Chappaqua Taps Insider to be Seven Bridges Principal—in 2015

Chappaqua schools Superintendent Lyn McKay will ask the Board of Education Wednesday to appoint a current assistant principal of Horace Greeley High School to the post of principal at Seven Bridges Middle School.

Assuming all goes as planned, Andrew Corsilia won't take the job for another year, though. 

District officials plan to have him stay at HGHS for 2014-15, to finish projects and see this year's juniors through to graduation.

The plan is to keep Michael Kirsch in the interim role.  

Here's the text of McKay's letter to parents:

Dear Chappaqua Families,

I share with great excitement that on June 4, 2014, I will be recommending Mr. Andrew Corsilia to our Board of Education for appointment as Principal of Seven Bridges Middle School, effective July 1, 2015.  At the same meeting, and with equal enthusiasm, I will be recommending that Dr. Michael Kirsch continue in the role of interim Principal for the next year.

Andrew Corsilia is currently an Assistant Principal at Horace Greeley High School, where he has worked for the last sixteen years.  He was a teacher of English, then English Department Chairperson, and for the last two years, Assistant Principal.  Throughout those years, he has earned the respect and admiration of colleagues, students, and parents.  Prior to coming to work in our district in 1998, Andrew earned his B.A. in English from the University of Vermont, his M.A. in teaching from Teachers College, Columbia University, and subsequently, he earned his M.Ed. in Building and District Leadership from Bank Street College.

As you may know, this search extended over two years.  From the beginning, our Board of Education and I were committed to finding the best possible Principal for Seven Bridges.  I am confident that we have found that person, right here in Chappaqua, and now I am committed to making this transition work well for both schools.  If our Board accepts my recommendation next week, Andrew will be appointed and will become the Principal at Seven Bridges one year later.  This unique opportunity allows us to be sure that both Greeley and Seven Bridges are well served.  Andrew will see next year's senior class through to graduation.  He will continue to work on a number of significant program initiatives at Greeley that are already underway.  At the same time, he will begin to know the Seven Bridges community, its staff, students, and parents.  He will have a year in which to study the school's history and culture.  All the while, Seven Bridges will remain under the outstanding stewardship of Dr. Kirsch.

School districts don't often have the opportunity to transition as thoughtfully and thoroughly as we will through the next year.  I am deeply committed to the long term success of all our schools, and I believe we are fortunate to have this opportunity now.

I look forward to welcoming Andrew Corsilia as the next Principal of Seven Bridges Middle School, and I thank Michael Kirsch for his continued support and commitment to our schools.

Sincerely,

Lyn McKay
Superintendent of Schools