William “Bill” Delity Seeks Ellicottville School Board Seat During May 19 Vote

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May 6

William “Bill” Delity Seeks Ellicottville School Board Seat During May 19 Vote

Lifelong Ellicottville resident, retired educator, and ECS alumnus outlines his experience and vision for the district

Publisher’s Note: As part of the annual Ellicottville Central School District budget vote, residents will also have the opportunity to fill an open seat on the Board of Education. This year, one candidate has submitted his name for consideration. Voting will take place on Tuesday, May 19 from 12:00-8:00pm in the Elementary Foyer, giving district residents a chance to weigh in on both the school budget and Board representation. Below is a letter from candidate William “Bill” Delity outlining his background and reasons for seeking election.

I am William (Bill) Delity, and I am honored to offer my candidacy for the open seat on the Ellicottville Central School Board of Education.

As a lifelong resident of the village of Ellicottville and town of Great Valley, where I have lived for the past twenty-nine years, and as an ECS alumnus (Class of 1985), my roots in this district run very deep. After earning my degree from SUNY Geneseo, I returned home, where my wife - also an ECS graduate - and I raised our six children. All six attended ECS and today, I am a proud grandfather to a current ECS student, with another grandchild soon to enter Pre-K. My lifelong connection to this school - from attending Kindergarten in the historic 1887 building to supporting the next generation of my family - drives my unwavering commitment to ensuring our district remains a place of excellence for all students and their families.

In 1990, I began my career as an elementary educator at ECS, a role I was blessed to hold for thirty-five years until my retirement in 2025. Throughout my tenure, I was deeply involved in the district’s advancement contributing to vital initiatives such as an annexation study, strategic planning, school/community ventures, and ‘home grown’ curriculum development. My dedication to our students extended beyond the classroom through coaching football, basketball, baseball, and softball from little league through all three levels of high school. In the community, I have served as the Youth Director for the Town of Ellicottville, and have held many positions from Trustee to Youth Leader to Sunday School instructor at my church. These decades of service as an educator, coach, and community volunteer have provided me with a comprehensive understanding of our school and community needs.

I offer a unique, 360-degree perspective to the Board, rooted in a journey that has come full circle - from student then educator to taxpayer, parent, and now grandparent. Having engaged with our schools from nearly every angle, I deeply understand the "front-line" realities facing our students, families, staff, and the ECS community. This experience is vital as we navigate the complex mandates, new NYSED initiatives, declining enrollments, funding uncertainty, staffing challenges, and home affordability for school-aged families.

My candidacy is driven by a desire to give back to the ECS community that has given me so much. If elected, I am committed to representing our school community in a proactive, engaging, and transparent manner. My vision is to use my knowledge and strengths (work ethic, consensus builder, visionary) to work with the other Board members and Superintendent to build upon and provide new competitive opportunities and high-quality educational experiences for our students while maintaining a steadfast commitment to fiscal responsibility to district taxpayers. By engaging with and listening to all community stakeholders, I aim to help foster a forward-thinking ECS vision that secures our school as a fiscally-responsible district, a continued leader in the essential three A’s: academics, arts, and athletics, protects our outstanding traditions of excellence while procuring new, exciting researched-based initiatives that will elevate our success even more as a school of choice and excellence.

It has been the privilege of my life to teach multiple generations of ECS students and work with their families and our community. Now, I am ready to put that thirty-five years of experience back to work for our school district in a new capacity. I would be deeply honored to earn your vote on Tuesday, May 19, as we work together to secure a bright future for our students. Once an Eagle, always an Eagle!