D. Paul Waltz

D. Paul Waltz and his wife, Amy, live in Kirkville. They have lived in the district for more than 28 years. Their children Kylie, Erik and Jackie are all ESM graduates.

Mr. Waltz is a 47+ year criminal justice/law enforcement veteran who is currently the Chief of Police for the New York State University Police Department at Upstate Medical University. He is a past president of the Central New York Chiefs of Police Assoc. and past president of the SUNY Chiefs of Police Assoc. He also volunteers his time with the Special Olympics of CNY and the American Cancer Society's "Real Men Wear Pink" Campaign.

Mr. Waltz has a master’s degree in Public Administration from Syracuse University and a bachelor’s degree in Criminal Justice from the State University of New York.

Mr. Waltz is in his fourth term as an ESM Board of Education member and is currently Board of Education President. He has served on numerous committees. His interests are reading, American History, traveling and attending school events.

Philosophy of Education

My philosophy on education has not changed since my first election to the School Board in 2008; it has only intensified. I believe that as a school district we should provide all students with the necessary resources, support and encouragement to succeed regardless of the path they choose after graduation.

Although many might choose college, others will choose a technical or trade school, or employment from the hands-on learning experience they acquired in our Career and Technical Education Program. We need to be there for our students and give them the guidance and inspiration to succeed and make their dreams a reality.

The Board of Education is the bridge that links these resources with our students, teachers, staff and our community. As our school district grows, our duty to address the needs of our ESM community is being challenged by demands of testing, safety, security, physical plant operations and budget restrictions. As a Board, we must achieve maximum effectiveness and efficiency by allocating existing resources to meet the growing need for these services. I believe that we need a stable, experienced Board in order to achieve this.

By forming a greater partnership between our students, parents, teachers and community we can provide a strong and stable foundation for our student’s educational experience, technical curiosity, and creative arts exploration all leading to their academic excellence. This partnership will be full of rewards and opportunities for our students as they become contributing members of society where their dreams truly do become reality.