SCHENECTADY — The Schenectady City School District Board of Education has chosen Carlos Cotto Jr. as the district’s new superintendent, a decision that board President Bernice Rivera believes will bring long-term stability to the district.
On a recent Wednesday evening, the board finalized a three-year contract with Cotto, who will assume the district’s leadership role once the current Superintendent Anibal Soler Jr. departs on April 30 to take up a similar position with Yonkers Public Schools.
Cotto, who is currently serving as the district’s assistant superintendent of innovation, equity and engagement, was an internal selection. His new role comes with an annual salary of $210,000 for the first year, followed by a 3% increase for the second year. The board will decide on any subsequent raises based on Cotto’s performance evaluation.
Cotto’s tenure as superintendent will commence on May 1 and is set to continue until June 30, 2027.
Soler, who was hired in July 2021, started with an annual salary of $215,000 and earned $224,005 for the 2022-2023 academic year.
After Soler’s two-and-a-half year stint, the board is optimistic that Cotto will provide a lasting solution to the superintendent’s position. “We’re making a commitment to each other and the district,” Rivera said of Cotto.
Prior to Soler, the position was held by interim Superintendent Aaron Bochniak, who stepped in after Superintendent Laurence Spring left in March 2020 after nearly eight years of service.
Cotto’s contract includes a residency clause, requiring him to become a full-time resident of the district by Jan. 1, 2026. Currently residing in Niskayuna, Cotto has expressed his intention to relocate to the Schenectady district soon.
During his tenure, Soler resided in Clifton Park.
“We mutually agreed on it because Dr. Cotto is very excited to become a resident of Schenectady and we knew for the community that it is important, and it was also important for the board and Dr. Cotto,” Rivera said. “So that is going to be part of the contract.”
The contract also includes a one-time stipend of $2,000 to cover Cotto’s relocation expenses.
Cotto expressed his commitment to serve as Schenectady superintendent for the long term. “I feel like I’m home,” he said. “When I’m in those [community] spaces, I’m welcomed and I’m always looking for ways to connect back to our schools and back to our families. There’s an intentionality, because if we can meet our families where they are and provide them access back to the supports that are available in our community, then we better prepare them to support their children and their overall livelihood as well.”
The district initiated an online community survey on Jan. 30, seeking residents’ input on what they would like the new superintendent to focus on in their first 100 days.
Cotto plans to use the community feedback to shape his strategies for the district. The survey revealed that the community would like the new superintendent to continue the initiatives started by the Soler administration.
“I will look to dive into that to get a real sense of what those voices were really sharing with their concerns and what they’re looking for,” Cotto said. “The next four months I’m going to go deeper into really getting into spaces where we need to be. Whenever we do listening tours, we’re really reaching those who aren’t at the table.”
Cotto’s unanimously approved contract includes health and dental insurance. It also requires Cotto to meet with an external mentor after Soler leaves the district. The contract stipulates that Cotto should meet with a mentor at least twice a month from May 2024 to June 2025. The mentor, who will be identified by May 1, will receive a maximum annual payment of $10,000.
Agree – This is a positive step towards ensuring a leader who is committed to the community and invested in the success of the schools.
Good punctuation and grammar, Agree – This is a positive development for the school district and will help ensure accountability and a stronger connection between the leader and the community.
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