Watertown school superintendent search narrowed to three candidates

Dec. 21—WATERTOWN — The Watertown City School District's Board of Education has narrowed its search for a new district superintendent to three candidates.

The board announced Wednesday that the three finalists for the position are Harrisville Central School District Superintendent Robert N. Finster, Pulaski Academy and Central School District Superintendent Thomas Jennings and Larry C. Schmiegel, a high school principal with the Monroe County School District in Key West, Florida.

The three are vying to replace Patricia B. LaBarr, who retired Aug. 31 after five years as Watertown's superintendent. Retired Indian River Central School District Superintendent James Kettrick has been serving as interim superintendent.

According to an invitation to apply for the superintendent's position published by the school district, the salary of the next superintendent will be commensurate with experience, but the minimum salary will be $190,000.

Mr. Finster has served as Harrisville's superintendent since 2013 and previously was a principal in that district for three years. He has also held teaching positions at the Jefferson-Lewis Board of Cooperative Educational Services and with the Watertown district.

Mr. Jennings has been Pulaski's superintendent since 2018 and served as superintendent of Schenevus Central School District in the Catskills from 2012 to 2018. Before that, he was the kindergarten through 12th grade principal with the Schenevus district and was a high school social studies teacher with the Oneonta City School District.

Mr. Schmiegel has been a high school principal in the Monroe County district since 2016. Prior to that, he was an elementary school principal with the Oswego City School District and an administrator in the Syracuse City School District.

According to a statement from the school board, the next phase in the superintendent selection process will include the board seeking feedback from the school community regarding their impressions of the three finalists. Each candidate will be participating in a series of sessions on Jan. 19 with district staff, students and the community.

Community members will have an opportunity to meet each candidate at community interview sessions scheduled for 6:15 p.m., 7:15 p.m. and 8:15 p.m. on Jan. 19 in the Watertown High School auditorium. Community participants are asked to bring questions for the candidates and each individual who elects to participate in the process will be invited to provide the board with written comments regarding their impression of each candidate.

The comments, which may be anonymous, will be reviewed by the board and used to assist in the final decision-making process.