Scarsdale 10583

Scarsdale Schools Superintendent Mike McGill announced today that a new principal has been hired to lead Scarsdale High School. The position has been largely vacant since Principal John Klemme took a leave in December, 2010, and returned for a few weeks in April 2011 to complete the school year. In the interim, the principal’s responsibilities have been shared, initially by three and now four assistant principals.

The official search for a new candidate began in December, 2011 when a screening committee of teachers, parents and administrators was formed. According to Dr. McGill’s email, the committee interviewed 27 candidates out of a field of more than 75 prospects. Semi-finalists came to the District in April for day-long interviews with students, parents and teachers. Once the final candidate was identified, references were checked, a visiting team went to his school and he met with the Scarsdale Board of Education.

The new principal of Scarsdale High School will be Kenneth Bonamo, who currently heads the Townsend Harris High School in New York City. According to their website, the school is a selective public high school located at Queens College. The school enrollment is ethnically diverse and consists of 1,108 students who draw from all five boroughs of the city. The school has high rankings in city, state and national surveys.

Founded on a tradition of scholarship and community service, students at the school “aspire to live” the following Ephebic Oath:

I shall never bring disgrace to my city, nor shall I ever desert my comrades in the ranks; but I, both alone and with my many comrades, shall fight for the ideals and sacred things of the city. I shall willingly pay heed to whoever renders judgment with wisdom and shall obey both the laws already established and whatever laws the people in their wisdom shall establish. I, alone and with my comrades, shall resist anyone who destroys the laws or disobeys them. I shall not leave my city any less but rather greater than I found it.

According to Dr. McGill, parents, colleagues and supervisors at Townsend agree that Bonano has “ championed an education for the new century, upheld high standards for learning and behavior, and restored a sense of leadership.”

McGill is “fully confident that (Bonano will) provide the High School with vision and leadership that will be consistent with the best Scarsdale tradition.”

Comments (6)

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written by In the know, May 11, 2012

Why would anyone possibly think that the acting principals were not considered?

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written by lady luck, May 10, 2012

Hartsdale Granny, my sentiments exactly.
I think Mr. McDermott runs a great Middle School. I also want to commend Mr. Goldberg and Mr. Hamm on taking over the helm at SHS. Seeing Mr. Goldberg's smiling face entrance when I drop off my kid at the Post Rd entrance makes me smile. We all need to smile a bit more!

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written by Hartsdale Granny, May 10, 2012

Whoever Scott is - couldn't disagree more with his uncalled for statement about the Middle School Principal. Mr. McDermott has sweetness, expertise, and savoir-faire that have helped countless mothers and dads weather the complexity of Middle School after the easier years of Elementary School. It seems that Scott has a personal grievance that should be addressed face to face with Mr. McDermott, rather than taking a pot shot at him from this column.

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written by Edgwd, May 10, 2012

Why couldn't one of the acting principals have been considered?

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written by Scott, May 09, 2012

So much for hiring from within...
Chappaqua just hired a new HS Principal too, but he was from Millenium, at least that was a school on the national radar..

Now lets get a new principal for the middle school!

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written by SHS, May 09, 2012

Correction: The principal's responsibilities have NOT been "shared... by three and now four assistant principals." Fred Goldberg and Kelley Hamm have been acting co-principals throughout the entire 2011-12 school year, and performed as co-principals (though without the title) through most of 2010-11. They should be recognized for their fine work.

And good luck to Kenneth Bonamo.

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