Bernstein announces retirement from Valley Stream

“He has done wonderful things for this district,” Martha Carney, the Valley Stream Central High School District’s coordinator of community information, said after Superintendent of Schools Marc Bernstein announced his retirement at the Board of Education’s reorganization meeting July 13. After almost seven years as superintendent, Bernstein will step down on Dec. 31.

“We are losing an excellent superintendent,” said school board Vice President Jeanne Greco Jacobs. “I was hoping he would stay until June 30, 2011.”

Bernstein began his tenure in January 2004. Initially he agreed to a five-year contract, but in July 2006, the agreement was extended to June 2009. Contract amendments in December 2008 and again last year extended his tenure to June 2011.

“I am retiring because there are a bunch of family matters I wish to devote more attention to,” Bernstein said. “I have given six months’ notice to the board to make appropriate plans for the transition.”

Board of Education Trustee William Stris praised Bernstein. “Student academic results, No Child Left Behind, Regents exam passing [rates] and national Advanced Placement participation improved under his leadership,” Stris said. “The board wishes him the best. We will replace him with a leader that will continue his legacy.”

Many Valley Stream officials expressed sadness over Bernstein’s retirement, which came six months earlier than they anticipated. “We have not finalized plans yet to find another superintendent,” Greco Jacobs said. “We do not have an answer yet. When we do, we will tell the community what we are doing in terms of a search.”

The board will be discussing the matter further at its Aug. 31 or Sept. 14 meeting, she said. Board President Kenneth Cummings said that the district has two options. It can try to find a replacement immediately or hire an interim superintendent before selecting Bernstein’s replacement. “The board knew he was retiring at the end of the [school] year, so it was not a surprise,” Cummings said. “What was a surprise is that he was retiring six months earlier than we thought.”

With his earlier retirement, Bernstein will lose payment for some of the vacation, personal and sick days that were allotted in his agreement. “By not staying the year, he does forfeit some of the days in his contract,” Greco Jacobs said.

According to Cummings, Bernstein would have to stay until the end of his contract to receive compensation for those days.

But Bernstein said he is ready to step down, which will allow him to spend time with his family. “I am looking forward to retirement,” he said. “I look very fondly at these last seven years, which have been super. They have been very productive years for the students and the community.”