GUILDERLAND - Dr. Gregory Aidala says he learned something every day during his seven years as superintendent of the Guilderland schools.
"A lot of my work has to do with problem-solving," said the former middle-school math teacher. "I've been able to help people work through some difficult areas"By the time it reaches me, it sometimes seems unfair to delegate back down," said Aidala of his hands-on approach to solving problems.
He has described his role as a non-voting member of the school board, putting himself at odds with some board members who see their role as governing the superintendent. Aidala said recently of board meetings this year, "I am more outspoken"I want to be sure we remain on course."
Looking back at his seven years as supervisor, Aidala said, "I've tried to be a visible leader"We pride ourselves that this is an excellent district. There is always a need to be better.
"My philosophy is hiring the best people - teachers, bus drivers, office staff - and providing the best support and encouragement we can," he said. "The district is known for its professional development."

Aidala is retiring this month at age 56 after 35 years in education. He has no immediate professional plans although he said he might do some short-term work as an interim middle-school principal. He enjoyed teaching math to eighth-graders and being a middle-school principal, he said.
"I liked the kids," he said. "The middle-school-aged child is enthusiastic and interested in all that's around him or her"It's a very misunderstood age group. They're not wild, they're full of energy," he said.
Of his immediate future, though, Aidala said, "I'll be a stay-at-home husband." The next couple of months he'll use as "a mini-sabbatical of reflection and planning," he said. After his wife, Judith, retires from teaching, the couple plans to travel extensively, he said.
Certainly, they'll visit their daughter, Katherine, a lawyer in Denver, and their son, Daniel, a sales representative for seniors' health insurance, living in Glens Falls, but, beyond that, Aidala said, "There are a lot of places to see in the U.S. and Europe."

"The importance of teamwork"

John McGuire will be Guilderland's next superintendent. Like Aidala, he is coming to Guilderland from a superintendency in rural Washington County. Aidala had been the superintendent in Salem for 12 years, overseeing two schools with about 800 students. With the move to suburban Guilderland, he oversaw over 5,600 students in seven schools. His annual salary at retirement is $150,000.
Asked if he had any advice for McGuire, Aidala said, "To be patient"Change doesn't happen overnight. I would emphasize the importance of teamwork. You can accomplish so much more working together to overcome obstacles."

Aidala said what he'll miss most at Guilderland are the people he works with. What he'll miss least are all the night meetings.
Aidala complimented "the district office team" - his three assistant superintendents: Neil Sanders for business, Nancy Andress for instruction, and Susan Tangorre for personnel. "I don't think you'd find a more dedicated, hard-working, and highly skilled group of administrators," said Aidala.
He also praised his secretary, Linda VanAuken. "She makes my job easier," he said.
"Over the seven years, we've had a lot of labor peace," he said, citing an example of what teamwork has accomplished. "We haven't had extended contracts which have expired"People could remain focused on our true mission - working with children.
"That doesn't happen by chance. I've worked closely with Chris Claus," Aidala said, referring to the president of the teachers' union. "I think we've been successful at building and maintaining trust."

Beyond bricks and mortar

When Aidala began at Guilderland, one of his first tasks was getting a bond issue passed for the renovation and expansion of the middle school. He is leaving just after the vote, on Nov. 13, for a $27 million project to renovate Guilderland's elementary schools, upgrade security and technology across the district, and relocate the administrative offices to the high school.
"Those projects improve our facilities and provide better opportunities for students," said Aidala. "Public buildings need attention."
He described the latest project as "Phase Three" of a 10-year effort, beginning with upgrades to the high school.
But leading a district is about more than bricks and mortar. "I think any school program is about people - the human dimension," said Aidala. A large part of his job has been communicating with parents, staff, and the community - "making sure people understand," he said.
Aidala said his job changed with the evolving technology. "Technology exists now that wasn't around seven years ago," said Aidala, citing the prevalence of e-mail and websites.

During an exit interview with The Enterprise, Aidala reflected back on the interviews he had had with district committees to get the supervisor's job in the first place.
"They asked what I knew about Guilderland," he recalled. "I said I could appreciate the effort the community made in the sixties with increased enrollment, when they built a new middle school," he said, setting an innovative model in Farnsworth Middle School. "Typically, districts in that situation made the old high school the middle school."
But Guilderland, he said, "developed a plan specifically geared for middle-level education, where the facility tied into the program with separate academic buildings and a round building for art and music" and other common activities. "It's such a well-planned facility," said Aidala, "we still have visitors from other school districts."
Asked what weaknesses he had found in the district, Aidala said, "Guilderland has always faced change head-on. Our challenges this year are the referendum, the ambitious technology plan, and the FLES [Foreign Language Early Start] program," he said, referring to the start of Spanish instruction in the early elementary grades.
"I wouldn't call them weaknesses, but there are areas we are looking at, said Aidala, naming two - maintaining taxes so there isn't a big increase, and making sure students achieve at their highest level.
"I don't think these issues go away," said Aidala. "You just keep working on them."
Aidala has made a point over his seven years at Guilderland of conducting an exit conference with each retiring teacher during which he asks, "If you had it to do over again, would you have been a teacher"" Asked that question himself, Aidala answered, "In a heartbeat."
He concluded. "I appreciated the support of the community. Being the superintendent at Guilderland has been the culmination of my career."