Pelham School District Superintendent Cheryl Champ will recommend Pelham Middle School Assistant Principal Lynn Sabia be promoted to the position of principal, replacing Dr. Robert Roelle, who is departing for another position. The Board of Education will vote on the appointment at its June 20 meeting, which begins at 8:15 p.m. in the PMS library. Dr. Champ’s letter to the public on the appointment follows:

Dear Pelham Parents, Faculty, Staff, and Students,

I am thrilled to announce that I will be recommending Ms. Lynn Sabia to be appointed as the next principal of Pelham Middle School effective July 1, 2018. Ms. Sabia’s appointment is expected at the Board of Education’s upcoming meeting on Wednesday, June 20 at 8:15 pm in the Middle School Library.

The search for Dr. Robert Roelle’s successor included screening more than 100 applicants and conducting interviews with 17 candidates. Six finalists were brought back to meet with focus groups of students, parents, teachers, and administrators. At each step in the process, including her final interview with the Board of Education, Ms. Sabia’s experience, understanding of Middle School philosophy, and commitment to child-centered education set her above her competitors. With experience in both the middle school and high school, I believe Ms. Sabia is uniquely qualified to help prepare our students for their transition to high school and beyond.

We are truly fortunate to have the opportunity to hire an extremely qualified candidate who is so very familiar not only with Pelham Middle School, but the entire Pelham community. Over the past year, I have come to know Ms. Sabia as an educator who is diligent, caring, trustworthy and someone who cares deeply about the growth of our students, not only in their academic pursuits, but as young men and women. I am confident that Ms. Sabia’s leadership will provide both stability and progress for Pelham Middle School, which will serve our students and staff well.

“From my very first days as a student-teacher in Pelham, I have felt a connection to this District and this community,” said Ms. Sabia. “It was a dream come true to return as assistant principal of the high school and to spend the last eight years working alongside Jeannine Clark, Joe Longobardi and Dr. Roelle in the middle school. Together, we have worked hard to improve our educational program, strengthen our social-emotional supports, and create an incredible experience for our students. I am honored by the opportunity to lead Pelham Middle School and look forward to serving the students, parents and staff next school year and beyond. I am extremely grateful to Dr. Champ, the Board of Education, and the Pelham community for this exciting opportunity.”

Ms. Sabia has served as Assistant Principal of Pelham Middle School since 2010 and previously held the same position at Pelham Memorial High School dating back to 2005. Throughout her 13 years in Pelham, Ms. Sabia has worked collaboratively to develop and implement a number of school and district initiatives that form the core of our educational program. These include the International Baccalaureate Middle Years Programme, the PMHS Bridge program, social-emotional supports such as the trusted-adult initiative and implementing performance-based assessments.

As Assistant Principal, she has also worked to oversee New York State ELA, Math, NYSETL and Regents Exams, mentored new teachers, overseen student discipline and the implementation of the PBIS program. She has also served as a member of the Superintendent’s Advisory Council, Mathematics Review Committee, Instructional Support Team, Response to Intervention Team, IB Steering Committee, and Site-based Council.

“I am excited and incredibly pleased that Lynn Sabia will lead Pelham Middle School as the next principal,” said Dr. Roelle, “Lynn is a passionate leader who will always keep the best interests of all children at the heart of every decision. She is collaborative and inclusive and I am confident that she will work closely with the entire Pelham Middle School community as she prepares the next generation of students for their futures.”

Prior to coming to Pelham, Ms. Sabia was an Assistant Principal at Woodlands Middle/High School and Maria Regina High School, where she also served as the Assistant Director of Athletics and as a Health Education Teacher. She has previously been Director of Athletics and Physical Education at Greenburgh-North Castle Union Free School District. Ms. Sabia has an Advanced Certificate in School Administration from Manhattan College, a M.A. in Physical Education, Athletic Administration and Coaching from Montclair State University, and a B.S. in Physical Education from The King’s College.

With Ms. Sabia’s promotion, we will now begin the process of searching for the next assistant principal of Pelham Middle School and look forward to filling other key administrative positions in the coming weeks.

Please join me in congratulating Ms. Sabia on her new role as Principal of Pelham Middle School.

Sincerely,

Cheryl H. Champ, Ed. D.
Superintendent of Schools