For more than a week, Mary Anne Kermis has been at the helm of the Spencerport School District and she says it's like coming home. "I grew up in Irondequoit so coming to Spencerport is like coming home, because I am back in the Rochester area," she said. "I'm excited to be here. This district is a lot like the Kenmore district where I spent 18 years - the diversity of the programs and the size of the district is familiar to me." Kermis, who most recently served at the Holley Central School District, said her coming to Spencerport will be a "fabulous opportunity" for both her and her family. She took over in Holley when the district was going through turbulent financial times and in the year and a half that she served there was able to pull the district together, pay off the deficit and get the school back on track financially. She has been involved in education since 1972. "I negotiated seven bargaining agreements while I was in Holley and we saw concessions on health insurance being made," she said. "The district also raised the standards for student performance." Kermis plans to be a visible figure in both the community and the district in Spencerport. "I want to connect with everyone involved with the district," she said. "A school district is an important entity in the community and we need to continue to foster good relationships." Kermis, who lives with her family in Clarence in Erie County, said her daughter graduates school this year and the family plans to move to Spencerport next summer. Her son will enroll in fourth grade in one of Spencerport's elementary schools. "Spencerport has done a wonderful job of preparing its students so they are competitive when they graduate and it's my goal to continue that practice," she said. Kermis replaces Phillip Langton, who retired. |
