KLSD Leadership News - April 21, 2023

Dear KLSD Community,

I am thrilled to announce that on Tuesday, April 25, I will be making three recommendations to our Board of Education regarding leadership positions in our district. I am grateful to the many colleagues and community members who provided input along the way. As always, the input of others proved invaluable.

Director of Facilities: For the past 25 years, Mr. Mike Lavoie has been an exemplary employee in our school district. Most recently, and for eight years, he has served as the Foreperson in our Operations and Maintenance Department, working side-by-side with Paul Christensen, our current Director of Facilities. Mr. Lavoie is well regarded and well-liked by all who know and work with him. He is a knowledgeable, skillful, and dedicated leader who will guide our facilities forward with care and attention, so that our schools continue to be places in which our students and colleagues are happy to learn and work. It will be my pleasure to recommend Mike Lavoie to be our next Director of Facilities, effective May 5, 2023.

Director of Special Services: Ms. Meagan Sullivan currently serves as an administrator for Elementary Special Education & CPSE in the Mahopac Central School District, where she has worked since 2020. Previously, she was tenured as the Director of Pupil Personnel Services in the Port Jervis School District. Ms. Sullivan received her education through SUNY Geneseo, SUNY Albany, and the Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts, and she began her career as a special education teacher. Throughout the search process, she impressed those she met with her deep care for children, her knowledge of the appropriate services and regulations, and her enthusiasm for the work of supporting all children. It will be my pleasure to recommend Meagan Sullivan for the position of Director of Special Services effective June 5, 2023.

Assistant Superintendent for Curriculum and Instruction: For the past twelve years, Dr. Julia D. Drake has served as the Principal of Springhurst Elementary School in the Dobbs Ferry School District. While guiding her school of more than 700 students, she led curriculum reviews and innovations that included but were not limited to ELA, math, science, and SEL. She is a dedicated and beloved leader in Dobbs Ferry where she has worked closely with colleagues at all levels of the district. Previously, Dr. Drake was the principal of P.S. 147 Isaac Remsen School in Brooklyn. Before becoming an administrator, Dr. Drake began her career as a special education teacher. Following degrees earned in Political Science and Elementary Education, Dr. Drake received her Doctor of Education in Educational Leadership through Manhattanville College. This past year, she has been a participant in the Advanced Education Policy Leadership Program through Columbia University, with a focus on high school graduation requirements. It will be my pleasure to recommend Julia D. Drake for the position of Assistant Superintendent of Curriculum and Instruction effective July 1, 2023.

Once again, my thanks to all who participated in the searches to fill these important positions. I feel fortunate to be recommending such strong candidates to our Board. They are eager to continue the work of providing our students with ever more engaging and meaningful educational experiences.

Sincerely,

Andrew Selesnick, Superintendent of Schools