ORISKANY — The school district has narrowed its search to two candidates for a new superintendent to replace Michael S. Deuel.
Community members will also get an opportunity to meet the candidates on Monday and Tuesday, Nov. 23 and 24.
The finalists are Gregory K. Kelahan, assistant superintendent for curriculum and instruction in the Cazenovia school district, and Robin L. Price, principal of the Otto Shortell Middle School in Oneida.
The salary range for the position was advertised at between $100,000 and $110,000. The new superintendent is expected to start Jan. 1, 2010.
Having been recently appointed assistant superintendent at Cazenovia, Kelahan previously served as the coordinator of curriculum and special programs at Cazenovia. He was also the elementary principal/K-12 curriculum coordinator in the Madison Central School District. Prior to that, Kelahan was a staff and curriculum development specialist for Madison-Oneida BOCES.
Kelahan received his bachelor’s degree in elementary/secondary science education from the State University College at Buffalo, a master’s degree in science teaching from Syracuse University and a certificate of advanced study in educational administration from the State University of New York at Cortland.
Price has been principal in the Oneida schools since 2003. Previously, he was the assistant principal of the Oneida High School and a business education teacher in the alternative school at the Hamilton-Fulton-Montgomery BOCES.
Price earned a bachelor’s degree in vocational technical education/distributive business education from SUNY Oswego, a master’s degree in educational administration and policy studies from the University of Albany and school district administrator certification from Syracuse University.
The two finalists were chosen through a comprehensive process, said Howard D. Mettelman, district superintendent for Oneida-Herkimer-Madison BOCES who has been assisting the Oriskany Board of Education in the search.
The Board of Education narrowed the field from four candidates to three semi-finalists. Each of the semi-finalists was interviewed by the board. The board will hold final interviews for Price and Kelahan on Monday and Tuesday, Nov. 23 and 24.
The community will also have an opportunity to meet Price on Nov. 23, and Kelahan on Nov. 24, in the high school cafeteria for an open house, which will be held 3-4:30 p.m.
For more information, contact Mettelman at 793-8560.
Oriskany serves about 740 students in two schools with 135 employees and an annual operating budget of approximately $12 million.
The new superintendent would replace Michael S. Deuel, who accepted a position as athletic director of Whitesboro Central Schools in the summer.
Edward A. Shafer has been serving as interim superintendent at $450 per day.
