Schoharie Central School will have three new leaders for the 2015-16 school year.
In addition to appointing a new superintendent in April and finding a permanent high school principal, board members now have to search for a new elementary school principal.
After 10 years as SCS elementary school Principal Maryellen Gillis has decided to return to the classroom.
For the remainder of this school year, Ms. Gillis has accepted a new position working on special projects with the intention of returning to her first love, teaching, in the fall, according to interim Superintendent Kathryn Gerbino.
Ms. Gillis stepped down as principal after the winter break, on February 23.
She plans on teaching at SCS in the fall.
At a special board meeting on February 25, board members named former teacher Karen Olewnick as interim elementary principal through the end of the school year.
It is expected that the new superintendent will take an active role in the search for both the elementary and high school principals.
In an effort to continue to serve student and staff needs with a minimum of disruption, board members quickly named Ms. Olewnick as interim last week.
"Ms. Olewnick has a long history with our school," explained Dr. Gerbino.
"She graduated from Schoharie high school as did her two sons, was a teacher here and is a long-time community resident." Ms. Olewnick took over her duties on Thursday.
"Ms. Olewnick has demonstrated her ability to work with a variety of people effectively and is involved in many aspects of our school and local community," Dr. Gerbino added.
The plan, according to Dr. Gerbino, is to start the advertisement for both principals in a month or so.
SCS staff and the community will be invited to participate in the search for both principals.
The new superintendent can be involved in the search and make his selections and recommendations to the board with a goal of them starting in the summer.
That way, she added, he can form his new team and have them in place for the start of school.
Ray Paglieri replaced long-time high school Principal Stacey DeLaney early in the school year after Dr. DeLaney retired.
The two finalists for the superintendent's position are David M. Blanchard, elementary school principal in the Ballston Spa school district, and Chad C. Goff, former superintendent at Jasper-Troupsberg Central School near Syracuse.
Interviews will be held before an appointment is expected in April.
The two finalists visited the district last week, according to Dr. Gerbino. The visits lasted a full day with a tour of the facilities at which they were able to meet faculty and staff.
District representatives plan to visit the school of the finalists during the next few weeks. Board members are expected to reach a consensus about their choice at the March 18 meeting and then enter contract negotiations with the candidate. The goal is to appoint a superintendent in April with a start date of July 1.
Dr. Gerbino has been serving as interim superintendent since the retirement of Brian Sherman on September 1.
In addition to naming Ms. Olewnick as interim principal, board members last week also accepted the retirement of bus driver Carol A. Johnson effective March 27 and approved a one-year leave of absence for TA Martha Karker, effective March 20.