NIAGARA FALLS, N.Y. (WKBW) — The Niagara Falls City School District has a new superintendent for the first time in 10 years.
Stanley Wojton took over as superintendent on July 1 after former Superintendent Mark Laurrie retired. Wojton is not new to the district — he is a product of Niagara Falls schools, and his three children also attend city schools.
"Niagara Falls is home. This is where I grew up," Wojton said.
His oldest daughter, Claire, is in eighth grade at LaSalle Prep. His son Stan is in sixth grade at Harry F. Abbott, and his youngest, Jane, is in third grade, also at Harry F. Abbott.
Wojton has spent 22 years in education, starting as a teacher before moving up through the administrative ranks. He previously served as principal at Cataract Elementary, which serves students in pre-K through sixth grade.
With students ranging from pre-K to high school, Wojton says preparing them for their futures is a top priority. He is focused on equity and access as one of his key pathways forward.
"The second pathway taking a look at is our equity and access. We want to make sure that our students have early intervention, the opportunities that they need to be successful," Wojton said.
WATCH: 'Niagara Falls is home': New Niagara Falls city schools leader ready to engage with school community
One of the biggest challenges ahead is the budget, though the district has remained fiscally responsible and reserves are in place.
Wojton is also keeping a close eye on how AI is being used in classrooms.
"What we've done is we've been very intentional with that rollout, while providing appropriate professional development and supports for the respective areas, but making sure that we're going in an appropriate pace," Wojton said.
The new superintendent says he is ready to engage the entire school community, from parents to students. He already has support from his former students at Cataract Elementary, where he was recognized as a familiar face.
"I'm honored to be able to lead our district," Wojton said.
This story was reported on-air by a journalist and has been converted to this platform with the assistance of AI. Our editorial team verifies all reporting on all platforms for fairness and accuracy.
