Night of changes at Herricks meet

Richard Tedesco

A newly elected board member was welcomed, a new district mathematics director was introduced along with a new president of the Herricks Teachers Association and several retiring teachers and a retiring principal were honored. 

The Herricks Board of Education meeting last Thursday marked a time of change in the school district.

Board President Christine Turner thanked outgoing board Trustee Dr. Sanjay Jain for his service and invited Juleigh Chin, who will take Jain’s seat on the board, to participate at the board meeting as a non-voting member. Jain had opted to not seek re-election to the board after six years of serving on it.

“We’ve appreciated you being open, honest and kind,” Turner said before joining board Vice President Jim Gounaris in presenting Jain with a plaque to honor him.

Jain is a neurologist specializing in the treatment of epilepsy at North Shore-LIJ Hospital in New Hyde Park. He has said the demands of his work were one of several factors that prompted his decision to step down.

“I have learned a lot during my time on the board, and hope that my presence has had some positive impact on this district although it may be difficult to quantify,” Jain said when he announced his decision to not seek re-election in April.

Chin, co-president of the Denton Avenue School PTA, ran unopposed for Jain’s seat after she learned he had decided to not seek re-election to the board.

“We know you’re going to be lonely now on Thursday nights,” Turner told Jain. “But don’t call Juleigh. She’ll be busy.”

Herricks Superintendent of Schools John Bierwirth introduced Geetha Murthy as the school district’s incoming director of mathematics. The positions of math chair for the district elementary and secondary schools had been vacant for the past few years as the district was forced to make staff cutbacks.

“Your career as a teacher and an administrator is extraordinary,” Bierwirth said of Murthy, who is currently chairperson of the mathematics department at Baldwin High School.

Bierwirth said her position is one of the two faculty positions the board voted to restore to the budget after receiving a greater increase in state education aid than anticipated.

“It is with great humility that I accept the position of director of mathematics,” Murthy said.

Turner announced that Nidya Degliomini, a teacher at the Denton Avenue School, had been elected as the new president of the Herricks Teachers Association, succeeding Jane Morales. Morales was HTA vice president when Craig Lagnese died in 2011 and succeeded him as president.

“We look forward to making things better for the children,” Degliomini said.

Turner also announced the retirement of several teachers in the district and Center Street School principal Edward Bellomo, who had held the position for the past 13 years.

The board honored Bellomo and several of the retiring faculty members with plaques in recognition of their service to the district. 

The retiring teachers are: Sandie Antar, at Center Street since 1993;  Hannah Finkel, at Center Streetsince 1996; Dave Cooper, at Herricks  High School since 1971;  Alan Turkel, at Herricks Middle School since 1976; Linda Bernstein, at Herricks Middle School since 1992;  Jerry Soloway at Searingtown School since 1994;  and Eileen Barth, at Herricks Middle School since 1980.

In other developments:

• The school board accepted reimbursement from the Federal Emergency Management Agency of $208,395.20, primarily for the cost of clean up after Hurricane Sandy. 

• The school board accepted a donation of 25 iPads, covers and apps from the Denton Avenue School PTA valued at $17,200.

• The board accepted a donation of a Kawai upright piano from Ann Cannizaro valued at $1,000 to the Herricks High School music department.

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