Schools

Tenured School District Employees, Retirees Celebrated

Adam Fine, East Hampton High School's principal, and Maria Mondini, the assistant principal, were among six given tenure on Tuesday.

A celebration was held at the East Hampton School Board meeting on Tuesday night, in honor of the six administrators and faculty who received tenure and the four retirees leaving the district.

Adam Fine, the East Hampton High School principal, and Maria Mondini, the assistant principal, both received tenure after three years in their positions.

"We feel very fortunate to have two outstanding people in charge of our high school for the future," said George Aman, the president of the school board.

Cake and refreshments were served after performances from the Bonnettes and high school chorus.

Claude Beudert, a high school coach, congratulated the two well-liked principals at the end of the meeting. He mentioned that they came to the district under a cloud — Fine, then the principal at Southampton High School, and Mondini, the assistant principal at Southampton, were suspended from their jobs when it became apparent they were going to leave for the positions in East Hampton.

"The atmosphere they brought to the high school could not have been imagined, but is certainly appreciated by the community and by me," Beudert said.

Their tenure is effective July 1.

Four others received tenure, as well; Andrea Hernandez, a Foreign Language specialist who teaches Spanish, Janine Lalia, who teaches Family and Consumer Science, Lisa Lawler, a Special Education teacher, Christopher Reich, who works in the technology department, and Michelle Kennedy, the high school librarian.

The school board also recognized those who are retiring from the school district.

Eugene (Buddy) Kelley Jr., the director of English as a Second Language, is leaving after 19 years, according to Aman. During his time with the district, he also serve as the assistant principal at John Marshall, and as a teacher.

Elizabeth Reveiz-Magnowski was hired Tuesday night to replace him.

Carol Story, a teacher's aide in the elementary school, is also retiring after 16 years with the district, as is Dolores McGintee, a math teacher at the middle school who worked for the district 13 years, and Diane Boos, who was with the district for six years and works in the Foreign Language department.

Are you happy to see the administrators and staff receive tenure? Will you miss the retirees? Tell us in the comments below.


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