Century High School searches for new principal

(ABC 6 News) — Century High School in Rochester has begun the search for a new principal.

Principal Monde Schwartz has been on leave of absence since January as her husband battles cancer, and she recently decided that she would not be returning to the school this fall.

Here is the message shared by Superintendent Kent Pekel with the Century High School parents:

Dear Century Families, 

I am writing today to provide you with an update on the lead principal position at Century High School. As I shared with the Century High School community in May, Principal Monde Schwartz has been on a leave of absence since January to be with and care for her husband as he battles cancer. While both Monde and I hoped she would be able to return to her position, she has decided that she needs to continue to focus on support for her husband and her family and is not able to return to Century in the fall. 

As a result of Monde’s decision, today we are launching a search for a new lead principal at Century High School. It is my hope that we will be able to fill the position before the start of the 2024-2025 school year and do so on a continuing rather than an interim basis. That said, we will do what it takes to find the right leader for this extraordinary school. 

As required by the school district’s contract with the Rochester Principals Association, the search process will begin with an internal transfer period, during which current lead principals and assistant principals employed by RPS can apply to serve in the position. If a new leader is not selected through the transfer process, the position will be posted externally and we will engage members of the Century High School community in the search and selection process. 

I will continue to update you as our efforts move forward, and I want to thank all members of the Century High School community in advance for helping us successfully navigate this transition in leadership in the interest of the current and future students of Century High School.