On Monday, July 1, two members of our Mount Markham staff were promoted into new roles. Karen Rowe was promoted to the Elementary School Principal, and Jennifer McDonald was promoted to Director of Curriculum and Instruction.
From Guilderland, NY, Karen Rowe was hired in 2019 as an RTI Reading Teacher for second and third grade. Last year, she took on the role of an Instructional Coach position while doing her administrative internship. In her new role as principal, Rowe will oversee day to day operations to ensure a safe, inclusive environment for students and staff, and promote academic excellence and positive character development.
“Mount Markham has been my professional home for five years and I am honored to continue working with our community to help our students grow,” she said.
Rowe says one of her favorite things about the Mount Markham community is the kindness and compassion that encompasses the district.
“At Mount Markham, people can be who they are, and uniqueness is not only encouraged, but also celebrated,” she said. “We are driven to excellence, and the positivity that flows through the halls of our school makes for an enjoyable place to work!”
Outside of work, Rowe enjoys activities with her children such as hiking or walking, playing games, and watching movies together. She also enjoys live music and traveling to different places to see concerts.
“I am looking forward to a fantastic 2024-2025 school year, and I could not be more thankful for the opportunity to serve our community!”
Jennifer McDonald is from Clay, NY and is a graduate of Cicero High School. She has been with the Mount Markham district since 2013. In her new role as the Director of Curriculum and Instruction, McDonald’s new responsibilities will be working on aligning curriculum among the three buildings, supporting principals in their roles as instructional leaders, working on grants, and programming for our Mount Markham students, PreK- 12.
McDonald says her favorite thing about the Mount Markham is the sense of community and the collective effort when it comes to educating and supporting our students.
“I love the way everyone comes together in times of need, it is truly special,” she said.
In her spare time, McDonald enjoys skiing, paddle boarding new rivers and reading. She also enjoys spending time with her three grandchildren and watching them learn and grow.