Superintendent of Ravena-Coeymans-Selkirk Central School District Alan McCartney died of a heart attack last week following a short illness.
According to the school district, McCartney died on Friday, May 8, at his home in Voorheesville. He was 67. He is survived by his wife, Marcia, two children and four grandchildren.
“In a very short time, Alan has positively changed the lives of those who worked alongside him. He has unquestionably left RCS a better place. He will be sadly missed,” said Assistant Superintendent for Curriculum and Instruction Brian Bailey.
Officials from Capital Region BOCES said they will be working with RCS to “ensure continuity and oversee operations of the school district in the short term.”
McCartney was appointed interim superintendent in October of 2012, following a split vote from the district’s Board of Education after the departure of former Superintendent Elisabeth Smith. In February of this year, the board voted unanimously to extend Dr. McCartney’s contract for three years.
The long-time school official said he was looking toward the future and was excited about the new position. McCartney saw the district through some of its worst fiscal constraints and trying times. Just before starting in the position, a member of the school board was arrested and another proclaimed himself a sovereign citizen. Lawsuits had also been filed against the district and the state Education Department reviewed allegations of voter fraud during the May budget vote.
“You cannot let all those external things move you away from what your vital mission is, which is the education of the district’s children,” he said at the time. “If I have to make a decision, I ask myself how the outcome is going to impact the students, and that’s how it has to be.”
According to the school district, McCartney held a doctor of education degree from Columbia University Teachers’ College, and a master’s degree in education and certificate of advanced studies from SUNY Oswego. He also received his bachelor’s degree from Thiel College in Pennsylvania.
McCartney served as superintendent of the Crown Point Central School District from 1982 to 1989 and was an assistant Middle School principal at Mexico Academy and Central School District from 1979 to 1982. He was also previously an adjunct professor at SUNY Plattsburgh and a social studies, and economics high school teacher at the Sackets Harbor Central School District, along with coaching high school football and basketball.
McCartney retired in 2005 after serving as superintendent of the Voorheesville Central School District for 16 years. His later appointment as interim superintendent of RCS was seen as controversial, as he left his previous post in Voorheesville following an audit from the state Comptroller’s Office found he was misappropriating district funds.
The 2005 audit found McCartney and his former assistant superintendent Anthony Marturano improperly paid themselves $216,000 for leave and other employment benefits. Another $11,500 was also found to have been charged to or reimbursed by the district for various “personal expenses,” like hotel rooms, food gifts and alcohol.
The Albany County District Attorney’s office eventually decided not to pursue criminal charges, but the Voorheesville Central School District sued in an attempt to recoup some of the lost funds. In April of 2007, a settlement of $40,000 was reached.
McCartney called the incident “a contractual mess-up” at the end of his tenure with the Voorheesville district. He said the event caused a “storm” for his loved ones and instead of continuing to fight the audit’s findings, he decided to back off for his family’s sake.
As of press time for The Spotlight, final arrangements had yet to be announced.
