The Fayetteville-Manlius School District community is mourning the loss of Board of Education Vice President Sharon (Shari) Lindars.
“Shari was a selfless leader whose guidance and camaraderie will be dearly missed,” said Marissa Joy Mims, Board of Education President. “As we mourn the loss of our beloved board member, advocate and friend, our hearts go out to Shari’s family.”
Shari has longstanding roots in the F-M community, having attended Mott Road and Fayetteville elementary schools, Wellwood Middle School and Fayetteville-Manlius High School. After moving back to the Fayetteville-Manlius area in 2010, Shari worked as a substitute teacher and a teaching assistant for the Fayetteville-Manlius School District.
As an advocate for the district, Shari has served on the F-M Board of Education since 2018. Shari served as vice president for nearly 4 years, chaired the Policy Committee for the past two years, and served on the Community Relations, Audit/Finance, Safety, and Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Committees during her time as a board member. Shari’s passion for student education went beyond the everyday board member duties, as she also served as the district’s legislative liaison and represented F-M as a delegate at the New York State School Board Association’s (NYSSBA) annual meeting, and acted as the Board of Education representative to the F-M Education Foundation. Shari also became a member of the district’s inaugural Mental Health Task Force.
“Shari’s leadership and ‘big picture’ perspective will be missed,” said Dr. Craig Tice, superintendent of schools. “Her unwavering commitment to the children of the greater F-M community enabled the governance team to prioritize many important district initiatives.”
Always the first to offer a helping hand, Shari also served as co-president of the Mott Road Elementary School Home and School Association from 2015-2017 and coordinated after-school clubs at Mott Road from 2014-2019.
Our deepest condolences go out to Shari’s husband Paul, their two children, and all of Shari’s family members and friends. During this difficult time, know that you are not alone. The district has a full team of counselors and mental health specialists ready to provide assistance and support to anyone who may be struggling.