Molly Moore, who most recently has served as Southwestern Central School’s instructional services director, will assume the role as the district’s next superintendent effective July 1. Submitted photo

The Southwestern Central School District Board of Education has appointed Molly Moore as its new superintendent effective July 1.

She replaces Maureen Donahue, who announced her retirement last year.

“I am honored and thrilled to be the next Superintendent of SWCS,” Moore said. “As a Southwestern employee for 24 years, I firmly believe Southwestern provides excellent education opportunities for our students. Our community and staff provide a supportive yet challenging environment for our students to thrive. I would like to thank the Board of Education and the hiring committees for trusting me to be the next leader of our fantastic district.”

The appointment, announced during the Southwestern Central School District Board of Education meeting on Tuesday follows a comprehensive search process led by the Board of Education in collaboration with Dr. David O’Rourke, Erie 2-Chautauqua-Cattaraugus BOCES district superintendent.

“The Board of Education was pleased with the amount of well-qualified candidates who were interested in leading our district into the future and is excited to announce Molly Moore as our next superintendent,” said Kurt Gustafson, Southwestern Central School District Board of Education president. “Molly embodies the essence of what makes Southwestern the forward-thinking and student-centered district it is. Her qualifications, knowledge of the District, and experience in curriculum and school operations stood out during the interview process.”

Moore’s experience with the district began in 2001 as a school psychologist, a position she held for 12 years. The Buffalo State College alum went on to serve as the director of pupil services from 2013-17 before advancing to become the director of instructional services.

“Serving in two district-level administration positions at Southwestern for the past 12 years has helped prepare me to be the superintendent at Southwestern,” Moore said. “I have been a part of the administrative team, making critical decisions about budgeting, staffing, and instructional programs. Leading the District’s re-opening committee during COVID solidified my decision to eventually pursue a Superintendent position. I was fortunate to participate in the Superintendent Development Program through the New York State Council of School Superintendents, which gave me resources and connections to be ready for this next step in my career.”

Moore said she is excited to continue the district’s focus on “Learning for All” by strengthening professional learning community practices and fostering collaboration among staff. She is committed to building upon the district’s strong foundation and ensuring a bright future for all students.

“We have made tremendous progress in this process over the last two school years, but our work is far from done,” she said. “It will be very exciting to share academic improvement results with the community in the future.”

Moore lives in Jamestown with her husband Ian and their three sons, including twin boys who will graduate from Southwestern in 2026 and their oldest, who graduated from the district in 2023 and is pursuing a degree in childhood education at the State University at Geneseo. She enjoys spending time with her family, reading, traveling, cooking, and cheering on the Buffalo Bills.