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Canajoharie
selects next school superintendent
SEPTEMBER
30, 2011
- The Canajoharie Central School District Board of Education
appointed Deborah Grimshaw as only the sixth superintendent
in the district since 1920. The selection of a successor to
retiring superintendent Richard Rose was announced at a
board meeting Thursday, Sept. 29. Mrs. Grimshaw is currently
serving as assistant superintendent for Onondaga Central
School District.
“I’m honored and humbled to be selected to a position that
has seen such long-tenured leadership,” Mrs. Grimshaw said.
“This district has such a strong foundation of programs and
facilities and I am excited to become part of that
tradition.”
A career educator, Mrs. Grimshaw has served as a special
education teacher, professional development specialist and
coordinator, director of special education, and school
principal since graduating from Penn State University. She
is currently the assistant superintendent for curriculum
instruction and special education at Onondaga.
“This is probably the most significant decision any board of
education makes. And, it was difficult. We met with some
very, very good candidates,” Canajoharie Board of Education
President John DeValve said.
The board received more than 50 applications for the
superintendent’s post, and narrowed the field to three
finalists before deciding on Grimshaw as the district's new
chief administrator. Contract negotiations are being
concluded, and the board intends for Mrs. Grimshaw to start
on Dec. 1, 2011, when Mr. Rose steps down.
Mrs. Grimshaw hopes that a transition plan can afford her
opportunities to spend time with Mr. Rose before he retires,
helping to acclimate herself to the district through his
experiences.
Mr. DeValve said the board did its due diligence in finding
the right person for this point in the school’s history. He
pointed to funding as perhaps the biggest challenge facing
Canajoharie—“perhaps every school district” —as well as the
integration of common core learning standards and teacher
and principal evaluations. Mrs. Grimshaw’s background and
experience make her the “best fit for our district right
now,” Mr. DeValve said.
Canajoharie’s size and rural setting appealed to Mrs.
Grimshaw because of her emphasis on building strong personal
relationships with her staff and the community.
“We have so much going on in education today, but we
cannot—must not—lose sight of working hard every single day
for every student that walks through our doors,” Mrs.
Grimshaw said.
Mrs. Grimshaw received her Master’s in Education and school
district administration certification from SUNY Oswego.
Married with two young adult children, she enjoys outdoor
activities like hiking, camping and mountain climbing.
“I am thrilled to come to the beautiful Mohawk Valley
region, and excited to be a Canajoharie Cougar,” Mrs.
Grimshaw said. |
