Seaford School District Appoints New Arts And Humanities Leaders

SEAFORD, NY — The Seaford School District will be joined by a pair of new faces in arts and humanities leadership, as the district announced Wednesday that Frank Cannella and Dr. Robert Drysielski would be serving as the new coordinator of fine and applied arts and director of humanities, respectively, for the 2026-27 school year.

In an announcement, the district said Drysielski would oversee English language arts, social studies, world language and English as a new language programs, joining the district from the Islip School District. There, Drysielski had been the director of K-12 social studies and business for a decade. Previously, district officials said Drysielski had been at St. Dominic High School in Oyster bay for six years, serving in assistant principal, dean of students and summer school principal roles in addition to positions as the chair of english and social studies and a history teacher. He has been teaching since 2004, when he began as a middle school social studies teacher in Manhasset.

“Seaford is a really close-knit community that is very supportive of its students, evidenced by the district’s strong partnerships with local organizations,” Drysielski said. “In preparing students to be successful along many paths, the district has a strong foundation with the Seaford Scholars Profile. The administrators and teachers are committed to bringing that vision to life, and I am excited to have a hand in that success through the programs I oversee.”

Drysielski has a bachelor’s degree in sports management from St. John’s University, a master’s in secondary education from Hofstra University, a master’s in administration and supervision from Fordham University and a doctorate in administration and supervision from St. John’s, district officials said.

As for Cannella, the incoming arts coordinator comes to Seaford from the South Huntington school district. The new role will allow him to supervise art, business, music, technology and family and consumer sciences programs at Seaford.

In addition to 10 years of experience as band director at the Silas Woods Sixth Grade Center, Cannella performed as a percussionist in the Henry Mancini Orchestra, and was featured on the soundtrack for the 2016 film, “A Change of Heart,” which was recorded with Gloria Estefan. His performance career has taken him across the globe, including stops in Dublin, Ireland; Bogata, Colombia; Thessaloniki, Greece; and Trinidad and Tobago.

“I am incredibly honored and excited to join Seaford as the coordinator of fine and applied arts,” Cannella said. “I look forward to working alongside our talented teachers, administrators, students and families to foster creativity, innovation and meaningful learning experiences. The arts have an amazing power to inspire, connect and empower every student. I am eager to build upon Seaford’s long-lasting tradition of excellence while creating new opportunities for students to explore their passions and showcase their talents.”

Cannella has a bachelor’s degree in instrumental music education from the University of Delaware and a master’s degree percussion performance from the University of Miami.