By NANCY HILER
Brucia is a highly experienced administrator and educator, Mucci said, adding, ³We¹re excited to have him join us. ³ No candidate came forward during the interview process that the Board of Education felt was the "right fit" for permanent placement as yet, he explained.
Currently an associate professor at Dowling College, Brucia has served as the past superintendent of schools for the Massapequa District, as well as a past principal in the Babylon School District during an award-winning education career that spans some 30 years. Brucia also has a successful history with the North Bellmore district. He served as an interim principal at Newbridge Road School about five years ago, and was highly regarded by parents, some said. He has a solid reputation among educators, according to former board President Irma Wilk who, as a visitor at the meeting, expressed delighted surprise that Brucia was coaxed to accept the position. The search for permanent principal
continues.
Brucia will be on board officially on Aug. 21. A Park Avenue
PTA-sponsored meeting with Brucia has been scheduled for the Park
Avenue School community in the school cafeteria on Aug. 30 from 6 to 8 p.m.
Other meeting issues
Dozens of Park Avenue parents attended the meeting, asking about the qualifications of the interim principal and of newly transferred personnel to their children¹s school, including a sixth-grade teacher and a librarian. The board and superintendent assured them that the district has a history of solid hiring practices. From the audience, North Bellmore Teachers Union President Randee Colter echoed the statement, praising the district for supporting high-quality teachers, a stance she said is rare from the union side.
A series of ongoing, yet-to-be-resolved issues were also raised. These included the possibility that dishwashers may be removed from school cafeterias, whether or not a line item in the district budget for Board of Cooperative Educational Services-aidable enrichment will affect spending by the six school PTAs on
cultural-arts programs, and the potential reconfiguration of parent
parking spaces at Newbridge Road School. A planned second reading and motion for adoption of a wellness policy was shelved until next month. The next board meeting will be held Thursday, Sept. 14, at the Martin Avenue School.
District Facilities Committee Update
More volunteers have come forward to serve on the district¹s Facilities Planning Committee since its last meeting on July 26 (see ³N. Bellmore desperate for volunteers² story in July 27 issue). Mucci had asked for more parents and community members, wanting the committee to offer honest input to the board and not be driven by the district administration's perspectives. Four of the six schools ‹Dinkelmeyer, Gunther, Park Avenue and Saw Mill Road were not represented at the first meeting of the committee held July 12. Since then, at least one parent has come forward from each of the schools, and several new members of the community at large have volunteered to serve. The committee¹s next steps include touring the district¹s facilities. Its next meeting was scheduled for Aug. 15, after press time.
Comments about this story? NHiler@liherald.com or (516) 569-4000 ext. 234.
