UPDATE: Tuckahoe Principal Arlette Sicari to Take Over as Acting Superintendent

Update:

(SOUTHAMPTON, NY) - The Tuckahoe School District recently announced that Principal Arlette Sicari, will take over as acting Superintendent, temporarily replacing Dean Lucera after his arrest.

“This is an unfortunate situation for the school and a difficult time for all parties involved,” School District chairman Daniel Crough wrote in a letter. “It is also an opportunity for we at Tuckahoe to adhere to the principles the school is founded on: children first, commitment to education, respect, fairness, and caring for one another.”

According to the letter, the Board of Trustees met with Lucera to discuss the matter along with Mary Ann Sadowski at Ingerman Smith L.L.P., counsel for the district.

“The Board is taking this issue very seriously. An essential component of that is not being rash, especially in the setting of such an emotionally charged issue,” the letter reads. “As the case proceeds we will take appropriate action.”

In the meantime Lucera will be taking a voluntary leave of absence to have “time to focus on the legal issues at hand and the school the time and space to focus on the needs of the students.”

Lucera’s case has been adjourned until December 23, 2015.

“This school was not built to be a fearful or angry place, it was founded on optimism and has been operated with love for many years. We will stick to our principles and Tuckahoe will continue to be a great place to learn,” Crough wrote in the letter. “The school staff has been great examples for us all. They have been caring and professional throughout the process. The Board appreciates their demonstration of the utility of our shared principles and gives them our thanks.”

“Many of the older students are aware that there is a situation with their superintendent. I am appreciating the challenges faced by the legal system as we work through this. Please share your understanding of how the legal process works to protect the liberties of us all while extending the same protections to the accused.”

Original story:

Tuckahoe School District Superintendent Dean Lucera, who was arrested last month after an alleged domestic dispute incident, will be taking a voluntary leave of absence.

Dr. Daniel Crough, Tuckahoe School Board Chairmain, told 27east that Lucera will be taking the leave of absence in order to “to give attention to his legal matters.”

He also said that the school board has been working with its legal counsel and with Lucera, to “address the arrest,” according to the report in 27east.

“We stand by our core values of giving the children of our community the best we have to offer, working together in the school and in the community, and treating all individuals with respect and dignity,” Crough wrote according to 27east.

Lucera, 52, of Manorville, was arrested on Nov. 21 after allegedly kicking in the door to get inside his fiancee’s home after discovering it was locked and grabbing his fiancee’s face and spitting in her face during a domestic dispute.

He began working at the Tuckahoe School District in October after working as district superintendent of the Eastern Suffolk Board of Cooperative Educational Services since 2012.