The Camden Central School District recently announced the appointment of experienced administrator Sharon Kirch to serve as interim principal of McConnellsville Elementary School for the final three months of the 2024-25 academic year. The appointment was approved by the Board of Education at its February meeting.
Kirch will step in for Heidi Allen, who is departing at the end of March to take a role as the Executive Director of Special Education in the East Syracuse-Minoa Central School District.
Kirch stands as a familiar face to many in the District. The Florence resident spent the entirety of her career in education with Camden, attended Camden schools as a student, and raised three children who also attended Camden. She graduated from Camden High School in 1975, and is set to celebrate her 50th Class Reunion this year.
Sharon got a late start into the field of education, but has certainly made the years count with an illustrious career. After graduating CHS and receiving her degree, Kirch spent about 10 years working in an Optometry office, and also taught religious education for a time while starting to raise her three children. One conversation with her mother changed everything.
“She said ‘You seem to be so happy teaching, so why not go into teaching?’,” Kirch said. “And so I went back to school.”
While working on a second degree at Oswego State, Kirch dove into the field as a teaching assistant working in the library at Camden Middle School. She began teaching in 1992 at North Bay Elementary School, and her upward trajectory continued from there. She taught 1st, 3rd, and 4th grade in thirteen years before a move to the District Office put her on the track toward administrative work. During the 2005-06 school year, she was the project coordinator for the 21st Century Community Center after school program in partnership with the YMCA.
When funding for that opportunity expired, Kirch moved to Camden Elementary to be assistant principal for two years, then returned to North Bay as principal until the building’s closure at the end of the 2013-14 school year. She was Camden Elementary School’s principal until her 2018 retirement.
By her own admission, there’s times where she believes she retired early. And that is part of the allure of coming back for an interim role.
“I’ve needed to get back to work and get back to working with kids and the adults here,” Kirch said. “I’ve always wanted to give back to this community and I’ve always loved my job.”
Kirch has been working alongside Allen in a part time capacity to prepare for her role. She will serve the District through June 30th. A search for a new permanent principal is underway.