Teaching wasn’t Coleen Lewis’ first choice.

2-5-10

Teaching wasn’t Coleen Lewis’ first choice.
A 1986 OHS grad, she studied hotel and restaurant managment at SUNY Delhi for two years, then business administration for another two.
Then, in 1993, she was teaching Sunday school at St. Mary’s and realized how much she enjoyed teaching children.
“Go back,” a colleague, Sue Nesbitt, told her.
She did, graduating from SUNY Oneonta in 1995 with her bachelor’s in elementary education, knowing from the start she wanted to work her way up the profession, perhaps to building principal.
She earned a master’s in library science from SUNY Albany in 2001, and a certificate in school administration at SUNY Cortland in 2008.
 “My goal never changed,” said Lewis, who Wednesday, Jan. 27, was appointed principal of Center Street School by the Oneonta City School Board, effective July 1.
Lewis has worked in the Oneonta district for 14 years, from student teacher at Riverside Elementary, to licensed teaching assistant, to sixth-grade teacher at Valleyview, to library media specialist at Greater Plains.
As district’s curriculum co-ordinator, she had been acting library media specialist at Valleyview this year and discovered “I missed being with kids.”
 “Kids keep you young, it’s so rewarding. It’s the most rewarding job I’ve ever had,” she said.
So when John Cook, longtime principal at Center Street School, announced his retirement in December, Lewis – she was then district curriculum coordinator – went straight to Superintendent Mike Shea and expressed her interest in the job.
The new principal feels lucky to have gotten the job, succeeding a man she considers a legend in Oneonta schools.
“I know I can’t fill Mr. Cook’s shoes, I would never try,” she said, adding, “I am honored to have the time with him to transition.”
Lewis plans to immerse herself in the Center Street community and its culture, getting to know the teachers, and the students and their families. 
 “It is a family oriented school and I want to get to know everybody and how things work,” she said.  “I want to support the teachers and set goals as a staff – it’s a team effort.”
She plans to be visible and approachable, so people feel comfortable walking in her door to talk to her.
Superintendent of Schools Mike Shea expressed satisfaction that what might have been a difficult transition is going so smoothly.
 “There’s no one is like John,” said his boss.  “But I know that Coleen’s objective is to just listen and learn and get to know folks, so I don’t see any drastic change there.”