Letter to the Editor: An Open Letter to the K-L Community From Paul Kreutzer

Last night, after introducing myself to the public at the Board of Education meeting and fielding questions about who I am and what my professional career has been about over the past 11 years as a superintendent, I was appointed as your new superintendent of schools. 

I am incredibly grateful for the opportunity to work with this high-achieving school district, and my family is looking forward to relocating to New York. My wife Amy and I are the proud parents of Kennedy, our six-year-old daughter who is an avid runner and wreaks havoc in the house and the yard with our dog Lance.

Amy is a special education teacher who has a love for the outdoors, a passion that I share as well. We run, backpack, fish, and camp as a family and are excited to relocate to a place of natural beauty in northern Westchester. Our immediate goal is to find a home in the school district community and prepare Kennedy to enter K-L schools in September. Amy plans to seek employment in the region as an educator.

It is likely you have read something about my recent career highlights as superintendent in New Berlin, Wisconsin. Undoubtedly, it was not very flattering.  I recognize that my arrival has caused concern for some, is appreciated by others, and has left some wondering  “what the heck is going on in the Katonah-Lewisboro Schools and ‘that guy’ from Wisconsin?”  So perhaps it’s best to hear it from the horse’s mouth.

My professional philosophy is driven by both the intuitive and pragmatic sensibilities and values of collaboration and consensus. I bring no imperatives to the district, other than to strive mightily each day to listen, learn, and build relationships in the interests of students.

I support the policies of the Board and the laws of New York State, and look forward to maintaining and advancing the system in the interest of students, families, and taxpayers. I am a great believer in the value of Professional Learning Communities (PLCs), and encourage you to visit www.allthingsplc.org to learn more about how collaborative efforts like these define my professional persona.

There are a number of outright falsehoods about my professional career that have been propagated over the past several weeks, and as they were brought up last night, I answered in a forthright manner. Unfortunately, I am sure I did not change the minds of everyone in attendance; I can accept that. I have no credibility here in Katonah-Lewisboro because I have yet to be here, on the ground, demonstrating that my actions support my words. All I can ask for is open-mindedness until I earn credibility.

I also will not tell you that I am coming here without ever having made a mistake as a professional. I became a superintendent at age 29. Over the past 11 years, in two different school districts, I have learned a great deal about leadership, learning, and people. I expect to continue to learn throughout my life, and use that wisdom to the benefit of my family and my employer.

I do not regret any of my professional experiences. They have all be learning opportunities, and have taught me how to be a better listener, a better collaborator, and a better leader. You can read about the politics of another state and draw your own conclusions from afar about what you think I might represent, but it is only when you meet me, talk with me, and observe me that you can judge how I am working in your interest as a community member.

The pledge I have made to your board of education is the same pledge I make to you as a community: I am here to serve the needs of the community’s children to the expectations of the Katonah-Lewisboro community. You are in charge of your schools; I am here to ensure that anticipated outcomes are met or exceeded.

I will soon be your neighbor, your fellow parent, the guy you see running with his wife and daughter on the track, and the man shopping on Saturday morning for groceries at D’Ags. I can’t wait to meet you!