Liberty Schools Hire New Athletic Director & Assistant Director of Student Services

The Liberty Central School District has added two new employees to it’s staff. Andy Buchsbaum is the new athletic director, he is replacing the beloved Jason Semo who took an Athletic Director position at the South Colonie Central School District. Liberty also hired Kathleen Bressler as the new Assistant Director of Student Services. She is the daughter-in-law of retired teacher Ralph Bressler.

Andy Buchsbaum

Andy Buchsbaum comes to Liberty via New Fairfield Public Schools, where he most recently served the district as its K-12 health and physical education coordinator and also an athletic coordinator at the high school. Prior to holding these positions, he taught physical education and was the head football coach. Andy has coached multiple sports at the varsity level which include football, baseball, indoor and outdoor track. Andy was honored as the Fairfield County Chapter Assistant Football Coach of the Year in 2003 and as the Fairfield County Chapter and Danbury News-Times Head Football Coach of the Year in 2007.

Andy served on numerous committees in New Fairfield such as the REMS (Readiness and Emergency Management for Schools) and Diversity Committees as their Chairperson; and the District Wellness and District TEAM (Teacher Education and Mentoring) Committee. He also serves as a Director to the New York Giants Youth Football Camps.

When asked what his favorite professional sports teams are, he answers without hesitation “The Giants, and I’m a big college football fan, Notre Dame is my favorite. Baseball? The Yankees. I do root for the UConn [University of Connecticut] hoops teams, but if it’s any consolation, my wife is a huge Syracuse fan. Truly, though, I love all sports, and I look forward to cheering on all the teams at Liberty.”

Although it is with sorrow that he say goodbye to Connecticut, Liberty was a great match for him and his young family (he is the married father of two boys, aged 4 and 2). “My wife’s family lives in Owego, and Liberty is close,” he explains. “I want to be an energetic and positive leader, and I look forward to becoming a part of this community and to work with the staff and student-athletes to build on Liberty’s success,” he adds.

Kathleen Bressler

If Kathleen Bressler’s name sounds familiar, that’s because it is – in the Liberty school community. Her father-in-law, Ralph Bressler taught math, science and computers at Liberty for 29 years before retiring last year. Kathleen comes to Liberty from Grafton Middle School in York County, VA, where she served as the assistant principal.

Prior to becoming the assistant principal, Bressler served as the assessment and compliance coordinator at Tabb High School in Tabb, VA and as a special education teacher and department chair at York High School in York, VA.

A 1996 graduate of Livingston Manor High School, Bressler is excited to come back to her roots and join the Liberty school community. “Both of our parents live in Livingston Manor,” she says of herself and her husband Karl. “We have a six-month old son, so we wanted to be closer to our families.”

Bressler attended Binghamton University, where she completed her undergraduate degree in Psychology and moved on to earn her Masters degree at Mount St. Mary’s College in Newburgh, NY, with a dual degree in Elementary and Special Education. She will earn her doctorate in General Educational Administration later this year from the College of William and Mary, pending the approval of her dissertation: “The Effect of Administrational Support on Teacher Job Satisfaction.”

“I am excited to be back – it feels really good to be home in Sullivan County, and I can’t wait to be a part of Liberty. I can’t wait to have snow again!” She exclaims. We’ll check back with her in February and see if she still feels the same way!