Earlier this month, we announced Ryan Palmer as Schodack’s new Assistant Superintendent of Business & Support Services. Now that he has officially started, we checked in with a Q&A so you could learn a bit more about him. Be sure to say hello and congratulate him on his new position when you see him around!
Tell us about your background.
Assistant Superintendent of Business & Support Services, Ryan Palmer
I’m originally from Schodack, and I attended Schodack CSD through the sixth grade. I entered seventh grade at La Salle Institute in Troy, where I eventually graduated in 2007.
I completed my Bachelor’s in Mathematics and Adolescence Education at St. John Fisher College in Rochester, NY. While there, I competed on the Varsity Soccer Team and Football Team, and was the student-leader of Campus Ministry. After graduating, I was fortunate enough to start my teaching career in the Oneonta area for the next five years. During those five years, I also served as an Assistant Coach to the SUNY Oneonta Men’s Soccer team, while earning my Master’s Degree there. In 2016, my wife and I decided that we wanted to move back to the Albany area to begin raising a family. Ultimately, we landed back here, and soon enough started our family, having two boys, Michael (2nd Grade) and Patrick (Kindergarten).
I was able to serve Coxsackie-Athens CSD as a High School Math Teacher starting in the fall of 2016. I immediately began coaching soccer and wrestling. During my time together, our wrestling program enjoyed great success in accomplishing league titles, Section 2 Team Titles, Individual Section Titles and State Place Finishes. The relationships built with families, athletes and colleagues really help drive me to do more and serve at a greater capacity. In 2021, I earned my first administrative position, also at Coxsackie-Athens CSD, as the Administrator of Business & Finance. I held this position for just under four years, until I was offered the position to work in my hometown, at Schodack Central School District.
What drew you to this position and Schodack as a district you wanted to work in?
I was fortunate to serve students for 10 years and learned a lot about differing backgrounds, interests, and opportunities. I moved into administration to serve communities in a different, but just as important, capacity. Numbers and problem-solving have always been a strong interest of mine, so moving into school business was really appealing to me. When the position at Schodack opened up, it felt like an opportunity to move “home” and serve a community that ultimately helped shape me into who I am today. When I got “the call,” I was ecstatic to be able to serve my hometown, but it was also bittersweet to leave the Coxsackie-Athens community that took that first shot at me as an administrator.
I am also really excited to be working in the district where my sons, Michael and Patrick, and my nieces, Carmella and Elena, go to school every day.
For those who may be less familiar with this kind of role, what does the Assistant Superintendent of Business & Support Services do?
My role as the Assistant Superintendent for Business & Support Services is to work with the Board of Education, Superintendent of Schools, Department Directors and all school staff to ensure that classrooms, workspaces, common areas, and facilities are properly staffed, supplied and maintained for our students. Annual tasks that I will be responsible for, or will be partaking in, include Budget Development, Tax Rate Calculations, State Aid Reporting, Transparency Reporting, and State Reporting. My day-to-day tasks include oversight of Transportation, Food Service, Facilities, Technology, and Business Office Operations.
Ryan Palmer and Family
What about you and your work style do you want the Schodack CSD community to know right off the bat?
I try to work with the door open as much as possible. I always enjoy a good conversation and pride myself on being approachable. I am solutions-oriented and enjoy figuring out the puzzle that solves the problem.
I enjoy working with students and thrive on watching them succeed in their academics and passions. As a strong advocate for academics, I believe a good education is something that we are responsible for providing. Our students get a shot at a quality education that will set them on a trajectory for the rest of their lives, and I look forward to helping provide that.
Finally, I am a big TEAM guy. We all have a role that plays into the success of our students and I look forward to working together to get the job done.
Finally, what’s life like outside work for you?
Outside of work, I enjoy spending time with my family, coaching, attending sporting events, gardening/landscaping, movie quotes, humor and a good laugh. I also love trying new foods and really enjoy the occasional vacation.
