EW board grants Fitzpatrick tenure

Richard Tedesco

The East Williston School Board voted unanimously at Monday night’s meeting to grant tenure to Jacqueline Fitzpatrick, assistant superintendent for business in the East Williston School District.

Fitzpatrick has held her current position in the school district since January 2009. Prior to coming to East Williston, she had been business manager of the McGann-Mercy Diocesan High School in Riverhead. 

“I cannot think of anyone more deserving to receive tenure tonight,” Mark Kamberg, president of the East Williston School Board ,said. “You are an expert in your field, a great administrator, and a friend. We in East Williston are indeed fortunate to have an assistant superintendent for business with such integrity, passion, energy and strength to continue to make the East Williston School District the premier school district on Long Island.”

Kamberg praised Fitzpatrick for “her transparency, attention to detail and fine work.” He noted that she is one of two staff members currently working in the district’s business office. 

Fitzpatrick played a vital role in working with outgoing East Williston Superintendent of Schools Lorna Lewis in fashioning the $52.72 million budget for 2012-13. That represents a 2.49 percent increase over the current $51.44 million budget.

The tax levy, which will rise by 2.60 percent to $49.38 million from the current level of $48.13 million, is within the parameters of the state-mandated tax cap.

Lewis has said the tax levy represents the lowest tax levy increase in the last two decades.

As Fitzpatrick’s continued presence in the district was affirmed by the board members, they bid farewell to Robert Freier, vice president of the school board, who opted to not seek re-election this year.

Kamberg offered a testimonial to Freier, who he said had become more than a fellow trustee over his four years on the board.

“You have not only been a fellow trustee, the board’s vice president for two of those years, but you have also become a friend,” Kamberg said.

Kamberg recalled that Freier, a 1981 graduate of The Wheatley School married his high school sweet heart Suzy Garber (class of 82) and later returned to live in the community in 1988. He and his wife raised two sons who also graduated Wheatley. His youngest son graduated from Wheatley this year, which predicated his decision to relinquish his seat on the board since he and his wife may be moving. 

A high school friend of Freier’s and a member of the school district’s financial advisory committee, Leonard Hirsch, won Freier’s seat in an uncontested election last month.

Kamberg credited Freier with playing a key role in the board’s recent search to find a new district superintendent after Lewis announced her plans to leave in April. He also said Freier had helped move the district toward an eco-friendly paperless environment and said he would miss his friend’s comments about politicians who don’t fulfill their promises.

Freier had regularly criticized former state Sen. Craig Johnson for leaving the school district in the lurch on state grants that remained unfulfilled after Johnson promised them and subsequently lost his Senate seat.

“Your caring, concern and never-ending dedication to the best education we can provide our children can be seen in all that you worked to accomplish during your tenure on the board,” Kamberg said. 

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