3 finalists named for Watertown school superintendent

WATERTOWN, New York (WWNY) - The Watertown City school board has selected three finalists for district superintendent.

One of the three could replace Patti LaBarr, who resigned as superintendent at the end of August.

The finalists are Harrisville Central School superintendent Robert Finster, Pulaski Academy and Central School superintendent Tom Jennings, and Larry Schmiegel, who’s high school principal for the Monroe County School District in Key West, Florida.

The finalists will meet with district staff, students, and community on Thursday, January 19. Community members will have a chance to meet the candidates in the high school auditorium at 6:15 p.m., 7:15 p.m., and 8:15 p.m.

Finster has been Harrisville’s superintendent since 2013 and was high school principal before that. He also held teaching and administrative positions at Jefferson-Lewis BOCES, Madison-Oneida BOCES, and Watertown City Schools.

Jennings has served as superintendent in Pulaski since 2018, was superintendent of Schenevus Central School from 2012-2018, and was K-12 principal at Schenevus before that. He was also a high school social studies teacher for Oneonta City Schools.

Schmiegel has served as high school principal in Key West since 2016. Before that he was elementary principal at Oswego City School District and an administrator in the Syracuse City School District. Schmiegel grew up in Chittenango.