The Fort Plain Central School District Board of Education has announced its selection for the district’s next superintendent of schools.
John Bishop, the current principal of the Poestenkill Elementary School in the Averill Park Central School District, was appointed as the new Fort Plain superintendent during a special Board of Education meeting Friday, March 20.
Bishop will assume the superintendent’s position in Fort Plain beginning May 1, with a three-year contract.
“It is an honor to have the opportunity to lead the educational mission at Fort Plain,” Bishop said. “I look forward to serving a school community that is learner focused and committed to a holistic approach that develops the whole child.”
Bishop has worked nearly 26 years in Averill Park beginning as a special education teacher at the West Sand Lake Elementary School in 1994. He also worked as a special education teacher at Averill Park High School before being appointed assistant middle school principal. He continued his administrative career in Averill Park serving as the district’s athletic director and then the assistant high school principal before being named as an elementary principal in 2016. Bishop also coached for several years including varsity football, varsity and JV girls lacrosse, freshmen girls basketball and JV golf.
He’s also been president of the Averill Park principals union for two years and has been a varsity soccer official for 10. Before beginning his career in Averill Park, he was a special education teacher at the Wildwood Programs for two years.
Bishop will replace Acting Superintendent David Ziskin, who is the former Fort Plain superintendent and current district superintendent of HFM BOCES. Ziskin assumed the role of superintendent in February after former Interim Superintendent Kathy Dougherty resigned due to a family responsibility.
As the BOCES district superintendent, Ziskin worked with the Fort Plain Board of Education as a consultant during the search process.
“The Fort Plain superintendent’s position attracted a strong and talented pool of candidates, and Mr. Bishop quickly rose to the top,” Ziskin said. “He’s a dedicated educator and administrator who believes that collaborative practices, strong community connections and a primary focus on teaching and learning builds successful schools.”
An East Greenbush native, Bishop graduated Columbia High School and received a bachelor’s degree in special education from the College of St. Rose. He earned his master’s degrees in educational psychology from the State University of New York at Albany and his educational administration certification from the Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts.
He lives in Niskayuna with his wife, who is a middle school teacher in South Colonie. They have two children, a son, who is a senior in high school, and a daughter attending college.
