SOMERS, N.Y. - Somers was not about to let Primrose Principal Katie Winter just “slip out the door” after she announced her intentions to retire next year.
At the Board of Education’s Oct. 20 meeting, she and Assistant Principal Meg Benedetto, who will become the elementary school’s interim principal, were both showered with kind words, flowers, and good luck wishes.
Winter, whose official last day is Jan. 31, has been with the district for more than 16 years.
Schools Superintendent Dr. Adam Bronstein promised that it wouldn’t be the only occasion for the district to celebrate Winter before she leaves.
“Personally, I don’t know what Primrose or Somers would look like without Katie,” said BOE President Amanda Kandel, noting that Winter had been a “constant presence in the lives of our youngest learners.”
Her impact on the community can’t “be measured in years of service alone” and the number of children whose lives she touched is “truly countless,” Kandel said.
“For 16 years, Katie set the tone for what it means to create a school where children feel safe, valued, and excited to learn,” she added.
Thanking Winter for her “extraordinary dedication” on behalf of the board, Kandel also called the educator a “steady leader, a trusted partner to families, and a mentor to generations of educators.”
“Her legacy will continue to be felt long after her retirement,” she said.
After reading the letter he’d sent to the community, Bronstein presented Winter and Benedetto with flowers.
Winter’s intention to retire mid-year was a closely guarded secret, so when it was announced, folks at Primrose were genuinely saddened and surprised, he said.
But there was, Bronstein added, also “a huge sigh of relief” when they found out that Benedetto would be taking over as interim principal.
Bronstein regretted only having been able to work with Winter for a year and a half but still felt “blessed” to do so.
“Meg has clearly benefited from your tutelage these last 11 years together and I think Primrose is really in great hands,” said Bronstein, wishing Benedetto the “very best” and Winter “all the luck in the future.”
He promised not to just let Winter “slip out the door,” and told her that she was “always welcome back, anytime.”
‘SPIRIT’ OF PRIMROSE
In his Oct. 16 announcement, Bronstein said that Winter had worked “tirelessly to create a school environment where every child feels supported and valued, while fostering a strong sense of community among students, families and staff.”
“Whether greeting students each morning, celebrating their accomplishments, supporting teachers or navigating challenges over the years, she has brought her warmth, dedication and an unwavering commitment to our children in everything she has done,” he wrote.
A “passionate advocate” for early literacy, Winter helped position Primrose at the forefront of “innovative, research-based literacy instruction, championing engaging, high-quality teaching practices that support student growth and success,” the letter read.
She was also credited with playing an “instrumental role” in the growth and expansion of the Somers Universal Pre-K program by helping to strengthen early learning opportunities for the district’s youngest learners.
Winter also collaborated with PNW BOCES’s Regional Crisis Team on best practices in crisis prevention and intervention.
In 2024, she was inducted into the Somers Education Foundation’s Hall of Fame for being someone who had “distinguished herself in ways that have positively impacted the children of the Somers Central School District.”
“Over the years, programs have changed, buildings have evolved, and generations of children have passed through our doors, but the heart of Primrose has remained constant,” Winter said in her retirement letter.
“It is a place where children are known, cared for, challenged, celebrated, and loved. I am enormously proud of what we have built together and confident that the spirit of Primrose will continue long after my time as principal comes to an end,” she added.
Winter said she was grateful to have had “the privilege of welcoming thousands of children and families as they begin their journey in the Somers Central School District.”
“There is something incredibly special about being part of those first school experiences; watching children walk through our doors for the first time, helping them discover who they are as learners, and seeing them develop confidence, independence, curiosity, and a love of school,” she wrote, adding: “I have never taken that responsibility for granted.”
She thanked the “remarkable” faculty and staff members with whom she worked.
“Their dedication to children, commitment to one another, and willingness to continually grow and evolve have made Primrose the special place that it is. Any success I have experienced as a principal has been because I have been surrounded by talented, caring people who believe deeply in doing what is best for children.”
Winter also thanked Primrose families for trusting her with their children “during such an important time in their lives” and Bronstein, the Board of Education, fellow administrators, and colleagues who had supported, challenged, and collaborated with her “in this work.”
“It has been an honor to serve this district and this community,” she wrote, adding that she was looking forward to spending more time with her family.
Bronstein said the district was “deeply grateful” for Winter’s “extraordinary service” to students and staff.
He promised that the team would “thoughtfully identify the next leader who will build upon Primrose’s successes and guide its continued growth.”
In the letter, Bronstein noted that Benedetto had “diligently partnered” with Winter over the past 10 years.
Benedetto said her goal now is to “provide a steady and thoughtful transition while continuing the hard work and dedication that the Somers Community has come to expect.”
“I cannot imagine a greater privilege than having the opportunity to lead the school that has meant so much to me and to help carry forward the traditions, relationships, and strong sense of community that make Primrose so special,” she said.
The district is now in the process of finding an interim assistant principal for Primrose.
“Please join me once again in congratulating Katie on her upcoming retirement and thanking her for her extraordinary service to the Somers community. We wish her the best in retirement, where she looks forward to spending more time with her family. Once a Tusker, always a Tusker!” Bronstein wrote.
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