VOORHEESVILLE — Leadership at several levels is changing in the Voorheesville schools.

“Mark, it’s going to be sad to see you go,” board President David Gibson said. “We appreciate you planning ahead. It will allow us to put a process in place.”

The district recently closed its search for both an elementary school principal and a superintendent. Committees of board, staff, faculty, and community members will begin interviews soon, the interim superintendent, Ray Colucciello, told the board.

Diefendorf, noting that he will still be in the district for a year and a half, said that the early notice will “make the transition smooth for everyone.”

Assistant Superintendent for Business Sarita Winchell also agreed to continue in the district for another year. The board approved an amendment to her contract, “extending my working here for another year,” Winchell told The Enterprise.

She said that her contract had expired a year ago and that the amendment extended it.

“I’ve worked here since June 1, 1974,” she said. “That’s a long time.”

She said that a salary increase was included with the amendment, bringing her salary to $108,000.

She agreed to stay, as she did last year, because of the district being in administrative transition, she said.

“With the new superintendent coming, it’s probably good for the stability of the district,” Winchell said. She said that she did not want to commit to working longer than one year.

Gibson could not be reached for comment.

Other business

In other business, the school board:

— Learned that the fifth-grade students scored well on the New York State fifth-grade social studies test given in November. Interim Principal Edward Diegel said that 100 percent of the students had scored in the top two levels, level 3 or level 4. Of them, 73 percent scored at the highest level, level 4, he said.

Diegel told The Enterprise that all students, including those in special education classes, were included in the results, and that all of them had placed at level 3 or 4; and

— Learned that Transportation Supervisor Michael Goyer is seeking a grant through the Power to Schools program to replace boilers in the elementary and high schools. The grant could also cover a ventilation system, he said.

“There is some money available out there,” he said.