Goshen school district welcomes new staff

The Goshen Central School District recently welcomed three new members to its administrative team. Jenelle Hindell is the assistant principal at Goshen High School, James McArdle is the new director of facilities, and Lina Polchinski joined as the assistant director of pupil personnel services.

Jenelle Hindell joined the district in April as Goshen High School’s 10-month assistant principal.

According to the school district, Hindell began her career in education as assistant director of admissions and marketing at both the College of Saint Rose and Teachers College at Columbia University. She transitioned to teaching with the New York City Department of Education, where she worked as a social studies teacher from 2007 to 2016. She then served as dean of students and then grade level administrator at the Cherry Creek School District in Colorado, and later returned to New York as an assistant principal at Eastchester Union Free School District.

Hindell received a Bachelor of Arts degree in History and Political Science from the College of Saint Rose, a Master of Arts degree in Teaching Social Studies from Teachers College, and a Master of Education in School Administration from Regis University. Hindell holds certifications in Secondary Social Studies, School Building Leadership and School Administration.

“I came to Goshen because of the reputation, the community, and my knowledge of Goshen as a Cornwall native,” she said. Her goals as assistant principal are to connect with the community and support the growth and development of students, faculty and staff.

James McArdle joined the district as its director of facilities. He has a background in facilities management. While a high school student at Orange-Ulster BOCES, he studied electrical at its Career and Technical Education Center during his junior and senior years. After graduation, he honed his plumbing and welding skills in the U.S. Navy. He served in the Persian Gulf as a hull maintenance technician, where he was responsible for all the metal work necessary to keep the naval ship watertight and in good condition while at sea.

After his military service, McArdle worked for JetBlue Airlines as a building mechanic at JFK Airport. He then served the Monroe-Woodbury Central School District, his alma mater, as an HVAC mechanic – a position he held for five years before coming to Goshen. According to the school district, McArdle decided to pursue the director of facilities role because he was “drawn to the district’s strong reputation and its welcoming, hometown feel that aligns with his values and professional goals.”

“I want to provide students, faculty and the community with buildings and facilities that they are proud to come to every day,” he said.

Lina Polchinski joined the district in August as its assistant director of pupil personnel services. Polchinski began her career as a first-grade teacher in Tenafly, N.J. She then served as a special education teacher for Rockland BOCES, New York City Department of Education, City Schools of New Rochelle and the Cornwall Central School District. She then took her career to the Enlarged City School District of Middletown as its instructional leader of K-5 special education and then to the Greenwood Lake Union Free School District as its director of curriculum and instruction.

Polchinski, a Goshen resident whose children attend the district, was attracted to both live and work in the district because of its positive reputation and robust educational programs.

“The programs offered at Goshen were the reason I chose to move and raise my children here,” she said. “I’m looking forward to working collaboratively with all stakeholders to provide our special education students the opportunities to be successful and leave the district as lifelong learners,” she added. “I believe my knowledge of curriculum and instruction and best practices for meeting individual student needs will be a benefit to our families.”

Polchinski has a bachelor’s degree in English from Felician College, a master’s in special education from New Jersey City University, and an advanced certificate in educational leadership from Long Island University.