Riverhead administrator, on leave since October, appointed to new role in East Hampton

The East Hampton School District’s Board of Education unanimously voted Tuesday evening to appoint a current Riverhead administrator who has been on leave since October as its assistant superintendent for business.

Sam Schneider, who has been on administrative leave following an allegation raised to the superintendent, was appointed to the role of assistant superintendent for business in East Hampton. Mr. Schneider confirmed Tuesday afternoon that if appointed at the meeting, he would resign immediately from his current position in Riverhead. He declined further comment.

The employee agreement is dated March 1, 2022, according to the BOE’s agenda.

The board did not discuss the resolution at all during the vote.

Mr. Schneider was reassigned on Oct. 12 and his position as deputy superintendent at Riverhead was abolished. He was reassigned to assistant superintendent for finance and operations. The school board has made two moves to fill the role, first hiring Herb Chessler as an acting business official. The board then hired Faith Caglianone in place of Mr. Chessler as he quickly resigned from his interim role.

Ms. Caglianone is now helping the district formulate its 2022-23 budget.

Mr. Schneider had been promoted to deputy superintendent in 2016 and had been the assistant superintendent for finance and operations since 2011.

The East Hampton school board accepted a letter of resignation from Keith Rugen effective Jan. 18, 2022 from an appointment of assistant superintendent for business.

Tonight’s school board meeting in East Hampton is scheduled for 6:30 p.m. and will be held both in person at the high school auditorium and via remote conferencing. It will also be broadcast on YouTube here.

Riverhead school board president Laurie Downs deferred comment to Mr. Schneider. Riverhead superintendent Dr. Augustine Tornatore did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

East Hampton BOE officials and the district’s superintendent, Adam Fine, could not immediately be reached for comment.