The Capital Area School Development Association (CASDA) honored Chatham Board of Education member Muriel Faxon with its Excellence in School Board Service award. CASDA presents this award to recognize the selfless contributions of individuals who dedicate themselves to serving students and enriching their school communities.
Ms. Faxon is someone who has had generations of impact on the people living in the Chatham Central School District. She was first elected to the Board of Education in 1973, where she served until 1986. During that time, she was Board Vice President for the 1978-79 school year and President for the 1979-80 school year. Decades later, a resignation on the Board of Education had the District putting out the call for volunteers to fill the vacancy, and Faxon again stepped up to the plate. After being interviewed by the Board, she was appointed on July 3, 2012 to fill the seat until the next election. In May of 2013, Faxon was elected to a full term and has continued to serve on the Board ever since. Over the last ten years, she has served on the Board’s Facilities Committee, Negotiating Team, Liaison Committee, Chatham Public Library Advisory Committee, and was voted in as Vice President by the Board for the 2017-2018 school year.
Faxon also serves as a trustee for the Chatham Education Foundation, a private organization that provides significant annual grants to support unique educational opportunities for Chatham’s students. She is an active sponsor of Chatham’s Fine Arts Booster Club and has chaperoned various field trips.
She is a Chatham graduate who, at the age of 17, started the Muriel Scott Faxon School of Dance, which is still going strong today. She also owned and operated the Chatham Bookstore on Main Street for many years.
Dr. Sal DeAngelo, Chatham’s superintendent of schools, nominated Faxon for the award. CASDA presented Faxon with his award at its annual Education Awards Dinner held at the Franklin Terrace Ballroom in Troy on April 13.