Longtime high school leader to be fourth Scotia-Glenville principal to retire

PHOTOGRAPHER: Michael Goot

Scotia-Glenville High School Principal Lynda Castronovo will step down in June, ending a 40-year educational career she began as a nun in Catholic schools in the Syracuse Diocese.

Castronovo’s will be the latest in a series of administrative departures during the past year in the district. She has been the high school’s principal since 1994.

She said the district will always have her heart. “I have loved each and every day that I have had the privilege of working here. I will miss it greatly, but look forward to new challenges and a more relaxed lifestyle,” she said in an email.

Castronovo began her teaching career in 1972. After 11 years teaching high school English in Syracuse as a member of the Sisters of St. Francis, she left the order and moved to Albany. She then worked as an English teacher at Rensselaer High School from 1983-87, taught English at Scotia-Glenville High School from 1987-90 and worked as assistant principal at Ravena-Coeymans-Selkirk Middle School from 1990-94 before returning to Scotia-Glenville for her present position.

Castronovo said being a high school principal was her dream job back in the late 1950s and 1960s, when almost all high school principals were men. She enjoys the atmosphere in her building.

“The feeling that we have in our school is like no other: the students and the staff in our building truly care about and support one another, and that sense of community permeates all we do,” she said.

Castronovo said it is hard to single out any one thing that is most memorable from all she has seen in her tenure, including athletic teams winning championships, musical performances and dramatic productions. There have also been times of sadness, in mourning students who died too soon.

She said her proudest accomplishment is being a small part of each student’s success. “I hope that somehow I made the path for each student a bit easier to navigate by advocating for them wherever and whenever I could in the last eighteen years,” she said.

In retirement she plans to continue her hobbies of traveling, golf, photography and reading and hit the gym. She would like to stay involved in the education field, perhaps assisting with staff development. She also will volunteer her services to the district’s GIVE community service initiative, First Tee elementary school golf program and other school organizations, as well as continuing to serve on the board of directors of the Edison Club.

In addition to Castronovo, Director of Fine Arts Susan Fitting is retiring this year, making a total of six administrative positions the district has to fill.

James Dunham and John Tobiassen retired from Glen-Worden and Sacandaga elementary schools, respectively, in June. Their jobs are being covered by other administrators for this school year, with Ann Comley moving to Sacandaga and being replaced at Lincoln by Athletic Director John Geniti. Maureen Long, director of curriculum and instruction for the district, also assumed the duties of Glen-Worden principal.

Middle school Principal Shari Keller retired last month, and David Versocki, director of technology, left to work for the Northeast Regional Information Center.

The jobs have not been advertised, but Scotia-Glenville spokesman Robert Hanlon expects that to happen in the spring.