The Board of Education named the finalists Friday after interviewing the two last Wednesday.

Board Chair Mark Farmer said he feels great about their options for who will succeed Superintendent Diane Fox when she retires this summer.

Next, four stakeholder groups of six members each – made up of community members, students, CSEA employees, Saranac Lake Teachers Association members and administrative staff – will meet with the candidates on April 22.

Their feedback will be shared with the board on April 23. The board will review the groups’ feedback in a private executive session. The board may take a public vote that evening, or they could come to consensus but wait to vote until they reach out to the candidates to make sure they’ll accept the position. Farmer said it’s unclear exactly when the vote will happen currently.

Lisa Ruud (Provided photo)

The new superintendent will start July 1.

Both Ruud and Dann declined to talk for this article, deciding to wait until the process is completed.

The board started with a pool of 10 applicants. Farmer said several were ejected for certification reasons.

Franklin-Essex-Hamilton BOCES Superintendent Dale Breault, who is coordinating the search, did background checks on the remaining candidates.

The board did confidential interviews on March 18 and selected the two candidates to move forward in the process.

Farmer said they picked the candidates with the best qualifications and vision to move the district forward.

–

The candidates

–

Ruud currently serves as Superintendent of the Grand Isle Supervisory Union in Vermont. She was hired there in 2024.

“In this role, she oversees a rural school system and has experience navigating complex funding structures, labor relations and community partnerships,” according to an SLCSD news release.

Grand Isle Supervisory Union contains three school districts spread out over the islands in the middle of Lake Champlain.

Ruud also was the director of academics at Chatham Central School District in New York and held leadership roles in curriculum, instructional technology and school administration across multiple districts.

“She has a Ph.D. in educational leadership and policy from SUNY Albany and brings extensive experience in strategic planning, instructional leadership and student-centered learning,” the news release states.

Dann is a long-time member of the SLCSD district.

“Over the course of more than 20 years in Saranac Lake CSD, he has also served as Principal of Petrova Elementary School and Dean of Students at Saranac Lake Middle School, providing him with a comprehensive K-12 perspective,” according to an SLCSD news release. “He is widely recognized for his commitment to students, staff and the Saranac Lake community.”

In December, the School Administrators Association of New York State named him the “New York State High School Principal of the Year.”

He started his career as an elementary teacher in Syracuse and holds advanced certification in educational leadership from Syracuse University.

–

The district

–

Farmer said they wanted candidates to have an immediate vision with the major reorganization the district is undergoing, as well as a long-term vision.

Last month, the board voted to close Bloomingdale Elementary School as a way to “right-size” the shrinking enrollment and save an estimated $600,000 annually.

Farmer said the reorganization is stressful for the board and for staff, but board members felt good after both interviews.

Fox has been the SLCSD superintendent for 13 years – much longer than average for a superintendent in New York.

Farmer said she “graciously” gave the district plenty of time and notice of her retirement, meaning they could start the search early.

The district has a $38.1 million budget, an enrollment of around 984 and is the largest district by geographic area in the state — about 684 square miles.

It has a number of challenges it is facing.

The district has less than half the student population it did just 30 years ago. Since a high of more than 2,000 students in 1995, enrollment has declined sharply. The district reported 984 students enrolled on opening day this year — 60 fewer than reported on opening day last year.

Its budget is strained as costs go up, educational regulations are added and the state demands more of rural school districts. The taxpayers who fund the district are also strained, as the largely working-class year-round population is asked to contribute more to the schools.