Karas leaves

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Karas
Joe Karas

By Dan King

Whitehall Central School business manager Joe Karas has left the district, leaving Gregg Chappell, director of special education, as the district’s only administrator still in place from a year ago.

Karas took a job with the Fonda-Fultonville School District earlier this month. Rumors had surfaced that Karas was going to leave Whitehall a couple weeks ago and when a reporter left a message at Karas’ office for comment, he did not return the call.

Karas is the latest in a long line of administrators to leave the school this year.

Former elementary principal Brett Lamy resigned abruptly in April, after less than a school year at Whitehall. Lamy was replaced on an interim basis by Jane O’Shea, until Rich Trowbridge was hired as the new elementary principal.

Former superintendent Liz Legault left in May to take a job in East Bridgewater, Mass., and the board of education quickly hired Bill Scott as interim superintendent. School officials are still looking for a permanent replacement.

Lastly, Kelly McHugh resigned as high school principal in June, in connection with the State Education Department’s investigation regarding Common Core testing issues at Whitehall. Former Hudson Falls superintendent Mark Doody has since been hired as an interim replacement for McHugh as the search continues for a permanent replacement.

Scott said Karas will be missed at the district for his role overseeing school finances and business.

Karas took the job at Fonda-Fultonville because it is closer to his home in Latham. Of the district’s administrators, only Chappell lives in Whitehall.

Scott said he took on Karas’ role since he left earlier this month, but Monday the Board of Education voted to hire Jodi Birch as a replacement for Karas.

Birch will be paid a salary $86,000 and will begin immediately.

Karas made $75,000 in 2014, the most recent data available shows.

Karas spent about three years at Whitehall, after having worked for BOCES.