Oceanside Board of Ed president to retire

Kim Grim Garrity will end 21-year tenure as trustee

Posted

After 21 years on the Oceanside Board of Education, current board President Kimberly Grim Garrity announced on Feb. 21 that she would not seek another term in May.

“I’ve loved serving the board,” Grim Garrity told the Herald in a phone interview. “It’s something you do from the heart because you have to love these students …and I also love the people I worked with.”

Grim Garrity, 58, graduated from Oceanside High School in 1978 before attending and graduating from the Wharton School at the University of Pennsylvania. She worked for Conde Nast in the publishing industry, then became a 911 dispatcher for the Nassau County police, and then a medical office manager.

She moved back to Oceanside after college, had two daughters and got involved in the community.

She helped found the Ocean-side High School Alumni Association and has been active in Oceanside Kiwanis for 21 years, serving on its board of directors as public relations chairwoman and newsletter editor. In 2013, she was named a Town of Hempstead Woman of Distinction for her community work.

“Moving forward, I will probably never not be involved, but it’s time for someone else to bring new insight,” Grim Garrity said. Her plan, she said, is “getting out while on top,” after accomplishing much of what she set out to do when she first took the position — such as leading the initiative to build more permanent classrooms for the children at Oceanside Middle School and eliminating the need for portable classrooms.

Highlighting challenges, Grim Garrity added that despite the 2013 introduction of the state’s tax cap legislation, which limited the annual growth of the tax levy, she was proud of how the district maintained its finances. “Ocean-side is doing extremely well even with the tax cap,” she said. “Everyone is suffering from that, but we are more prepared.”

“It’s been a pleasure to work with her,” Board Vice President Sandie Schoell said. “I respect her knowledge. She’s like a historian for this district.”

Schoell added that she has learned a great deal from Grim Garrity. “I’m sad to see her go. It leaves me with a hole.” But she said she understands her reasoning to retire, and noted how important it is to have continuity and experience on the board.

Despite expressing sadness at Grim Garrity’s departure, Schoell said she was excited to work with potential newcomer, Nassau Community College professor Stuart Kaplan, who currently serves as chairman of NCC’s mathematics, computer science and information technology department, and as of now is running unopposed for Grim Garrity’s seat in the May 15 trustee election and budget referendum.

“We take our job very seriously,” Schoell said of the board trustees, adding of Kaplan, “He has a lot of experience in education, and it will be good to have a different perspective.” Because he is from a education background, she believes there won’t be as steep a learning curve for him.

In addition to Kaplan, Board Trustee Seth Blau will also be on the ballot in May.

Correction: A previous version of this article incorrectly indicated that Stuart Kaplan would be replacing Kimberly Grim Garrity. Kaplan is currently running unopposed for the seat she occupies.