Byram Hills board moves to accept superintendent’s retirement; plans brief rehire
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Summary
The Byram Hills Central School District Board of Education moved to accept Superintendent Dr. Jen Lamia’s retirement effective July 4 and discussed rehiring her on July 8 under a recent New York State budget waiver; the transcript records the motion but does not include a vote tally.
The Byram Hills Central School District Board of Education moved on June 26 to accept the retirement of Superintendent Dr. Jen Lamia effective July 4 and discussed rehiring her days later, citing a recent state budget waiver that board members said permits retired public-school employees to return to work without the usual earnings cap.
Board member Scott Levy framed the decision as both lawful and economically sensible, saying a May 2025 budget provision “provided a two-year waiver granted to retirees from public school service to be able to work in the state without a cap,” and arguing that rehiring Dr. Lamia could save the district money by avoiding overlap in retirement-system contributions and duplicate health-care costs if the district hired a new superintendent.
The issue drew support from several board members who praised Lamia’s tenure and leadership. “I believe that Jen is the best person to lead Byram Hills,” Levy said, citing her long service and community relationships. One board member, identified by the president as Laurie, said she would vote no, adding that approval would be “at odds with the spirit of the legislation.” The transcript records that a motion was made to accept Dr. Lamia’s retirement, “effective July 4 with the understanding that we will be rehiring her on July 8,” and that the chair called for those in favor and those opposed; the record does not include a roll-call or final vote tally.
Dr. Lamia thanked the board during the meeting, noting her long career in public education and saying it was her intention to remain in the district. Board members discussed interim coverage during the brief interval between the retirement date and the planned rehire; the transcript names an acting superintendent with inconsistent spellings (e.g., Koltenecker, Kolton Eckhart). The board said a reorganizational meeting and the planned rehiring were scheduled for Monday, July 8.
The meeting record supplied in the transcript contains multiple spelling inconsistencies for the district and several individuals; this article uses the official district name, Byram Hills Central School District, and the name Dr. Jen Lamia as clarified in the meeting. The transcript does not include a recorded vote tally or a formal statement that the motion passed; the motion and the subsequent scheduling of a rehire were the substantive actions recorded in the excerpt.
