Earlier this School Year Dr. Locke announced to the Chester community that she would be retiring at the end of the 2023-2024 school year. With that news in mind the School Board felt that it would be of the upmost importance to start a search for a new superintendent as soon as possible. Maria Veale was appointed to head the Superintendent Search Committee (SSC) and a secondary group known as the Internal Staff Advisory Group (ISAG). After a series of interviews and discussions with the groups involved the Chester School Board named Ms. Christine Landwehrle as the next Superintendent of Chester School District.
Ms. Landwehrle comes to the Chester School District from Amherst. In Amherst she served as an Assistant Superintendent for the past 6 years. She has worked in SAU/Central Office roles for the past 13 years. In her role as Assistant Superintendent she has developed her skills in instructional leadership while experiencing all aspects of the superintendent role, from budget development and policy management to communication and human resources. Of note, in that role she increased positive student behaviors at the classroom and school level by securing funding for ongoing staff training in Responsive Classroom and implementing behavior dashboards to monitor and support student behavior. Ms. Landwehrle also previously served as the Director of Curriculum and Professional Development at SAU 39 from September 2015 to June 2018.
She is a graduate of Rutgers College, NJ with a Bachelor of Arts (B.A.) in History; Rutgers University, NJ with a Master of Education (M.Ed.) in Elementary Education; Rutgers University, NJ Master of Education (M.Ed.) in Educational Leadership; and most recently the University of New Hampshire as an Education Specialist (Ed.S.) in Educational Administration and Supervision. During her interview with the Board she noted that she believed that the Chester School District Superintendent position would afford her the opportunity to be hands-on and closely connected to the classroom while also supporting the critical functions at the SAU level including budget, policy, and human resources. The Board is confident that Ms. Landwehrle’s experience working in a complex multi-district SAU has equipped her with the skills necessary to navigate the challenges of educational administration, to collaborate effectively with diverse stakeholders, and to lead initiatives to drive positive outcomes for our students.