Dr. Raymond Colucciello, who has been serving as the interim superintendent since 2005, has been named superintendent of schools for the Ballston Spa Central School District. The announcement came last week at a scheduled board of education meeting.
Board president Kathy Jarvis said that the board had asked Colucciello to stay with the district through the 2007-2008 school year to see it through some major initiatives begun late last year.
It is very key that the right person be in place to see us through this. His experience is extraordinary, said Jarvis. `Dr. Colucciello is a wealth of knowledge. It would be my wish that every younger superintendent mentor under him or someone like him.`
Colucciello was appointed interim superintendent in August 2005, just two weeks after Superintendent John Gratto unexpectedly submitted his resignation.
Since Colucciello’s appointment, the board has embarked on several extensive searches for a candidate with the right experience to lead the school district in the years to come.
With nearly 50 years of experience in public education, Colucciello came to Ballston Spa as a well-respected and knowledgeable leader. While much of his career was spent in the Schenectady City School District, seven of those as superintendent, Colucciello has offered his services throughout the Capital District since his retirement in June 2000.
In the five years prior to his Ballston Spa appointment, he served as an interim administrator in schools in Albany, Voorheesville, Schalmont, Schoharie and Sharon Springs, and most recently as interim superintendent for the Enlarged City School District of Troy, a position that ended in June 2005.
`I look forward to serving the students, community, staff and board of education as the superintendent of the Ballston Spa Central School District for the next year and a half,` said Colucciello. `Ballston Spa is an excellent school district and a great community to work with. Under the direction of the board of education, I look forward to assisting them with reaching their goals and objectives, continuing to raise student achievement, planning for the future growth in the district by addressing facility needs and continuing to work together with staff from throughout the district.`
Jarvis said one of the board’s important initiatives includes planning for the next five to 10 years. In addition to examining the needs of the district related to the expected influx of high tech jobs coming to the area, the district is also examining the configuration of its facilities and reviewing the need for more space.
Jarvis said the board was concerned about last year’s close budget vote, which passed by only six votes. She said the board had decided to dedicate themselves to better educating the voting public.
`These are processes we’ve already started,` said Jarvis. `We want to have continuity and stability during this time.`
Members of the board and Colucciello expect his extended interim term to end July 2008. The board of education will conduct an active search for a new superintendent in the fall of 2007. “
