Throughout her career as an educator, Casey Steiner has asked herself one question while making daily decisions: “Am I making things better for kids?”

With a core belief that “students are at the heart of what we do,” the Marion Central School District is proud to announce that Steiner has been named the new Principal of Marion Elementary School, effective Tuesday, March 14.

Steiner’s appointment was approved by the Marion Central School District’s Board of Education at their regular meeting on Monday, March 13. Steiner succeeds Dr. Ellen Lloyd, who was named Superintendent of Schools on Feb. 1.

“I recognize the magnitude of this position and am eager to rise to the challenge,” said Steiner, who has served as Interim Principal at MES since Feb. 1. “Families put their trust in the school to do right by their children and that is a huge responsibility.”

Steiner came to Marion as an Assistant Principal for grades Pre-K through 12 in July 2021, and has worked closely with Lloyd over the past 20 months.

“Casey is thoughtful and reflective and centers her decisions based on what is right for students,” Lloyd said. “She has high integrity. She is honest and direct but is also very caring and wants MES to be the best school and learning environment that it can be.”

Steiner said that one thing has stood out during her time at MES.

“The people,” she said. “Our students are incredible and resilient and just amazing to work with and their families are incredible. The staff is so student-centered and is willing to go the extra mile on everything all of the time.” 

One of her priorities is to help MES “grow with its needs” and she plans to spend time observing and investigating certain aspects that may need improvement. She is also fully committed to preserving the after-school mini-camp program that is already in place.

“Mini-camps provide an opportunity for kids to build their social competencies and to connect with adults while doing something that they enjoy,” Steiner said. “It gives them time to build skills, have fun and be pro-social when they could be at home playing video games.” 

Prior to coming to Marion, Steiner served as the Multi-Tiered Systems of Support Coordinator for Lyons Central School from 2015-2021. She holds a Master of Science in school psychology from Roberts Wesleyan College and a Certificate of Advanced Study in Educational Leadership from the University of Rochester.

Steiner resides in Phelps with her husband and two children. She is a graduate of Midlakes High School and her hobbies include gardening, cooking and watching football.

She is eager to get started in her new role and the opportunities that lie ahead.

“I am most excited about seeing where we can go,” Steiner said. “The staff is so committed to the students and I just want to see what we can do for the students and the community.”