Niagara‑Wheatfield board approves multiple hires, including new principals, psychologists and teachers

The Niagara‑Wheatfield Central School District board on Monday approved a series of personnel appointments, including a new elementary principal, assistant superintendent for finance and multiple teaching and specialist hires.

District leadership presented candidates and sought board approval for a package of personnel items that included administrators, teachers and specialists. The board approved the consensus agenda items and then moved through separated personnel items; recorded votes in the meeting transcript were by voice and recorded as "Aye." No roll‑call vote totals are in the transcript.

Key appointments the board approved (as presented at the meeting) included: - Michelle Pirella — appointed principal of Eric Road School; presenter noted her experience as assistant principal at the high school and her strong connections to students and families. - Kristin Laduka — appointed to assistant director of curriculum, instruction and technology (presenter described classroom and curriculum experience). - Deanna Rosinski — appointed assistant superintendent for finance and management; presenter cited her accounting background, master's degree and prior auditing experience with the state controller's office. - Matt Contreaux — appointed as a music teacher at Tuscarora Elementary School; presenter noted his local performance activity and musical background. - Jennifer (Jen) — appointed district‑wide school psychologist (presenter said she had served as a long‑term substitute and was being converted to a full‑time position). - Rachel Gaut — appointed probationary district‑wide school psychologist; presenter noted she is a University at Buffalo graduate and a U.S. Navy veteran. - Connor Wood — appointed probationary social studies teacher at Niagara Wheatfield Senior High School with seven years' experience and prior AP teaching. - Mikayla (Michaela) Chani/Cuddy — appointed AIS English teacher at the district middle school with four years' sixth‑grade experience. - Avery Andrews — appointed probationary district‑wide speech‑language pathologist; presenter noted a master's in communicative disorders and prior clinical placement in the district.

Presenters offered short professional summaries of the candidates during introductions, citing degrees, prior positions and some personal details (for example, military service and community ties). One presenter noted the difficulty in filling school‑psychologist roles and described the district as "very lucky" to have candidates willing to accept the positions.

The board moved to accept the tentative meeting schedule for 2025–26 and approved it by voice vote later in the meeting. Several appointments were adopted by individual motions and seconded; each was followed by the board's voice vote of "Aye." The transcript does not list dissenting votes or abstentions for these appointments.

The approvals conclude the board's hiring actions presented that evening; the transcript records no conditions or contingencies attached to the appointments and does not show any appeals or motions to reconsider.