(Submitted Photo)

SHERBURNE - The Sherburne-Earlville Board of Education has announced that Robert Berson has been appointed as district superintendent, effective July 1.

According to a statement from the school, Berson will succeed Eric Schnabl, who has led the District for the past six years. Representatives said Berson is currently serving as Superintendent of Schools for the Otselic Valley Central School District.

They said his leadership process involves a high level of teamwork combined with personal investment in the school’s greatest resource: its students, staff, and community.

They added that this investment process begins with instilling belief in oneself, building trust, and demonstrating a commitment to keeping promises and fulfilling dreams. Behind this investment is respect for and belief in the value of everyone's diverse and meaningful contributions to the school community.

As Superintendent, Berson implemented a collaborative strategic planning process that helped lead the district into academic good standing. This process also helped position the district for greater success relative to social-emotional growth through support of mindfulness practices, while simultaneously building the foundational framework for implementation of a true professional learning community.

Under his leadership, the district prioritized literacy initiatives such as Language Essentials for Teachers of Reading and Spelling (LETRS), and professional support for all teachers to serve and meet the literacy needs of all students. One notable outcome was a substantial increase in student achievement on year-end assessments.

Berson’s collaboration and partnership building with the wider community led to successful passage of a capital project, and an award of $400,000 from the New York State Regional Economic Development Council (REDC) 2019 Grant, helping to establish a municipal share with the Town of Georgetown benefiting both district transportation and the Town Highway Department.

During his eight-year tenure at Otselic Valley, Berson initially served as the Principal and Business Administrator. Prior to Otselic Valley, he served as Executive Director at Iglesia Educational Center, was co-owner of Color Me Happy Childcare, and was the Principal at Kenney Middle School for the Hannibal Central School District.

Berson completed the Superintendent Development Program through the New York State Council of School Superintendents LEAF Future Superintendents Academy, The Leadership for Educational Achievement Foundation, Inc., NYSIR, and Capital Region BOCES in May 2017. He acquired his School Building and School District Leadership Certification from the SUNY Cortland, and his School District Administrator Certificate from New York State in 2006. He earned his Masters in Education from the SUNY Oswego and his Bachelor of Science in Business Administration from Houghton College in 1997.

This June, he and his wife, Lisa, will celebrate their 20th wedding anniversary. They are blessed with two amazing children, Aeden age 17, and Alayna age 11.