During its April 21 Board of Education meeting, the Averill Park Central School District appointed Brian Rhode as the Interim Principal at Poestenkill Elementary School.
Mr. Rhode will be taking over for current principal John Bishop, who accepted the role of Superintendent at Fort Plain CSD.
“While we lost a great principal in Mr. Bishop, we are lucky to have a great leader in Mr. Rhode who has agreed to fill in at Poestenkill Elementary while the District conducts its search for its next principal,” APCSD Superintendent James Franchini said. “This is a time of much uncertainty, but we are confident that Mr. Rhode can help lead the Poestenkill community and achieve the District’s goal of meeting the needs of and providing opportunities for every student every day.”
Mr. Rhode has been with APCSD since 2005, most recently working as the Director of Professional Development and Teacher Evaluation since September 2018. In this role, he helps to create, coordinate and implement a system of professional development opportunities to increase the effectiveness of all aspects of APCSD staff interactions with students.
Mr. Rhode also works one-on-one with teachers, conducting observations throughout the district, and coordinates the standardized state tests that third through eighth grade students take each year.
Mr. Rhode is no stranger to Poestenkill. Prior to his current position, he taught multiple grades at Poestenkill Elementary School, serving on the staff from 2005 until 2018. He is excited about returning to help PES by serving as its interim principal.
In its search for its next principal, Averill Park CSD formed a committee of stakeholders, including members of the District Office, Building Level Administration, faculty and the Board of Education. This group reviewed 50 applicants and narrowed down the field to six candidates for interviews.
Interviews are scheduled for this week and will take place with a stakeholder committee which includes parents, faculty, staff, Board of Education members and Building Level Administrators. The District has a goal of appointing a principal at its May 11 Board of Education meeting.