Top-level changes: BOE to vote on administrative reorganization following retirements
School board members are scheduled to vote on a proposed administrative reorganization plan at this evening’s BOE meeting.
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Plans for an administrative reorganization in the Northport-East Northport school district will be discussed this evening, at the December 12 board of education (BOE) meeting. The new appointments, if approved, will follow the retirements of two school principals: Dr. Timothy Hoss and Sabina Larkin, from Northport Middle School and Ocean Avenue Elementary School, respectively.
An agreement signed by both the school district and the National Association of School Administrators (NASA) indicates a retirement incentive for all eligible administrators of the district, available in the 2024/2025, 2025/2026 and 2026/2027 school years.
The retirements of the principals, announced earlier this year and effective at the end of June, precede the proposed abolishment of several administrative positions, some of which were combined with other roles to establish new positions.
Verbiage in the personnel actions report attached to this week’s agenda indicates some of the duties of the abolished positions will be “subsumed” into the new positions and performed along with the newer responsibilities.
According to the personnel report, none of the positions will require new hires. Regarding the staffing changes, “there was no excessing, and all reductions were achieved through attrition,” district officials told the Journal. The district will be sharing a comprehensive press release on the administrative reorganization this Friday, pending formal board approval.
The following changes to administrative roles, effective July 1, 2025, will be voted on at tonight’s BOE meeting:
Laurie Storch, currently assistant principal at East Northport Middle School, will become principal of Ocean Avenue Elementary School.
Tara Gaiss, currently the district’s K-12 Coordinator of Reading/AIS, will become assistant principal of East Northport Middle School. The position of K-12 Coordinator of Reading/AIS will be abolished. In this role, according to the report, Gaiss will be responsible for 50% or more of the duties previously performed as the Reading/AIS Coordinator.
Riana DiPalma, currently the district’s Chairperson of English and Library K-12, will become an assistant principal at Northport High School. The position of Chairperson of English and Library K-12 will be abolished. (Board members at the November 21 BOE meeting approved the appointment of Angelo Cocchiola as the new principal of Northport Middle School. Cocchiola has served as assistant principal at Northport High School for the last three years, a position he has resigned from effective June 30, 2025.)
Robin Rann, currently the district’s Chairperson of Mathematics, will become Director of Instructional Services. The position of Chairperson of Mathematics will be abolished.
David Storch, currently the district’s Chairperson of Science and Technology, will become Director of Science, Technology, Engineering and Math. The position of Chairperson of Science and Technology will be abolished.
Sean Hurley, currently the district’s Chairperson of Social Studies, will become Director of Humanities. The position of Chairperson of Social Studies will be abolished.
David Leis, a probationary administrative employee first hired in January 2024, will move from his current appointment of Director of Technology to Executive Director of Technology. The position of Director of Technology will be abolished.
Salaries for each of the above-mentioned appointments, which range from approximately $170,00 to approximately $211,000, can be found on the December 12 BOE agenda, in the personnel actions report.
Tonight’s BOE meeting will take place at 7pm in the Brosnan building. It can also be viewed online, at this link. Agendas for BOE meetings are available at least three days prior to the meeting here.
