Wantagh Welcomes New Assistant Superintendent

The Wantagh School District has appointed Dr. Marc J. Ferris as Assistant Superintendent for Instruction, effective July 1.

Ferris, a Garden City resident, joins Wantagh from the North Shore School District, where he served as principal and assistant principal of North Shore Middle School since 2002. He previously taught social studies at Frank Carey High School in the Sewanhaka Central School District and is currently an adjunct professor at both Hofstra University and LIU Post, where he teaches courses in developing instructional learning communities, leadership and supervision, data informed decision-making and leadership in education.

Ferris holds a doctoral degree in education from Hofstra University, as well as a master’s degree each in social studies and leadership, technology and administration from New York University. He also holds a bachelor’s degree in history with a minor in education from Washington & Jefferson College.

“We are very fortunate to have such a qualified candidate to replace Mr. McNamara, as he assumes the role of Superintendent of Schools,” said Maureen Goldberg, Wantagh’s current superintendent who will retire at the end of the school year.

In June 2016, Ferris was selected as one of three panelists to speak on school transition planning during a U.S. Senate briefing on Capitol Hill in Washington, D.C. In 2016, he was named Middle School Principal of the Year by the Council of Administrators and Supervisors and received the New York State Department of Education and National Essential Schools to Watch distinction.

He also contributed a chapter to the 2010 book “Breaking the Mold of School Instruction and Organization,” which focused on innovative and successful educational initiatives. His chapter was titled “Everyone Matters, Everyone Cares, Everyone Learns.” In 2016, he also published an article titled “Letters are for Learning: How grading systems support or suppress student learning in school” for the New York State Department of Education Essential Schools to Watch website.

Photo: Wantagh School District