With new goals on her horizon, Mary Ann Knight retires

Goshen’s beloved intermediate school principal leaves after 23 years in education, By Pip Klein Goshen — Mary Ann Knight may be retiring — but not from life or work. After a 23-year career in education, Knight is ready to start a new chapter to a life dedicated to fostering students and teachers alike. Having the perspective of a teacher proved valuable. “You truly understand the work of teaching because you have been in the classroom,” said Knight, who in 1987 started work in the Goshen school district as an English teacher in the high school. “And the work of teaching - it’s very hard work. I have no regrets, and I really enjoyed making my move to administration.” That move came 14 years later, when she became assistant principal at the high school for four years. In 2005, she became principal at Goshen Intermediate. It’s not surprising that Knight, a native of Dubuque, Iowa, would be lured into academics. Her home was literally on a college campus, and right next door to an elementary school. Early on, she found she was happiest with chalk in hand. “I was the oldest of four and had arranged a classroom at my house with real school desks and of course a blackboard,” she recalled. “I always knew I wanted to be a teacher.” As a high school senior, she met her future husband, George. Soon after graduating from Iowa’s Clark College, she returned to teach at her own former high school. But when her husband’s job took him east, the newlyweds moved first to Westchester County and later to Warwick. Although education was her passion, Knight took a detour into journalism which had been her minor at college. As a young mother raising three children, she needed a job with flexible hours and started back into the work world as a reporter for The Chronicle’s sister paper, The Warwick Advertiser. She covered meetings and wrote features, and later submitted stories to local radio station WTBQ. Adventures in teaching But her love of teaching pulled her back. After a short time teaching in Greenwood Lake, she was recruited by Superintendent Roy Reese, now retired, for the teaching job at Goshen High School. Her journalism background came in handy - she was the faculty advisor for the student newspaper and headed up the school’s Journalism Club. After 14 years in the classroom, Knight discovered an interest in administration and made the jump to assistant principal at the high school, working with her principal, Robert Litz. During her very first week in her new role Knight faced challenges that no one could have predicted - September 11, 2001. “We dealt with a lot of phone calls and parents, and, sadly, there were fatalities among the friends and family of the student body,” Knight said. “It was a terrible time. But in school it was a matter of keeping the students safe and calm and trying to come up with quick solutions because we didn’t really know what was going on.” Knight was ready for a new challenge, and in 2005 she took over as principal at the intermediate school. The younger students, mostly between 8 and 10, now gave her the chance to learn about an entirely new kind of student. Their infectious creativity helped her to foster the energy and enthusiasm of students, teachers and staff. “Kids at this age are beginning to see life in a new way,” said Knight. “They are goal-directed, and I see some nice connections between this group and the high school age group. I think a lot of the things that are done well here prepare the students well for the high school. So getting them engaged in academics, the arts and athletics - those are things that carry right through. The foundation the teachers put under the students is amazing.” One example is the music department. Under the guidance of teacher Ellen Dickinson, the Goshen Intermediate Jazz Band has performed at venues that include the White House and Bethel Woods Center for the Arts. Knight was in the audience at those events, cheering on her accomplished student-musicians as they represented Goshen on a national stage. There was one minor controversy at the school in 2007 that Knight handled in stride. A song that was perceived to invoke sentiment about the Middle East war became contentious enough that Knight felt the better thing to do was to not use that particular song at all. “This was about a student performance, not a political controversy,” she explained. “You are always looking for the best decision for the good of the children, and the decision not to sing that song was because it distracted us from what we were doing.” During her time at the intermediate school, Knight introduced a new format described as differentiated instruction to teach literacy. “It’s a widespread model now,” she said, “but it used to be that everyone sat in the classroom with the same book. For some it would be too easy, others too hard. Now you have a whole selection of books where kids can progress at their own learning level and each student’s needs are met in a more effective way.” Another achievement during her tenure has been the beginnings of the New York State Assessment program for grades 3 to 8. The arduous testing program began in 2006 and helps chart the progress of students. Knight is also pleased that the intermediate school is a health- and wellness-oriented building, with its own walkers’ club and track where the kids can log their progress with pedometers. In June, the school hosts a public health fair that encourages the community to pursue a healthy lifestyle. “In the younger grades - K, 1, 2 - mom and dad have to do it for them,” said Knight. “But in third, fourth and fifth, the kids can take a lot of the responsibility for themselves.” Knight is also fond of “Family Math Night,” which incorporates second graders from Scotchtown elementary school. Parents attend with their children and visit 30 different stations set up around the cafeteria each offering engaging and fun math-related activities. In another innovative program, New Paltz students participate in a teacher training program at the school. The future beckons Knight admits she’ll miss the kids and the teachers and the collaborative environment of Goshen Intermediate. But many projects on back burners are now going to move to the front. After travel to some national parks like Yellowstone, Knight plans to focus on her family, which now includes several grandchildren. In addition, she plans to continue writing, teaching, and staying involved in the community, including serving on the Warwick Library board. Although she is a member of the Goshen Administrators Association, she will “go back to her roots” to officially celebrate her retirement with an event sponsored by the Goshen Teachers Association on July 11 at Wallkill Golf Club. “I’ve had some marvelous experiences,” sums up Knight. “I’ve enjoyed bringing in new programs and watching the kids achieve and I’ve gotten to see some students through to wonderful successes.” And luckily for the Goshen School District, Knight has also been one of those success stories.