DUANESBURG — James Niedermeier, the superintendent of the Duanesburg Central School District for the past three years, announced Monday that he would be resigning from the position to take on a new role at BOCES.
In a letter to the school district community, Niedermeier said he would be stepping down Sept. 7 or “until such time that a suitable replacement is found.” He called his resignation “both bittersweet and exciting.”
Niedermeier is leaving to become the associate superintendent of curriculum, instruction and accountability at Questar III BOCES, a position that oversees 23 districts in three counties. He was appointed superintendent of Duanesburg schools in 2020.
“While I am excited to begin this new challenge, please know that my chief concern right now is to ensure a seamless transition, and I will remain here at DCS until that occurs,” Niedermeier wrote.
His tenure with the district began in the early days of the COVID-19 pandemic — a challenging time that saw schools pivot to remote learning to mitigate the spread of the virus and has seen students grapple with learning loss in the years since.
Shayne Mitchell, president of the school district’s Board of Education, said Niedermeier “showed tremendous leadership while prioritizing the safety of our staff and students” while remaining committed to academics and navigating a community “that did not always agree.”
“He [Niedermeier] is to be commended for leading our district these last three years with a clear vision to support each and every student at Duanesburg with the resources necessary to be successful,” Mitchell said in a statement. “He has led with character, relied on facts to make informed decisions, showed the ability to listen to all sides of a topic, and was never afraid to make difficult decisions to move the district forward.”
Mitchell said the Board of Education will vote to accept Niedermeier’s resignation at its June 13 meeting, where the board will provide “preliminary information” on finding a replacement. He noted that the board will be seeking input from community members as well as staff and students from the district.
“While we are appreciative of Dr. Niedermeier’s lasting impact on DCS, we now turn our focus to the future,” Mitchell said. “Our next superintendent must be someone who will continue our district’s positive momentum, ensure that we are providing the very best education for all students, and cultivate a strong and positive school community.”
A graduate of the University of Rochester, Niedermeier began his teaching career at the Manchester-Shortsville Central School District in the Finger Lakes as an English teacher in 2002. He became the principal and chief academic officer of Albany’s Tech Valley High School in 2015 before coming to Duanesburg.
During his time with the school district, Niedermeier helped secure passage of a $28 million capital project that includes new roofing for both the district’s schools, as well as cafeteria and classroom renovations with no additional burden on taxpayers. The project, which was approved last year, is currently in the planning phase.
The district added a second school resource officer under Niedermeier’s tenure as well as a number of other safety measures.
“The students of DCS are the district’s greatest asset, and it has been a pleasure to support them. As they demonstrate in the classroom, on the playing field, and on the stage, the young people of this community work hard and strive to be successful in all facets of life,” Niedermeier wrote. “I urge them to continue to strive to be compassionate, resilient, self-directed, critical thinkers.”
Contact reporter Chad Arnold at: [email protected] or by calling 518-395-3120.
Categories: News, Rotterdam, Schenectady County
