Superintendent ready to set sail on his next journey

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When North Shore School District Superintendent Dr. Ed Melnick initially took over as superintendent in 2003, he pictured himself steering a large cruise ship and doing everything he could to make sure the vessel stays on course. As he continued to develop and establish a relationship with his faculty, staff, parents, and students, to be certain his ship sailed gracefully. He has made some minor adjustments over the years to make sure it’s heading in the right direction. No matter. Melnick has always had a vision for the big picture.

“As administrators, we have focused on finding best ways to meet the needs of our students,” he said. “In all of the positions that I’ve been in, I’ve always believed in surrounding myself around people who are much more talented and capable than I am to do just that.”

Melnick will retire at the end of the school year but he will leave knowing that the district has grown both literally and figuratively in his 30 years as a member of North Shore Schools. He said that student enrollment has increased significantly and many of the district’s academic and extracurricular programs have evolved as well.

“I think we’ve done a great job in accomplishing a balance between state and federal initiatives that match what we believe is important in a child’s education,” he said.

Some of Melnick’s proudest moments as superintendent include the hiring of his administrative staff, the implementation of foreign language in the elementary schools curriculum, and the inclusion of the International Baccalaureate (IB) program at North Shore High School. He explained that his early experiences with students in the district played a key role in his overall growth. “There’s nothing like walking into a school building and talking to kids,” he said. “It’s great to watch them engage and grow with each other. I’ll miss that excitement.”

Melnick has spent several decades of his career in secondary education. He was Director of the Arts at Friends Academy from 1977-1987. He later moved on to North Shore Schools as the director of fine and performing arts in 1987 and then, he spent five years as the principal for Glenwood Elementary School starting in 1997. He spent two years as the assistant superintendent for instruction before landing his current role. He has enjoyed the journey every step of the way.

“I’ve been fortunate to not only have an incredibly rewarding career but to make some lifelong friends in the process,” he said. “That’s a real blessing and it’s something I’ll always treasure as I move forward.”

He attributes his strong relationships to having openness to the thoughts, opinions, and ideas of his peers. “When members of the organization feel ownership over the direction of the organization, that’s very powerful,” he said.

Melnick added that while he’s going to miss this “creative outlet,” this September marks the first time in 57 years that he won’t have to go back to school. “Even though it took our seniors 13 years to graduate, it’s taken me 57,” he said jokingly.

When Melnick addresses the high school graduates on June 23, he wants to remind them about the importance of being open to everything that comes their way. “I want them to embrace the difficult and challenging moments as well because it’s really those moments that promote change.”

Melnick said he’s always been an advocate of celebrating their failures more than their successes. “Unfortunately, the word failure carries a negative connotation,” he said. “Some of the best learning occurs around failure. That’s something that we ought to celebrate.”

Pelham Public Schools Superintendent Dr. Peter Giarrizzo will become the new superintendent for North Shore Schools in August. Melnick believes that the school administration did an excellent job in selecting the next leader of the district. “I think that philosophically, in terms of his belief on education, kids and learning, he’s right on line with the culture of this district,” he said. “It’s always great for an institution to get a new pair of eyes so I’m sure that he’ll find areas that can be beefed up and improved, which is great for our district.”

As for Melnick’s next venture, he plans to do volunteer work in Puerto Rico to mentor its school leaders and provide professional development for its public schools starting in October. He said that he’s been fortunate to work in an affluent district that has many resources for students. However, he understands that this isn’t the same for other communities. “In this next phase, I want to give back something in a way that I haven’t had the opportunity to do here,” he said. “Being an educator has been the meaning of my life.”

Looking back on his life and career, Melnick doesn’t want to relive any moment besides where he is right now. His cruise ship of “kindness, care, and compassion” will sail on.