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Gowanda middle/high school returns to three-principal system

GOWANDA — New York state classified Gowanda Middle School as a focus school due to subpar standings in certain categories this past summer. In response, the administration and board of education has been searching for the answer.

The district decided to move former middle school principal David Smith to the high school assistant principal and have the elementary school principal, Carrie Dzierba, and Dr. Robert Anderson, high school principal, split grades 5-8. In a recent Gowanda Board of Education meeting, the board and the administrators agreed that the first attempt was not going to work out.

“We had some issues this year,” Gowanda Superintendent Jim Klubek said. “We probably never got a full read on how well it would have been because of Mrs. Dzierba’s health. She was a vital part in doing this and the fact that she was gone for a lot of the time, we never really got a good read on whether or not it was going to be as successful as we thought.

“So rather than continue on that path, we decided we wanted to have a dedicated person to that middle school because it is a focused school.”

Due to health reasons, the district hired Kevin Munro to be the temporary assistant principal of the elementary school. Munro started in October and could only fill the role until Nov. 22, which is when Delia Bonenberger fulfilled the role. Dzierba was estimated to return in February to relieve Bonenberger.

Back in January, the process was in limbo, but looking towards continuing. The OBSERVER reported that it was much of the same as far as being short staffed and the difficulty of assessing the change. However, at the time, it was something the superintendent thought the district would keep.

When Klubek addressed the change at the board meeting, he asked for approval from the board to pursue a middle school principal. He added that the administration would like to start the process now to be ready for the following school year.

Also, the superintendent told the OBSERVER, that the principal will not be Smith, again, as his new role fits his traits and that the assistant principal will “probably” stay as a position.

“I honestly don’t know what’s out there,” Klubek said on the search. “We haven’t really advertised for a principal position in quite a few years, ever since Mrs. Dzierba in 2014.”

The district posted for a middle school principal on Friday, Klubek added.

As far as the budget, numbers will reflect those of a few years ago. Gowanda went down one administrator and the addition will bring it back.

Comments on this article may be sent to akuczkowski@observertoday.com

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