Tammy Mangus was officially announced as the next superintendent during the Board of Education’s meeting earlier this week and is set to assume the role on June 19. Mangus graduated from Brocton Central School and has family ties to not only the area but Cassadaga Valley as well.

“I’ve always been drawn to Cassadaga Valley because of my family roots,” Mangus said. “My grandmother and great uncle graduated from Cassadaga Valley and my mom went there until the sixth grade when they moved to Brocton. I went to SUNY Fredonia. I think we leave for different opportunities but the best part is when we get to come back to our roots.”

Jeanne Oag, President of the Cassadaga Valley Central School District Board of Education said at the end of the search process, it was Mangus that stood out among the rest.

“Tammy Mangus was strong right from the start,” Oag said. “Originally from Chautauqua County, it was important to us that our next superintendent would be familiar with Western New York rural schools and want to be an integral part of the area. She communicated the need to lean in, listen, and learn from all stakeholders as she works to introduce herself to the district. The board is excited to bring Ms. Mangus to our district and share with her the confidence that together we will do great things.”

Tammy Mangus, a Chautauqua County native, will be returning to the area to serve as the next superintendent of Cassadaga Valley Central School. Submitted photo

Administrative experience wise, Mangus completed her administrative internship at Chautauqua Lake. She then moved to the eastern part of New York State to Roscoe to be a pre-kindergarten through 12th grade principal. This was followed by becoming a superintendent of curriculum and instruction and then a superintendent of schools at Monticello. Following that, Mangus coached school leaders as a leader coach in Arizona. She began her administrative experience in 2008, bringing more than 15 years worth to the job at Cassadaga Valley.

For Mangus, the most important thing for her as an administrator in a school is building opportunities for students.

“That’s my mantra, that education equals opportunities for students,” Mangus said. “I want to build pathways for them to be able to build futures where there is always the ability to open a door to a new opportunity. It’s the center of everything that I’ve done.”

When coming to Cassadaga Valley, Mangus said she hopes to be able to continue this message there and build a strong partnership with the school. She added that the school’s vision statement, “The Valley is a safe place where people are encouraged to explore, learn, and prepare for their future” aligns very closely with her focus on building opportunities.

“I want to build great teams and relationships with families, students and staff so we can come together, put our needs on the table, and work together,” Mangus said.

Besides work, family means a lot to Mangus. One of the reasons she is coming back to the area to serve as Cassadaga Valley’s superintendent is to be close to her family. She also has two children, one granddaughter, two huskies and one maltese. Mangus loves to walk her dogs, read, build community partnerships and volunteer.

“I love to be involved and find joy in each day,” Mangus said. “I like to find great things and chase them and make people smile. My husband and I are so excited to be coming back and to be a part of what Western New York has to offer.”

Overall, Mangus said she loves to learn about new communities she comes to. She is always open for direct communication.

“I truly do want people to reach out and ask questions,” Mangus said. “If there’s something I need to know I want people to tell me. I want to learn and understand and work to build powerful solutions to serve the children of Cassadaga Valley.”