JOHNSTOWN — Greater Johnstown School District Superintendent Patricia Kilburn is one of two semi-finalists for the Oneida-Herkimer-Madison BOCES district superintendent position.
The OHM BOCES released more public information Friday about its search for a new district superintendent. Officials from that BOCES this week didn’t return phone calls to The Leader-Herald.
The website for the New Hartford-based OHM BOCES indicated Friday that Kilburn is one of two semifinalists. The other candidate is Keith Levatino, superintendent of the Little Falls City School District.
“In the upcoming weeks, these two candidates will be advanced to the New York state commissioner of education for her consideration,” the website states. “Following the commissioner’s response, the (OHM) board will make their final selection of the new district superintendent, with an anticipated appointment at the end of July.”
Kilburn’s current five-year contract with the Johnstown school system runs until February 2022, district Clerk Larraina Carpenter said Friday. She was hired to start in 2017 at an annual base salary of $135,000, but has taken a voluntary wage freeze since last year.
The Johnstown superintendent confirmed Wednesday she was a candidate for the position — one day after the Greater Johnstown School District had a revote on its $37.8 million budget for 2019-20. The budget, with a 14.6 percent tax levy increase, passed by a vote of 1,393 yes, 803 no.
The OHM BOCES website also provided brief biographies of the two semi-finalists.
It notes Kilburn oversees a district in Johnstown of about 1,750 students — about 700 more than the 1,050 students listed as Levatino overseeing in Little Falls.
Kilburn’s biography states: “Her professional experience also includes serving as a guest speaker for educational leadership courses at SUNY Plattsburgh; serving as a third reader for doctoral dissertations and defense; providing professional development in three Capital Region districts; supporting and facilitating administrative retreats at Hamilton-Fulton-Montgomery BOCES; and planning, implementing and presenting during a regional teacher leadership development project.”
She holds a Bachelor’s degree in music education from SUNY Potsdam; a Master’s degree in early childhood education and a Certificate of Advanced Study in school and district administration from The College of St. Rose; and a doctorate in educational leadership from Sage Graduate School.
Levatino’s biography notes he previously served as principal of Perry Junior High School in New Hartford and as the New Hartford school district’s safety coordinator. His experience also includes serving as principal of Strough Junior High School in Rome, assistant principal at Rome Free Academy, special education teacher at Strough, and Academic Summer School principal for Madison-Oneida BOCES. He currently serves as a mentor for Educational Leadership Mohawk Valley and has served as an adjunct instructor at Utica College.
He holds an Associate’s degree in business administration from SUNY Adirondack; Bachelor’s degrees in psychology and elementary education from SUNY Plattsburgh; a Master’s degree in education administration and a Certificate of Advanced Study in school administration from SUNY Plattsburgh; and a doctorate in educational administration/teacher leadership from Walden University.
Michael Anich covers Johnstown and Fulton County news. He can be reached at [email protected]
