District Contact Information

Daniel T. Connor
Superintendent

227 Main Street
Goshen, NY 10924
(845) 615-6720

Central School District

District news

Kurtis Kotes appointed principal of Goshen High School

Kurtis Kotes, GHS principalDecember 19, 2011 - On December 12, Kurtis Kotes began his first day as principal of Goshen High School. Kotes is replacing longtime principal Robert Litz, who retired in June and had served as principal since 1995. Interim Principal James Polunci served as the school’s leader while the district searched for a permanent principal for the high school.

Kotes received a Bachelor of Arts in Government and History from SUNY Albany, followed by a Masters in Secondary Education from Mount Saint Mary College. He then received administrative certification from the Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts.

However, teaching wasn’t Kotes’ first choice in careers – although it only took him a short time to figure out his true calling.

“I always knew that I wanted the opportunity to serve in education,” said Kotes. “I worked in the state assembly for a year, and it was there that I realized my true desire to be in the classroom, working with students one-on-one.”

Kotes began his educational career as a social studies teacher at Arlington High School and then became assistant principal of Cornwall High School – a position he held since October 2006.

Kotes acted as the building-wide testing coordinator, where he worked to ensure data accuracy. He also
co-chaired a committee to review and revise Cornwall’s district-wide Academic Intervention Services plan to meet state standards and also helped oversee curriculum, instruction and planning sessions held regularly by school faculty.

“When I first began my administration certification, my eyes opened to the fact that as an administrator, you have the opportunity to help shape curriculum,” said Kotes. “It’s very exciting. My goal is to give our students the best opportunities in order to allow them to showcase their success.”

“During my interview process for Goshen High School, I learned that the district is strong in all areas. My plan is to use my experiences to make it even better,” he added. “As I begin my term as principal, I’d like to see how the building functions and improve on it as a whole.”

Five things to know about Kurtis Kotes, principal of Goshen High School

  1. In high school, his favorite subject was social studies.

  2. His favorite food? He’s a steak man – medium rare, please!

  3. In his spare time, he enjoys competing on the golf course with his wife, who is a golf professional.

  4. He’s a sports fan – his favorite teams are the Cincinnati Reds and the Miami Dolphins.

  5. When he was a student, his dream job was to enter into politics.