By:Jonann Brady
In addition, one of the high school's assistant principals, Roseanne Scully, announced her intention to leave her administrative post to return to the classroom after only a year. Scully had been a social studies teacher in the high school before becoming assistant principal.
Board member Martin Kaye confirmed Kalina's resignation, and said the district is in the midst of getting out the message and advertising for the position. He added that the board could announce a replacement for Scully as early as the July 6 board meeting, after the Herald goes to press.
Kaye said he did not know why Kalina resigned, but explained that high school principal positions are among the hardest to fill. "Seasoned administrators can do a lot of moving around for significant bucks," he said.
Kalina, who moved to West Hempstead from a large district in Queens, earned about $120,000 a year at WHHS, which Kaye said is on the lower end of the compensation scale for Nassau County principals. Kaye could not say if the district would be able to offer more money to lure a qualified candidate.
Kalina could not be reached for comment at press time.
While parents have complained in the past of high faculty turnover in the district, Kaye said that leadership at the high school has traditionally been very stable, with the previous two principals, Anthony DiBitteto and Alexander Metzger, having served 10 years each.
Eileen Martin, co-president of the Middle-Senior High School PTSA, said she was disappointed by the news that Kalina was leaving. "Parents were happy with her; she was always accessible," said Martin. "We were hoping for some consistent leadership in the school ... [Parents] don't like to see such a big changeover."
The district has placed ads for the position and will form a search committee, which will include parents, administrators and teachers, to interview candidates. The superintendent will recommend candidates and the board will make the final decision.
Though Kaye said the pool of seasoned high-school principals and other administrators is small and the competition stiff, he is confident the district will find a qualified replacement before the new school year. "The position will be filled," said Kaye. "We can't have a leaderless building."
