Lawrence R. Gross, president of the Great Neck Board of Education and chairperson of the Board's Superintendent Search Committee, announced that the board has named Dr. Ronald (Ron) L. Friedman the new superintendent of the Great Neck Public Schools, effective August 1, 2004. Dr. William A. Shine, who has been superintendent since July 1, 1982, will continue as superintendent through July 31, 2004.

Dr. Friedman is currently superintendent of the Long Beach Public Schools, a position he has held since 1999. He was the unanimous choice of Great Neck's six-member Search Committee, comprising the five board trustees and the superintendent. They have been involved in the search since the spring of 2001 and have carefully screened and interviewed numerous candidates. At press time, it is anticipated that Dr. Friedman's appointment will be approved at the public session of the board of education on Monday, February 9.

President Gross said that the board and Dr. Shine had successfully completed a "long, fantastic process that was intensive and well-formed and allowed the board members, individually and collectively, to focus on what they wanted in a new superintendent. Dr. Friedman is well suited temperamentally, professionally, philosophically, and personally to meet the challenges that lie ahead. He is exactly the kind of person who is best for us and for our children. It is a pleasure to offer him the position of superintendent for the future."

Dr. Friedman, a longtime educator, said that he "was drawn to the teaching profession partly because of the model his mother presented to him as a successful English teacher." After graduating from The Cooper Union with a Bachelor of Science in physics, he began his career in education in 1967 as a junior high school science teacher in the New York City Public Schools. In the intervening years between 1967 and 1999 (when he was appointed superintendent in Long Beach), Dr. Friedman was an assistant principal, acting principal, director of personnel, director of personnel and pupil personnel, assistant superintendent, assistant superintendent for instruction and personnel, and deputy superintendent in four Long Island districts.

Given his long and varied history as a school-district administrator, it is easy to see why Dr. Friedman was awarded First Prize in the American Association of School Administrators National Scholarship for the Superintendency competition. His selection was based on his potential as a superintendent of schools.

Last month, the Long Beach Herald ran an extensive article about Dr. Friedman. It was subtitled "An Unsurpassed Gift for Leadership" and it designated him as the Herald's "Person of the Year" in "recognition of his contributions to the city and its future ... The honor is intended to recognize Friedman's legacy ... We recognize Friedman because, as captain, he has rescued a once-foundering ship, helping Long Beach students better prepare for the future."

In the Herald article, Brenda Young, principal of the Lido Elementary School, said of Dr. Friedman, "He loves children, he loves the district, and he's a great educator." Nicholas Restivo, principal of Long Beach Senior High, said, "Ron's first concern is the students of the district. Having worked with Ron Friedman for the past 18 months has been like attending the most high-powered graduate course every day for 12 hours a day. He has given me the rope and the support to make significant changes in what has gone on in the high school."

In Long Beach, Dr. Friedman has provided successful educational leadership in a diverse and demanding community. There are seven schools in the district --- one high school, one middle school, four elementary schools, and a pre-kindergarten center --- and an adult-education center and a teacher center. Its Pre-K-12 student enrollment is 4,500. Among Dr. Friedman's accomplishments as superintendent were: 1) securing grants for extensive after-school programs, an elementary guidance program, an alternative school, and an environmental center; 2) bringing the district to a point of excellence by using technology to enhance instruction; 3) increasing the number of students earning Regents diplomas by 30 percent; 4) significantly increasing scores on standardized State exams; 5) developing collaborative teaching models and other innovations to better address the needs of youngsters with disabilities while substantially reducing the percentage of classified students; 6) designing and implementing recruitment procedures to ensure an exceptionally qualified and creative staff with distinguished credentials and varied backgrounds; 7) forging cooperative links between the school district and community groups and constituencies; and 8) working with the board of education, staff, and community to develop a school-community vision that embraces diversity as an asset and a strength.

Prior to the Long Beach superintendency, Dr. Friedman was deputy superintendent of schools in the Elwood Union Free School District, in Greenlawn, in western Suffolk County. He started there in l989 as assistant superintendent.

Earlier, in 1985, the Long Beach Public Schools first hired Dr. Friedman as assistant superintendent for instruction and personnel. While in this role, he improved the district's early reading programs, introduced and integrated technology in the classrooms and created computer labs, and revised curricula in various academic areas, including social studies, mathematics, and the sciences.

From 1979 to 1985, Dr. Friedman was employed by the Hicksville Public Schools, first as director of personnel, then as director of personnel and pupil personnel, and, finally, as assistant superintendent.

After his first two years as a secondary-school science teacher in New York City, Dr. Friedman moved to Lawrence High School to teach physics and general science. In 1974, he was appointed assistant principal/acting principal of Lawrence High. He remained in this capacity for five years.

While a teacher at Lawrence High, Dr. Friedman developed and pioneered a successful college-level physics course. He also began his graduate studies in educational administration at Hofstra University. From Hofstra, he received a professional diploma in educational administration in 1977 and, in 1993, a doctorate in educational administration (Ed.D).

Dr. Sheila Terens, former assistant superintendent-elementary of the Great Neck Public Schools, fondly recalls her professional association with Dr. Friedman when they were both building administrators in Lawrence. She said, "He was clearly a rising star."

Dr. Friedman is currently a member of the Executive Board of the Nassau County Council of School Superintendents, leader of its Southwest Quadrant, and chair of its Technology Committee. He is also executive vice president of the New York State Association of Small City School Districts.

Dr. Friedman has served twice as president of the New York State Association of School Personnel Administrators and was president of the Long Island Association of School Personnel Administrators. As an adjunct instructor, he has taught school administration and school law at Hofstra University and Long Island University-C.W. Post Campus, and he has written articles and edited books and newsletters on these subjects. He has conducted workshops and seminars for school administrators on Long Island and across New York State. At IBM's "Discovery '99" national instructional technology conference, Dr. Friedman represented New York State as a presenter. His topic was "Instructional Technology Implementation in a K-12 School District --- How to 'Do it Right.' " Dr. Friedman is also the recipient of numerous awards and recognition for his professional activities on behalf of children.

Though thoroughly immersed in education, Dr. Friedman manages to find time for his own pleasurable activities. These include building computers and learning about and experimenting with all kinds of computers and related technology. He is also an amateur radio operator who is licensed for commercial radio-and-television-station operation. Other hobbies include running and photography. Dr. Friedman lives in Huntington. His wife, Shelley, is a psychiatric social worker in private practice. Their son, Dustin, is currently teaching English in Prague.

In May 2002, Dr. Friedman authored an article, published in School Administrator magazine, entitled, "Sizing Up a Superintendency: Does the Shoe Fit?" In it he wrote, " ... far and away the most important consideration in the issue of fit is chemistry. A superintendency is in many ways like a marriage. All the objective data may fit, but if the chemistry is amiss, chances are so will be the relationship ... Go with the three i's: intelligence, information, and instinct ... Finally, and most importantly, trust and listen to your instincts, analyze the chemistry ... and may you commit to a long and happy marriage!"

In keeping with his article, Dr. Friedman sized up the offer of the Great Neck superintendency and had this to say about it, "I am thrilled to be coming here. I asked myself, 'Long Beach is a wonderful place and I have thoroughly enjoyed my time there; now what can I do to feel fulfilled in the next years?' The Great Neck superintendency is better than anything I could think of. It is the place where I would love to work. It is the only superintendency that appealed to me. When I was called on December 15, I was interested. After I visited the district on December 19, I was excited!"

Within the next few months, various groups within the school and larger community will have opportunities to meet and interact with Dr. Friedman. He is expected to visit with the Great Neck Teachers Association later this month. Once a workable schedule is in place, he will also be welcomed by the United Parent-Teacher Council (UPTC), PTAs, student leaders, administrators, supervisors, and other employees, as well as by the community at large.