C-R names Barr high school principal

6/14/2017

By Jim Poole

C-R names Barr high school principal

A longtime friend is returning to Cobleskill-Richmondville High School as its new principal.
Brett Barr, who taught business education at the high school for 10 years, is replacing Melissa Ausfeld, who was recently appointed C-R’s Director of Student Services.
Appointed last week, Mr. Barr is expected to be confirmed by the school board this Monday night.
In a cost-cutting move, Mr. Barr’s business education slot was eliminated six years ago. He was a principal at Oppenheim-Ephrata for a year before becoming principal at C-R’s Radez School, a position he’s held for four years.
“I love it here,” Mr. Barr said Monday at Radez. “But this was a very unique opportunity to go back to a place where I spent 10 great years of my life.
“It’s not like I was applying for all jobs out there. This was a great opportunity.”
Superintendent Carl Mummenthey said Mr. Barr was an easy choice.
“Brett has years of experience teaching at the high school, he’s an administrator in the district, and he’s done very good work at Radez,” he said.
Mr. Mummenthey added that the new principal will work with Jeremiah Haslun, who will continue as assistant high school principal.
“That team will be poised for success to build on the great work that Mel started at the high school,” Mr. Mummenthey said.
Mr. Barr, 40, said he’s looking forward to re-acquainting himself with former colleagues at the high school and “building relationships with those I don’t know.”
Of his four years at Radez, Mr. Barr said he’s experienced great teachers, learned how to work as a team and been “with some of the most professional people I’ve known.
“I’m sure I learned a lot more from the teachers here than they learned from me,” Mr. Barr added.
“Anyone coming in here will learn a lot.”
His position at the high school begins July 3.
To replace Mr. Barr at Radez, C-R will “launch a full and comprehensive search engaging all stakeholders,” including teachers, parents, administrators and others, Mr. Mummenthey said.
He hopes to have a new principal on board by September 1.
In the meantime, C-R will hire an interim principal to focus on planning and prep work over the summer.