Schenevus Central School superintendent resigns

Vicky Klukkert, The Daily Star, Oneonta, N.Y.
·2 min read

Dec. 28—The Schenevus Central School District will need to find a new superintendent in 2023.

Schenevus Central School Superintendent Theresa Carlin resigned during a special board of education meeting Tuesday, Dec. 27. Her resignation is effective Dec. 31.

Carlin said on Wednesday, "My time at Schenevus came to an end. It's time to move on to other opportunities."

Carlin began her tenure as superintendent in 2018 and said her biggest accomplishment is leaving the district with a budget surplus. When she started working at Schenevus, the district was facing a "$750,000 deficit and had no money in savings or reserves," she said. The district now has more than $2 million saved in its reserve fund, she said.

"We were on the state comptroller's list of school districts in fiscal stress," she said. "We were number two. We've pretty much gotten off the list."

According to several previous Daily Star articles, the district held several community meetings about its budget deficits throughout the spring of 2019, and voters approved the $9 million budget 357 to 193 that year.

The district also received $500,000 in advanced state aid in June of 2019 to help shore up finances. In exchange, the district will receive an approximately $17,000 annual reduction in its state aid awards over a 30-year period until the funds have been repaid, the article said.

The Schenevus and Worcester districts received a $25,000 grant in December 2019 to complete a study of a merger between the districts. The study was completed in December 2020.

Residents of both districts approved the merger in a straw vote in September 2021, but Schenevus residents opposed the merger on Dec. 1, 2021.

Carlin said between working on the district's finances and the merger vote "I have learned a tremendous amount. I can take what I've learned and help out another school district."

Carlin said she plans to stay in the area. "I absolutely love the region and ONC BOCES," she said. "I do have some things I'm working on. I'm not done being a superintendent. I plan to continue on that path."

Carlin said "I loved my time at Schenevus. I've made connections with students and staff. The kids in the district are phenomenal. The district has such a caring staff. It's a really good place to work."

Schenevus Central School Board of Education President Tom Snyder did not return a call seeking comment on Wednesday.

Vicky Klukkert, staff writer, can be reached at vklukkert@thedailystar.com or 607-441-7221.