The Rome City School District Has a Brand New Superintendent

After a lengthy search process to replace former Superintendent Peter Blake, the Rome City School District Board of Education has selected their candidate. The new head of the district brings more than 20 years of educational experience to the city.

In a press release posted to the Rome School District website, School Board President Cassie Knutti and her colleagues announced Ms. Nerlande Anselme as their next Superintendent. Knutti says,

The board was impressed with the breadth of experience she has had in Rush-Henrietta and with the work she has done in critical areas like school safety, mental health and special education. We found her to be a compassionate, collaborative and strategic leader, and we are excited to have her join and lead the District.

Ultimately her passion for students and her transformative leadership style was the deciding factor.

Anselme says,

I’m thrilled for the opportunity to join the Rome City School District and to serve this community. I believe that all students can achieve, and I place a strong emphasis on dismantling barriers that often hinder student potential. I enjoyed my time in Rome as part of the search process and I am eager to further develop those relationships to support students, staff, parents, and community members. I look forward to seeing what we can accomplish together.

Much of her career has been spent in the Rush-Henrietta district, which is in Monroe County near the City of Rochester. During her tenure there she has worked as Superintendent overseeing nine schools, 5,400 students and 1,300 teachers and staff. The board felt based on these qualifications she would be able to easily handle the Rome district.

Previously, Ms. Anselme served as Rush-Henrietta’s Executive Director of Student and Family Services from 2010 to 2013. She also spent nine years with the Gates Chili Central School District as a School Counselor and as the District’s Coordinator of Student Support Services. She has a Bachelor of Arts degree in Anthropology, a Master of Science degree in College and Agency Counseling, and two Certificates of Advanced Study – in School Counseling from SUNY Plattsburgh and in Educational Administration from SUNY Brockport.

The search for a new Superintendent came following the resignation of Peter Blake. The hiring of Ms. Anselme came after a 6 month search that yielded several candidates. The search was facilitated by Search Consultant Scott A. Budelmann, District Superintendent and CEO of Madison-Oneida BOCES.