By MATT LINDSEY

PARISHVILLE -- Parishville-Hopkinton Central School will begin the process of replacing its superintendent, who has worked at the school for over a decade.

The Board of Education meets tonight at 7:30 p.m. PHCS Superintendent Darin P. Saiff says they will present a timetable of replacing him, both short-term and permanently.

“I think they will discuss a candidate for the interim until the official search begins,” he said.

Saiff recently accepted a job as assistant superintendent for instruction at St. Lawrence-Lewis BOCES, returning to the place where had landed his first job in education. He begins his new role Feb. 13.

Saiff said he was very proud of the accomplishments of teachers and students during his time as superintendent.

“When surrounded by good people, it makes your job easier,” Saiff said. “Any teacher will tell you that great students make their job easier.”

“I am thankful for the support – I have mixed emotions – when you work somewhere for 12 years you grow some roots,” Saiff said. “So that will be the tough part, I will miss the students, teachers and community members.

Saiff says he took the job at BOCES to have a greater influence on St. Lawrence County students and give students every opportunity the chance to succeed locally.

“I want to create the pipelines for students, meet with businesses, and create a living wage for them in the North Country,” he said. “I think we export a lot of talented students.”

In his new position Saiff will oversee special education and career and technical education, among other duties.

“My goal is to get in and listen,” he said. “I want to find out what the needs are.”

Prior to replacing Tom Burns as PHCS superintendent in Nov. 2009, Saiff was the junior and senior high principal and athletic director at PHCS for about three years. He has also been the principal of Chateaugay Central School and an earth science teacher and the athletic director at Norwood-Norfolk Central.

Saiff says he also spent time teaching earth science in Connecticut. He began his teaching career as a special education teacher at BOCES.

Reflecting on his time at PHCS, Saiff said, “I’ve had great support from the community…the teachers, students and parents have worked well together over the years.”

Saiff said he was proud that he maintained a “positive climate” at the school.

“If I can be remembered to have been a part of it, that would be how I want to be remembered for my time here,” he said.