The search for a new superintendent in the Newfane Central School District is nearing its conclusion.
A letter from the school board to district residents sent earlier this week states that the board has chosen a candidate to succeed superintendent Lisa Krueger, who will be departing at the end of the school year to take the same post at West Seneca Central School District.
An offer has been made, according to school board president Santo Tomasine. No further information about the chosen finalist is being released while contract negotiations occur.
“Last week, the Board identified two exceptional candidates for the final interview stage,” the board’s letter to district residents reads. “These candidates are outstanding leaders in their respective districts and surpass all the qualities we seek in the next leader of Newfane Central Schools. The Board conducted successful interviews with each finalist, one on Saturday and the other on Monday.”
According to Tomasine, the district is ahead of schedule in its search timeline and moved up the date of the finalist interviews, which were originally slated for next week.
The board again enlisted the services of Anthony Day and the Western New York Educational Service Council, the same organization that assisted in the 2023 search that turned up Krueger.
“It took a lot of work from the board working with (Day) to make this timeline a possibility,” Tomasine told the Union-Sun & Journal. “(It also took) a lot of flexibility and commitment from the board to give up the time and to move days around just so we can ensure we have our next leader in place by September 1.”
Formal appointment of the new superintendent is expected in mid to late July, Tomasine said.
Last month, the board appointed Michelle Spasiano, a retired administrator who most recently led the Franklinville school district, as interim superintendent.
Krueger is leaving Newfane at the end of this month and her appointment at West Seneca schools takes effect July 1, less than a year after she took the superintendent’s post in Newfane. Because of that brief time, WNYESC is providing its services for this search at no cost, per a clause in the contract from the previous search process.