Following the retirement of Saratoga Springs City School District Superintendent John E. McFadden in the summer, Saratoga Springs Deputy Superintendent Janice M. White will become the first female superintendent of schools in the school district’s history.
White’s appointment received unanimous approval from the school board, which held a news conference in the district’s office Feb. 13 to announce her selection. White, an educator for 33 years, was chosen without a national search because the district wanted someone who could make a seamless transition. She was the only applicant from within the district.
She will earn an annual salary of $155,000, up from the $120,000 salary she earns now, board president Russell Danforth said.
I am privileged and honored to have this opportunity, said White. She is the first woman to be superintendent in the Saratoga Springs City School District, but downplayed the fact when asked about it.
`I am who I am, but it was my professionalism and skills that got me this job. My gender is a neutral component,` she said.
The main issues that White plans to address will be creating a supportive learning environment and to continue to work toward academic achievement for every student, she said.
`In many ways, the school district can contribute to the community,` White said. `Together we will achieve our goals.`
White brings to the position a 33-year career as an educator, most recently as district deputy superintendent in Saratoga Springs. The board was impressed not only with her performance as deputy superintendent, a position she has held since 2001, but also in meeting the challenging criteria it established for the position.
`Based on her career achievements, successful service as deputy to John MacFadden, and demonstrated vision about the future of public education, Janice White is the ideal superintendent for Saratoga Springs at this time,` said Danforth. `Her singular experience and expertise and her particular approach to leadership and learning will allow her to build upon the legacy of Dr. MacFadden while developing the next generation of leadership and bringing our schools to the next level of excellence.`
In her seven years with the Saratoga Springs School District, White has served as director of elementary and middle school education and deputy superintendent. She has become increasingly responsible for a broad range of school district operations. Most notably, she has directed district operations in the absence of the superintendent; supervised the K-12 instructional program; created a district council for review of instructional programs, identified power standards and developed data analysis of student performance.
Her focus on student academic achievement has resulted in improved performance. The district has been ranked in the top 10 by the Albany Business Review for the past two years.
White has also had fiscal responsibility for program budgets and has participated in the development of district policies and regulations.
`Clearly, Janice White is the right person, at the right time, with the right qualifications for our school district,` said Dr. John E. MacFadden, who has served the district for 38 years, including the last 16 years as superintendent of schools.
Before joining the Saratoga Springs City School District, White’s career spanned a broad range of educational positions of increasing responsibility, including teacher leader, reading specialist, district coordinator, assistant principal, principal, and director. These were with the Lansingburgh City School District and the Voorheesville Central School District, which received National Blue Ribbon School recognition during her administrative time in the district.
She has been active in a number of professional organizations, including the state Council of School Superintendents, the American Association of School Administrators, the Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development and Phi Delta Kappa.
White’s community involvement includes serving as vice president of the Saratoga County Arts Council, chair of Saratoga Reads Junior Action Committee, and former vice president of a local chapter of Delta Kappa Gamma Society International.
She is a graduate of the State University College at Oswego and has a master’s degree from the University at Albany. She also has received school district administrator certification from The College of Saint Rose and is a graduate of Leadership Saratoga, sponsored by the Saratoga County Chamber of Commerce.
White and her husband Terrance, assistant superintendent for elementary education in the Albany City School District, reside in Saratoga Springs. Their daughter and son-in law, Lisa and Jeffrey Palmer, are both teachers in the Albany City School District. Their son Matthew is an assistant commodities trader. White’s father, Val Tebbano, is a retired superintendent in the Capital District.
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