Several transitions are taking place amongst the administration at Downsville Central School District this summer. For nearly a decade, the district has participated in a shared-superintendent model with Superintendent John Evans serving as the Chief School Officer for the Downsville, Roscoe, and Livingston Manor School Districts. However, in an article published in the district’s most recent newsletter, Evans informed the school community that a current merger study and potential merger between the Roscoe and Livingston Manor School Districts will prevent him from continuing to serve as the Superintendent of the Downsville Central School District.
As a result, the Downsville Central School District Board of Education appointed several current employees to new positions. Mr. Robert Rhinehart, DCS Principal since 2018, was appointed District Superintendent, effective July 1, 2022. Likewise, Mrs. Lynne VanValkenburg, DCS Assistant Principal since 2018, was appointed DCS Principal. Finally, DCS teacher Mr. Burton Reed was appointed as DCS Assistant Principal and Athletic Director, the latter resulting from the retirement of DCS Athletic Director Mr. Jeff Baier. According to DCS Board of Education President Brian LaTourette, the Board of Education is very excited about the reorganized administrative team and look forward to their continued leadership.
All three administrators have been at Downsville Central School for the majority of their careers. Both Rhinehart and Reed were initially hired at DCS in 2002. Rhinehart’s first role at DCS was school counselor, a role he transitioned into after working as a teacher of students with disabilities for the Walton Central School District and the Window Rock Unified School District (Arizona). From there, he served as K-8 Administrator/Dean of Students and then Principal. Reed began his teaching career at DCS as a teacher for students with disabilities. Over the past two decades, he has taught most grade levels as a teacher of students with disabilities in addition to teaching in the district’s science department as an Earth Science and Living Environment teacher. VanValkenburg was hired in 2004 as a first-grade teacher after working at Delaware Academy Central School District as a middle school computer teacher. The following year she transitioned to teaching Kindergarten, a position she held for the next 13 years minus a two-year special assignment as a teacher-trainer for the district’s technology program. Additionally, she has served as a curriculum coordinator and LINKS facilitator for the district.
The three administrators look forward to continuing to work with the students of the DCS community.