Wantagh board completes annual reorganization, approves personnel and capital projects; Beach Street property sale eyed

The Wantagh Union Free School District Board of Education completed its annual reorganization and approved routine business items, including officer appointments, personnel actions and donations, and received a superintendent’s report outlining summer capital projects and plans to explore the possible sale of the district’s historic Beach Street property.

During the reorganization session the board administered oaths and confirmed leadership for the 2025–26 school year. Anthony Greco was nominated and approved as board president and Jennifer Perfetti was nominated and approved as vice president. Michael Kearns was appointed treasurer and Diane Sales appointed deputy treasurer; the vice president will serve as district clerk pro tem. Board members approved the auditor and counsel appointments, committee rosters, insurance and purchasing designations, and other routine governance items by voice vote (recorded as “Aye” in the meeting minutes).

Superintendent Mr. McNamara used his report to recognize recent athletic achievements and staff service and to announce personnel changes and capital work. He congratulated teams that won Long Island and Nassau County championships and recognized staff retirements, including teacher aides Ronnie Grama and Joanne Borneman. He introduced newly appointed staff: Tracy Pignetti, named elementary supervisor for humanities; Dr. Jessica Ryan, named supervisor of elementary STEM; Nick Bianco, hired as a middle-school special educator; and Jacqueline McCready, hired to the music department.

McNamara summarized planned summer facilities work funded largely by a district bond passed in December 2022. Projects include: electrical upgrades and HVAC work districtwide; replacement of unit ventilators at Wantagh High School; renovation of 16 classroom bathrooms at Forest Lake; roof replacement work at Wantagh Elementary School; a full renovation and demolition in the Wantagh High School cafeteria and upgrades to kitchens and serving areas at all three elementary schools. "We passed a bond in December '22 ... and a bulk of that was for infrastructure work," McNamara said. He added that the cafeteria demolition had begun and that network upgrades were underway.

On a distinct property matter, McNamara outlined the history of the Beach Street site (original schoolhouse circa 1909, later used for district offices and leased for day-care operations beginning in 1985). He said the lease has expired and the district will explore marketing and appointing a realtor to seek bidders; "it would be a public vote that ultimately would determine if the property is sold," McNamara said. He described the sale process as months away and contingent on marketing and finding an appropriate bidder.

Board business included approval of minutes, financial reports, committee recommendations (including committees on special education and preschool special education), policy revisions, the districtwide safety plan, and the district code of conduct. The board accepted donations to district programs: $1,000 from Teachers Federal Credit Union, $1,000 from Legacy SP Limited, $1,000 from Helix Contract Corporation for the Wantagh Warrior 9/11 Memorial 5K run, $800.23 from Old Mandalay PTA for a fifth-grade field trip, and $2,000 from the Mandalay PTA for an assembly.

Why this matters: leadership appointments and personnel actions set the district's administrative team for the school year; the capital projects will affect building conditions and operations in the coming year; and exploring disposal of a historic district property would require voter approval and could have fiscal and community impacts.