By Nicole Falco
On July 1, Lison stepped behind the desk formerly occupied by Margaret Daugherty, who retired June 30 after five years in District 13 and 30 years in education.
With students and most teachers away until September, Lison has been taking advantage of the laid-back atmosphere by being anything but laid back. She has been meeting teachers and staff who are at work this summer. She has visited all four elementary schools and has learned more about the district's summer programs, including summer recreation, special education and English-Language Arts programs.
Lison has been acclimating herself since her appointment in March. She began attending PTA meetings in April, meeting faculty, administrators and staff, and spent many days learning from Daugherty. "We should write a book together about [the transition] for other aspiring superintendents," Lison said. "She was just amazing in how freely she shared with me once I was appointed. She was committed to the children and making sure I got started here right."
Lison, a Huntington resident, has 30 years of experience in education in Long Island schools. Prior to being appointed by the District 13 Board of Education, she worked as assistant superintendent for instruction and administration in the Smithtown Central School District. There she was responsible for all aspects of curriculum, instruction and administration for kindergarten through 12th grade. But elementary education, Lison said, is where she is most "entrenched."
"My doctoral work is in elementary [and] I started in elementary," said Lison, who earned her doctorate from Hofstra University. "That's really where my heart and mind are."
She didn't come to the realization that she wanted a career in education until her junior year of college at SUNY-Stony Brook. Lison was majoring in math, but enrolled in a few psychology courses. In order to complete the course requirements for those classes, she worked with children. "It hadn't hit me before, but I realized how much I loved working with children," Lison said. "In education you really see first-hand that one person can have a significant and positive impact on someone else's life."
Lison began her career in the Three Village School District, where she taught at almost every elementary level and worked as a language arts specialist. From day one, she knew she would eventually end up in administration, thanks to the urging of her principal in Three Village. She then joined the Seaford School District, where she worked as an elementary-school principal and assistant superintendent before moving to Smithtown.
Lison said she looks forward to a "long and successful career" in District 13. Among her first observations of the district is its partnership with the community. "I feel it is important to work as a team of board members, administrators, teachers and parents in order to make this place the best educational system it can possibly be -- a rich environment for our students to thrive," she said.
Lison said her goals include maintaining a strong relationship with the community, moving the technology plan forward, strengthening and improving the district's literacy program and state assessment scores, and looking for additional sources of funding, such as grants.
