Allwes to retire from Sweet Home
by DAVID F. SHERMAN Managing Editor

Allwes

Craig W. Allwes, a Sweet Home Central School District principal and administrator, will retire June 30 after a 37-year career in education.

He is currently assistant superintendent for human resources and planning.

An Eggertsville native, Allwes earned his bachelor's and master's degrees from Buffalo State College and his administrative certification from the University at Buffalo.

He began his career in 1971 as a fourth- and fifth-grade teacher at Heim Elementary School in the Williamsville District. He also coached the varsity soccer team at Williamsville East High School for a dozen years.

"I didn't keep track of my record as a coach, but they were great players and great kids to be around," Allwes said.

Making the transition to the Sweet Home District in 1986, he was named assistant principal of the junior high school. He became principal in 1990, and the facility was designated as a middle school.

Allwes was promoted to the district office in 1998 as director of planning and community outreach.

Although he had a major impact on operations within the district, he said he never had aspirations to be a decision maker.

"I had a lot of support early in my career to become an administrator," he said. "I never had a vision to be an assistant superintendent of schools.

"I cut my teeth in a large district and was able to move to a similar district where the community really embraces the value of education."

He praised the structure of the Sweet Home District from the perspective of a teacher as well as an administrator.

"It's really a family affair here," he said. "The implementation of the middle school was a challenge, and I enjoyed being allowed to be part of community activities."

Interacting with unions as well as management allowed him to "develop friendly relationships with everyone," he added.

"We respected each other and trusted each other."

Allwes did not single out any favorite moment from his career, but instead stressed that he enjoyed everything he was offered to do.

"I had the best of worlds even in Williamsville because I got to work with the smaller kids at the elementary school and coach the older ones at the high school," he said.

Allwes and his wife, Debbie, have two children, Paul and Scott. They have no specific plans for retirement at this point.

"I look at retirement like my first day of teaching," he said. "I'll learn as I go along."