MAJOR ADMINISTRATIVE CHANGES IN THE NORTH SHORE SCHOOLS FOR THE UPCOMING SCHOOL YEAR
June 21, 2017 -- Incoming Superintendent Dr. Peter Giarrizzo will not be the only new administrator to the district this upcoming school year. Over the past month, the North Shore Board of Education has made appointments to fill four other key positions. Although not taking the reins in this district until late August, Dr. Giarrizzo played a significant role in making those personnel recommendations.
At a brief board meeting at Central Office this past Monday night, the Board voted to accept the recommendation of Dr. Giarrizzo and Assistant Superintendent Rob Chlebicki to appoint Robert Dennis as the middle school prinicipal to replace Dr. Mark Ferris, who announced early last month that he had accepted a position as Assistant Superintendent for Instruction in the Wantagh Schools. Mr. Dennis taught Italian and Spanish at Northport High School before becoming the World Languages and English as a New Language chairperson in Plainview-Old Bethpage in 2014. He has just completed his second year as Middle School assistant principal in that district. "After an exhaustive search from among 115 applicants for the position, and several stages in the interviewing process," Dr. Giarrizzo and Mr. Chlebicki wrote in an email to the community on June 16 prior to the Board's approval, "Mr. Dennis emerged as the best individual to be the next leader of our Middle School." At its June 1st meeting, the school board by a 6-1 vote, with Trustee Marianne Russo dissenting, appointed Linda Binion to be K-12 Director of Guidance. The new position includes the responsibilities currently performed by retiring high school Guidance Department chairperson Toni MacDonald. Ms. Binion has served as Director of Student Services for the Spotsylvania County Schools in Fredericksburg Virginia since 2010. Prior to that she held the same position in the Greece, New York school system and also worked as a middle school and high school guidance counselor. Major changes are also taking place in the leadership of the district’s Special Education program. Replacing retiring Director of Special Education Tom Korb will be current Assistant Director of Special Education for Secondary Schools Chris Marino. Replacing Mr. Marino will be Joseph Kistinger who currently serves as the CSE chairperson at Sachem North High School in Holbrook, New York. At the elementary level, Assistant Director for Special Education Services Marcie Laredo is retiring and will be replaced by Francine Paladino who has been Assistant Director for Special Education in the Central Islip public school system since 2014. Prior to that she was a special education chairperson in Massapequa and a special education teacher. (Photo Credit, Plainview Old Bethpage Public Schools) BACK TO WEEKLY |