July 10, 2024

Dear GNPS Community,

I hope your summer is off to a great start. We are certainly enjoying seeing those students and staff members involved with our various, extensive summer programs taking place throughout the District. We are also excited to see the progress being made to capital projects (including the renovation of science labs at both North Middle and North High School amongst other identified priorities).

Last night, the Board of Education met for their annual Reorganizational Meeting as well as for a scheduled monthly Business Meeting. Several items of note were acted upon by the Board that I believe the community would like to be made aware of, therefore, I ask that you please forgive the length of this correspondence.

First, Mr. Grant Toch was elected to serve as President of the Board for the 2024-25 school year. Mrs. Donna Peirez was elected to serve as Vice-President for the 2024-25 school year. We thank Mrs. Rebecca Sassouni for her three years of service as President. She will continue to serve as a Trustee, along with Mrs. Joanne Chan and Mr. Steve Chen (who was officially sworn in to begin his three-year term). We congratulate and thank all members of the Board of Education for their volunteerism and continued support of our students and community.

From a personnel standpoint, the Board accepted the resignation of Dr. Christopher Gitz as Principal of South High School. As a result of this action, the Board immediately and unanimously appointed Mr. Adam Hopkins as Interim Principal of South High School. As you
are aware, Mr. Hopkins served as the Acting Principal of Great Neck South High School during the 2023-2024 school year. Mr. Hopkins was highly successful serving in such capacity and received positive feedback from all stakeholders. The District has already begun the process of forming a selection committee to review the (many) candidates for the vacant position of Assistant Principal of South High School (vacated by Ms. Rory Parnell who began July 1 as the
Principal of Mineola High School). The administrative team of South High School will be firmly established in the coming weeks before the start of the 2024-25 school year.

In addition, the Board of Education appointed Mrs. Jennifer Booth as the new Assistant Principal of North Middle School to fill the vacant position formerly held by Mr. Brendan Nelson (who will begin serving as Principal effective August 1, replacing Dr. Jerry Cozine, who has retired). Mrs. Booth has served as both special educator (beginning in 2009) and Dean of Students at North Middle School (2017). We are confident that Mrs. Booth’s student-centered leadership will compliment the North Middle team extremely well.

Further, the Board also unanimously voted to change the title of the Assistant Superintendent for Business, Mr. John O’Keefe, to Deputy Superintendent. This change is a reflection of both the confidence of the Board (and Superintendent) as well as the depth and breadth of Mr. O’Keefe’s responsibilities within GNPS, including careful oversight of the business office, facilities, capital projects, security, transportation and certain functions of human resources. 

Finally, the Board of Education also accepted the resignation of Dr. Stephen Lando, Assistant Superintendent for Secondary Education, effective on January 31, 2025, for the purpose of retirement. The search for a successor to this important role will commence immediately to maximize the benefit of transitional time with Dr. Lando. While we will have ample opportunity in the coming months to recognize Dr. Lando’s contributions to GNPS, we certainly thank him for his seventeen years of service to our students and the community.
Please join me in congratulating all of the individuals indicated above as well as all of the new faculty and staff members appointed by the Board last night. The outstanding qualifications of the “class of 2024” will assist GNPS in maintaining the standard of excellence our community expects and that our students deserve.

Also included on last night’s agenda, the Board took action to amend the District’s schedule of Board Business meetings for the coming school year. It is attached for your reference. You will note that aside from summer meetings, it is the intention of the Board to hold all public meetings of the Board for the 2024-25 school year in the E.M. Baker Auditorium. It is felt that one, central (as possible) consistent location will alleviate any confusion, maximize comfort and consistency for our residents, while allowing for the continued rotation of student/staff
recognition and PTA/PTO leadership meetings (at Baker). 

The summer of 2024 is off to a busy start and promises to remain that way until students and all staff return after Labor Day. Please “be on the lookout” for additional communication as we progress towards the 2024-25 school year. A future communication will announce the virtual
“ribbon cutting” of a newly developed, streamlined website as well as the use of Parent Square to both improve and enhance all aspects of communication with parents and community members.

Please stay healthy and safe as we enjoy the summer season.

Warm Regards
Kenneth R. Bossert, Ed.D
Superintendent of Schools