Riverhead school board president steps down after 6 years
Ann Cotten-DeGrasse was congratulated Tuesday night for six years of service on the board. She was hired as a business teacher by the district in 1966 and served as president for the Riverhead Central Faculty Association before retiring in 1997.
She announced last year during her campaign for town supervisor that she would not seek re-election at the end of her second school board term.
During her final remarks, Ms. Cotten-DeGrasse attributed several recent accomplishments to teamwork by the school board, including: bringing stability to board meetings, passing a capital improvement bond, moving forward with solving the issue with the bus barn, establishing a new staff evaluation system and introducing Common Core State Standards into the district’s curriculum.
“Please do not let narcissistic bragging deter you from serving the Riverhead School District in a fair and equitable way,” she told the school board. “Continue to work together as a team and not as seven individuals, each with a hidden agenda.”
The following employees were also honored Tuesday for their retirements: Carl James, head custodian (54 years); Suzanne Arnau, middle school cook (30 years); Janice Schumacher, math teacher (29 years); Patricia Cajigas, physical therapist (28 years); Ellen Rausch, senior clerk typist (25 years); Gail Edwards, school bus driver (23 years); John Luce, custodial worker (16 years); Dorothy Grasso, secretary to the superintendent (14 years); Wendy Turbush, special education aide (10 years); Ronald Johns, custodial worker (10 years); and Rene Garcia, custodial worker (10 years).
