The Manhasset girls varsity lacrosse coach was not reappointed to her role about two weeks after she led the team to a Class B state championship win.
The members of the team, and many of their parents, filled the Charlie Cardillo Community Room at Thursday night’s Board of Education meeting to voice concern over the district’s decision to not reappointing coach Danielle Gallagher.
One mother said the decision robs the team of all they accomplished – adding that Gallagher’s removal taints the girls state win on June 9.
The board said they could not discuss personnel matters in public.
“Personnel is personal,” Trustee Pat Aitken said.
All coaching assignments are made as year-to-year appointments, and recommendations for upcoming coaching assignments will be made over the summer.
Board President Regina Rule said this was the first she was hearing of the situation as well.
“I had a daughter on the 2014 team, so I have a sense of what you all are feeling in terms of celebratory mood that you had and the joy that you had on the field this year,” Rule said. ” … And i just want to say my heart is with you and we wish for you the best.”
Rule added that she’s grateful to the parents and students that came out, and thanks them for “understanding what we need to go through in following up with this.”
The board suggested a group of two to four people set up an appointment to discuss with Superintendent Vincent Butera.
Butera said he can meet as early as the first week of July.
“I can understand the frustration with the process, but there are things we can’t say,” Butera said.
Efforts to reach Gallagher were unavailing.
Gallagher, a two-time first team All-American athlete at the College of William and Mary, has been coaching the Manhasset team for about eight years and coached the team to a state championship victory in 2014 as well.
She’s served as a member of the U.S. Elite Women’s Lacrosse team beginning in 1987.
As the girls exited the room, the board heard from another mother, Lisa Rutkovsky, who said she’s not a “lax mom” – she’s a theater mom.
Rutkovsky was joined by a handful of other theater parents and Manhasset theater alumni.
They were there to urge the board to name the high school auditorium after Karl Hueglin, who dedicated more than three decades of volunteer time to put together sets for the Manhasset shows.
Hueglin died last October at 88.
Kevin McAleer, one Manhasset graduate who spoke, said he was involved in theater for all six years at the Secondary School.
The most consistent element of his experience was Hueglin, who was “part of the scenery,” himself, McAleer said.
“He was such an incredibly potent element of the Manhasset theater world…” McAleer said. “I think the best way to honor him would be to dedicate the home that he had in the school for him.”
Rule said she is struggling with finding the best way to honor Hugelin’s legacy, but is not sure naming the auditorium after him is the right way to go.
The auditorium is home to many school and community events, and the board doesn’t want to give the message that it’s “only there for the theater people,” Rule said.
Rutkovsky said that Hueglin, though a major force in the theater community, was not solely involved in the theater.
He supported music, the marching band, the Senior Frolic and the community as a whole, Rutkovsky said.
Hueglin had also served as a Plandome Village trustee and chief of the Plandome Fire Department throughout his lifetime.
One idea floated by the board is to name the black box theater after Hueglin, since it is used by the theater department.
The black box theater, which does not use the extensive sets Hueglin was so involved in creating, would not effectively honor his legacy, according to many of the parents and former students that came to the meeting.
The set shop was also discussed as a possible room to be named for Hueglin, but some said it is not a room seen by as many people.
McAleer suggested perhaps instead of naming the auditorium after Hueglin placing a plaque with a dedication to him.
Rule said she personally liked that idea, too, and said in whatever the board decides she’d like to see a plaque dedicated to Hueglin.
“Hopefully you all will help write it, that outlines what Karl meant to everybody; that’s his legacy,” Rule said. “That’s what I think is important so when we’re all gone and were not here to tell the stories there is, as you said Kevin, an appropriate way to say this is how this man changed our community.”
(Photo by Rebecca Klar)
Also during the meeting, the board also approved $184,310 for summer projects.
Projects include roof repairs at Munsey Park and Shelter Rock, cafeteria upgrades at Munsey Park and new stage drapes at the secondary school.
The board also thanked Danielle Rallis, student representative on the board, for her work throughout the year.
This was Rallis’ last meeting and she will be graduating this year.
Rule said having Rallis on the board was “invaluable to the work we do.”
“You help us understand that what we do is relevant,” Rule said.
