Orchard Park School Board members tonight selected Matthew McGarrity as superintendent.

McGarrity, the superintendent at Dansville Central School District in Livingston County,

will succeed Joan Thomas, who will retire June 30.

McGarrity, an Angola native, was selected after a five-month selection process.

As superintendent of the Dansville district since January 2007, McGarrity oversees about

1,600 students in four schools. His salary is $138,000 this year.

"It is certainly an honor and a privilege to be able to serve as the new superintendent of

schools for the Orchard Park Central School District," McGarrity said. "The Orchard Park

School community is well-known for excellence in academics, athletics and the arts, and it

will be very exciting for my family and I to be able to call Orchard Park our new home."

The board was looking for a sitting superintendent with a background in the classroom,

which McGarrity has. He previously served as director of personnel services for the Corning-

Painted Post School District. He also has served as an elementary and middle school principal,

curriculum coordinator and staff developer.

McGarrity has teaching experience in science, environmental education and physical

education at both the middle and high school level.

At Orchard Park he will oversee a $77 million budget and 5,400 students in six schools for

one of the area's premier suburban districts.