HERKIMER, N.Y. - Following a stretch of interim superintendents and school merger votes, Herkimer Central School District now has selected a permanent superintendent.

The Herkimer Board of Education recently chose Robert Miller, who is currently superintendent of the Cherry Valley-Springfield Central School District, to become Herkimer's new superintendent.
Miller said he is proud of everything that Cherry Valley-Springfield accomplished during the past four years, and he will miss the students, staff and faculty.

Moving ahead, he is looking forward to working with all the stakeholder groups in the Herkimer Central School District to ensure continuous improvement of the district's programs and face the challenges that lie ahead as a unified community, he said.

"I want to thank the Herkimer Board of Education for this opportunity," Miller said. "I believe by working together as a school community - and community as a whole - we will achieve the district's mission of providing the educational opportunities that the children in this district will need to be college and career ready for the 21st Century."

Herkimer Board of Education members selected Miller on Feb. 26 and plan to officially appoint him on March 13. Miller is expected to start with the district sometime in May.

Miller's contract is for three years, and he will earn a salary of $125,000 per year.

Herkimer began searching for a permanent superintendent in November 2012.

Gary Tutty, then the interim superintendent, had been hired following the retirement of Carol Zygo to shepherd the district during the merger study process. District residents voted against merging with the Mohawk and Ilion school districts, and Tutty announced that he would leave the district at the end of 2012.

Former Dolgeville Superintendent Theodore Kawryga has been serving as the interim superintendent since the start of 2013.

The Herkimer Central School District Board of Education approved Herkimer-Fulton-Hamilton-Otsego BOCES District Superintendent Mark Vivacqua as the superintendent search consultant.
The next step in the search process was an online survey. The survey allowed community members to weigh in on the qualifications and experiences they were looking for in a superintendent candidate.

Finalists for the position visited the school district - touring the schools, having lunch with students and meeting with the interim superintendent, administrators, supervisors, teaching staff representatives and support staff representatives.

A community forum with the candidates took place on Feb. 25. At the forum, a committee of community members helped interview the candidates, and the general public was able to ask questions.
The Herkimer Board of Education conducted final interviews during a meeting on Tuesday, Feb. 26, when they selected Miller.