Martin gives farewell at final board meeting before retirement

MILL HALL – Keystone Central School District Superintendent Dr. Jacquelyn Martin read a farewell message at her last school board meeting before retirement this week.

Martin will hand over the reigns to Dr. Francis Redmon on Feb. 1, the same day as the board's next work session.

"As I head into retirement at the end of January, I do so with great pride and much

gratitude. This career opportunity allowed me to finish my educational journey in the

same district in which it began as a kindergarten student at Sugar Valley Elementary

School almost 50 years ago," Martin said.

"When I was chosen to be the Superintendent of the Keystone Central Schools five years

ago, I knew that there was a lot of work to be done and that the road would not be easy.

While no one could have anticipated a pandemic and the number of tragedies that have

occurred during my tenure as a superintendent, I am confident that I gave my best effort

to leave a positive legacy as a leader and that I have grown personally and professionally

during my time here," she continued.

Martin thanked the school board, teachers, staff, students and their families for being a part of her time at KCSD.

She gave a breakdown of what the district was able to accomplish during her time with the district.

"We developed a future focused Comprehensive Plan in which we committed to

developing lifelong learners who are adaptable, resilient, productive and of high moral

character. We developed a profile of a learner that identifies the skills and attributes

needed for students to be prepared for the challenges and opportunities of the future.

Our boardroom to classroom efforts to support our students can be evidenced from

board policy, to staff expectations, to student outcomes," she said.

Martin addressed the COVID-19 pandemic as well.

"For several years we navigated the challenges of the COVID-19 pandemic, making shifts

from remote to hybrid to full in-person learning while implementing creative strategies

to meet the needs of our students and their families. We provided meals, technology

tools and social services in addition to keeping classes on track," she said.

Martin noted the changes and additions to the district's programs including STEM and literacy in elementary schools.

"Our Career and Technology Center (CTC) has expanded from 10 programs to 13. Enrollment in our CTC has increased from 230 to 580 students. We have increased our local business and industry partnerships from 3 to 101, which has created endless opportunities for our students to work and gain employment," Martin continued. "We have the first registered apprenticeship program in Machine Trades and are implementing two Pre-Apprenticeship Programs."

Martin said a multi-tiered system of support and positive behavior program in the district's schools provided services that were needed for students.

"We have added behavior specialists, counselors and social workers to meet the needs of our students," she said.

Martin also touched on facility projects that took place in the last five years. These projects included the renovation of Bucktail High School; upgrades to athletic facilities such as Don Malinak Stadium; improvements to playgrounds, parking lots, security cameras and other technology.

"And (Wednesday) we celebrated the groundbreaking for a new Liberty-Curtin Elementary School which will benefit students in our community for many years to come," she concluded.

"I can honestly say that these, and many other projects, would never have been

completed without the collaborative work of so many people in our organization. I am

especially proud of our administrative team and how much they have grown over the

past five years," she continued.

In the end, Martin said the students were a major drive during her time at KCSD.

"Students are my "why" for being a public school leader. You are the future and I will

forever be proud of your passion, resilience and fortitude," she said. "Thank you to everyone in our community for your support and inspiration."

The board presented Martin with a gift in thanks for her service with the district, along with their own words.

Board President Butch Knauff said he'd worked with four different superintendents in his time with the district since becoming involved in 2008.

"I've dealt with four different superintendents. Some good, some bad and some great. And you fall in the last one," Knauff said.

He later noted that many people aren't aware of the work that goes into being a superintendent.

"You can't have much of a home life because this is actually your home and we become your home and family," he said.

Board Vice President Roger Elling stated he was Martin's biggest critic before she was first named superintendent.

"But over the time you've been here, the things that you've done... the way that you brought this community and this district in," he said.

He commended Martin for her advocacy for the district and the work she put into the many accomplishments she spoke about.

"I feel like I'm losing my sister," he said.

Board member Jeff Johnston echoed much of what the other members said.

"You're one of the best, if not the best superintendents I've had the chance to be associated with," Johnston said. "It's been my pleasure and honor to work with you."

Board member Polly Donahay specifically thanked Martin for her help in the Liberty Curtin Elementary School project.

"I'll never forget our first meeting at Liberty Curtin where I was in tears because I was afraid it was going to be closed," she said. "But here we are building a new school. I have a huge amount of gratitude for that."

"You've done a great job here and you're going to be missed," she said.