Schools

Charles Sulc Says Goodbye To Massapequa

Massapequa School Superintendent appears at final board meeting.

This story was posted by Edward Robinson. It was written by Chris Boyle.

Superintendent of Schools Charles Sulc bade the Massapequa School District bade farewell this week at his final Board of Education meeting Thursday.

Sulc, who has worked in the district for 44 years and served as Superintendent since 2007, is handing the reigns  over to Lucille Iconis, who assumes the role June 30. 

Iconis most recently served as Assistant Superintendent for Curriculum and Instruction before being appointed to the position by the Board shortly after Sulc announced his retirement in February.

Sulc’s peers bid him a wonderful, relaxing, and productive retirement; Board President Maryanne Fisher said that while Massapequa Schools would continue to thrive in his absence, it would nonetheless never be the same without him. 

“Charles Sulc has been a strong proponent of education, athletics, and dignity for all students,” she said. “It has been an honor and a privilege to work with you, and the Board of Education wishes you a well-deserved retirement.” 

Among those who turned out to congratulate Sulc was Nassau County Legislator Michael Venditto, R-Massapequa, who wished the outgoing Superintendent all the best on his hard-earned retirement and presented him with a Certificate of Merit on behalf of the Nassau Legislature. 

“I’d like to thank you, Mr. Sulc, for the influence that you’ve had on people me and the people in this room,” he said. “Now that you’re heading onto the next phase of your life, I think I speak for everyone when I say that we will continue to take the lessons that you’ve taught us and try to put them into practice as we continue into the next phases of our own lives. You’ve improved the quality of life here for many generations to come, and we’re very grateful and thankful for your service.”

Speaking to the attendees on his departure after 44 years of devoting his life to the education of children, the clearly emotional Sulc, who stopped mid-speech at one point to choke back a few tears, said that he gave his all for something he felt a great deal of passion about.

“I want to thank the parents and the Board of Education for all their support over the years and everything that you’ve given to the kids and the community...I’m going to stay on Long Island, and I will not be a stranger to Massapequa,” he said. “I know Lucille Iconis will carry on the culture and traditions of Massapequa, and it’s a great comfort and feeling to know that, when you leave, that there’s someone coming in that has all the values and all the strengths needed for the job, and I wish her well.” 

Not to forsake his official duties duties, Sulc delivered his final Superintendent’s report, speaking about the academic success the children of Massapequa schools have achieved while under his watch, and expressed his confidence that such success will continue after his departure.

“Our graduates this year are achieving at a tremendous rate, and they’re getting a lot of recognition,” he said. “They’re going to be attending colleges in 23 states, including Washington D.C. They’ve been accepted into more 367 institutions, and we have kids going to Ivy Leagues like Brown and Yale. I can’t list them all, but the kids are getting into colleges that are at the high ends of status. And with their success, the doors open even more for the kids that follow.” 

In other district news, due to circumstances arising after their initial vote earlier this year, the Board also rescinded its previous action of laying off four teachers in the district; Meredith Marin, Jennifer Tand, Jennine Butler, and Natalie Rakamaric, all Elementary School teachers, were restored to their previous positions.

The Board of Education also recognized the achievements of several Massapequa sports teams, including the Boys Varsity Lacrosse team, Individual Girls Track, and the Boys Varsity Baseball team, all of whom brought home Nassau County Championships this year.


Get more local news delivered straight to your inbox. Sign up for free Patch newsletters and alerts.

We’ve removed the ability to reply as we work to make improvements. Learn more here