You can drop the “interim” from Mary Fox-Alter’s title with the Ossining public school district.
The district’s Board of Education announced that Fox-Alter has agreed to a contract that will run through the 2026-2027 school year.
The $320,000 salary she received as interim superintendent will rise 3% annually in tax deferred increases under the new contract, according to the district.
When her contract expires, the board anticipates she will retire from Ossining, allowing time to conduct a search for the next superintendent that will include all stakeholder feedback. That process is expected to begin in the spring of 2026.
The district credited Fox-Alter with leading Ossining through key initiatives, including the passage of its $210 million bond project. The decision to elevate her to official status is intended to ensure stability and continuity in leadership as Ossining moves forward with these projects.
Fox-Alter was appointed interim superintendent in May 2023 to replace outgoing Superintendent Ray Sanchez, who left to take the top spot in the Tarrytown schools. She left her job as a state-appointed monitor in the East Ramapo school district to join Ossining.
“Ossining is a wonderful community, and I am honored that the Board of Education has the confidence in me to continue leading this proud school district for the next three years,” she said in a statement released by the district. “Every day I come to work excited for the challenges that we are tackling, and that’s because the people of this school community are inspiring to partner with on the educational journey of their children.”
Fox-Alter was Pleasantville schools superintendent from 2010 through 2021 when she retired. She previously served as president of the Southern Westchester BOCES Chief School Administrators Association, president of the Lower Hudson Council of School Superintendents, and a member of the Executive Council of the New York State Council of School Superintendents.
She earned a bachelor of arts in history and education from Mercy College, a professional diploma in administration from Iona College, and a master of science in education (instructional technology) from the College of New Rochelle.
“The Board is unanimous in its belief that Ms. Fox-Alter has made an extraordinary impact on our school district over these past 18 months, and we are honored that she has agreed to continue to serve as our Superintendent of Schools,” Board of Education President Christine Mangiamele said in a statement. “Ms. Fox-Alter rolled up her sleeves with our consultants, employees, students, and community members to pass a transformational bond project that will expand our facilities to best meet the needs of our students. We are confident that she is the right person to carry out the initial implementation of this voter-approved work and strengthen administrative systems to ensure a smooth transition when the time comes.”
