The Office of Personnel and General Administration
Overview
The assistant superintendent for personnel and general administration oversees the offices of human resources, transportation and central registration.
The Huntington School District employs over 800 teachers, administrators and support staff and provides services to over 4,500 students. Since quality teachers are the single greatest factor in improving teaching and learning in classrooms and strong leaders are the foundation for all high-performing schools, the Office of Human Resources is committed to recruiting, developing and retaining outstanding individuals in all areas of district operations.
As the district works to hire, develop, and retain a highly qualified staff, the goal of the Office of Human Resources is to provide excellent service and to build a team of professionals who are passionate about the success of all students, and who are willing to dedicate the necessary time and resources to meet the diverse needs of our school district.
The district has eight employee bargaining units and the assistant superintendent works closely with union leadership and district administrators on many issues, including contract negotiations and interpretations, grievances, staff evaluation and general employer/employee relations.
The assistant superintendent for personnel and general administration also oversees the transportation office and is responsible for student transportation services. In doing so, the needs and concerns of building principals, parents and the community residents are addressed. The district provides transportation services for over 5,000 public and non-public school children. Over 4,000 students are bussed to eight public schools, dozens of special education students are transported to 15 additional sites and nearly 1,000 students are driven to 35 non-public schools. The assistant superintendent is also responsible for central registration, district and building enrollments, class size figures and reports and serves as the district residency hearing officer.
The Office of Human Resources works with the New York State Education Department - Office of Teaching Initiatives, Suffolk County Civil Service Department, and the New York State Public Employee Relations Board, insuring the district complies with all federal, state and local laws and regulations.
Assistant Superintendent for Personnel & General Administration
Dr. Joseph Giani is Huntington's assistant superintendent for personnel and general administration. He has enjoyed a long 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. A member of the SUNY Brockport Athletic Hall of Fame and the National Wrestling Division III Hall of Fame, he 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 College in 1986. He was awarded a Doctorate of Education degree by 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. He 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 central administration position.
Dr. Giani has also served 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 Section XI 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 served as principal of the Western Suffolk BOCES regional summer school for many years and as Section XI wrestling chairman for 14 years. Under his leadership, Huntington won Athletic Management magazine's Award of Excellence in Student Programs.
An outdoorsman in the fullest sense of the word, Dr. Giani enjoys a range of recreational activities in his free time and especially enjoys being on or near the water or in the fields or woods of upstate New York.
Dr. Giani is known as an organized, detail-oriented administrator who enjoys the many challenges associated with his position. He has embraced an open door policy and enjoys interactions with faculty, staff and residents.
Important Links
Forms and Files
Evaluation Forms
- APPR - Teacher
- APPR - Guidance
- APPR - Psychologist
- APPR - Social Worker
- SHHA Evaluation Form
- Teacher Assistant Evaluation Form
- Non-Instructional Evaluation Forms
- Substitute Teacher Reactionary Report
- Teacher Reactionary Report of Substitute Service
- Application for Instruction Position
- Application for Non-Instructional Position
- Reference Check Form - Administrative Position
- Reference Check Form - Instructional Position
- Reference Check Form - Non-Instructional Position
- Selection Committee Confidential Form
- Selection Committee Summary Report
- Bomb Threat Instruction Card
- Transportation Problem Report Form
- VADIR Incident Report Form
- VADIR Other Log
- Weekly Enrollment Report
- Conference Attendance Certification
- Professional Development Attendance Sheet
Miscellaneous
- Board of Education Policies for Employees
- Personal Day Form for Instructional Employees
- Personal Day Form for Non-Instructional Employees
- Vacation Day Request Form
Personnel News
February 8, 2012 Vicki Mingin Announces She's Retiring
Vicki Mingin is so synonymous with the Huntington School District's special education program that it's hard to imagine her retiring, but the longtime administrator will be doing just that after announcing she will be leaving her post at the end of the current school year...full story>>
February 6, 2012 Dave Grackin Announces Retirement
There comes a time when everyone retires and that time is approaching for David H. Grackin. The Huntington School District's assistant superintendent for finance and management services has announced he will be leaving his post at the end of the current school year...full story>>
August 15, 2011 Brad Reminick is Leaving Huntington
Brad Reminick has been just about as thoroughly Huntington as a person can get. He attended school here, returned from college to teach here, coached here and brought the Blue Devil girls' basketball team to the Suffolk finals three consecutive seasons, winning the program's only county title in 2008. So, naturally it's hard to leave...full story>>
August 15, 2011 Huntington Hires Two English Teachers
Huntington School Board members approved probationary English teaching appointments for Lauren Amendola and Dianna Molenko...full story>>
August 11, 2011 Two New Science Teachers Join Faculty
Despite eliminating more than three dozen teaching positions during last spring's budget development process, there is some limited hiring occurring this summer in the Huntington School District. The openings are mainly the result of retirements and vacancies created by permanent faculty members taking leaves of absence...full story>>
July 7, 2011 Teacher Retirees Saluted at Reception
Saying goodbye is never easy to do, especially when you've spent decades of your life serving a community of young people that you've grown to love...full story>>
June 13, 2011 Al White Appointed Director of Facilities
Al White, a longtime fixture in the Huntington School District has been appointed director of facilities. He will take over from Paul Rispoli who is retiring at the end of July after 12 years in the position...full story>>
June 8, 2011 Trustees Grant Tenure to Faculty
Huntington School Board members granted tenure eleven teachers and one teacher assistant during their Monday night meeting. The session was preceded by a reception in the Jack Abrams School rotunda in honor of members of the group...full story>>
June 7, 2011 James Polansky is Huntington's New Superintendent
The Huntington School District is getting a new superintendent. James W. Polansky is ready to roll up his sleeves and get to work. The Huntington School Board voted 7-0 during Monday night's public meeting to approve a three-year contract for the veteran educator, who will officially take over the top spot on July 1...full story>>
May 31, 2011 Dr. Giani Flies around Manhattan, Tours USS Iwo Jima
Joseph Giani needed to quickly adapt to military time Thursday while participating in the U.S. Marine Corps' Fleet Week educator's workshop. The Huntington School District's assistant superintendent for personnel and general administration was flown around Manhattan in a MV-22 Osprey and the came aboard the USS Iwo Jima for a VIP escort tour...full story>>