A new home: Former superintendent of schools appointed interim super in Waterloo

Former Superintendent of Schools Robert Banzer has a new job, serving as interim superintendent for the Waterloo Central School District in Seneca County, New York. The appointment follows the sudden departure of Terri Bavis, who announced her retirement, effective immediately, in early December. She had been the superintendent since 2016.

An interim superintendent agreement between the Waterloo Central School District and Banzer was approved at a special board of education meeting held on December 27. A recommendation to approve Banzer as the interim at the regularly scheduled meeting on December 18 was tabled “pending further negotiations.” Banzer's first day with the Waterloo district was January 3, 2024; he was hired through the remainder of the school year. 

On December 2, 2023, Bavis reached an agreement with the Waterloo board of education to retire effective immediately. Mike Midey was appointed interim superintendent until December 31.

According to a December 3, 2023 article in the Finger Lakes Daily News, Bavis’ decision to retire came after 36 years in public education, influenced partly by her father’s recent passing and a desire to focus on family and new aspirations. The newspaper also noted that Bavis had come “under fire following the new school budget being voted down twice” in 2023; the last vote in June failed by a single vote.  

On December 18, Waterloo’s board voted to contract with Mike Ford, a former Midlakes superintendent and Director of Leadership Development for LEAF (Leadership for Educational Achievement Foundation), Inc. for the New York State Council of School Superintendents, in the search for a permanent superintendent. A message from the Waterloo CSD board of education posted on the school’s website and shared in the Finger Lakes article stated that  “Mr. Ford has facilitated searches for Seneca Falls, Marcus Whitman, Marion, Bloomfield, and approximately fifteen other school districts in recent years.”

Prior to becoming superintendent of schools for Northport-East Northport, Banzer spent many years as an administrator, including as assistant superintendent for instruction, in the Brockport school district, just one hour west of Waterloo. 

Banzer announced his resignation “for the purpose of retirement” from the Northport-East Northport Union Free School District on January 27, 2023. The retirement became effective on December 31, 2023.

Dr. Dave Moyer will attend his first public meetings as Northport-East Northport’ s new superintendent next week, on Monday, January 8, for the third meeting of the Financial Planning Board Committee and again on Thursday, January 11, at the regularly scheduled board of education meeting at 7pm in the Brosnan building.