Wietig credits collaboration with community for district's success
by PATRICK J. NAGY Reporter

Paul Wietig has served the Amherst Central School District in many capacities, most recently as deputy superintendent. Wietig retired June 30 and has accepted a part-time position as a clinical assistant professor-director of core curriculum coordinator for University at Buffalo's School of Public Health and Health Professions. Photo by Joe Eberle Purchase color photos at www.BeeNews.com

A school district's strength doesn't come from one individual but a collaborative effort with the community.

According to Amherst Central Deputy Superintendent Paul Wietig, that is why he has been able to have a successful 36-year career in education, 31 of those years with Amherst.

"The parents, students, faculty, support staff, parents - we're all equal in a job like this," said Wietig, who retired June 30.

Wietig also lauded the Amherst Police Department, notably Capt. John Moslow, Assistant Chief John C. Askey, and Detective Sgt. Mike Torrillo for their proactive approach to the overall safety and security of the students, including patrols on special events such as homecoming, and Moslow and Torrillo's work with the Drug Abuse Resistance Education program.

Amherst Youth Board members Joe Bachovchin (retired director), Mark Johnston (acting director) and Mary-Diana Pouli (senior associate director) also helped the district by supplying after school and summer programs and working on a new youth center on Bailey Avenue.

Wietig also mentioned the Amherst Alumni Association for taking an active role in the new athletic field, the Eggertsville and Snyder fire departments for their response time to special needs and help with emergency and evacuation drills, and the University at Buffalo's Graduate School of Education, notably Dean Mary Gresham, for her work in turning Windermere Boulevard Elementary School into an early childhood and intermediate center.

"They've all helped develop a sense of community and bring assets to the district for the benefit of the kids," said Wietig.

Wietig said he had no specific reason to retire - he just felt it was the right time.

He has held almost every administrative position at Amherst, starting in September 1971 as a history and English teacher at Amherst Junior Central High School and becoming acting assistant principal in January 1982.

After a five-year stint in the Grand Island School District as assistant principal of the middle school, principal of Huth Road Elementary, director of curriculum and instruction, and three months as athletics director, Wietig returned to Amherst in September 1989 as director of curriculum and staff development. He held that position until January 1998 when he was named deputy superintendent.

Last September, he was named acting superintendent as Superintendent Dennis Ford attended to his son John's battle with non-Hodgkin's lymphoma. (now in remission.) Wietig resumed the deputy superintendent post in late January after Ford returned to superintendent duties.

Wietig and Ford have nothing but respect for each other.

"We became an excellent team because we got to know each other's style and were able to trust each other's decision," said Wietig. "He wouldn't question a decision I made or vice versa because we knew what needed to be done."

"It's been easy to work with Paul because he's always had a willingness to help Amherst," said Ford. "He's a caring and giving person. It's hard not to respect someone like that."

Wietig has also been named interim principal at Windermere three times.

"I've been an administrator at every building, but I look back on Windermere and the move to an early childhood center and intermediate center as something that will impact the school community in a very positive way in the short- and long-term," said Wietig.

Wietig said he will miss the children the most.

"That's why I'm doing this job," said Wietig. "I never forgot where I came from, and that's being a teacher. I always made a decision based on what's good for the children."

Wietig is leaving Amherst but not slowing down. He has been appointed as a clinical assistant professor-director of core curriculum coordinator for the University at Buffalo School of Public Health and Health Professions. It is a part-time position that he will start next week.

"They wanted somebody with a curriculum background to look at developing a core curriculum for the health professions at UB," said Wietig, who has had success mapping out an aligned curricu- lum from pre-K to 12 at Amherst. "We're going to look at the curriculum and ask, is it sequential and does it build a good infrastructure?" said Wietig.

Wietig thinks UB is the first university nationally to look at this type of curriculum alignment.

"They were fortunate enough to get a foundation grant called the Josiah Macy Jr. Foundation that Associate Dean Dr. Dale Fish and myself, are excited about," said Wietig, who completed his undergraduate work in history with a minor in music and his doctorate in curriculum development from UB.

Besides his work at UB, Wietig will serve as a trustee in the Town of Amherst libraries system, and is on the educational advisory board for the Buffalo Philharmonic Orchestra, education board at Medaille College, and board of trustees and executive committee at Genesee Country Village and Museum.

He's also on the dean's advisory council for the UB School of Social Work, the advisory board for the Thomas Reynolds Center for Special Education and After School Programs at Daemen College, and WNED's Think Bright education advisory board for programming.

When he has free time, you can find Wietig fly fishing at many creeks throughout the area.

He has two children, Christopher, an Amherst alum who just completed his master's of business administration from UB, and Claire, a 2007 Amherst High graduate, who will attend Syracuse University's environmental science forestry program in the fall. Wietig's wife, Margaret, teaches at Buffalo Academy of the Sacred Heart.