Babylon Schools Names New Superintendent

The Babylon School District’s Board of Education has appointed Linda Rozzi as the district’s next superintendent of schools, effective July 1, 2015.

Rozzi comes to Babylon via the East Islip School District, where she has served as superintendent since July 2013. Rozzi will replace current Babylon Superintendent Richard Rozakis, who is retiring at the end of the school year.

“It is with great pleasure that we welcome Mrs. Rozzi to the Babylon School District,” Board of Education President Lisa McKeown said in a news release. “Her reputation as a leader, both locally and nationally, is what immediately positioned her as a standout during the recruitment process. Her diligence and dedication to improving education for all students are just two of the qualities that will assist our district in continuing to prepare our students for future success.”

Rozzi’s contract, which will pay her $225,000 during her first year in the district, was approved by the board on Monday. The contract runs through June 30, 2018. Rozakis’s salary was $195,000 during his first year as superintendent in 2012-13.

Rozzi comes to Babylon with more than two decades of educational experience, the last 10 of which she has worked as a superintendent on Long Island. She began her career as an English teacher in the Bethpage before climbing the professional ladder as an administrator in the William Floyd, South Country and Tuckahoe Common school districts, where she served as superintendent. Currently, she is the superintendent in East Islip.

“I am incredibly honored to be selected as Babylon’s next superintendent of schools,” Rozzi said. “The district is well-regarded by its community and many on the outside and possesses an educational philosophy that is aligned with my professional beliefs. I look forward to building positive and meaningful relationships with the greater educational community as we work collaboratively to take the district to its next level of excellence.”

In late fall, the Board of Education began working with the professional recruitment team at District Wise to cultivate and screen candidates for the district’s superintendency. The Board ultimately interviewed a number of finalists for the position before selecting Rozzi.

During her time in East Islip, Rozzi guided the implementation of a comprehensive district strategic plan that advanced academics, student safety, district finances and facilities. Successes included improved graduation rates, the implementation of an elementary Princeton Plan and increased opportunities for students taking Advanced Placement courses. Additionally, she provided support to further well-established career academies at the high school level that emphasize the fields of business, medicine, the environment, hospitality and the culinary arts, all of which have received national and state acclaim.

The East Islip School District, in a statement posted on its website Tuesday, made clear that it wanted to keep Rozzi onboard. The statement reads in part:

During her nearly two years as our superintendent, Linda has had a tremendous and positive impact on East Islip’s students and staff and has served our community above our expectations. The Board of Education extended her contract by two years after her first school year with us. We made it clear to Linda that we would make further considerations to convince her to stay. Everyone should recognize and respect that this decision was a professional one for her and her family. We wish her the best as she begins her work in the Babylon School District after finishing her work with us over these next several months.

Beyond her work in East Islip, Rozzi has spoken at the national level on literacy initiatives and reform and has worked throughout her career on various educational advocacy projects alongside state and local legislators. She has served for numerous years on the board of directors for the Suffolk County School Superintendents Association, as well as acted as a cluster leader for the SCSSA’s East End Superintendents. She has also spoken regionally on career and technical education and the new Pathways for Graduation.

Rozzi holds a bachelor of science degree in secondary education from Penn State, a master of arts in liberal studies from Stony Brook University, and a master of education in educational leadership from Teachers College, Columbia University. She also completed extensive leadership training at the Harvard Graduate School of Education. She is a member of the New York State Council of School Superintendents, the National Council of Teachers of English, the National School Boards Association and the New York State School Boards Association, as well as many other educational leadership associations.