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    New Paltz CSD Board of Education Appoints New Paltz Resident as Deputy Superintendent

    The New Paltz Central School District Board of Education appointed longtime
    District resident Dr. Linda Oehler-Marx as the District’s new Deputy Superintendent at its
    December 7 meeting. She will assume her new position at NPCSD on January 23, a role
    formerly held by Michelle Martoni, a veteran educator with the District who retired earlier this
    year. 


    Oehler-Marx has nearly three decades of experience in education, including more than 20 years
    in the classroom as an English teacher. She began her educational career journey in 1993,
    working for schools serving students with severe emotional and learning disabilities in the
    Washington, D.C. area. She then moved to New York and has worked at Beacon High School,
    Woodstock Day School, and Valley Central Middle/High School. From 2013-2015 she was a
    member of the Sullivan County BOCES leadership team as Director of Instructional Support
    Services and School Improvement Coordinator. 


    She is currently the Assistant Superintendent for Curriculum and Instruction at Monticello
    Central School District (CSD), where she has served for almost five years. She is also an
    adjunct professor and student teacher supervisor at the State University of New York (SUNY)
    College at New Paltz, where she has been helping to shape future generations of educators for
    more than ten years.   


    In addition to her experience in the classroom and as an educational leader, she has a wealth of
    expertise in leading equity initiatives. “I have been integrating an equity lens and leading efforts
    to break down barriers between communities and school districts throughout my career,” said
    Oehler-Marx. “I’m always looking to see where the needs are and then identifying any holes in
    the resources necessary to fill those needs,” she added. “Then, it’s a matter of identifying
    opportunities and partnerships available to address those needs.” 


    She oversees a “community hub” within Monticello CSD that offers life-long learning
    opportunities to county residents. She has partnered with various workforce, economic
    development, and social services agencies; mental health providers; and addiction, business,
    and arts organizations to design programming to meet community needs. She also created an
    alternative high school and runs a new preschool program for District children, as well as a
    preschool program focused on special education that serves all of Sullivan County. 

    Her current responsibilities also include securing funding for essential programs such as the
    School Violence Prevention Program and the McKinney-Vento Grant (which serves students
    experiencing homelessness). She oversees more than $25 million in grant funds. 
    Oehler-Marx earned her Ph.D. in Curriculum and Instruction at the University at Albany and a
    Certificate of Advanced Study in School Leadership at SUNY New Paltz. She earned a Master
    of Science in Teaching from Pace University's School of Education and a Bachelor of Arts in
    History and Literature/Rhetoric from Binghamton University.  


    Starting her new position mid-year, Oehler-Marx says, is a blessing in disguise that will allow
    her to actualize her top priorities. “Forming relationships, obtaining a sense of the culture,
    familiarizing myself with policies, and doing a ‘deep dive’ into the data to examine any trends or
    disparities are some of my immediate goals,” she said. 


    “The idea of being able to serve a community I know well is very powerful for me,” she said,
    noting that she has lived in New Paltz with her family for over 25 years. “I am heavily invested in
    the community and our school system and I am humbled by this opportunity to serve the town I
    love.”


    Board President Johanna Herget said that Oehler-Marx’s vast experience and knowledge,
    particularly the many diversity and equity initiatives she has achieved throughout her career, is
    what ultimately made her stand out among a pool of strong candidates. “Her experiences align
    with exactly what we are looking for,” said Herget. “She has been ‘walking the walk’ of every
    issue the Board has prioritized for a long time. Hearing her speak, it is abundantly clear that she
    is also well-versed and diverse in her curricular approaches,” she said. “As a board, we
    appreciated the breadth of knowledge she brings to the table.”