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Students and community groups honor trustees as RCFA raises staffing concerns
Summary
The board recognized student representatives and community honorees; the RCFA praised fundraising but said staffing shortages remain a pressing problem at elementary levels.
The Riverhead Central School District Board of Education recognized trustees and student leaders during its Oct. 15 meeting, and student groups from several schools presented gifts and brief remarks honoring trustees.
Annabelle Dunn was introduced as the district—s inaugural student representative on the board. Elementary and middle-school student councils and teachers delivered poems, short speeches and gifts thanking trustees for their support. Students from Aquabog, Phillips Avenue, Roanoke, Pulaski and the middle school highlighted spirit weeks, character-education themes and classroom projects.
The board also publicly honored individual students for notable achievements. The meeting recognized Miguel Bermudez for an act of bravery and community leadership, and highlighted Lester Rivera—s recognition as a Newsday top-100 soccer player (the honoree was not present; a certificate will be delivered).
During the opportunity for RCFA (Riverhead Classroom Faculty Association) remarks, an RCFA representative noted the union—s fundraising efforts for scholarships and the return of in-person events. The representative also said the district is experiencing staff shortages, especially at the elementary level, stating: "we just don't have enough staff" and expressing concern about cuts that left bargaining units stretched thin. The RCFA speaker questioned administrative reductions in the context of classrooms working "more with less," and urged attention to maintaining instructional integrity.
Superintendent Petesic and trustees accepted the recognitions and thanked students and staff for their presentations; there was no board-level policy action recorded in this meeting transcript directly tied to the RCFA staffing remarks.
The meeting closed routine business and discussed logistics for upcoming student events, including the Key Club—s safe-Halloween on Oct. 31. An on-site commenter also asked viewers to subscribe to the district's YouTube channel.
