Miller Place hires superintendent
Agatha Kelly was formerly assistant superintendent in Syosset
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The Miller Place Board of Education has put its stamp of approval on the hiring of new superintendent Agatha Kelly.
The board voted unanimously to approve Dr. Kelly's three-year contract at its meeting Wednesday night. She will assume the position July 1, replacing retiring superintendent Grace Brindley.
Board president Ann O'Brien said the board chose Dr. Kelly because of her strong background in curriculum and because they think she will be a good leader for the district.
"She's already presented, just from our interview process, qualities I think would be terrific in a superintendent," she said. Ms. O'Brien said she believes Dr. Kelly will work well with all the stakeholders of the district, including community members and organizations, teachers, students and the board.
After Dr. Brindley announced her retirement, the search has been on for her successor, with the board hiring a consultant to find the best candidate possible. The process kicked off in December, with the consultant gathering input from the board, staff and community members about what they wanted to see in their next superintendent. Ads were placed in The New York Times and the trade publication Education News; over the past few months, the candidates were whittled down to just three.
Dr. Kelly is currently the elementary curriculum coordinator for the Syosset School District, a position equivalent to an assistant superintendent. In her position, she has been in charge of the curriculum for more than 3,000 students, Ms. O'Brien said, which is roughly the size of the Miller Place School District. She has held that position since 2004. Prior to that, she worked as an intermediate school principal in the Deer Park School District and has also worked as an assistant principal and a teacher.
In her position as superintendent, Dr. Kelly will be paid $200,000 annually, with the option of getting a raise each year after a performance review by the board.
She was enthusiastic about her appointment and was all smiles at the meeting.
"I felt like I won the lottery," Dr. Kelly said about getting the job.
The atmosphere at the education meeting was sometimes nostalgic as the community began to say farewell to Dr. Brindley, who endured at times a contentious relationship with the board during her brief time as superintendent.
A district employee for 37 years, Dr. Brindley was named interim superintendent on July 1, 2006, after the departure of Don Carlisle. But in a 3-2 vote in April 2007, the Board of Education decided not to renew her contract, "based on performance and evaluation."
At one point, current high school principal Seth Lipshie was supposed to step in as interim superintendent until a replacement could be found.
Then board members retracted their decision and renewed Dr. Brindley's contract at the next meeting after members of the public rallied against the board's move to let Dr. Brindley go.
However, it was all smiles at Wednesday night's board meeting as the board and community members thanked Dr. Brindley for her past three years of service.
She teared up when she was given the chance to speak.
"I always wondered what the word bittersweet meant, and this is it," she said.
New Principal
The board also welcomed a new principal for the Andrew Muller Primary School, who will replace retiring principal Karen Reichert. Laura Gewurz, currently an assistant elementary school principal in the Merrick School District, was chosen out of 54 candidates for the position.
"She's going to be able to pick up right where Ms. Reichert has left off," Dr. Brindley said.
Asbestos scare
Dr. Brindley also reported during the meeting on a recent asbestos scare at the high school. Some of the ceiling tiles in an art classroom at the school were moved, and some of those tiles might have had asbestos.
As soon as the district became aware of it, the classroom was shut down and a company was brought in to remove the tiles and do some testing for airborne asbestos, which has come back negative, Dr. Brindley said.
The district has reported the incident to the department of labor, she said, and the students' artwork has also not been affected.
Part of the district's EXCEL bond will go this summer to help remove the asbestos from the high school.
Contracts awarded
Wednesday night the board also awarded $1.1 million in contracts for projects that will be done at schools over the summer.
The high school will be closed for six weeks for removing of the ceiling tiles with asbestos throughout the building, while replacing the public announcement system and the fire alarm system.
At Laddie A. Decker Sound Beach School, work will be done to fix the drainage problems at the front of the building and some construction in the back of the building, according to deputy superintendent Marianne Higuera.
At the Andrew Muller Primary School, work will be done to replace all the ceilings in hallways so the district can install new lighting and a public address system. A security vestibule will also be built at the front entrance of the school.
Dr. Higuera said the district is on schedule to submit its space bond submissions to the state education department in September or October.
asnyder@northshoresun.com
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1 comments found
Dr. Kelly appointment : 6/18/2009
Agatha Kelly was a great Principal at JFK in Deer Park. I should know because I worked for her. CONGRATULATIONS AGATHA. YOU DESERVE THE VERY BEST. FONDLY, ARLENE
