Betsy Wright Switches to SCS Elementary as Interim Principal

SCHOHARIE - Schoharie elementary school did not have to go far to find a new interim principal.

Betsy Wright will be shifting from the junior-senior High School, where she was serving as the assistant principal. Mrs. Wright started in that role for the 2024-25 school year after spending the second half of the 2023-24 school year as the assistant principal in the Elementary. Her first day as interim principal was Monday, January 13. Prior to coming to Schoharie, Mrs. Wright was most recently the assistant principal at Mont Pleasant Middle School in the Schenectady City School District and has worked as a reading teacher, classroom teacher and instructional coach. 

Shane Barton, a Schoharie CSD retired athletic director and current varsity boys basketball coach, will take on the role of interim assistant principal at the Jr./Sr. High School. Mr. Barton has a permanent certificate in school administration.

To round out the administrative team, David Russell will remain in his role as Jr./Sr. High School principal and Carley Ryan will continue as Elementary assistant principal/athletic director. Former Elementary Principal Andrea Polikoski stepped down from her position last month to assume an elementary principal role at Scotia-Glenville CSD. 

At their November meeting, school board members accepted the resignation of Ms. Polikoski.

After 10 years as principal at SCS, Ms. Polikoski accepted the position as the principal of Glen-Worden Elementary School in the Scotia-Glenville Central School District and left Schoharie on January 2.

After the board's December 19 meeting, Superintendent David Blanchard said the district has not yet hired an interim principal.