Pearl River Board of Education Appoints Wheeler Assistant Superintendent for Curriculum and Instruction

The Pearl River School District is moving ahead with a plan to reorganize its administration, condensing three current positions into two as of the 2011-12 school year.

As a part of the change, the Pearl River Board of Education appointed Sue Wheeler as the district's assistant superintendent for curriculum and instruction at its regular meeting Tuesday night. Wheeler has been Pearl River's director of curriculum for seven years.

Current Assistant Superintendent Dr. John Morgano, who will be taking over as superintendent of schools July 1, recommended Wheeler for the position as part of the reorganization plan he proposed.

"I have worked very closely with Dr. Morgano the past seven years," Wheeler said. "We have very similar priorities in terms of teaching and learning.

"My background is primarily in curriculum. Essentially, those things that are more on the curriculum side will fall under my hat. Those more connected to the human resources and community relations will fall to the new position."

Wheeler will essentially be adding some of the duties currently performed by Morgano and Director of Community Relations Sandra Cokeley to her current workload.

"I'm always up for a challenge," Wheeler said.

Among her duties will be overseeing the special services, technology and health services departments, coordinating the new teacher mentor program, creating the district calendar, district newsletter and district data book, overseeing home schooling and student registration and acting as a liaison between the board of education and the New York State Education Department for reporting and compliance.

The district is also creating a completely new position -- director of human resources and community services. This new director would take on many of the duties related to personnel that are currently performed by Morgano, including all contract negotiations, while handling relations with community groups, PTA's and the media. The district will begin advertising the position today and will be putting together a search committee to interview candidates and make recommendations to the board of education.

Members of the board considered opening a search for the assistant superintendent for curriculum and instruction, but decided that Wheeler was a strong enough internal candidate that an outside search was not needed.

"I respect Dr. Morgano and his recommendation for this position," said board member Thomas DePrisco.

"We were all in agreement that Mrs. Wheeler is qualified for the position," said Michael Clohessy, president of the board of education. "That is why were are appointing her tonight."

The reorganization could save the district approximately $150,000 and was done at this time because Superintendent Dr. Frank Auriemma is retiring as of the end of June and Cokely is retiring in December.

"I would have loved to replace (Cokeley's position), but the economics don't warrant it," Morgano said.

"We are lean and I applaud Dr. Morgano’s decision," Auriemma said. "I think the assistant superintendent for curriculum and and instruction and tbe new director of personnel and community relations will be two incredibly difficult jobs to do."