Springs School Board Decides on New Admin Model

The Board has decided to change its administrative model after the current at the end of the academic year.

After three forums with the staff, parents and the community, a search consultant from Eastern Suffolk BOCES reviewed the input with the school board.  "After vigorous discourse, the Springs School Board determined that the administrative leadership model that would best serve the community is the part-time Superintendent, full-time Principal and full-time Assistant Principal model," the board announced in a statement on Wednesday.

Currently, Michael Hartner is a full-time superintendent and Eric Casale is the full-time principal. The school does not have an assistant principal, though the board has tried to add it to the budget over the past few years, according to board President Kathee Burke Gonzalez. There are nearly 700 students in the school.

In the statement, Burke Gonzalez said, "The administrative demands at the building level have increased exponentially in the last few years given our ever-increasing student population," and the implementation of other scholastic standards. A new leadership model, she said, "should serve to increase Administrative support and coverage while saving the district money.”

The board is continuing to look for someone to fill the role of superintendent. A work session will be held on Jan. 30 at 6:30 p.m. to review the current job descriptions of the superintendent and principal. The board will look to re-distribute responsibilities among a part-time superintendent, full-time principal and full-time assistant principal.

The first 2012-13 budget work session will immediately follow. The board is encouraging the public to attend both meetings.