Schenectady is working diligently to bring to life, and I look forward to continuing my involvement to make a meaningful difference in the lives of our students.
Throughout my service, I will continue to advocate strongly for accountability, high academic expectations, parental involvement, and student wellness. I am steadfast in my commitment to closing reading and math proficiency gaps through targeted efforts, and empowering parents of students with special needs by raising awareness of their rights, available resources, and encouraging active participation.
I am very excited about the opportunity to serve the City of Schenectady for another three years, and I remain dedicated to working together with our community to ensure a brighter future for all of our students.
Rennie Glasgow- My name is Rennie Glasgow, 55 years of age. I am a caring father and loving husband. I have lived and worked in the City of Schenectady for the last fifteen (15) years. I am attached to the Social Security Administration.
I am currently the vice president of the American Federation of Government Employees (AFGE), which represents employees within the capital district. I am also a community activist who works with others to promote sports (cricket) and other activities within the City of Schenectady. I continuously work to ensure that residents of the Schenectady district have unfettered access to the services provided by the government within our community.
My loving children attended the Schenectady City Schools and advanced to colleges where they obtained Bachelors and Master degrees respectively. I am convinced that the work of the Board of Education is essential to ensuring our children feel valued, and safe in an environment that is conducive to the attainment of high quality education in keeping with the goals and objectives that align with a pristine level of child safety and security.
In addition,I look forward to serving as a member along with other members of the Board and the Schenectady School Authorities to develop a shared vision and goals for the district in alignment with strategies, resources (including the approved budget), policies, programs and processes with district goals.
I am committed to aid in providing an environment that embraces growth and development that s currently being advanced.
Badewattie Ramlochan- My name is Badewattie Ramlochan, I was born in Georgetown, Guyana, and have lived in Schenectady for over 15 years. I am the proud parent of three children and grandparent of two grandchildren, all of whom attend Schenectady City School District.
With more than six years of experience at the New York State Department of Tax and Finance, I gained extensive skills in document verification, compliance, and attention to detail-skills that are valuable in ensuring transparency and accountability in school governance. I currently work with PPL Home Care.
As an active member of the Guyanese Community Center, I played an instrumental role in establishing the Guyanese Food Pantry, which proudly serves individuals and families across all communities.
My strengths as a candidate include:
Active involvement in the Schenectady community
Strong advocacy for youth
Deep commitment to families and community well-being
Fiscal knowledge and attention to detail
Ongoing support for community-based initiatives and services
Budget Vote and School Board Election Polling Information
Find more information about the 2025-2026 Budget
Click here to find your polling location
Polls are open 12 - 9 p.m.
Polling Locations:
Yates Elementary School, 725 Salina St.
Howe Elementary School, 1065 Baker Avenue
Paige Elementary School, 104 Elliott Ave.
Woodlawn Elementary School, 3311 Wells Ave.
M.L. King Elementary School, 918 Stanley St.
Mont Pleasant Middle School, 1121 Forest Rd.
Schenectady High School, 1445 The Plaza
Fulton School, 408 Eleanor St.