Message from the Board of Education

Dear Williamson Community,

Dr. Macaluso has informed the Board of Education of his intent to retire at the end of his current contract on July 31, 2021. In an effort to make the transition as seamless as possible, the Board of Education intends to seat a new Superintendent on July 1, 2020 at which time Dr. Macaluso would become Deputy Superintendent. We are very appreciative of Dr. Macaluso’s leadership and his willingness to take on this new role in his final year here at Williamson. The District has grown a great deal under his leadership and we want to maintain the momentum as we transition to a new leader. 

Community perspective is very important to the Board of Education and we would like to hear from you.  Hiring a Superintendent is the most important task for a School Board and we are seeking your input regarding key attributes of our next District leader. Please complete the following brief survey by September 20th.

Superintendent Search Questionnaire

Respectfully,

Williamson Central School District Board of Education
Jamie Sonneville, Board of Education President
Angela DeFisher, Board of Education Vice President
Monica Fernaays, Trustee
Ashtyn Mohanlall, Trustee
Robert Wendler, Trustee

Message from the BOE President, Jamie Sonneville

It’s hard to believe we are already through the first few months of this school year!  This also means I’m almost half-way done with my first year as the Board of Education President.  This is a role that I have always respected, and I am committed to serving our students, our staff, and our community in this capacity.

I am a lifelong resident of Williamson and appreciate the quality education I received as a student in this School District. I graduated from Williamson in 2000 and moved on to complete my Bachelor of Science degree in Communication from Cornell University. Following graduation, I became a graduate teaching assistant for the Cornell Department of Education while completing my Master of Professional Studies degree.

After college, I returned home and worked for WCS for eight years, first as the Technology Integration Specialist and then as the Director of Technology. I also served at the pleasure of the Board as the District Claims Auditor for five years. Currently, I am the Director of Technology at Newark Central School District and can also be found at itClix, a technology consulting business that I founded in Pultneyville.

WCS has always provided a quality education while staying firmly rooted in tradition.  Last year, the Board of Education participated on a Branding Committee that looked to create a new logo and brand statement for the District.  The resulting logo and statement (Deep Roots | Core Values | Bright Futures) accurately depicts this School District. 

When I ran for the board a few years ago, I stated that my interest was to ensure that all children in this District had access to a quality education. I believe the role of education is to create lifelong learners. Today, this means teaching critical thinking and problem solving while also focusing on project-based learning.  To accomplish this, WCS has embarked on a Personalized Learning (PL) initiative.  I’m proud to say that Williamson continues to be a leader in our region when it comes to personalized learning.  We are often asked to send our teachers and administrative team to conferences to present on our success and experiences with PL.  I see the positive results of PL with my own children’s educational experiences and look forward to Williamson’s bright future!