Rochester school administrators consider the responsibilities of the board ahead of another search for a superintendent

Rochester, New York – In preparation for Superintendent Carmine Peluso’s imminent departure, the Rochester City School District is now searching for its eighth new head of school since 2011.

Peluso will take over as the district’s superintendent on July 1st, the Churchville-Chili Central School District said on Tuesday. Peluso spoke about his choice on Wednesday at a press conference.

Longtime Rochester Teachers Association president Adam Urbanski asserts that one or two board members obstructed Peluso’s work and calls Peluso’s retirement a “lesson” for specific board members.

“The first step toward learning a lesson is admitting the reality,” Urbanski said. “The reality is, if it weren’t for the impediments that — not the whole leadership board, but at least one or two — board members have put in his way, Carmine Peluso would still be superintendent.”

Urbanski stated that Peluso has experienced disrespect, meddling, micromanagement, and pettiness from at least one school board member.

President of the Board of Education Cynthia Elliott stated that new member orientation is still in progress and that the board is striving to become more cohesive.

“You have to adjust from being passionate and a community advocate to a person who governs,” she explained. “It doesn’t mean that you want to do the wrong thing or disrupt, but it takes time to make that transition.”
According to Peluso, board leadership has been “great,” and he made this choice on his own. With the last 15 months as superintendent, he has worked for the district for a total of 14 years.

“There’s a lot of commitment I’ve had to this district,” he said. “You have all heard me say that my wife has been a teacher for 26 years in this district, so it’s nothing that I take lightly. It was just a hard decision.”

Elliott stated that although the post requires challenging work, it must be completed.

“Dr. Peluso has laid the groundwork for that and developing the strategic plan. We are looking for someone to continue that work, not necessarily coming in to try to change the whole system,” says Elliott. “We are committed to continuing this work. It’s not going to stop, and the children in the Rochester City School District will be highly educated.”