Assistant Superintendents at Huntington
Assistant Superintendent for Personnel & General Administration
Dr. Joseph Giani is Huntington’s assistant superintendent for personnel and general administration. He has enjoyed a lifelong association with the district, attending school here and graduating in 1976. He was a Suffolk County wrestling champion for the Blue Devils and earned all-State honors in the sport.
Dr. Giani obtained a Bachelor of Science degree in physical education with a concentration in sports administration at SUNY College at Brockport in 1981. He was an NCAA wrestling champion and three-time all-American while in college. He is a member of the SUNY Brockport Athletic Hall of Fame and the National Wrestling Division III Hall of Fame and captained Brockport’s 1980 national championship team.
In addition to his undergraduate degree, Dr. Giani earned a Master of Arts degree in physical education at Adelphi University in 1982 and a Professional Diploma in educational administration at Long Island University – C.W. Post in 1986. He recently earned a Doctorate of Education degree at Dowling College.
Dr. Giani joined Huntington’s faculty in 1981 as a physical education teacher, leading regular and adaptive classes on the K-12 level. In 1986 he assumed additional duties as department chairperson for physical education and interscholastic athletics and became the district director of health, physical education, athletics and driver education in 1988, a post he held until 2001 when he moved into his current position.
In addition to his teaching and administrative duties, Dr. Giani has also served the district as an athletic coach. He was a member of the high school wrestling staff for seven seasons and worked with the junior varsity boys’ and girls’ tennis teams for five years. While coaching the Blue Devil wrestling team, Huntington won three consecutive county team titles and was among the best teams in the nation. He received several Coach of the Year awards and was nominated for National Assistant Coach of the Year.
Dr. Giani has also served as principal of the Western Suffolk BOCES Regional Summer School and as the Section XI wrestling chairman for 14 years. Under his leadership, Huntington won Athletic Management magazine’s Award of Excellence in Student Programs.
Widely known as an extremely organized, detail-oriented and accessible administrator, Dr. Giani enjoys outdoor activities and being on or near the water during his free time.
Assistant Superintendent for Curriculum & Instruction
Dr. Barbara Lacey has served as Huntington’s assistant superintendent for curriculum and instruction since July 2008. Prior to coming to Huntington, she was the principal of West Side School in Cold Spring Harbor. A resident of Centerport, she earned a Bachelor of Science degree in elementary education at Long Island University in 1973 and obtained a Master of Science in administration and supervision at LIU in 1993. She was awarded a doctorate in education by Hofstra University in 2007.
Dr. Lacey served as West Side School (grades 2-6) principal for eight years. She was also the principal of Terryville Road Elementary School (K – fifth grade) in the Comsewogue school district from 1998 to 2000 and the principal of Staten Island Academy (pre-K – sixth grade) from 1995 to 1998.
Dr. Lacey earlier worked at Friends Academy, where she was a second grade teacher from 1988 to 1993 and a fifth grade teacher, teacher leader and assistant principal from 1993 to 1995. From 1986 to 1988 she was director of learning at Britannica Learning in Massapequa. She has also been employed as an account executive at Graphic Art Studio in Massapequa from 1976 to 1985 and as an elementary grade level art and music teacher in the Glen Cove district from 1973 to 1976.
In 2004, Dr. Lacey was a member of a presentation panel at the National School Psychologist’s Convention in Hauppauge. Her topic was “Bullying in Today’s Society.”
Assistant Superintendent for Finance & Management
David H. Grackin has been Huntington’s assistant superintendent for finance and management services since 1997. He attended Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute and graduated with a Bachelor of Science degree in applied mathematics and statistics at the State University of New York at Stony Brook, where he later obtained a Master of Arts degree in mathematics. He earned a Professional Diploma in school administration and supervision at Long Island University – C.W. Post.
Mr. Grackin worked as a math teacher at Sachem High School North for eight years before serving in a variety of administrative capacities with the Sachem school district including, summer enrichment program coordinator, secondary computer liaison, assistant director of data processing, treasurer of both the district and the Sachem Public Library and finally as business administrator for four years.
A member of the board of governors of NYCLASS and NYRSIR, Mr. Grackin was the director of business for the Elmont school district for two years prior to coming to Huntington. Through the years he has gained a statewide reputation for his business office knowledge and effectiveness.
At Huntington he has initiated business office modernization, created even tighter internal controls and procedures, implemented strict financial management and professionalism in all areas. He has also overseen numerous capital renovation, repair and reconstruction projects, overseen an extensive expansion and upgrading of computer technology systems, coordinated the district’s security initiatives and significantly enhanced the food service program.
In addition to his work in Huntington, Mr. Grackin has been a lecturer in SUNY-Stony Brook’s graduate program since 2004. He has won several awards for his work with the Nassau Citizens Budget Committees on capital and operating procedures and prioritization of capital expenditures.
Mr. Grackin’s efforts have helped lead Huntington to an excellent bond rating and fine series of external audits. He maintains memberships in county and state school business officials associations.