As we report in this week’s issue, it was recently announced that Cazenovia High School Principal Eric Knuth and Assistant Superintendent Terry Ward both are leaving our district in January to become superintendents in other CNY school districts — Knuth at Altmar-Parish-Williamstown and Ward at Cato-Meridian.

We would like to extend our best wishes to them both as they take on these new challenges, and offer them our sincerest thanks for the great work and positive influences they have brought to Cazenovia.

We have known and observed both men for years, reporting on their work in the district or chatting with them at events and around town, and we have constantly been impressed by the knowledge, work ethic, passion for education and overall personal character of both men. Their leaving will be a loss for our district but, as Superintendent Matt Reilly said, the problem with having the best people is they eventually move on and up in their careers. But we also know the district administration will find equally excellent people to succeed Knuth and Ward, and so, while this is a sad time, it is also an exciting one.

We still have one month of time with Mr. Knuth and Mr. Ward before they move on to take the helm of their own school districts, so if you see them at school or around town, be sure to wish them well and, above all, thank them for all they have done for our district and our children.