Katonah-Lewisboro Starts Search Process to Replace Kreutzer

The Katonah-Lewisboro Board of Education has hired Hazard, Young, Attea and Associates to assist in the search for a permanent schools superintendent.

The former superintendent, Paul Kreutzer left abruptly in January, right after district officials voted to close Lewisboro Elementary School . Giving Kreutzer $90,000 to buy out his contract, the trustees cited “irreconcilable differences” as the reason for his departure.

Assistant Superintendent for Business Michael Jumper became the acting superintendent, and then in March the trustees appointed John Goetz, formerly interim principal at John Jay High School, as interim superintendent.

Since then, the school board has made several other administrative changes:

• Jessica Godin from her assignment as Principal of the Katonah Elementary School to assignment as the Principal of the John Jay High School, effective July 1, 2014
  
• Christy Harris, the current Principal of the Lewisboro Elementary School to the Katonah Elementary School, as its Principal, effective July 1, 2014
• Debra Legato was hired in May as Assistant Superintendent of Human Resources

Jumper remains the assistant superintendent for business.

School officials said Hazard, Young, Attea will begin working with the trustees, school administrators and community members to assess the district’s needs and the characteristics the community wants in a new superintendent.

“We are pleased to have found a consultant team with deep experience in education, a nuanced understanding of high performing schools, and a successful track record placing superintendents in Westchester County. We are looking forward to finding a long-term, permanent Superintendent who will be a good fit for the District,” Board of Education President Marjorie Schiff said in a note to the community on the school district’s website. “Selecting HYA was a unifying experience for the Board—we all felt that HYA would provide valuable resources and guidance in this process. We will invite our consultant team to make a presentation at a Board of Education meeting early this fall and will keep the community apprised of any new developments.”

The school board’s next meeting is Sept. 15, starting at 7:30 p.m. in the John Jay High School Library.