Schlissel Named New Birch Principal

The fourth time was the charm for Kerri Schlissel. 

Surrounded by more than two dozen members of the Birch Elementary School community, Schlissel was named the new principal of Birch at last night's Merrick Board of Education meeting.  

Schlissel, who has been the assistant principal at Birch for the past three years, learned of the appointment just minutes before the meeting following her fourth interview with board members and school officials.   

"I'm so grateful for the opportunity and excited," said Schlissel, who will take the reins on July 1.  

Robert Cohen has been interim principal at Birch since the start of the year.  

Schlissel, who taught in Baldwin for seven years before coming to Birch, was selected from a pool of 56 candidates and school board members heaped on the praise.  

"You will continue to lead Birch in way I've gotten used to seeing it," trustee Susan Schwartz said, "which is a phenomenal place."

At the end of the meeting, Schlissel was congratulated by her family and hordes of Birch supporters.   

"We're so excited and we're so happy for her," said Melissa Roeder, a speech and language teacher at Birch.  

In other school board business:

Superintendent Rainer Melucci warned that the upcoming budget process would be "especially difficult" this year in light of proposed state aid cuts to the district. 

"We hope to put forth a budget that does not result in any cuts in staff or programs," Melucci said, "but that is going to be very difficult to do.  We will do our best and the board has always been very supportive in that regard."

The school board will meet on March 2 and March 13 to discuss next year's budget.