Please be advised regarding the 12-10-24 BOE Update on the 2024-25 Superintendent Selection Process that was posted to staff and families.
December 10, 2024
Dear Nyack Public Schools Community and Staff,
We would like to update the community on the Superintendent selection process and as the Board of Education, we are pleased to announce Dr. Lizzette Ruiz-Giovinazzi as our final choice for the Superintendent position for Nyack Public Schools. This decision has been carefully determined through a confidential and thorough process that we strongly believe has resulted in identifying the best candidate to lead the school community forward. We are confident that Dr. Ruiz-Giovinazzi’s leadership, vision, characteristics and proven expertise is what is right for Nyack now.
We want to provide context for why our process that culminated in this determination has been different from previous superintendent selection processes. In reflecting on our past external, competitive searches, we recognize that the results were not what we expected and did not result in long term retention of previous superintendents. Therefore, we knew we wanted to do things differently.
Over the past six months, we have consulted with an external search firm, multiple local BOCES who have assisted with local searches, and heard about internal-focused searches from NY State and school boards nationwide. We have listened to unsolicited input from many stakeholders. Ultimately, we decided to focus on Dr. Ruiz-Giovinazzi in her concurrent, critical responsibilities as Interim Superintendent and we as the BOE:
- Developed a list of Desired Characteristics based on prior community and staff input and analyzed them with the performance of Dr. Ruiz-Giovinazzi
- Monitored her ongoing performance carefully for six months in the role of Interim Superintendent
- Provided a framework of expectations for Dr. Ruiz-Giovinazzi to deliver a presentation to the Board that focused on her leadership vision
- Conducted an extensive Q&A session following that presentation
- Conducted a formal interview with Dr. Ruiz-Giovinazzi as a prime candidate
- Arranged an interview for the Nyack Teachers’ Association leadership with Dr. Ruiz-Giovinazzi
We have concluded that as Dr. Ruiz-Giovinazzi has actively engaged with an expansive variety of community leaders, inclusive to the great diversity of groups and stakeholders among us, she has earned widespread praise for her communication, accessibility, student-centered approach and leadership in education.
Dr. Ruiz-Giovinazzi holds an earned doctorate, a distinction achieved by fewer than 44% of superintendents in New York State. Prior to her current role as District Interim Superintendent, Dr. Ruiz-Giovinazzi served as the district’s Assistant Superintendent for Curriculum and Instruction since beginning her work with us in April of 2022. She was appointed as Interim Superintendent most recently in July of 2024. She has quickly proven her ability to lead and uplift others with her unique set of skills and dedication to Nyack’s mission and vision. Her familiarity with the district’s culture, students, and families positions her to continue fostering progress without delay.
We invite the community to hear about Dr. Ruiz-Giovinazzi’s leadership vision and participate by asking questions of their own on January 14, 2025 at 6:30pm during a Special BOE Meeting. For additional information about this selection process, timeline, rationale and desired characteristics, please visit the district website’s BOE Update Page. We would like to thank the school community for your partnership and wish you much health and happiness during this holiday season.
Sincerely,
The Nyack Schools Board of Education
