After a decade of dedicated service to Glen Cove City School District, Alexa Doeschner will step into its top leadership role as superintendent on July 1, 2025. Her appointment was officially approved by the Board of Education, following a year-long competitive search process.
Doeschner will succeed Dr. Maria L. Rianna, who has served as superintendent since 2013 and will retire at the end of June next year. The transition marks a new chapter for the district, with Doeschner poised to build on recent academic and infrastructure gains.
“The Board of Education conducted a rigorous and comprehensive search to identify the next outstanding educational leader to serve our district as superintendent,” said Board President Maria Elena Venuto. “With the support of our search consultants and invaluable input from staff, students, and community members, Dr. Doeschner emerged as a top candidate from a highly competitive pool.”
Currently serving as assistant superintendent for curriculum, instruction, and technology, Doeschner has played a central role in aligning the district’s literacy program with the Science of Reading, expanding early childhood education, and creating family engagement events that address the needs of English language learners.
“So much of what I’ve done has been about connection,” Doeschner said. “We’ve made real progress by ensuring families—especially our Spanish-speaking families—feel heard and included.”
One of her most meaningful initiatives, she explained, was partnering with ENL coordinator Ashley Ghiraldi to create E&L Night, an event that welcomes Spanish-speaking English language learner families to meet educators and connect with community resources. “We invited outside organizations like the SAFE Coalition, the Glen Cove Library, and the Regional Bilingual Education Resource Network. It’s all about building relationships and making families feel connected to our schools.”
Doeschner’s personal journey adds depth to her work. Born in Transylvania, raised in Venezuela, and immigrating to the United States at age 8, she knows firsthand the challenges of learning a new language in a new country. “I have been a multilingual learner throughout my life,” she said. “It’s personal to me because I know it’s difficult for students and families to come to a different country and be part of a school system. That’s why family engagement and language access are so important in my work.”
Before entering education, Doeschner spent three years conducting scientific research in cancer prevention and organic chemistry and even attended medical school. Ultimately, she found her calling in the classroom. “Across my path, education really was at the center of everything I did,” she said. “I realized I had fallen out of love with medicine but had always been passionate about teaching.”
Her vision for the future includes preparing Glen Cove students and staff for a rapidly changing world. “We are all really at a crossroads with the advance of artificial intelligence,” she said. “We need to make sure our students have the best tools to navigate this new world and that we’re innovative in how we approach it.”
As she prepares to step into her new role, Doeschner said she is eager to build on Dr. Rianna’s legacy. “We’ve come such a long way,” she said. “Now we’re at an inflection point, and I’m excited to continue that forward momentum.”
