______________ VALLEY STREAM _____________
HERALD
February 10, 2022
2022
HOMETOWN
HEROES
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Hometown Heroes Yearbook Inside
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$1.00
Vol. 33 No. 7
leaders decry zoning change
lIJ nurse wins award
Page 11
Page 13
FEBRUARY 10 - 16, 2022
Tensions run high over masks in 13 parents over optional mask use in schools. During the public comment At a special meeting last period, Vincent Caposio, a DisThursday, the Valley Stream Dis- trict 13 parent and proponent of trict 13 Board of Education voted the choice movement, proposed to lift the district’s that the board vote indoor masking on making masks requirements once optional once the the statewide mask governor’s mandate mandate expires or ends. is struck down in “I don’t think court, with no furthat’s a crazy ther action needed request . . .,” Caposio by the board. said. “Can we vote G o v. Kathy now as many other Hochul’s mask-wearschool districts have ing directive, which done in Nassau applies to businessCounty? . . . Please, es, stores and someone make a schools, will remain motion to vote that in effect until the when the mask manstate’s appeal of a date is over from the State Supreme Court state, we can go back ruling striking down MIlAgRos to being optional.” the mandate is Trustee Gerardo decided. The state VICENTE Cavaliere made the has until March 2 to Trustee, motion, which file court papers. passed 5-1, with one District 13 The meeting was abstention, by Trustconvened to discuss ee Anthony Bonelli. changes to the school’s reopen- Trustee Milagros Vicente cast ing plans. But the board’s goal of the dissenting vote. talking through practical adjustAs to her reason, Vicente ments to the school’s public said, “My vote does not necessarhealth procedures made back in ily mean I will not, later on, say September instead turned the [masks] should be optional. Howtide on an ongoing debate among Continued on page 14
By JUAN lAsso jlasso@liherald.com
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Juan Lasso/Herald
THE INITIAl pHAsE of the search for a new Valley Stream Central High School District superintendent began Jan. 31, and will wind down Feb. 18.
Central looks for schools chief Search firm has history of controversial picks By JUAN lAsso jlasso@liherald.com
The Valley Stream Central High School District Board of Education has enlisted the help of a national educational leadership consulting firm, Chicago-based Hazard, Young, Attea & Associates, to lead the search for the district’s next schools superintendent. The search began Jan. 31 and will wind down in May or June. The firm has picked many successful superintendents, but some recommended by HYA have been dogged by accusations of abruptly resigning, underperforming
in academics, spending excessively, leaving a district in fiscal distress and sexually harassing employees. The Central Board of Education referred all Herald questions about the superintendent recruitment process to the search firm. The Herald could not reach Dr. Susan Guiney, the firm’s main associate working on the district’s search, for comment. Here are some of the firm’s past recommendations:
Rockville Centre Rockville Centre Schools recently worked with HYA to
conduct a lengthy, intensive superintendent search to replace the long-serving Dr. William Johnson. The board chose June Chang, former superintendent of Summit Public Schools in New Jersey, with high expectations for him. But just over a year into his five-year tenure from July 1, 2020, to June 30, 2025, Chang resigned on Nov. 19 last year, according to the Herald, a decision that left many in the community stunned. Chang cited reasons related to “family issues” in a Newsday article. Continued on page 12
he board is being pressured to make a decision, and we haven’t heard from everybody in the community.