West Hempstead Board honors student award winners and recognizes retiring teachers

The West Hempstead Union Free School District Board of Education opened its regular meeting by honoring students who placed in regional arts and leadership programs and by recognizing two upcoming retirements.

The board identified participants in the Nassau All-County Art Exhibition and presented certificates to students including Justin Asencio, Svetlana Bagdasarin, Xandria Bartel, Vivian Baragette, Joanna Frey and others. The board also recognized Wilder Castro Fuentes and Eva Morales Gomez for representing the district at the Puerto Rican Hispanic Youth Leadership Institute; the board noted that Wilder was selected to represent Long Island at a statewide Albany event and served as a speaker in a mock assembly.

Superintendent Memin and board members praised the students’ achievements. “Congratulations again, everyone,” the chair said as families took photos. Student representative Michelle highlighted the successful multicultural night hosted by Student Council and reminded seniors to order yearbooks.

The board also announced two retirements from the secondary school. Superintendent Memin described science teacher Dean de Gould as a longstanding educator who led professional development and coached track, and recognized Lisa McCarthy for her work on social-emotional supports and mathematics instruction. Memin said both teachers had left durable legacies with students and colleagues.

The board said it will mark retirements with additional recognition at later meetings in May and June. The meeting then moved to routine agenda business and public comment.

The board adjourned the public portion of the session after moving into executive session to discuss contracts.