Hauppauge Says Goodbye to 4 School Board Members

The Hauppauge School District bid farewell to four school board trustees Tuesday night.

Geri Richter, Ginger Todaro, Robert Schnebel and Patricia Lesser are leaving their seats on the board. Richter and Todaro ran for re-election in May, but lost the vote. David Barshay, Rob Scarito and Gary Fortmeyer were elected. An organizational meeting will be held July 9.

Lesser announced Tuesday that she will be ending her term on the board, as well. The move is bittersweet for Lesser, who said that she will be getting married in August and no longer living in the Hauppauge School District, which is why she will have to leave the board.

School Board Vice President Eileen Mass said that all four of the candidates have not only been advocates for the community and school, but also acted as teachers to her, and the rest of the board.

She described Todero as a teacher of compromise. "Ginger can look at all sides of an issue and get right to the heart of it, and find how to compromise in order to get it done," Mass said.

She also said that Richter has instilled the importance of research. "She has taught us to find the answers to a million and one questions that we have and which questions to ask as well. As far as public advocacy, Geri has bar none been on top of our legislators , our politicians at all times for the greater good of education," she said.

She added that Schnebel and Lesser have exemplified the importance of poise and being a thoughtful listener, as well.

In saying goodbye, Superintendent Patricia Sullivan-Kriss said that the board members have always valued education, the needs of all children and worked very hard to make fiscally responsible decisions for the community.

She said that the four board members have given without want in return.