Dear Phoenix Central School District Community,

The Phoenix Central School District Board of Education has officially begun the search for our next Superintendent of Schools. This search follows the planned retirement of Mr. Chris Byrne, who will have served our district with distinction for twenty-four years. The new superintendent is anticipated to begin on July 1, 2026.

We extend our deepest gratitude to Mr. Byrne for his dedicated leadership. Mr. Byrne has faithfully served as the Superintendent for the past ten years and we are grateful for his leadership and his contributions to the school community. Mr. Byrne has graciously agreed to continue serving as Interim Superintendent until the new leader begins, ensuring a smooth and stable transition for our district.

Hiring a superintendent is one of the most critical responsibilities of the Board, and we are committed to finding a visionary leader who will build upon our tradition of excellence. To ensure a thorough and inclusive search, we have partnered with Mr. Jeremy Belfield, District Superintendent of the Center for Instruction, Technology & Innovation (CiTi), to facilitate the process.

After careful consideration, the Board has chosen to conduct a confidential search. This approach protects the privacy of applicants and historically attracts a larger pool of highly qualified and experienced candidates who may not participate in a public process. While interviews will remain confidential, the first and most crucial step is gathering community input to build a profile of our ideal candidate. An FAQ document created by Mr. Belfield is available to help answer further questions about the search process: FAQ Regarding the Search Process

We invite you to share your perspective on our district's strengths, opportunities for growth, and the most important qualities for our next superintendent. Please participate in a brief online survey, which will be open from October 21st through November 15th.

The survey is available here: To Complete the Survey Click Here

Your feedback is invaluable and will directly guide the Board of Education throughout the selection process. Mr. Belfield will also be facilitating stakeholder group meetings in the very near future. These meetings will take place with Union Presidents, Administrators & Supervisors, Staff Members in Each Building, Clerical, District Office/Business Office Staff, and Community Members. Additional information on these meetings will be sent out in the coming days. Thank you for your partnership and commitment to the future of the Phoenix Central School District.

Sincerely,

The Phoenix Central School District Board of Education