Albion’s elementary school principal leaving for job in Chautauqua
Photos by Tom Rivers: Rachel Curtin, the elementary school principal the past seven years at Albion, attempts a shot during a basketball game on Oct. 26. She was on the Albion Hotshots, a team of teachers and staff who played the Harlem Wizards in a fundraiser for the Albion PTA.
ALBION – Rachel Curtin, the principal at the Ronald L. Sodoma Elementary School the past seven years ,is leaving Albion to lead the Chautauqua Lake Elementary School in Mayville.
That is near her hometown of Ripley. Chautauqua Lake is a merged district of Ripley and Mayville.
Curtin’s resignation was accepted during a Board of Education meeting on Tuesday. She starts her new job on Monday.
“I’m really grateful for the time I have had here,” Curtin said today. “I worked with so many wonderful and caring teachers. Our students also are an inspiration, they really are.”
Rachel Curtin performed at several community events, including the Nicholas Kovaleski Hometown Christmas. She is shown singing “Heaven Everywhere” during the show in December 2015.
Curtin joined Albion after working as a principal in Silver Creek, which is also in her home county of Chautauqua. She started her career as a music teacher.
She said the Covid-19 pandemic made her want to be closer to her family back home.
“I really thought I would retire at Albion,” Curtin said. “Chautauqua Lake is my hometown. The Covid crisis has taught us family is so important to have in your life.”
The Board of Education on Tuesday also accepted the resignations of Lisa Burlison, an AIS and reading teacher at the elementary and middle schools, and Anna Atwater, an elementary vocal music teacher.
Rachel Curtin stands on a new elementary school playground with a megaphone on May 22, 2014. She thanked the contractors, community and school employees for working to make the project a reality. After the opening ceremony, students joyfully played on new slides, swings, climbing apparatus and other playground equipment. The new playground replaced one made out of wood that tended to attract bees.
