Schools

Rocky Point Announces Staff Changes for 2012-'13 School Year

Two new principals hired and changes made in the Special Education Department.

The Rocky Point School District recently announced a number of staffing changes for the upcoming 2012-'13 school year, including new Principals at the and school.

John DeBenedetto has been brought over to replace the retiring Bill Caulfield. According to his bio on the district website DeBenedetto began his career in education as a science specialist in the Southold School District. He then taught in the Sachem School District for eight years. In 2005 he was appointed Associate Principal at William Floyd High School. Contract details were not available in the personnel agenda.

Linda Towlen has also been brought on as the new JAE Principal, replacing Carol Tvelia. Towlen was a teacher for fifteen years and has been an administrator for the past seven years as both a K-12 Director of English and Reading at the William Floyd School District and a Director of World Studies at the Middle Country School District. She begins July 1, 2012 through June 30, 2015 with a salary of $128,337 at an annual step 4 rate.

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The district also made a few changes in the Special Education Department. Interim Special Education Director Andrea Moscatiello was appointed as permanent Special Education Director. Moscatiello's job as director starts July 1, 2012 and ends June 30, 2014, starting at her current salary of $139,234. Paul Walia has been appointed as the Special Education Coordinator, replacing Moscatiello who left the position when she was appointed interim Special Education Director last year. Walia begins at a $104,562 starting July 1, 2012 through June 30, 2015.

The district did excess one position, speech pathologist, held by Jacqueline Hunt, effective June 30.

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In order to replace the position of assistant director of special education, the board approved the creation of a new position, the Committee on Special Education/Committee on Preschool Special Education administrator.

Two were appointed full time to the new position. Terence Reilly and Beth Apostoli will begin at a salary of $104,562 each beginning July 1, 2012 and ending June 30, 2015. These changes follow a restructuring of the district's special education department last year.

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