N. Merrick Honors Departing School Board Members, District Clerk

North Merrick School Board meetings will have a much different look in the future, as two of its members and the district clerk have stepped down from their respective positions.

The meeting on Tuesday night at the Fayette School was the last for John Rossi, John Pinto and Nancy Dies, as the members of the board and public paid their respects to the three.

Rossi, the board's president, and Pinto, a trustee, did not seek re-election to their seats in May.  Those men, along with Dies, the district clerk, have each left their mark on the school board and district as a whole.

Rossi kicked off his final meeting by reading the inspirational message, which was a quote by Muriel Strode: "Do not follow where the path may lead. Go instead where there is no path and leave a trail."

Rossi has been an advocate for higher usage of technology in the district, and is a big reason why there are now more creative and organized ways to educate North Merrick students. One can say that Rossi has left his own trail during his time as the board's president.

Superintendent David Feller took some time to give out citations to Rossi and Dies in person; Pinto was unable to attend his final meeting, but was awarded citations as well. Feller awarded Dies with citations from State Sen. Charles Fuschillo, R-Merrick, and Assemblyman Tom McKevitt for her 25 years of service to the community.

"North Merrick is a better place to be because of your efforts," board trustee Matt Kuschner said to Dies. "Let's hope we can all say that when our times come."

Rossi served as board president for two years, and was on the board for a total of six years. Rossi also received citations from Fuschillo and McKevitt for his hard work and dedication over his years on the board.

"I truly believe that the North Merrick community has been well served by John (Rossi) and John (Pinto) during their tenure on this board," board trustee Jonathan Butler said. "John Rossi's knowledge of technology is second to none."

There was then a five minute recess for cake in honor of the board's departing members.

After the recess, Feller gave a presentation on the North Merrick school report for the 2009-10 academic year.  Feller then gave Nassau County Legislator Dave Denenberg, D-Merrick, the floor to award Rossi, Pinto and Dies county proclamations.

Denenberg read the last few lines of the proclamation aloud, "Successful is the person who has lived well, laughed often and loved much, who has gained the respect of children, who leaves the world better than they found it, who has never lacked appreciation for the earth's beauty, who never fails to look for the best in others, or give the best of themselves."

 "We will miss you a lot," Denenberg said of Rossi, Pinto and Dies.

George "Skip" Haile and Wendy Gargiulo, elected to the board in May to replace Pinto and Rossi, will be officially sworn into their seats next month.

It may have been the final meeting for Dies, Pinto and Rossi, but the people of North Merrick will not forget what each of them has meant to the school district and community.

"I just want to publicly thank Mr. Rossi," North Merrick resident Gina Arcabascio said. "I wanted to thank you for being fiscally responsible for this community. A lot of us during this economy have been hurting, and having you on the board watching the dollars and cents, and fighting when it was unpopular to keep that increase as low as it can, really meant a lot to a lot of people."