School district mulls restructuring

ONEIDA, N.Y. >> Oneida City School District Superintendent Mary-Margaret Zehr has proposed massive restructuring to the administration.

Zehr has proposed eliminating the assistant superintendent for instruction position and replacing it with a district wide position of administrator for curriculum, instruction, and assessment. The superintendent would take on some of the duties of the former assistant superintendent for instruction. The district would also eliminate the high school principal position and create an executive principal K-12 position, whose responsibilities would be to provide and facilitate a continuous support for students in the areas of social and emotional developmental learning, career/college readiness, school climate/student engagement, and attendance.

“As a school district, we have seen a decline in enrollment and a dramatic increase of students and families that need various support services including academic, social, emotional, health, and welfare needs,” Zehr said in a post on the district’s Facebook page Friday. “There is no single administrative staff member focusing on social emotional learning, career/college readiness, school climate/student engagement, and attendance programs throughout the district- K-12.”

The board of education will review the suggestions and come to a decision in March. If approved, the district would begin interviewing candidates for both new positions for a July 2019 start.

“I believe that this new structure will allow the district to improve school conditions for student learning by providing social and emotional developmental supports for students, providing effective transitions from elementary school to middle school and from the middle school to high school, improving school climate, making discipline practices more positive, and increasing student engagement,” Zehr said.

To review Zehr’s proposal, visit www.oneidacsd.org/news/what_s_new/reorganization_proposal.

The OCSD Board of Education meets on Feb. 12 at 6 p.m. at the Otto Shortell Middle School, 200 Markell Drive, Wampsville, and on Feb. 27 at 6 p.m. at the District Office, 565 Sayles St., Oneida.

“As a school district, wehave seen a decline in enrollment and a dramatic increase of students and families that need various support services including academic, social, emotional, health, and welfare needs.”

— Oneida City School District Superintendent Mary-Margaret Zehr