With the start of school just a few weeks away, Cobleskill-Richmondville is looking to fill two vacant administrative positions.
Ryder School Principal Beth Bissell resigned in late July, and Assistant High School Principal Davis Chamberlain will be leaving at the end of this month.
"Both are parents of young children who a live considerable distance away," Superintendent Lynn Macan said last week. "It's difficult for them."
The school board offered the Ryder position to Mr. Chamberlain, but he chose to take a position at North Colonie instead.
Ms. Macan didn't expect to fill the positions before September 1. C-R will probably have an interim principal at Ryder, she said.
C-R has advertised the positions and plans to begin interviews next week.
An early review of applicants indicates that the pool of candidates is good, Ms. Macan said.
For the Ryder position, the district is looking for a candidate with special-education experience.
"Because of our unique breadth of special ed programs, we want some level of experience with students with disabilities in classrooms," Ms. Macan said.
She expects the new assistant high school principal to form a team with Principal Mel Ausfeld, as Mr. Chamberlain did.
In the past, Ms. Macan said, a high school principal would handle faculty and administrative duties while the assistant was the disciplinarian. That's rarely the case now, Ms. Macan said.
The two shared duties at the high school, and Ms. Macan expects the same again.
Plus, the new assistant would deal closely with students, as Mr. Chamberlain did, she said.
"We want someone to connect with kids and try to get to know them before they walk through his door for a less positive reason," Ms. Macan said.
Although there was public pressure during budget talks to cut the number of C-R administrators, board members never considered leaving either of these positions vacant, Ms. Macan said.
Demands of the jobs and demands from the state are too heavy, she said.
Ms. Bissell had been with the district for three years, and Mr. Chamberlain, four.