Assistant Superintendent for Personnel Mark LaFountain is retiring after nearly 40 years in the education system, 25 of those years spent at the Center for Instruction, Technology & Innovation.
LaFountain earned a liberal arts degree at Jefferson Community College and his bachelor’s degree, master’s degree and CAS certification from SUNY Oswego. He started his career as a sixth grade teacher at Sackets Harbor and then a second grade teacher at North Rose-Wolcott.
He first joined CiTi during his administrative internship as the migrant education summer school principal. Through his years at CiTi, he has served roles such as supervisor of special education, career and technical education principal, director of human resources and assistant superintendent.
“I truly have enjoyed my career,” he said. “I found something that I liked to do 40 years ago and have enjoyed every minute of it. If I had to choose my career path all over again, I would not change a thing.”
LaFountain lives by a quote from President Roosevelt: ‘People don’t care how much you know; they only want to know how much you care.’
“I would hope people will remember me as someone who would always take the time to listen to them and someone who was honest, trustworthy and caring,” he said.
He is looking forward to spending more time with his wife, Sharon, and enjoying hobbies such as wood-turning, gardening, wine making, model railroading, golf, cooking and travelling in his free time.
“It has been a magnificent career,” said LaFountain. “But as the oldest and longest standing administrator at BOCES, it is time to move on and let the young folks take over.”
