Syosset Appoints New Superintendent

Syosset officially appointed Dr. Thomas Rogers as their new school superintendent Monday evening.

Rogers will take the place of Interim Superintendent Ronald L. Friedman, who took over the post after Dr. Carole Hankin's Oct. 31 departure after 23 years as school chief.

The board acted on Rogers' appointment at Monday night's board meeting.

"Syosset is a district with an extraordinary history of accomplishments and tremendous potential for the future," Rogers told Newsday. "I am looking forward to working with such a dedicated Board of Education and such a supportive community."

Currently a district superintendent and CEO of Nassau BOCES, Rogers has spearheaded multiple initiatives for the program, including the Doshi STEM Program, Center for Online Learning, and advancing security services with Nassau County Police.

“Though the candidate pool was extremely impressive, we believe that Dr. Rogers’ creativity, intelligence and wealth of experience will prove to be an incredible resource,” said BOE President Michael Cohen, adding the board was excited for the new addition to the team.

“He brings a vast amount of diverse professional experience to Syosset, which we expect will greatly benefit our students and community moving forward. His insight and knowledge of the educational process will be an invaluable asset for everyone involved in our district.”

Before joining BOCES, Rogers was executive director of the New York State Council of School Superintendents and helped launch the "Education is a Civil Right" campaign to improve public education equity. Rogers holds a master's degree from Columbia Teachers College in educational leadership and a bachelor of science degree in biochemistry. 

Rogers will officially take the helm of the 6,500-student district on July 1. He will earn $279,000 per year, he told Newsday.

What do you think of the decision? What important issues should Rogers tackle as Syosset supe? Tell us in the comments.