Science head hired for K-12
BARBARAELLEN KOCH PHOTO
Riverhead School District’s new superintendent of schools, Nancy Carney, got a warm welcome during a reception before Tuesday night’s school board meeting at the high school.
The Riverhead school board filled a vacant position Tuesday night by hiring Suzanne Hulme of Westhampton as K-12 science director.
Ms. Hulme replaces Lois Etzel, who was promoted last month to assistant superintendent for curriculum and instruction. Ms. Hulme has taught science in the Westhampton Beach district and is certified as an administrator, as well as in all four sciences, according to Dr. Etzel. She also taught science in the Bayport-Blue Point district, where she headed the science department, Dr. Etzel said.
Riverhead has K-12 directors in science, math, English, social studies, English language learners and fine arts. The positions, which were created three years ago, replaced the old department head positions, which usually were held by teachers.
Contracts amended
The board voted Tuesday to amend its contracts with three administrators to allow them to buy back up to five unused vacation days. Board president Ann Cotten-DeGrasse said all administrators’ contracts include that clause, but it had been inadvertently omitted from the contracts of superintendent Nancy Carney, Dr. Etzel and the assistant superintendent for finance and operations, Michael Ivanoff.
Essential skills academy
Board member Angela DeVito said she is working to establish an essential skills academy to supplement the essential skills day the district has held for the past few years.
It would be a co-curricular activity in the high school and would help students work on skills they will need in the “real world,” she said, like communication, dressing appropriately, interview skills and drafting rà sumà s.
“We’re committed to doing this at no cost to the school district,” Ms. Devito said. “It will be an all-volunteer effort.”
