By: Michael Palmieri 

     This year has been a year of change and excitement in the school district, with a lot of important decisions made. Our district has done a wonderful job incorporating these changes, and at the helm of this is our Superintendent, Gary Weber.  

     According to an interview conducted by the Warren Times Observer; Weber’s career in education began in Maryland, before moving to Warren County in 2002. Weber’s five-year contract as WCSD superintendent was signed on January 22, 2024.  

     The Squire recently interviewed Mr. Weber to get to know our superintendent a little better.  

The Squire: What responsibilities do you have in your day to day? 

Gary Weber: Each day is different.  I can be working on the budget one minute and then switch to a need in another area that becomes the priority. My day typically fluctuates around meetings in and out of the office… trying to catch up on the day’s emails, and then working on areas that need my attention.  

     Today I am working on student discipline issues, policy updates, career education, and I’ve met with most of the administrative team as they have come into my office to get answers to questions they have. Those questions included human resources, federal grant writing, budgeting, tuition reimbursement, and preparing for the next board meeting. 

The Squire: What’s your favorite part about being the Superintendent? 

Gary Weber: I enjoy working with the teachers that impact our students every day. I love seeing the success of our students, whether it’s academically, athletically, or artistically. And, finally, I really enjoy working with organizations on projects that are making a difference in our community.    

The Squire: What are some of the challenges of being the Superintendent? 

Gary Weber: The biggest challenge of being a superintendent is that no matter what you do, someone is typically not happy about your decision. Sometimes it can be employees and sometimes it may be the community. There are challenges associated with every decision that I make, and I have a ton of dialogue with educational partners, administration, and community agencies, that stakeholders aren’t always a part of. And much of what I do is protected so I can’t talk about it. The other challenges we are facing right now are: staffing and filling positions in the district, balancing the budget, and trying to deal with state mandates as they continue to add to the plate.  

     And lastly, trying to combat the negativity in our society for what teachers do every day. We have great teachers and staff that are doing great things for kids every day with an ever-growing set of challenges being thrust upon them. Helping them do their jobs without these distractions is a difficult task.   

The Squire: How does being the Superintendent differ from your previous roles in the district? 

Gary Weber: Well first I can’t have someone else make the final decision.  That rests on me now.  I’ve had so many previous roles that were all different in some capacity.  The biggest challenge I see is the ability to interact at the school level on a regular basis.  It’s much more difficult to get out in the buildings and interact in the classrooms.  Also, I have to see things from a much more global perspective rather than the things that just impact my world.  There is much more delegation in this role than in my previous roles where I was completing many of the tasks myself.  And, finally, I have to work with the board more than ever.  I regularly communicate with the board to make sure that they are updated on things going on.   

The Squire: What are some of the goals or future plans you have this year for the district? 

Gary Weber: Right now I am launching a reading campaign to express the importance of reading with children at an early age before they reach kindergarten. I want to highlight what we do in our schools to help students become proficient readers and how we tier interventions for students that struggle with reading. I am working with the administration to focus on improving test scores and providing good instruction in the classroom. We are also adding more mental health services that will impact a larger population of students in the district. 

The Squire: Where do you see the state of the district in 10 years? 

Gary Weber: I am optimistic that we can find ways to operate financially in a way that supports the district academically and that our student population numbers will stabilize. In other words, getting class sizes lowered, providing tiered support, and continuing to offer a wide array of credit opportunities. I believe that this is feasible and that with our debt being reduced each year the district will have the opportunity to make some decisions that impact students for years to come. Academically, it’s hard to think what things may look like in 10 years. With the changes in technology, AI, and growing changes in industry, what we offer and the mechanism in which we offer it could look much different in 10 years.  

     The Squire would like to thank Mr. Weber for his time. The last thought he wanted to share with The Squire’s readers is: “It’s an absolute honor to serve as the superintendent of the Warren County School District.”