School Superintendent Dr. Cheryl Champ confirmed at last week’s Board of Education meeting that the job opening for a new principal at Siwanoy Elementary School has finally been posted on a website serving schools in New York and surrounding states.

“Our goal is to have someone in place to begin July 1st,” Champ told the board. Until then, the school will continue to operate under interim principal Susan Gilbert, who took over the job last March when Farid Johnson went on a leave of absence. Johnson resigned in June.

The job was posted on January 5, and applications are due by January 21. Champ reported that personal recommendations for the job have already been coming into the district. Dr. Trisha Fitzgerald pointed out that Siwanoy posting on OLASjobs.org has already generated 27 applications.

Fitzgerald then described the process by which the district will screen applicants, which will emphasize a community-centered approach. The candidates will be required to complete initial screenings with cabinet members, including Fitzgerald, then meet with stakeholder committee groups that include parents, teachers, and administrators. The most promising candidates will move on to complete a demonstration task with staff and an interactive task with students. The board and superintendent will then complete the evaluation.

“What is really nice about having all the different stakeholder voices there is the different perspectives that people pick up on during the interview process, which is really helpful,” said Fitzgerald.

In other news, Board of Education president Jackie DeAngelis announced that the state had approved a $150,000 grant to build an outdoor classroom at Prospect Hill Elementary School.  Parents of Prospect Hill students launched a fundraising campaign for this effort in 2024, collecting some $75,000 from supporters. Last spring, after learning that the district had failed to follow up with the state on the proposal, local parents vented their frustration with Champ.

“We thank everyone involved in advancing this project,” said DeAngelis.

The board discussed scheduling for the 2026-2027 district calendar, which included a later start for staff, which Champ explained would be helpful due to the large-scale construction projects that are going on throughout the district over the summer.

Champ also proposed that this year’s graduation ceremony be held on June 26th, rather than a week earlier, which would be Juneteenth, a national holiday.