Avon Central School District’s Board of Education has named Christie DeWald as the new principal of Avon Elementary School. The Board approved her appointment at its May 25 meeting. DeWald’s official start date is July 1.
DeWald will fill the position previously held by Robert Lupisella, who after a nearly 25-year tenure with Avon, is retiring at the end of this school year.
DeWald is a graduate of the Caledonia-Mumford School District. She earned her undergraduate degree from SUNY Geneseo, her master's from Buffalo State and her certificate of advanced study from SUNY Oswego.
She comes to Avon from the Churchville-Chili School District where she serves as the Assistant Principal for Fairbanks Road Elementary School. Prior to her administrative service with Churchville-Chili, DeWald taught in the Rush-Henrietta School District for 14 years.
“She will draw from these previous experiences to continue the tradition of excellence we've come to expect from Avon Elementary,” said Superintendent Ryan Pacatte. “Her tremendous work ethic, breadth of experiences, and sense of family will help her to continue the excellent curriculum and instruction work that is already underway while also embracing the terrific culture of Avon Elementary.”
DeWald’s hiring is the culmination of a rigorous selection process that began in March when the district posted the position.
Before applicants were reviewed, the district completed a needs assessment for the position which included a survey of building staff and a ThoughtExchange survey with district families.
From the initial posting, the district received nearly 40 inquiries that resulted in 29 full applications, including applications from abroad. Application materials were reviewed and 21 candidates were invited for a 20-minute virtual screening interview.
A team from the Elementary School then conducted an additional paper screening and nine individuals were ultimately offered in-district interviews. During these interviews, candidates completed an on-demand task and interviewed with two separate stakeholder committees.
Using stakeholder feedback from these in-district interviews, three finalists were selected and invited back.
The last step in the selection process involved having finalists present to faculty and staff, converse with district officials and meet with the district’s administrative team.
“We’re excited to welcome Ms. DeWald to Avon Elementary,” said Board of Education President Rodney George. “We received a tremendous amount of interest when we posted this position and Christie distinguished herself with her experience, energy and vision for the elementary school. There’s not a doubt in my mind that she’ll be a great addition to our district’s administrative team.”