Schools

Polansky Considered For Finello Job

Huntington trustees 'very impressed' with crosstown educator.

assistant schools superintendent James W. Polansky is under consideration to replace the retiring Huntington superintendent John J. Finello.

Polansky, former principal of ,  is assistant superintendent for personnel and district services. Last year, he was named .

A Huntington source said, "Trustees have interviewed Mr. Polansky twice and were very impressed. There are no other candidates under consideration at this time.”

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Finello, a 1968 graduate, returned to the district in 1972 to teach at Huntington Elementary School, and later became principal of Washington Elementary School. In 2000, he was named assistant superintendent for curriculum and instruction and became district superintendent in 2001.

Last year, the Huntington Foundation for Excellence in Education gave  Finello its Spirit Award for his nearly four decades of service. He is an adjunct professor at Stony Brook University.

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A former science teacher, Polansky holds a bachelor's degree in psychology from SUNY Albany, an advanced graduate certificate in education administration from SUNY Stony Brook, and credits toward his doctorate from Hofstra University.

A parent who is deeply involved with the South Huntington schools said of Polansky, “He’s a phenomenal principal and administrator. I’d be sad to see him leave but it’s an opportunity for him. He walked into a very difficult situation at Whitman as principal but he’s got an unbelievable work ethic and I don’t think anything is too difficult for him.”

The School Administration Association of New York State, which gave Polansky the principal's award,  represents more than 7,000 school administrators and each year honors an administrator who has "set the pace, character and quality of education for the students in his or her school."

In his letter of recommendation for the award, Steven Ramsey, assistant principal at Whitman, spoke about the progress Polansky has made. "When Jim took over, we were on the state's school improvement list. Through Jim's leadership, we are now off the list and have been cited the last two years as a high performing school by the State Education Department. He has done this through his expectations of staff and students alike."

The Huntington school board meets next on June 6.


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