PERSON OF THE YEAR

      "This quote reminds me that the more things change, the more they stay the same," said Dr. Price. "So, in this season of good will, let's take time to rededicate ourselves to the best of times. To the times that we look forward to and to see whatever we can possibly do for our children here in Island Park."
      After Dr. Price uttered his words of wisdom, the board appointed him superintendent of Island Park schools, a role he was filling as acting superintendent for the past six months. A room filled with parents, colleagues and friends approved, giving him not only a huge round of applause, but a standing ovation. This new leader of the Island Park School District has come to be known as the cornerstone of the educational community there.
      Ned, to all who know Dr. Price, is a down-to-earth guy whose insight into education thrust the district forward over the past half year, keeping students and staff on top of new state standards. For that and his "kids first" approach, clearly he was an easy choice for the Oceanside/Island Park Herald to select him its Person of the Year 2000.
      "He has always done an outstanding, superlative job," said board president Steven Foster. "Ned always looks for consensus. He meets the needs of staff, who meet the needs of students. Curriculum is number one to him, upgrading it and aligning it with the state standards. And staff development follows right in line. In these past months as acting superintendent, he exhibited to us the fact he knows the job so well, leading our district with confidence, never missing a beat."
      Dr. Price was the only candidate considered to become superintendent. The education board said the former assistant superintendent fit the position perfectly. Although trustees contacted agencies to conduct a search, no one else was in contention for the job.
      "He was the perfect candidate," said Mr. Foster. "We've had the chance to see him in the role as acting superintendent, and there was never a question of his professionalism or his love for the children. When you pass by the school at 8 P.M., his car is still in the lot. He is dedicated to us and we are truly lucky as a community to have Ned at the helm."
      During his time as acting superintendent, Dr. Price pondered becoming a permanent superintendent again, a position he has held in other districts. Now, he said, the time was right. "After working with the board of education, staff, and the community for these past few months, I felt we could accomplish things here," he said. "Things to make education better for the children and in Island Park, we do that together."
      Board trustees unanimously agreed that he was the right man for the job.
      "I think in a short period of time, he has made great strides to pull the district together," said trustee Ann Goldman. ""He hears what people say and takes what they say to be very valuable."
      Parents at the Dec. 18 Board of Education meeting paid tribute to the district's new leader.
      "He is very gracious and a dedicated man," said Lisa Morell Shapiro, mother of Erik, a fifth grader Erik; Zach, a third grader, and Jake, who will attend kindergarten next year. "Anytime anyone has a problem, you can count on Ned to handle the matter swiftly and professionally."
      Maria Klein's two children, Jayme and Jenna, attend Island Park Schools. Daughter Jessica is a student at West Hempstead High School. Ms. Klein said the new superintendent is an asset, by availing himself to parents at all times. "He's always there to listen to you and when you call him, he gets right back to you," she said. "I am impressed at the committees he's formed, looking into new textbooks and such where needed."
      Since the chair of school superintendent was left vacant in July, Dr. Price has taken many steps to move the Island Park School District forward to meet new state standards. At the start of this school year, computers were put into every classroom. On Election Day, he held a full-day staff-development seminar on computers, with training provided by the staff of the Nassau BOCES Teaching Center. Another in-house computer-training day is set for next school year.
      Under Dr. Price's guidance, five committees are working on curriculum in the areas of reading, special education, early-childhood development and gifted/talented programs. Already, the district is looking into mapping curriculum models that can be used in any curriculum area. This month, the district signed up with Nassau BOCES to offer residents a pre-Kindergarten program. Registration is already being accepted. The special-education committee is looking at the inclusion program, which would allow students doing well to have the opportunity of participating in more mainstream classes.
      "I want to make sure none of our kids slip through the cracks," said Dr. Price. And while the committees continue to work, he stresses teamwork, a philosophy that has made the community embrace his appointment for superintendent. "What's important is everyone working together for the children, working together to come to consensus," he said.
      Helen Boxwill, reading coordinator for the district, said Dr.Price's leadership shines through with his ideas in both reading and writing. Ms. Boxwill said his intelligence in this area is a definite win for Island Park students. "I think foremost he is a real educator who believes in quality and in putting children first," she said. "I am one-hundred-percent supportive of all of his improvements in reading and writing instruction."
      One improvement was the hiring at summer's end of Jane Blistein, the district's first Reading Recovery teacher. The Reading Recovery program was instituted to identify kindergarteners and first graders with reading problems. Even after they've graduated out of the program, Ms. Blistein keeps an eye on students who needed extra help.
Additionally, teacher training was put at the forefront of helping students learn. Dr. Price set up Island Park teachers to attend the Lucy Caulkins lecture last summer. At Columbia Teacher's College, Ms. Caulkins is a reading and writing specialist. Island Park teachers at the seminar then shared with colleagues and, more important, students, the teaching strategies they learned from Ms. Caulkins. Island Park teachers are also part of the Long Island Writing Project, an effort to further train teachers in writing.      
      Dr. Price's efforts to move the district forward to meet new state standards won the district the 2000 Pathfinder Award from the Business Council of New York State and the Long Island Association. The award, given Dec. 7 to Principal Gloria Maffettone of the Francis X. Hegarty Elementary School Principal, was accompanied by a $1,000 check to be used for instructional purposes. The award highlighted the district's outstanding improvement on the English Language Arts state assessment test.
      Dr. Price served as assistant superintendent since July 1997. Before joining the Island Park School District, the resident of Cold Spring Harbor was an assistant superintendent in Westchester County. He has served as a superintendent for the New Hyde Park School District and, in New Jersey, the Saddle Brook School District. He is a graduate of Penn State University, has master's degrees in social studies and curriculum development, and holds a doctorate in social studies. His post-doctoral work was done at Hofstra University, a place he still frequents to enjoy his favorite pastime, swimming with his wife Marilyn.
His first job in education was as a social studies teacher in Pennsylvania.