Monroe, NY

CENTRAL VALLEY - Ten school administrators, including a Monroe-Woodbury assistant superintendent, have applied to replace Monroe-Woodbury Superintendent Joseph DiLorenzo when he retires at the end of the school year.

The school board has already narrowed the field of contenders by asking Terrence Olivo, a former Monroe-Woodbury superintendent and current chief operating officer for Orange-Ulster BOCES, to screen the applications.

He's recommended the board interview four candidates to head Orange County's second-largest school district.

School board President Michael DiGeronimo said he expects the board to approve a new superintendent at its February meeting.

All 10 applicants are either superintendents or assistant superintendents, including one internal candidate, DiGeronimo said. He wouldn't identify any candidates, but the most likely applicant out of Monroe-Woodbury's three assistant superintendents is Edward Mehrhof, the administrator in charge of human resources.

DiGeronimo said the board will not insist on hiring someone who has already run a school district; more important, he said, is his or her "depth of experience" and ability to "fit in with the culture of the school system."

"We basically feel at this point that the person doesn't have to be a superintendent," he said.

DiLorenzo, who announced his retirement in August, earns $200,000 a year to run a school system with 7,500 students and a $146.8 million budget. He was the superintendent of Port Jervis schools when Monroe-Woodbury hired him in 2006.

The Greater Hudson Valley is a great place to live or to have a weekend place. If you would like to start a search for a permanent residence or vacation home in the area I would love to help you. Working with an experienced buyer's agent can help you to choose what is best for you. I work in Orange, Ulster, or Sullivan County NY and I would love to be your Buyer's Agent. If you are looking elsewhere I would love to find someone in your chosen location to help you. Give me a call or send an email today.

Community bag sale is Oct. 27; fill a bag for only $2 MONROE - The Pine Tree Elementary School is gathering coats and other winter-weather clothing items for the school’s third annual winter outerwear collection project. The school is collecting new or “gently used” coats, boots, scarves, gloves, snow pants, snow suits, sweaters and sweatshirts in both children and adult sizes through Monday, Oct. 26 from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. The next day, Oct. 27, the school will host its community outerwear event from 4 to 8 p.m, in the school’s cafeteria, where residents can fill a bag with winter wear for the entire family for only $2. All proceeds will benefit Pine Tree families in need during the upcoming holiday season, school officials said. Three Pine Tree students have become involved in the collection of outerwear through the efforts of their parents. Jillian Laskorski said she likes helping people by donating the clothes she doesn’t need; Erykah Mann-Beaulieu said she’s glad she will help someone be warm; and Victoria Borowski said she’s happy to help people by giving away her clothes that no longer fit. The Pine Tree Book Fair Family Night will also take place the same evening from 6 to 8 p.m., giving families the chance to attend both events. It will also be held again on Thursday, Oct. 29. “In the first week, we collected more than 700 pieces,” said Karen Brock, assistant principal. “Each day, more and more boxes are filled.”