Nyack Schools Superintendent Hired in Pocantico Hills

Nyack schools superintendent Valencia F. Douglas has been appointed superintendent of the Pocantico Hills Central School District in Sleepy Hollow, according to the Pocantico Hills school board.

In an announcement by the Pocantico Hills board,  Douglas will begin her duties as superintendent on Sept. 7.

"We are overjoyed that Dr. Valencia Douglas is now appointed as the new educational leader of Pocantico Hills Central School District," said John Conrad, President of the Pocantico Hills Central School District Board of Education. "The Board of Education looks forward to working side by side with Dr. Douglas as we advance our school district for the benefit of our students.  The future is very bright for our students, staff and community with Dr. Douglas as our superintendent."

Douglas served as the assistant superintendent of Secondary and Middle Schools for the Madison Metropolitan School District in Madison, Wisc., was principal of Osborne Elementary School in New Orleans, La., and as a special education teacher in Syracuse.

Douglas earned her Doctorate of Education in Administration, Planning and Social Policy from the Graduate School of Education at Harvard University.  

"Dr. Douglas has been recognized throughout her career as a leader in her field of education," an announcement from the school district stated. "With strong community involvement she developed and led the implementation of the Nyack School District's five year Strategic Plan and introduced an innovative robotics curriculum."

Most recently, Douglas received the 2010 Educational Leader of Distinction Award from the Nyack branch of the NAACP.    

Pocantico Hills Central School District has been run by interim Superintendent Jay Scotto-Friedman since the previous superintendent, Fred Smith, stepped down last year, reportedly due to allegations of plagiarism in his doctorate thesis. His doctorate was recently revoked. 

The board also expressed gratitude toward Scotto-Friedman for stepping in to run the district since November 2009. 

 "Additionally, the Board of Education thanks Jay Scotto-Friedman, our Assistant Superintendent for Business and Finance, for all of his hard work over the past nine months," Conrad said. " Jay has done a remarkable job as the interim superintendent."

In a prepared statement, Douglas said she was looking forward to her new position at Pocantico Hills. 

"I look forward to meeting the community in Pocantico Hills and working collaboratively with all the stakeholders to create learning opportunities to help all children reach and exceed their goals," she said.