 Hartsdale, NY - On Tuesday, December 4th, the Greenburgh Central School District No. 7 Board of Education appointed Mr. Ron Smalls as its new Superintendent of Schools effective January 2, 2008 according to Mr. Lloyd Newland, Board President.
Smalls is currently the District Superintendent of Southern Westchester BOCES, a position he has held since 2002.
Prior to his tenure at BOCES, Smalls was the Superintendent at the Hawthorne-Cedar Knolls School district from 1996-2002. His prior positions included work as Regional Supervisor for Special Education at Nassau BOCES, Principal of the Community School in Wantagh, NY, and Assistant Principal of the Baldwin Harbor Park School in Baldwin, NY.
Smalls earned his Bachelors degree in Health & Science from Long Island University, a Masters degree in Guidance & Counseling from LIU, and a Masters degree in Educational Leadership from Pace University. He is currently completing final requirements for his Doctorate from Columbia University.
According to Newland, the search for the vacancy commenced in April after the announcement of the resignation of the previous superintendent, Josephine Moffett, effective July 2007. Since August, Sidney Freund has served as Interim Superintendent. The Board engaged the services of Hawthorne-based Focus Consulting Associates to conduct the search. Newland indicated, “Prior to the recruitment period, the Board solicited community input about the search. The company heard from more than 145 community and staff members about the characteristics they would like the Board to seek in its superintendent.” The Board adopted a “profile” of the new superintendent at its meeting on June 5 and gave it to Focus to be used to help screen applicants. The Board published regular search updates on the district website.
Newland said that 33 candidates applied for the position. Focus Consulting Associates narrowed that group down to five semi-finalists for the Board to consider. After interviews with the five, the Board selected two finalists for a second round of extensive interviews. The Board also conducted reference checks beyond those already completed by Focus. “The candidate pool was so strong, that any one of the five would have made a successful superintendent,” Newland said, adding all had superintendent experience.
Smalls will be paid $225,000 annually, a figure somewhat below the median for experienced superintendents in the region. Newland indicated that the contract discussions were cordial and that Mr. Small recognized the financial situation in the district.
Newland said, “We are very pleased that someone with the experience of Ron Smalls was excited about the opportunity to provide educational leadership for our community. Having worked at BOCES, he knows our district and is very optimistic about our capacity to do great things for the students. He also has wonderful relationships in Albany with the legislature and the State Education Department. This can only help our district’s efforts to provide quality programs and opportunities for our children.”
A community meeting has been scheduled for Monday, December 17 at 8:00 p.m. in the Woodlands High School Cafeteria. Community members are to attend this informal event to meet the new Superintendent.
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