The Great Neck Public Schools Board of Education accepted the resignation of its vice president Fran Langsner on Monday, who cited her relocation from the district as the reason behind her departure.
Although Langsner did not attend the meeting in the Great Neck South High School Library, board of education President Barbara Berkowitz read a letter from the former vice president announcing her resignation.
“She did move last Thursday, May 31 and is no longer a resident of Great Neck,” Berkowitz said of Langsner. “She had to vacate her board seat.”
In the letter, Langsner credited her work with “every past and present board member, superintendent, administrator, teacher, staff member, parent and student” as leading to what she described as a successful five-term stint of service on the Great Neck Board of Education.
“I have learned so much from all of you these past 12 years, not just about the pursuit of excellence in education, but also about the pursuit of excellence in one’s self,” Langsner said in the letter. “I’m fortunate to be able to take these lessons with me.”
Former United Parent Teacher Council President Monique Bloom was appointed by the board of education to complete the remainder of Langsner’s term, which will expire in May of 2013.
Bloom will be sworn-in as the newest member of the board of education during its Monday, July 2 meeting at the Phipps administration board room.
“I have a lot to learn from you all and I am honored by your request for me to join you,” Bloom said on Monday of the board of education. “I’ll do my best to serve everybody in the best way I know how for the good of all of the Great Neck students.”
Langsner was elected to the board of education in 2000 to fill a seat vacated by former Trustee Mona Fuchs.
“Fran has been a fair, honest, hardworking, tremendous asset to our board,” Berkowitz said. “It has truly been an absolute joy to work alongside her.”
Over the past 12 years, Langsner served as vice president for five years and was the chairwoman of the Board of Education’s Policy Committee since 2006. She was also the board’s regional representative to the Federal Relations Network and the National School Boards Association.
“As a board member she really doesn’t toot her own horn at all, but she worked very hard,” 11-term Board of Education Trustee Lawrence Gross said of Langsner. “She is highly effective. She is very interested in representing the district and did a wonderful job in her work at the state and federal level and she is dedicated. That all flowed over to us.”
In addition to her work with the board of education, Langsner was a past president of the Great Neck South High School Parent Teacher Student Association and the Lakeville Elementary School Parent Teacher Association. She was also previously co-chairperson of the United Parent-Teacher Council Parents Calendar Committee.
Trustee Donald Ashkenase, who is now in his 10th term on the Great Neck Board of Education, said it was a privilege to work with Langsner.
“Over those first few years she developed more and more self confidence and more and more of a willingness to take positions,” Ashkenase said. “It culminated in the five years that she was the vice president of the board. You could see that enhanced leadership she provided, and strength she provided, for all of us.”
But it was Langsner’s tenure leading the board of education’s policy committee, which Trustee Susan Healy said will leave the most lasting impact on her former colleague’s legacy.
“She has a gift for detail and also a gift for hearing every person speak around that table and we are very strong personalities when we get into that room together,” said Healy, who is also a policy committee member. “It’s not easy and she makes it easy. Fran truly sees the future in every child.”
While several of the board members became emotional over discussing Langsner’s departure, her resignation did not come as a surprise to district administrators, Berkowitz said.
“It’s been Fran’s wishes that we not talk about her circumstances these past couple months,” the board of education president said. “We had absolutely no option, but to respect her wishes.”
Langsner and her husband, Mark, also had no option but to move out of Great Neck, Berkowitz said.
“As her mother-in-law recently moved into an assisted living facility, they decided to move into her vacant condo, while they continued to look for a permanent domicile,” she said of Langsner.
That housing search has not ultimately ended in affording Langsner the opportunity to remain in Great Neck.
“It was always our hope, and Fran’s hope, that she find a new home here in Great Neck,” Berkowitz said. “Unfortunately as time went on, she was unable to find a place quickly enough.”
Although Langsner’s tenure on the board of education ended prematurely, she said in her letter that the 12 years spent working in Great Neck were well worth the effort.
“It has been an incredible privilege for me to serve as a steward of public education to a community that finds the future in the face of every child,” Langsner said.
That feeling was mutual for Berkowitz.
“It’s been a great run with Fran these past 12 years,” Berkowitz said.
Healy will take over Langsner’s post as chairwoman of the board of education’s policy committee, Berkowitz said.
The next Great Neck Board of Education vice president has yet to be named.
“It’s very strange to sit here tonight without Fran amongst us because she’s been such an important member of our board for so many years,” Gross said.
In other news, 18 Great Neck School District music faculty members attended the meeting to accept the National Association of Music Merchants Foundation “Best Communities for Music Education in America” award.
Denise Collins, regional marketing Manager for J.W. Pepper, presented the board of education with the award.
“Every year NAMM decides a list of the best communities for music education,” Collins said. “This year, they chose 176 school districts and Great Neck is one of the top three in the nation.”
Participating district’s were judged for the award based upon an Internet survey, which included questions about funding, graduation requirements, music class participation, instruction time, facilities and support for the music program, a news release announcing the award said.
Following the presentation of the award, an orchestra comprised of the 18 faculty members performed “Sure on this Shining Night” by Samuel Barber.
Receiving the award was an honor for Great Neck’s music teachers, said Joseph Rutkowski, a Great Neck North middle and high school teacher.
“Although we have at least 10 music educators here that could serve as a director of music in some other district, with an administrator’s salary, a full-time secretary and no responsibilities of teaching and conducting concerts,” he said, “we choose to stay here in Great Neck in the classroom with our students and do everything we can to ensure that our students know how important music will always be in their lives.”
