The Coxsackie-Athens Central School District has appointed an interim superintendent to serve in the stead of retiring Superintendent Dr. Earle Gregory until a permanent replacement can be found. The Daily Mail reports today that at its December meeting, the CASD board named Annemarie Barkman as interim district superintendent, to lead the district for the next six months. District officials hope to appoint a permanent superintendent effective July 1, 2011. Barkman grew up in the local area, and returns after spending her career in the western region of New York State. She lived in Medway throughout her childhood, graduating from Greenville High School.

Her first administrative stint was as an assistant principal at a high school in Syracuse, then principal at an elementary school. Since then, she has held posts as middle school principal in the Liverpool Central School District and was then appointed superintendent of schools in the Holland School District, outside Buffalo.

She was also district superintendent in the Rochester area, and then was interim superintendent in Gilboa-Conesville. Most recently, Barkman worked for the Diocese of Albany.

She first learned of the opening in C-A through a newspaper article when Gregory announced his retirement.

“When this wonderful opportunity arose to come full circle and serve in my community, it was one of the best Christmas presents I could get,” Barkman said.

She applied through Questar III, and signed a six-year contract to serve as interim superintendent.

Barkman said she had no plans to apply for the permanent superintendent’s post.

“The interim opportunity is a perfect opportunity to do what I love and at the same time, not make a long-term commitment,” she said. “I hope to share some of my experience and help out where I can.”

Meanwhile, the Board of Education has asked Questar III for its assistance in filling the permanent superintendent’s position, and has already held public meetings to find out what the parents, staff and the rest of the community would like to see in Gregory’s replacement.

Tuesday night was Gregory’s final Board of Education meeting. He will retire effective Dec. 31. Joseph T. “Seph” Garland III, president of the C-A Board of Education, presented Gregory with a plaque and the board’s thanks.

“I am very proud of the work this board has accomplished with Dr. Gregory,” Garland said. “When you look at some of our numbers and the accomplishments we have had, there were significant goals we asked him to reach and we have had some wonderful achievements over the past few years.”