Aug. 8, 2023
Dear Hudson City School District community,
The Board of Education this evening unanimously voted to appoint longtime education leader Dr. Juliette Pennyman as our next Superintendent. We are issuing the following announcement to the media, and we are sending it to you to be sure that you have the latest information on this important decision. Thank you for your partnership in our District, and your support of our children’s futures.
Willette Jones, President
Board of Education
Hudson City School District
Dr. Juliette Pennyman, Longtime Education Leader,
Named Next Superintendent of the Hudson City School District
From left: Hudson City School District Board of Education members Lucinda Segar, Selha Graham, Board Vice President Mark DePace, Superintendent Dr. Juliette Pennyman, Board member Lakia Walker, Board President Willette Jones and Board member Kjirsten Gustavson.
HUDSON, NY (Aug. 8, 2023) – Dr. Juliette Pennyman, an education executive with almost 30 years’ experience at all levels of learning in school districts including Dallas, Kansas City, MO, and Rochester, NY, has been named the next Superintendent of the Hudson City School District.
The Hudson Board of Education unanimously approved a three-year contract with Dr. Pennyman at its meeting tonight.
“I am thrilled and eager to begin serving as Superintendent of the Hudson City School District,” Dr. Pennyman said. “I am committed to being supportive of the whole child and engaging with the community by listening and learning. Every decision will be made with children’s best interests in mind. Hudson schools are a perfect example of a district that understands the importance of strong, safe, excellent schools.”
“Dr. Pennyman’s vast experience as an educational leader in major cities and small districts throughout several states gives her an unparalleled insight into what it takes to create an exceptional education system,” said Board of Education President Willette Jones. “We are thrilled to have such an accomplished educator join our school district and are eager to see the knowledge, wisdom, compassion and love for children she will bring to our Hudson schools.”
Dr. Pennyman will officially begin in her role on Sept. 1, but she will be present frequently in the district throughout August as a consultant to create a smooth transition. Dr. Pennyman succeeds Dr. Lisamarie Spindler, who left the district June 30. Cheryl Rabinowitz, the Hudson City School District’s Manager of Instructional Technology and Data Protection Officer, is serving as Interim Superintendent.
Dr. Pennyman plans to meet with various stakeholder groups, and to put an emphasis on meeting with district faculty and staff to develop a strong bond with the teachers, principals and others who serve the district with such devotion.
“Together, we will create a school district where students are excited to come each day to experience the joy of learning, exploration and discovery,” Dr. Pennyman said.
Dr. Pennyman now serves as the Associate Dean of Academic Services at Cheyney University in the Pennsylvania suburbs of Philadelphia. She most recently served in a public school district as Interim Superintendent of the Niskayuna Central School District in Niskayuna, NY, in 2021 and 2022.
Her previous positions included Assistant Superintendent of Teaching and Learning in the Reading, PA, school district and Chief of Schools in Rochester, a district of 32,000 students. Earlier positions included serving as a principal in
the Great Valley School District in Malvern, PA, and assistant principal in the Kansas City, MO, school district.
She began her career as a special education teacher in several districts, including in major cities such as Dallas and Atlanta. Dr. Pennyman also is an educational consultant and serves as educational program advisor of the LIFE Male STEAM Academy in Wilkins Township, PA. She holds a doctorate in educational and organizational leadership from the University of Pennsylvania in Philadelphia, an education specialist degree in educational administration from the University of Missouri in Kansas City, and a master’s degree in exceptional student education from Clark Atlanta University in Atlanta. Her undergraduate degree was a bachelor of arts in sociology from Mercer University in Macon, GA.
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