Board of Education selects Jaycee Welsh as new superintendent of schools
Dan McClelland
The Tupper Lake Central School District Board of Education voted unanimously to appoint Jaycee Welsh as its next superintendent of schools during an organizational board of education meeting held on July 8.
The release below came from Max Spritzer, public relations specialist with Franklin-Essex-Hamilton BOCES. A similar statement was posted on Facebook by Board President Jane Whitmore after the Monday night meeting.
Ms. Welsh, the current executive principal and director of special education at LaFargeville Central School District, was awarded with a three-year contract and will officially assume the duties as Tupper Lake superintendent on August 1st or earlier, pending arrangements with her current district.
She replaces Superintendent Russell Bartlett, who notified the board last year that he would retire at the end of the 2023-24 school year, capping off a 30-year career with the district.
At LaFargeville, Ms. Welsh worked closely with the PK-12 principal, superintendent, teachers and staff on a number of successes, including significant increases in proficiency rates of grades 3-8 test scores which are now some of the highest in the Jefferson-Lewis BOCES region among several grade levels. She also helped facilitate and model strategic instructional practices for pre-kindergarten through 12th grade, including in-house professional development for all instructional staff. Welsh was also responsible for the oversight of a district-wide new teacher mentor program and the successful operation of a student teacher collaboration with SUNY Potsdam, where she is an adjunct instructor at the college’s School of Education & Professional Studies.
In addition to both of her administrative roles, Welsh also served as internal claims auditor for the district and brings with her a wealth of experience navigating challenging budgetary processes.
Ms. Welsh started her administrative career in 2015 as elementary principal and director of special education in LaFargeville. Prior to that, she was employed as a special education teacher with the Carthage Central School District, where she also served as the site supervisor for the Carthage After School Enrichment (CASE) Program.
“I've spent my entire life in small communities - I love everything Tupper Lake represents,” said Welsh. “I look forward to learning and fostering traditions, as well as immersing myself into the school and community. I respect the small town values of Tupper Lake and hope to help build on those for the next generation.”
Ms. Welsh also plans to actively engage the community in the district's governance in the near future.
“During the coming months, I plan to meet with community leaders to hear what they have to say about the district and forge new relationships. I also will invite members of the media to come in and discuss the district's goals and the path we plan to enhance and grow the learning opportunities of our students.”
According to the release, she was selected from an accomplished pool of candidates following a comprehensive search process. The process involved collecting feedback from various community stakeholders regarding what they hoped to see in the school district’s next leader. Feedback was gathered from employees, families and community members through an open survey and a series of focus groups. FEH BOCES District Superintendent Dale Breault, Jr. served as the search consultant for Tupper Lake.
"The stakeholder groups and the board of education universally felt that Jaycee is a great fit for Tupper Lake,” said Tupper Lake Board President Jane Whitmore. “She is going to bring a wealth of knowledge in key areas that will help our district, and we look forward to working with her."
A graduate of Camden Central School, Welsh earned her bachelor’s degree in Political Science and master’s degree in Special Education Leadership from James Madison University in Harrisonburg, Virginia. She also holds a Certificate of Advanced Study in Educational Leadership from James Madison University and a Certificate of Advanced Study in District Level Educational Leadership from Niagara University. She resides in LaFargeville with her husband, but is in the process of relocating to Tupper Lake.