About the Superintendent
Superintendent
Dr. Kevin McGowan has been the Superintendent of the Brighton Central School District since 2009. He began his career as an elementary teacher in the Starpoint Central School District before becoming a high school assistant principal at Iroquois High School and then an elementary principal at Wales Primary School. Prior to Brighton, Kevin was the Superintendent of the Warsaw Central School District in Wyoming County. He has had the great gift and honor of working in rural and suburban settings and facilitating the development of curricular and financial solutions where capacity was at all ends of the spectrum.
Kevin is a graduate of Canisius College with an undergraduate degree in Elementary Education and a Master’s degree in Educational Leadership and Supervision. Kevin completed his doctoral work in Educational Leadership and Policy at the University at Buffalo. His dissertation was selected for presentation at the graduate research conference at the Harvard Graduate School of Education.
Kevin was the 2023 AASA National Superintendent of the Year and 2023 New York State School Superintendent of the Year.
Kevin has previously served as the President of the Monroe County Council of School Superintendents and President of the New York State Council of School Superintendents. Kevin is Past President of the Leadership for Educational Achievement Foundation (LEAF). He is a member of the steering committee for the Levine Center, an anti-bias initiative of the Jewish Federation of Greater Rochester, and the Jewish Life Advisory Board for the Farash Institute. He is a board member of Western New York Educational Service Council, Brighton Education Fund, Brighton Alumni Association, and Brighton Chamber of Commerce. Kevin has been a member of several national, state, and local committees including the College Board’s Superintendent Advisory Board, NYSCOSS legislative committee, and the Commissioners Advisory Council. He also serves on the United Way Campaign Cabinet and the Jewish Family Services Basic Needs Advisory Board. Kevin also has the pleasure of being an adjunct professor in the Warner School of Education at the University of Rochester where he teaches a course titled, “The Politics of Education.” Kevin is an adjunct instructor for NYSSBA and provides both leadership and board superintendent relationship workshops.
Most importantly, Kevin proudly holds the title of husband and dad in his Brighton household. Among his three children are two sons, both in college, and daughter, who is in ninth grade. His children and exceptionally supportive wife, an educator herself, help him keep perspective and focus our most important priorities; the needs of each and every child and their families.
A Message from the Superintendent (Fall 2026)
Dear Brighton Family,
There is just something about fall in Brighton, and there is nothing better than being back!
The energy in our classrooms and hallways. Friday nights and Saturday afternoons. Concerts, games, activities, performances, and clubs getting underway. Students reconnecting with friends and teachers. Families coming together. There really is nothing better than being back to school and experiencing all that a new year has to offer.
We have had a terrific start to the 2026–27 school year, and I continue to be incredibly grateful for the gift of being on this journey together. Every school year is exactly that — a journey. We get the privilege of watching our students learn, grow, struggle, persevere, discover new interests, build relationships, and become more of who they are meant to be. We don't get these days back, which is why being present for them matters so much.
That is at the heart of our Brighton Believes Attendance Matters initiative. When students are healthy and able to attend, we need them here — on time, every day. Attendance isn't simply about counting days or meeting a requirement. It is about connection. Every day in school is another opportunity to learn something new, connect with a trusted adult, laugh with a friend, participate in a class discussion, contribute to a team, or discover something about yourself. Every day matters because every student matters.
In fact, “showing up” is something our entire community does extraordinarily well.
Homecoming was an amazing example. Seeing students, staff, families, alumni, and community members gathered together at the Twelve Corners and throughout the weekend was a wonderful reminder of what makes Brighton such a special place. The parade, the floats, the music, the athletic events, and simply seeing people connecting with one another made Homecoming exactly what it should be: a celebration of an incredible school community and the relationships that bind us together.
There is even more to look forward to. We are eagerly awaiting final approvals from the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation that will allow us to move forward with our athletic fields. We can't wait to see those spaces filled with students and families and to create even more opportunities for engagement, competition, connection, and community. We appreciate everyone's patience as we work through the final steps necessary to get there and are looking forward to reengaging with neighbors and the community to discuss next steps.
As we move deeper into the fall, I hope we don't rush past these moments. The beginning of a school year can move incredibly quickly. Before we know it, the leaves will be gone, the seasons will change, and we will be talking about everything that comes next.
For now, let's enjoy the journey.
Let's keep showing up for school, for one another, for our teams and activities, for our community, and most importantly, for our kids. There is no place I would rather be and no journey I would rather be on.
Go Bruins!
Kevin
Kevin McGowan, Ed.D.
Superintendent of Schools