Thursday, October 1, 2026
The Seaford Board of Education received an update from Russell Costa, director of facilities, and Kevin Witt, director of physical education, health, and athletics, detailing sweeping improvements, goals, and the growing impact of their respective departments.
Costa led the Jan. 28 evening meeting at Manor Elementary School with a comprehensive review of completed, ongoing, and future capital improvements across all four schools within the district. He outlined the roles of the facilities department, which includes custodial staff, groundskeepers, maintainers, and security personnel.
At Harbor School, cement pads were added under entrance benches for safety and cleanliness, while first-floor student bathrooms were completely renovated—marking the full modernization of all Harbor restrooms.
Costa highlighted the opening of the new inclusion playground at Manor School which is designed to give students of all abilities a safe and welcoming space to play, with room for future additions.
The middle school now has a new EPDM rubber roof with a 25-year warranty. Costa added that similar replacements are scheduled for Manor and Harbor schools this summer. At Seaford High School, updates included the addition of a concrete patio and picnic area near the Snack Shack and a full renovation of Cafeteria B to match its sister space, Cafeteria A. Student input also led to the naming of the school’s Nordic Nook café, a nod to Viking pride.
When the auditorium lighting system was damaged by a leak, the district acted quickly. “We were able to work with our insurance company to have a brand-new, state-of-the-art control system put in,” Costa explained.
Costa also emphasized security enhancements, from expanded camera systems and cybersecurity improvements to facility-based upgrades like swipe access systems, door-ajar alerts, and updated lockdown tools. “One of the big things we did was our door ajar system in both elementary schools,” Costa noted. “That system is now coming to our middle and high schools.”
Looking ahead, Costa previewed a proposed waterproofing and outdoor classroom patio project at the high school. “While we’re waterproofing the foundation,” he said, “let’s make an outdoor patio classroom space for our students to enjoy.”
Witt followed with a presentation chronicling a record-setting year for student athletes and health education initiatives in the district. “We’ve really created a modern, competitive campus,” Witt said. “We’re proud of what our students are accomplishing both on and off the field.”
Curricular goals in physical education, Witt explained, focus on developing a love for activity with options available for students during their physical education classes. “We focus on lifelong fitness and give the kids a little taste of everything,” Witt said, “golf, weight training, pickleball, archery—so they might find something they love.”
Among the standout programs is Seaford’s Sports Medicine class, offering real-world exposure to injury care, CPR/AED training, and health careers. A new heart screening event is being offered for Feb. 7 at Seaford Middle School from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. “It’s a very different screening than just a well checkup. I’m bringing my own children,” Witt added.
Student-athlete participation remains strong, middle school athletics saw nearly 50 percent student participation, while high school teams included more than 300 students in the fall season alone. Seaford also continues to invest in Challenger Athletics and inclusive programming, according to Witt.
One source of pride is the Athletic Leadership Club, which mentors student-athletes to become role models. “Your sportsmanship on and off the field, your involvement with our special needs population, the way you rallied around people in need,” Witt said, “it’s something I’ll never forget.”
Witt also celebrated the success of the varsity football program. At the beginning of the meeting the team was honored by the board for its season–which included a 21-7 victory over Plainedge to capture the Nassau Conference IV title at Hofstra’s Shuart Stadium last November. The win was Seaford’s 12th county championship in school history.
“You rallied around one another,” Witt said, “and you’re going to have memories that last forever.” He also credited the varsity team’s coaching staff: Mike McHugh, Tom Moran and Matthew Moody, “I couldn’t think of a better group of people to lead this program,” Witt added. “You guys give these kids a great experience.”
Technology plays a growing role in sports training, with all varsity teams using the HUDL platform–a Nebraska-based company providing tools for coaches and athletes to review game footage and improve team play, provide livestreams, and improve college recruitment.
Finally, Witt reported major honors: 14 of 15 varsity teams named Scholar-Athlete Teams, National champions in Game Day Cheer (first-ever for Nassau County), County champions in boys bowling, girls bowling, and traditional cheer and 21 college commits and 19 Iron Vikings–students who played all 12 seasons of their high school careers.
The evening wrapped with gratitude from the board and applause from the audience. “Thank you for your presentation and all that you do,” Trisha Matulewicz, the board’s vice president, said at the end of Witt’s presentation. The board’s next meeting is on March 11.
