By:Leslie Gonzalez
Schools superintendent to be honored at Frolic
The Huckleberry Frolic Planning Committee has nominated James J. Powers, East Rockaway's superintendent of schools, as one of its 2001 honorees. Powers will be officially recognized at the 32nd Huckleberry Frolic on June 9, hosted by East Rockaway's Knights of Columbus.
After eight years of service, Powers announced in early December his plans to retire at the end of this school term, June 30, 2001. "I am eligible for retirement, and I decided to explore other opportunities," he said.
Powers, who turned 57 in January, has spent his last 35 years working in public education. Before accepting his position as superintendent for East Rockaway in June 1993, he worked for the North Babylon School District for 27 years, his last six as associate superintendent of schools.
When he first took the job in East Rockaway, Powers noticed how each school's administration and corresponding parent-teachers association met and operated independently from one another. "Each PTA had a separate holiday event." He sought to close the gap between school and parent representatives by uniting all of these groups.
"Super PTA meetings are now held regularly. All meet for a single holiday event, and a district-wide PTA Founders' Day celebration is now held annually," said Richard Meagher, village trustee and president of the East Rockaway Education Foundation (EREF). Efforts have also been made to unify the support of the EREF, the Booster Club and the Alumni Association. Meagher further described Powers as a "people person and superintendent for all seasons" who "moved the district forward."
"[Powers] hates to be singled out, but he deserves it."
Powers set goals to improve academic standards by identifying areas of need, such as staff development and establishing the same set of objectives among students, teachers and parents. He explained the district's four goals: high expectations, improved academic achievement, fiscal responsibility and community involvement.
"I think we've done that," Powers said. "It's funny how the state has mandated shared decision-making. We've successfully done that."
Since 1992, the number of Regents diplomas awarded to East Rockaway students has risen from 22 to 56 percent in the year 2000. "I am very proud of this," Powers said, holding a chart that illustrated the increase.
Powers humbly referred to the Frolic recognition as "flattering," compared to fellow honorees Guy Donza and Robert Keon. "These are people who have lived in East Rockaway all their lives."
Powers comes from a large, full-blooded Irish family of seven brothers and one sister. He attended Mepham High School in Bellmore-Merrick, where he graduated in 1961. He went on to attend the State University of New York at Oswego, where he studied math education. "I was first in a generation of cousins to attend college."
He landed a job for the North Babylon School district, where he taught math for 11 years. He was promoted to math chairman, a position he held for seven years before advancing to administrative assistant to the superintendent of schools. He was later promoted to assistant superintendent, then served as associate superintendent of schools from 1988 to 1993 before coming to East Rockaway.
Powers has been married for 35 years to his wife, Joan, who holds an administrative position at a national purchasing firm. The couple, who lives in West Islip, has two grown children: James, 33, and Jennifer, 29. Both are engaged to be married next year. He has been involved with the East Rockaway Kiwanis Club and the high school's Key Club, which he formerly co-chaired with Principal William Fortgang.
"It's been an absolute pleasure working with him, a genuine feeling of cooperation," said Fortgang.
"He's done so much for us, and he was a prefect match for our administrative team, our school district, and the community. We'll miss him, and it will be a tough task to replace him."
Powers still has a full schedule of responsibilities and requirements to fulfill before leaving his post, such as ensuring that the school district adheres to new curriculum standards set by New York State. He said he plans to spend his first two to three months of retirement catching up on tasks he has postponed at his West Islip home due to his long hours at work. However, he admitted he is not quite ready to fully retire.
"I'd like to try other options, such as interim work in education," he said, adding that his family has responded "with interest" to his plans. "My family has always supported every professional decision I've ever made."
But first, as an avid golfer, he plans a trip to Ireland -- the ultimate green -- with his fellow golf buddies. He says he will miss the people and charm unique to the village.
"East Rockaway is one of the best kept secrets in Nassau County." He spoke highly of the village's retention rate by which children raised in East Rockaway return to the village to raise families themselves. "The beauty of a small school district, he says, is that it provides a nurturing environment for children. Here, teachers remember you by name.
"I just felt this was the right place to be," he said. "If I could live life over, I would have moved to a small town just like East Rockaway."
