Trustees Appoint New Assistant Superintendent
Change is coming to the Huntington School District's business office. With Assistant Superintendent David H. Grackin set to retire at the end of June, the Huntington School Board named Sammy Gergis the assistant superintendent for business, effective July 1.
Trustees appointed Mr. Gergis to the post during their public meeting this past Monday night in the Jack Abrams School auditorium. The district has been searching for Mr. Grackin's replacement for several months. A series of interviews were held in recent weeks with prospective candidates.
"Mr. Gergis is exceptionally knowledgeable of school finances and clearly possesses an eye for detail," Huntington Superintendent James W. Polansky said. "He understands the difficulties attributed to the current financial climate, as well as the importance of looking for every possible cost economy. I am genuinely looking forward to his joining us in Huntington."
Mr. Gergis is currently the assistant business manager in the Plainview-Old Bethpage Central School District, a post he has held since June 2008. He earned an undergraduate degree in economics at Boston University in 2001 and a Master of Arts degree in foundations of education at Hofstra University in 2006.
Prior to assuming his current position, Mr. Gergis worked for Amerada Hess Corp. as a commodities analyst from July 2001 to April 2003. He was a financial analyst/controller at Morgan Stanley from April 2003 to April 2004. In September 2004 he became assistant dean of undergraduate admissions at Hofstra University. In November 2006 was named assistant dean of new student support services at Hofstra and became the university's assistant dean of undergraduate advisement in June 2007.
Mr. Gergis is studying for a Doctor of Education degree in educational and policy leadership at Hofstra. He earned a certificate of advanced study in school district business leadership in May 2008.
Mr. Grackin came to the Huntington School District in 1997. He earlier worked as a math teacher at Sachem High School North for eight years before serving in a variety of administrative capacities in Sachem, 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. At the time of his appointment in Huntington Mr. Grackin was completing his second year as the director of business for the Elmont School District