School board promotes administrators, recognizes student achievements

Pulaski Street Intermediate School Principal Laura Arcuri was appointed as the next assistant superintendent for curriculum and instruction at last week’s Riverhead Board of Education meeting.

Arcuri will succeed Alan Baum, who was hired as an interim assistant superintendent after the retirements of the two administrators previously overseeing curriculum, instruction and other district matters. Arcuri will assume the role on July 1, the same day Bob Hagan beings his tenure as the district’s new superintendent.

The board approved a four-year appointment with tenure at its June 10 meeting. The board has not yet approved a contract with Arcuri outlining the terms of her employment and her compensation. 

Arcuri became principal at Pulaski last year, following the departure of then-principal Patrick Burke, who left to take a job in a neighboring district. Arcuri, who was hired by the district in 2020, was previously an assistant principal at Pulaski, an assistant principal at Roanoke Avenue Elementary School and the interim principal at the middle school. Arcuri also served two years as the district’s assistant Pupil Personnel Services director.

Additionally, Gary Karlson, assistant principal at Roanoke Avenue Elementary School, will become principal of Riley Avenue Elementary School upon the retirement of current principal David Enos at the end of the school year. Karlson has previously served as assistant principal at Aquebogue Elementary School and as an elementary teacher in the district.

The school board has not yet appointed replacements for the positions currently held by Arcuri and Karlson.

Also during its June 10 meeting, the school board:

• Approved an amendment to the board’s policy on the weighing of Regents exam grades in a student’s final course average. The exams will now count for 10% of their course grade average — down from 20% in previous years. As a result, each student’s quarterly classroom grade for a Regents course will account for 22.5% of their final course average. Additionally, for students who choose to retake a Regents exam in a given subject, only the highest grade achieved will count towards their course average and be recorded on their transcript. See separate story.

• Honored senior students who received the New York State seals of biliteracy (25 students) and civic readiness (62 students) on their diplomas.

• Honored students who will continue their athletic careers at the collegiate level.

• Approved a new agreement with the school district’s non-instructional unit of the Civil Service Employees Association — which represents custodians, groundskeepers, clerks, assistants, cafeteria workers, transportation workers and others. The agreement provides for a new pay schedule starting next school year, giving the largest raises to employees with six or more years of service in the district and a smaller increase to newer employees. Read more about the agreement here.

• Accepted the resignation of board member Brian Connelly. Connelly resigned mid-term for “personal reasons,” school board president James Scudder said last week. The board will look to appoint someone to fill the vacancy; the candidate who places fourth in next year’s school board election will serve the remainder of Connelly’s term.

• Approved the school district’s annual contract with Eastern Suffolk BOCES for shared services for the 2025-2026 school year in the estimated amount of $26,049,807.

• Accepted a $5,000 donation from the Jacob Marley Foundation to the Jeri Schilpp Memorial Scholarship.

• Accepted a donation of 41 books from community member Rosemary Pearce valued at roughly $800 for use in school district libraries.

• Renewed the district’s contract with All Suffolk Auto School to run the district’s driver’s education program for another year.

• Approved lease agreements with Just Kids for the operation of pre-kindergarten programs at Riley Avenue Elementary School.