Jordan-Elbridge School District’s search for a superintendent came to an end last night when the board named a final candidate in Cicero-North Syracuse High School executive principal James Froio. Of the 17 candidates that applied, the board interviewed seven; three finalists were selected to meet with three selection committees and students. “After the committee interviews it was clear that all committees and the board came to a unanimous agreement on Mr. James Froio,” school board president Mary Alley said. Alley said the board believes that Jim’s leadership will allow all faculty, staff and community members “to work together to provide the best possible learning outcomes for our students and together move toward a positive future.” Frioi has been principal at C-NS since 2004. Before then, starting in 2001, he was the middle/high school principal at Beaver River Central School District. Jordan Mayor Dick Platten, who sat on the committee of community members, described the selection process as “very open.” “We had I think a very diverse group of people and I think they represented, for all intended purposes, probably the whole gamut of attitudes here,” Platten said. He said there were people on the committee that aligned with the board and people that aligned against the board, and everyone in between. “This was the candidate that we felt was the strongest and would fit the needs of this community the best,” he said. Cayuga-Onondaga BOCES District Superintendent William Speck, who led the search for J-E, said full alignment was met between the board, all committees and students. “The process worked,” he said.
He said what put Froio ahead of the other candidates was his communication skills and his sincerity. “This is a gentleman that’s going to be putting a lot of time in with community groups, sitting for input, getting advisory groups together for continuing communication – open door policy,” Speck said. The board voted unanimously to authorize Alley and Speck to negotiate the terms of Froio’s employment contract. Speck said he hopes to provide an appointment by resolution to the J-E school board by the end of the month.