This March, Superintendent of Schools Ms. Kimberly Ross will mark her two-year anniversary at DCS. When she was hired in 2024, the Board of Education charged her with improving the overall culture at Duanesburg, based on feedback gathered through community surveys where residents identified areas in need of the new superintendent’s attention.
Ross described her first year in the role as a “year-long listening tour,” a period during which she assessed how best to carry out that charge. She met one-on-one with staff members, participated in group discussions with a wide range of stakeholders, and most importantly, listened to students.
“Duanesburg has experienced significant turnover in superintendents over the past decade, and that inconsistency in leadership was beginning to surface in ways that may not have been obvious to the general public – including some negativity in staff, conflict between students and a widespread lack of trust that a new superintendent would stick around long,” Ross said.
Ross has been working closely with stakeholder groups to gain a clearer, more candid, on-the-ground view of what is really happening in schools. What she learned made it clear that the district needed to take meaningful steps to bring DCS’s school culture into alignment with its Mission.
At the district’s February 3 Board of Education meeting, Ms. Ross detailed some of her findings.
Initial investigations revealed varying levels of inappropriate exchanges among students, ranging from hurtful to even hateful. Physical altercations, unwanted advances, and vaping were also identified as concerns by students and staff. At this meeting, Ms. Ross acknowledged publicly that “… a level of apathy and complacency has set in.” “We know there has been a normalization of inappropriate interactions,” she added.
Ms. Ross said that when she and High School Principal Mrs. Jodi Marvin began to fully grasp the situation after the start of this school year, the realization was deeply jarring. They recognized that a negative subculture had taken hold and was continuing to ripple outward.
Ross noted that extensive, confidential DASA (Dignity for All Students Act) investigations provided much of the information, helping administration better understand the patterns, possible root causes, and dynamics shaping the current subculture.
“We are grateful to Ms. Ross for hearing the concerns of our community – including students, staff, community members, and Board members – and taking meaningful action to address them,” Board of Education President, Dr. Melissa Them Peterson said.
“Cultural change takes time – more time than any one of us would wish – and the impact of today’s efforts will not be obvious right away,” she continued. “We want our community to know that we are listening, we value your feedback, and we are taking deliberate steps to address this critical issue. Providing a safe, respectful, and inclusive environment for our students is foundational to everything we do, and we remain committed to our Mission.”
Them Peterson also emphasized the District’s commitment to student safety and confidentiality.
“We understand how frustrating it can feel for families and community members when details about outcomes are not shared. Please know that the District strongly encourages reporting of concerns and takes every allegation seriously. If you see something, say something,” she said.
“The district conducts its investigations with care and integrity, and consequences are issued as indicated. That said, the district is limited by law around the public sharing of student information, and student confidentiality is a critical component of all the district’s procedures. I would ask for the community’s understanding that not knowing what or to whom consequences have been issued does not mean nothing has been done,” Them Peterson said.
Ms. Ross acknowledged that while the findings on school culture were troubling, the district has a plan to address these issues head-on with transparency and care. “There is a lot of work to do to bring our school culture back to where we want it,” Ross said. “But the good news is that there is a plan.”
At the February 3 Board meeting, Ross shared that she and Mrs. Marvin had consulted the District’s support system at Capital Region BOCES, including the CRB District Superintendent. Following those discussions, the DCS Board of Education expressed its support for engaging an impartial outside investigator to conduct a comprehensive review of the District’s current challenges and provide recommendations for improvement.
With the backing of the DCS Board and administrative team, Ross has deployed many additional resources across both school buildings to address these challenges directly, implementing strategies aimed at boosting staff morale and camaraderie, improving student interactions, and strengthening the overall school community.
Junior-Senior High School
WEB Program
At the secondary level, DCS launched the WEB program at the beginning of this school year. WEB stands for “Where Everyone Belongs” and is part of the nationally recognized Boomerang Project. The program calls for support of our middle school students through mentorship, leadership development, and a stronger sense of belonging during a critical transition period. At DCS, eighth grade students serve as mentors for sixth grade students.
Sweethearts & Heroes
The district has partnered with Sweethearts & Heroes, an organization dedicated to fostering children’s resilience and promoting anti-bullying, teaching students compassion and empathy and integrating actionable strategies to interrupt negative peer dynamics. A kickoff event will take place with Jr.-Sr. High School students on March 10, which will include a building-wide assembly, followed by a series of small group sessions that will provide more intensive, hands-on work with students.
“We were very impressed with the curriculum Sweethearts & Heroes presented and believed it could help us address the root causes of the culture issues here at DCS. This isn’t a one-and-done assembly. In fact, there is a five-year plan that the organization has presented to us. We are currently exploring grant opportunities to help fund this initiative for the long-term,” Ross said.
Student Advisory Group
One of Ms. Ross’ most impactful initiatives is the Student Advisory Group, which consists of 10–12 high school students who have her ear. Her guiding principle for the group is: “Stories stay, lessons leave.” This mantra emphasizes the importance of confidentiality and trust, but also challenges the students to consider how they can contribute personally to a more positive school community.
“We talk about tough issues, and this issue of culture has come up month after month,” Ross said. “I’m so grateful for the circle of trust we’ve built this year. It provides a safety net for having real conversations, because we can’t fix anything unless we know about it.”
Elementary School
At the February 3 Board meeting, Ross also acknowledged that students at the elementary level are facing challenges that can be traced to COVID-era changes in socialization. She praised new DES Principal Kristi LaBarge for “hitting this head on with her team” and outlined several resources being deployed to support younger students, with the goal of making a positive impact before they reach the Jr.–Sr. High School, including:
Responsive Classroom
Responsive Classroom is an evidence-based approach built on the belief that students learn best when they feel a strong sense of belonging, expectations are clear and consistent, and academic and social‑emotional learning are integrated throughout the school day. The model emphasizes proactive, relationship‑centered practices such as morning meetings, positive teacher language, collaborative rule‑setting, and interactive modeling to help students develop self‑control, empathy, cooperation, and independence. Responsive Classroom also provides teachers with strategies for de‑escalation, conflict resolution, and restorative conversations, helping students repair harm and learn from mistakes.
Zones of Regulation
Ms. LaBarge has recently introduced Zones of Regulation for students in pre-K through fifth grade. The program is a social-emotional learning framework that helps students recognize and manage their emotions using four color-coded zones. It provides simple language that they can use to describe how they are feeling inside. Through practice and modeling, students learn strategies to identify triggers and tools to return to a more regulated state, helping them build lifelong skills including emotional resilience, conflict management and positive social interactions.
Restorative Practices
Restorative Practices is an approach to school culture and discipline that emphasizes building relationships, repairing harm, and restoring trust. Instead of centering solely on punishment, restorative work helps students understand the impact of their actions, take responsibility, and actively participate in making things right. When harm does occur, conversations and facilitated meetings give students the opportunity to reflect, listen, and learn from one another in a structured, supportive environment. Restorative Practices does not replace accountability; it deepens it.
In March, DCS will send two elementary teachers and two high school teachers to Restorative Practices training to deepen its implementation at both school buildings.
Addressing Staff Culture with Dr. Lisa Paterne
During her first year integrating into the DCS community, Ms. Ross observed that some staff members carried lingering negativity. To address this, the district partnered with Dr. Lisa Patierne – a 30+ year educator who is now an international bestselling author, world-class speaker, and life coach – to take a deep dive into the adult culture at DCS.
Since September, Patierne has worked directly with staff to build resilience and strengthen adult culture, with the goal of healing organizational trauma that may be affecting the school community.
Ms. Ross provided an update on Dr. Patierne’s work at DCS, noting that she has completed her listening tour with staff and is now collaborating with the Board and Ms. Ross to coordinate sessions with both internal and external stakeholders to review and unpack her findings. Dr. Patierne will present to staff during an upcoming Superintendent’s Conference Day.
“One of the things that stood out to Dr. Patierne is how impressed she is with the overwhelming support and commitment of everyone here to our students’ success,” Ms. Ross said. “Even as we work through challenges, it’s clear that our staff’s dedication to our students remains steadfast.”
“We will continue to keep the community informed as we move forward with this initiative and work together toward solutions and outcomes that reflect our shared goals and Mission. The District remains committed to transparency throughout this process, and we truly appreciate your continued engagement and support,” Ross said. “My door is always open, and I am available for in-person meetings, by phone or email. I welcome your feedback, insights and suggestions, as they are critical to rebuilding our school’s culture and ensuring we move forward together with purpose and respect.”