The Duanesburg Central School District Board of Education 
announced that Kimberly Ross has been selected to serve as the district’s next superintendent of schools, effective July 1, 2024. The board will vote on Ross’ appointment at a special meeting on Tuesday, March 5 at 7 p.m.
Ross is currently the superintendent of schools for the Green Island Union Free School District, a position she has served in since 2019. Before that, she was the director of student support services for the Gloversville Enlarged School District. She also served as an elementary principal in both Gloversville and Middleburgh, as well as a social studies teacher in Cobleskill-Richmondville.
“As a life-long resident of the area, I have personally and professionally admired how the school district is at the heart of the Duanesburg community,” Ross said. “Duanesburg continues to be home to great people committed to excellence and I will do everything I can to support the students, families and educators here. I am incredibly grateful to the board of education for offering me this opportunity to contribute to Duanesburg’s continued path toward academic distinction.”
“The board is thrilled to welcome Ms. Ross to the district,” said Duanesburg Board of Education President Melissa Them Peterson. “We were impressed with her accomplishments at Green Island and feel she will work diligently to uphold the mission and values of the Duanesburg Central School District. It was important to the board that we find someone who will take the time to build relationships and lead by example, and we feel Ms. Ross is that person. The fact that she is native to the Schoharie Valley was an added bonus.”
While at Green Island, Ross focused on expanding opportunities for students in the small, urban district of just over 300 students. She was instrumental in opening new graduation pathways that previously had not been available to students, including distance learning, career and technical education and alternative education programs. She also improved access to various professional development and academic resources for teachers and administrators, bringing a variety of evidence-based instructional tools into the district. During Ross’ tenure as superintendent, the graduation rate in Green Island has increased from 75% to 93%.
Ross has also overseen the implementation of several large-scale grant programs that supported teachers and students – and also built stronger connections throughout the Green Island community. These included a 21st Century Community grant that helped to support a critical after-school program, and an Office of Mental Health grant that helped to provide much-needed social and emotional support for all students. Ross also played a key role in strengthening the district’s prekindergarten offerings, expanding academic programming and early intervention options for the city’s youngest learners.
Ross also has a demonstrated commitment to open and transparent communication with both the media and the school community.
“In an effort to be able to have a deeper understanding of the community and culture, my goal will be to build strong relationships throughout the district and Duanesburg community. This will allow me to sustain a foundation of trust and transparency with all stakeholders,” she said. “I look forward to working with the board of education members, administration, faculty, staff, students, families and community leaders.”
Ross was selected from a diverse pool of candidates from throughout New York following a comprehensive search process. This process, led by Capital Region BOCES, involved gathering feedback from various community stakeholders on what they hoped to see in the school district’s next leader. This included a survey that was open to the entire community and a series of virtual and in-person focus groups. Feedback was gathered from employees, students, families, community members and town leaders and was used to craft marketing and search materials for the position, as well as in vetting and interview materials.
“Finding and hiring a new superintendent is one of the most important roles of a board of education,” said Them Peterson. “We took that very seriously. I am proud of this board for the professionalism, collaboration, and unity it demonstrated throughout this process. The community, both inside and outside the school buildings, can feel confident that the board prioritized their needs in this selection process.”
Ross replaces Dr. James Niedermeier who left the district in June to take a position at Questar III BOCES. Since Niedermeier’s departure, the district has been overseen by Interim Superintendent Jeffery Ziegler, who will continue in the role until Ross takes over July 1.
Ross is a New York certified administrator with a certification in school district administration from the University at Albany and SUNY Plattsburgh. She holds a bachelor’s degree in adolescent education from the State University of New York at Oneonta and a master’s degree in education theory and practice/history from the University at Albany.