Michelle Trussalo was named Principal of C.C. Ring Elementary School, and Marc Lentsch will serve as the next director of the Jamestown High School Marching Band.

Trussalo is the current assistant principal at M.J. Fletcher Elementary School, will begin her appointment on July 1. Lentsch, director of bands at Persell Middle School, currently serves as the marching band’s assistant director.

“Thank you to all of the interviewees, the families, the students, the teachers, and paraprofessionals, who supported me at random when I was a teacher and all the support I had at Fletcher this year,” Trussalo said to the board. “I’m very excited to go back to Ring (School) in this principal position. I just want to say ‘thank-you’ to all of the coordinators, all of the administrative team for helping me and guiding me this year and I look forward to a successful future.”

A 2008 graduate of Jamestown High School and city resident, Trussalo has spent the 2023-24 school year as Fletcher’s assistant principal. Prior to that appointment, she worked in various roles at C.C. Ring Elementary School, spending seven years as a special education teacher and serving 2022-23 school year as Ring’s teacher on special assignment, supporting students and staff.

Michelle Trussalo

“We are all very pleased that Michelle will be our new principal at Ring Elementary,” JPS Superintendent Dr. Kevin Whitaker said. “The school has a rich history and tradition, and I know that Michelle will bring her unique talents to the building. She shined during the interview process and was a top choice of all of our constituent groups. I am looking forward to seeing her great success for our kids.”

JPS Assistant Superintendent of Instruction and School Improvement Tina Sandstrom shared similar thoughts.

“We are so excited to have Ms. Trussalo serve as the next principal at Ring School,” Sandstrom added. “Over the course of her career, she has demonstrated a consistent and sincere commitment to students and families. We believe this will be a great fit, and we are grateful to the students, staff, and families who assisted us in the interview process.”

Trussalo earned a bachelor’s and master’s in science in education from the State University of New York College at Cortland and also received school building and school district leader certifications from the Warner School of Education at the University of Rochester.

In her current role, she has served as an instruction leader in the planning, coordination, and administration of school activities and programs. She also has served on the building’s PBIS, shared decision making, family and community engagement, safety, and child study committees. District-wide, she has also served on the ELA and professional development steering committees.

“There is tremendous work being done within our district to ensure the success of all students and I am eager to use my background and experiences in order to lead these efforts as principal. I look forward to meeting and reconnecting with the students, staff, and families of C.C. Ring by collaborating for the continued success of our students,” Trussalo added.

Lentsch has served as a band director in the Jamestown Public Schools for the past 18 years, serving as a band director at Jamestown High School prior to his current post at Persell. From 2006 to 2009, Lentsch served as co-director of the marching band with Meghan Murray, before spending the last 15 years as the organization’s assistant director.

“We are fortunate to have the opportunity to utilize Marc’s depth of experience and expertise as the next director of the JHS Marching Band,” Whitaker said. “His experience with the band as a previous director and assistant director as well as his years of igniting a love of music and band into students at Persell Middle School make him the perfect fit to lead this program into the future.”

Lentsch also served as director of the Jamestown High School Winter Guard program and is a member of the North East Color Guard Circuit Hall of Fame and previously served on the Winterguard International Advisory Board and Steering Committee.

“I am grateful for the opportunity to return to the role of director of the JHS Marching Band,” Lentsch said. “This organization has meant a great deal to generations of students at Jamestown High School and I will be hard at work over the next several weeks planning with staff and students to ensure a successful experience and a high quality show for our students, parents, and community.”

JHS Principal Allyson Smith said that a decision surrounding the marching band’s competitive future has not yet been determined. She added that recruitment and registration of student musicians is underway.

“We want to reassure our local community and alumni: there will be a marching band next school year and beyond,” Smith said. “We are committed to continuing this program’s tradition of excellence. Discussions regarding participation in individual competitions are ongoing, including recent input from our instrumental music students. We anticipate a collaborative decision to be reached in the near future.”