The Plainview Old Bethpage School District hired Gerard Dempsey as the interim superintendent of schools. He replaces Dr. Martin Brooks who retired after seven years in the POB district.

Dempsey started his post as interim superintendent on July 2 and brings with him many years of experience and expertise - he has been in the field of education for 40 years.

He started in education when he taught in New York City for two years and then taught on Long Island for over 10 years before becoming an administrator.

Dempsey was the superintendent at the Farmingdale School District from 1990-2001. He has also done some individual jobs, including holding a post as director of the Long Island School Leadership Center, which is a group trying to encourage more quality and quantity in school administrators. Last year, he was the interim superintendent in the Roslyn school district.

"I am very excited to be here," said Dempsey. "I am involved with recruiting new staff members and I have been visiting summer programs. I have gotten to meet with the principals, many teachers who are doing curriculum writing and also met with the PTA. I have participated and met with the board as well."

"We have known of and been very favorably impressed with Mr. Dempsey for some time," said Debbie Bernstein, president of the Plainview Old Bethpage Board of Education. "When it became apparent that we would need an interim superintendent, the board of education immediately contacted and met with Mr. Dempsey. Based on his vast experience and credentials and our belief that he will be a good fit for our school district and community, we unanimously appointed him as our interim superintendent."

Being an interim superintendent doesn't differ a great deal from a superintendent. "From day one, every issue that a superintendent deals with, an interim superintendent deals with as well, including personnel and finance issues," explained Dempsey. "One difference is that normally an interim superintendent is in place for one year so they don't have longterm plans. Also, the board will begin to search for a permanent superintendent and I will help them with that. I will not be an applicant for the permanent position. I am essentially a retired administrator taking interim positions."

"We believe Mr. Dempsey will be an integral and important part of our school district this year, and we will rely on his experience and expertise to move us forward and in particular, to assist us in our search for a permanent superintendent," said Bernstein.

Dempsey said the joy of his life is his family. He lives in Greenlawn and has been married for nearly 40 years to his wife Carol, a long-term employee at North-Shore University Hospital in Plainview. They have three children - Anne, Erin and Michael and four grandchildren - Herbie, Sarah, Emily Lindtveit and Jack Caralis.

"It has been a very fine beginning and I look forward to the beginning of the school year," said Dempsey.