Incoming Rockville Centre schools superintendent seeks to unite district | Herald Community Newspapers

As Matthew Gaven prepares to turn into the second Rockville Centre educational facilities superintendent in 3 many years, he suggests he is keen to get to know the local community improved.

“First, I want to get to comprehend the society and what will make Rockville Centre a good put,” Gaven reported. “It’s important, but you want to acquire what is operating and accentuate it. For people things that will need enhancement, I appear forward to doing the job collaboratively with the staff members and administration to consider and make that a favourable alter.”

Gaven, 49, of Yard Metropolis, will acquire over for Interim Superintendent Robert Bartles on July 1, but he will devote the up coming two months visiting schools and obtaining acquainted with the pupils, employees and directors in each and every creating. The Board of Instruction introduced Gaven’s appointment on Could 4, concluding an exhaustive look for for a new district leader, and he agreed to a 3-year agreement that runs by means of June 30, 2025. Economical specifics were not straight away disclosed by the district.

Gaven has served as deputy superintendent in the Mineola College District for the earlier a few years, and has labored in the district because 2006. He has been an elementary college principal a middle school principal director of pupil personnel director of technologies and assistant superintendent of curriculum, instruction, assessment and know-how. He began his career as an elementary university trainer in the Back garden City Community Schools, and grew to become an elementary faculty assistant principal and principal there.

Gaven’s using the services of comes in the wake of previous Superintendent June Chang’s resignation past summer, just in excess of a calendar year into a five-calendar year contract. While Chang did not publicly disclose his rationale for leaving, he confronted considerably adversity right after taking around for Dr. William Johnson, the district’s superintendent for 34 a long time just before he retired in 2019. Chang experienced to direct the district by the coronavirus pandemic in his initial yr on the task, and offer with the ongoing controversy about masking college students.

In addition, final July, the school board voted, 3-2, versus Chang’s advice to rehire South Facet Higher University girls’ varsity soccer mentor Jennifer Abgarian — Newsday’s All-Very long Island girls’ soccer Coach of the Year in 2020 — and her assistant, Chris Aloisi.

In the initially calendar year of Chang’s contract, which he signed on Feb. 25, 2020, he was paid $290,000.

The search for his successor was led by an impartial research consulting group, which led discussion groups and executed surveys, and produced a candidate profile. The faculty board interviewed 7 of the best-rated candidates and executed comply with-up interviews with a quantity of them, along with background and reference checks.

“This is a fantastic exclamation position on a thoroughly executed research procedure,” board President John O’Shea claimed in a assertion. “Our Rockville Centre school community was totally involved and contributed considerably to the do the job of our research consultants and the Board of Schooling. We are profoundly grateful for this neighborhood-driven method and thank our a lot of citizens and workers customers who volunteered their time and thoughts in the hard work to protected our upcoming district leader.”

Gaven declined to comment on the controversies Chang confronted when he took over for Johnson, a beloved determine in Rockville Centre, but mentioned he was acquainted with Johnson from expert conferences when he was doing work in Mineola, and seemed ahead to understanding additional about the Rockville Centre district.

“The vital matter in any community is getting to know neighborhood users,” Gaven mentioned, “and that begins by currently being current at following-college functions, sporting gatherings and live shows. Remaining an open human being and listening is genuinely key, and knowledge the wants of the group and performing with the board and administration to make that materialize.”

Gaven retains a professional diploma in academic administration from Hofstra College, a master’s in computing and education and learning from Academics College, Columbia University, a master’s in elementary education from Hofstra and a bachelor’s in historical past from Providence University. He is a lifelong resident of Very long Island, and now life in Backyard Town with his wife, Marie, and their 3 small children, Emily, 20, Patrick, 19, and Katie, 17.

Gaven reported he was struck by the solid tutorial heritage of Rockville Centre educational institutions, and that listening to the group and assembly students’ needs really should be top rated priorities. “I feel it’s just enjoyable to come to a fantastic group,” he claimed. “It’s a qualified problem to arrive and suppose the superintendency of a good district and make upon the terrific factors that are currently in spot, and assist guide what’s upcoming for the future. Any person would be tremendous psyched about that.”