Sharlee Thomas takes over as St. Regis Mohawk School principal

A new era at the St. Regis Mohawk School will begin Thursday when students begin classes with a new principal. Following a lengthy application process in June, the Salmon River Board of Education and three committees selected Sharlee Thomas as the SRMS’s top administrator.

Irving Papineau retired from the position.

Thomas, who is a member of the Mohawk community, was the assistant principal at the Salmon River Central campus school for past three years, prior to which she was an elementary teacher at the SRMS for five years. Both roles have prepared her for biggest one yet.

“I think working here (at the SRMS), I really did learn how to be a teacher,” Thomas said. “I’m really looking forward to working with the kids again.”

Thomas has an Associates degree from SUNY Canton, a Bachelor of Arts degree from SUNY Potsdam, a Master’s degree in Reading from SUNY Potsdam, and a Master’s in Education Administration from St. Lawrence University. Upon receiving her last degree, Thomas made the switch from schoolteacher to administrator, with the hope of one day becoming a principal in the area.

“I didn’t plan on becoming a principal as quickly as I did,” she admitted, but the opportunities fell in her favor.

Thomas brings a unique outlook with her as she begins the school year Thursday as principal. While she spent several years teaching kindergarten and first and second grade, Thomas then oversaw the middle school students at the Salmon River campus school. There, she said she learned clearly where students need to be at that age, and how their earlier education impacted their middle school career.

“What happens in elementary school really does follow into high school,” she said. “I think that (observing) that really is going to help and I think that’s a positive.”

Had she not been given the position of principal, Thomas said she was more than happy to continue as the assistant principal at Salmon River – a position that has been changed to middle school principal in anticipation of the new, independent middle school.

“I think if this position didn’t open, I would have more than happy to stay there,” she said. There are lots of great things coming for the district and the kids.”

While she doesn’t have any immediate or drastic changes planned for the SRMS, Thomas has fresh ideas and outlooks. Thomas is a notably young principal.

“I think in education, it’s always changing,” she said. “I’m going to work closely with the staff. They’re the ones who know what’s needed, I think working with them and working with the community is best for the students.”

Thomas also knows her staff personally having worked with most of them before.

“I can say that I know that my staff is very knowledgeable,” she said. “I have people in this building who hold advanced degrees. I will utilize these people because they know what they’re talking about.”

Thomas said she is very excited about getting to work with young children once again and she was eagerly awaiting their arrival at school, after officially beginning her position on August 1.

“I am going to be a hands-on principal,” she said.

The school’s former principals have been of Mohawk descent and members of the Akwesasne community and Thomas agrees that it’s a valuable asset to hold in her position.

“I think it is important, just being knowledgeable about where we live,” she said. “We do live in a unique place…as a district we do embrace that.”

All of the students at the SRMS are Mohawk, Thomas said, and more than 50 percent of the district identified themselves as Native American.

“It’s important that we have Native Americans working with our kids,” she said.

Parents can expect to connect with Thomas through visits to the school, through notices she’ll send to Indian Time, and through letters she’ll be sending home. She welcomes phone calls, emails and visits from parents and community members. She can be reached at [email protected] or by phone at 358-2763.