Knox school gets new principal

PHOTOGRAPHER: Jason Subik

After a lengthy executive session Tuesday, the Greater Johnstown School District Board of Education named district Athletic Director Michael Satterlee to a three-year probationary appointment as principal of Knox Junior High School.

Satterlee is a longtime employee of the district, starting in 1982 as an elementary school physical education teacher. He said that after he stopped coaching basketball for the district, he pursued a school district administrator’s certificate and eventually moved up to the position of athletic director. The school board asked him to fill in as prinicipal after former Knox principal Steven Drescher resigned March 6 to pursue another job.

To his surprise, he liked the job, Satterlee said.

“My experience up there was really positive, and it was great being back working with the kids,” Satterlee said.

Superintendent Katherine Sullivan said Satterlee will be paid a salary of $72,000 to start at Knox, a pay increase from the athletic director’s position.

Satterlee said he would like to stay at Knox as its principal for a long period of time.

“My daughter’s a sophomore in high school, so I plan on being around for a while,” he said.

Satterlee’s appointment satisfies a criticism by resident Dick Baker of the district’s recent principal hires. Baker told the school board at a meeting earlier this year that the district appears to have become a career stepping stone for principals like Drescher who serve for a few years and then move on to a larger school district. Baker asked the board to consider more local candidates like Glebe Street Principal William Crankshaw.

The district still faces principal vacancies at Pleasant Avenue Elementary School and Warren Street Elementary School for the 2009-10 school year. Sullivan said the district hasn’t interviewed any candidates for those positions yet and is still taking applications.