East Hampton School Board President Submits Surprise Resignation

Only two months after winning re-election, the president of the East Hampton School Board has tendered her resignation to the surprise and disappointment of her colleagues and the community.

It was reported by 27East that Patricia Hope, a retired East Hampton High School biology teacher with more than 30 years of experience, resigned her position as president of the East Hampton School Board on Tuesday night. Hope had been re-elected in May to her second term after running unopposed. She was the board president last year and the vice president during the 2012-13 school year.

Hope was an especially effective and trusted member of the East Hampton educational community leading two successful annual school budget campaigns, both of which pierced the 2-percent tax levy cap, during her tenure.

Richard Burns, the superintendent of the East Hampton school district, was quoted in an article in The East Hampton Star as having said it was most likely that the board would appoint an interim board 7th member and that Jackie Lowey, the former vice president, had been sworn in as president. Burns said the appointment would be in lieu of a special election which the board deemed too costly.