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PELHAM, N.Y. Robert Roelle was appointed principal of Pelham Middle School by Dennis Lauro, superintendent of the Pelham Union Free School District, during Monday nights Board of Education meeting.
Roelle is an outstanding candidate and he will do a wonderful job, Lauro said. Roelle is currently the principal at Prospect Hill Elementary School. He will replace Joseph Longobardi, who is retiring after 20 years as principal.
Roelle went through a lengthy process in which he was interviewed by the Board of Education; middle school teachers; the middle school site-based council; Lauro; and Peter Giarizzo, assistant superintendent for curriculum, instruction and personnel.
He also participated in a public forum and was endorsed, with a letter given to Lauro, by the administrators union.
Roelle has 15 years of experience in public education, seven of which were on the secondary level, according to a statement announcing the appointment. He came to the Pelham school district in 2006 after teaching English and social studies in North Carolina and at Tuckahoe Middle School and High School.
He was named the interim Prospect Hill principal in July 2009 and was selected as principal the next year. He was assistant director of technology for the Pelham school district in 2007 and 2008, the statement said.
Roelle received a doctorate in educational leadership, administration and policy from Fordham University in 2010, according to the statement. His Bachelor of Science degree in education was from Millersville University.
He will begin his new role as principal on July 1. Longobardi will serve in an advisory role to him during the coming school year.
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