At its Feb. 1 meeting, the Board of Education unanimously appointed Carl Mummenthey as the district’s next superintendent of schools following an extensive search that involved stakeholder surveys and focus groups. Mummenthey was appointed to a four-year contract and will officially take over as superintendent on July 1, 2022.
“I am honored to have earned the Board’s confidence and trust and I am eager to lead and support the district’s important work,” Mummenthey said.
Mummenthey comes to Niskayuna from the Cobleskill-Richmondville Central School District, where he has been the superintendent for the last eight years. While in Cobleskill-Richmondville, he oversaw the district’s $43 million operating budget, as well as a $14.1 million capital improvement project that was approved by voters in February 2020. Mummenthey is credited with implementing long-range strategic and financial plans, improving the district’s four-year graduation rate, and adding new Advanced Placement and Career and Technical Education opportunities for students.
Prior to coming to Cobleskill-Richmondville, Mummenthey was the superintendent of the Jefferson Central School District in Schoharie County for nine years. He was also previously a middle school and high school principal, a BOCES planning and instructional specialist, and a secondary English and journalism teacher.
“Some of the major themes we saw in the survey and forums were that our community wants a leader who is a strong communicator, an active listener, and who has experience in varied areas within the education field,” said Niskayuna Board of Education President Kimberly Tully. “Mr. Mummenthey has worked as a classroom teacher, has experience with staff development, and has more than 17 years as a superintendent. Through the interview process, his communication and listening skills were evident, as well as his open-minded and collaborative nature. Building trust and strong relationships is a priority for Mr. Mummenthey and the Board believes he will be a wonderful addition to our learning community.”
While Mummenthey’s appointment is for July 1, he does plan to hold several “Meet the New Superintendent” events throughout the spring. These events will be a way for him to get to know students, staff and community members, and a way for them to get to know him. In addition, Mummenthey plans to work closely with Interim Superintendent Dr. Juliette Pennyman in the coming months to ensure a smooth transition. Dr. Pennyman will remain the interim superintendent through June 30.
“We have been extremely fortunate to have such a strong and experienced educator leading us as interim superintendent during these extraordinary times,” said Niskayuna Board of Education Vice President Sarah Rogerson. “Dr. Pennyman has graciously offered her talents to ensure a smooth transition in leadership, including developing an inclusive and sustainable budget, shepherding the capital project, and maintaining our district as a center of community and academic excellence during a global pandemic.”
As the district looks to the future, including a capital project and continuing to navigate the pandemic, Mummenthey emphasized the importance of working collaboratively with all members of the school community.
“In the coming months, I look forward to getting to know Niskayuna’s students, visiting your schools, meeting with faculty and staff, and engaging with the greater Niskayuna community,” adds Mummenthey. “Niskayuna has a proud past, an exciting present, and a bright and promising future. I look forward to working together with all stakeholders to empower, persevere, innovate, and connect in the words of our new mission statement.”
Mummenthey replaces former Superintendent Cosimo Tangorra, Jr., who left the district in October for a position as Superintendent of the New Hartford Central School District. Since Dr. Tangorra announced he was leaving last summer, the Board has been engaged in an active search to find the best leader for the district. Working with consultants from Capital Region BOCES, the Board held a series of 12 forums, during which administrators, staff, faculty, students and community members offered feedback on what they were looking for in a school superintendent. More than 400 people also completed an online survey, offering the Board additional feedback. All community input was used during the Board’s interview and selection process.
“The Board used the themes from the community and staff forums and surveys to craft interview questions that would help us get a clear picture of each candidate’s ability to meet the needs of our district. Mr. Mummenthey overwhelmingly demonstrated an ability to meet these needs and that he has the experience to move our district forward,” Tully said.
Carl J. Mummenthey Biographical Snapshot
Carl J. Mummenthey currently serves as superintendent of schools at Cobleskill-Richmondville Central School District. He was appointed to that role in September 2014. Previously, he served as superintendent at Jefferson Central School for nine years.
Throughout his career he’s worked as a high school English teacher, a staff development specialist, and a middle and high school principal.
He earned his undergraduate degree at SUNY Oneonta and graduate degrees at the University of New Hampshire and the University of New England. He also completed the Program on Negotiation at Harvard Law School, a consortium program of Harvard University, MIT, and Tufts University dedicated to developing the theory and practice of negotiation and dispute resolution.
Carl serves a trustee/director for the Bassett Healthcare Network, Cobleskill Regional Hospital, and the Clark Foundation (NYC and Cooperstown, NY).
He and his wife Tabitha, a social studies teacher at Oneonta Middle School, reside in Cobleskill. They have two children: a son (Andrew) who is a freshman at Auburn University in Alabama and a daughter (Ainsley) who is a sophomore at Cobleskill-Richmondville High School.
Outside of work, Carl and his family enjoy camping, hiking, kayaking, and other outdoor activities.
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