As students and teachers return to school following the holiday break, the search continues for a new superintendent of the Voorheesville Central School District, a position that comes with high expectations, according to district officials.
The district recently stopped accepting applications for the position and will soon begin narrowing the field of candidates, according to Charles Dedrick, the district superintendent for BOCES and leading official in the superintendent search.
The district has had great success with its high school graduation rates, and last year it finished top among Capital District schools with a 97 percent graduation rate.
We’re looking for someone experienced, knowledgeable and has some background in the educational process, said C. James Coffin, vice president of the Voorheesville Central School District Board of Education. `We’ve been trying to move our program to another level. We want to be better. We want a superintendent who understands that.`
Dedrick said right now there are 32 `qualified inquiries,` at various stages of the application process. He said all of the candidates are taking the position seriously and realize the reputation the position holds.
`Voorheesville is a well-known district,` Dedrick said.
Dedrick said as the process moves forward, it will be interesting to see how recent talks about financial cuts will affect the funding decisions the new superintendent will have to make.
`A lot of the heavy lifting that is going to happen in terms of the budget will be done by the current school board and current superintendent,` Dedrick said.
The application process was taking place during budget talks for the 2009 school budget, however the position will formally be taken after that new budget is in place, and Dedrick said it is unclear at this time how that will play out for future funding discussions.
Gov. David Paterson has said that the financial woes for the state could take as many as four years to work past.
One thing Dedrick said will likely not be affected by state aid cuts is the caliber of the new superintendent, and he said the district is not planning to skimp on the salary. Dedrick said the salary for a new superintendent could reach $150,000.
`Pay rates for specialized positions are really market driven,` Dedrick said. `It would be very hard to lowball something like that.`
He said based on the field and the candidates, there has been little talk of changing the pay rate based on potential state aid cuts.
`That’s a person you simply must have. We want to have the best person possible sitting in that chair,` Coffin said.
Coffin said a firm understanding of the education process, and an understanding of how to use analytical and testing data to improve education standards are priorities, but the applicants must also understand how to balance a budget.
Coffin said motivating staff and providing guidance are also pivotal for a successful superintendent.
`You have to have a leader,` Coffin said.
Coffin said the search committee will look at applications and eventually narrow the field to three or four for a vote by the entire school board. He said public input is welcome.
`Our hope is to involve the entire community,` he said.
Linda Langevin retired this summer after serving three years at Voorheesville as superintendent. Prior to that she had seven years’ experience at Au Sable Valley.
Ray Colucciello has served as the interim superintendent in Langevin’s absence. He previously served in that position at Ballston Spa.
Dedrick said they are expecting to fill the position by July 1.“