The Herricks Board of Education announced the selection of Dr. Fino Celano as the successor of retiring Superintendent Dr. John Bierwirth.
Herricks worked closely with District Wise Search Consultants, a search firm who conducted the superintendent search, as well as current administrators during this process.
“We expect our new superintendent to provide the leadership necessary to have Herricks be at the pinnacle of public education, not just on Long Island but across New York State and the country,” the school board said in a statement. “We are confident Dr. Fino Celano is the person to propel us forward and we welcome him to the Herricks School District.”
Celano graduated from Marist College with a bachelor’s degree in history in 1978 and earned his master’s degree in reading education in 1985 from Manhattan College. From there, he attended Hofstra University to earn his certificate of advanced study in educational administration in 1990, and in 2009 received his doctorate of education in educational administration and supervision from St. John’s University.
Celano began his teaching career in 1978 in Poughkeepsie and then in the Bronx.
In 1985, he became a teacher at Calhoun High School, where he was later selected to be assistant principal at Grand Avenue Middle School and eventually principal in 1997.
In July 2003, Celano joined the Roslyn School District as the assistant superintendent for human resources. Celano conducted staffing needs assessments, budget preparation, recruitment and the hiring process for professional and civil service staff members.
His responsibilities also included participating in contract administration, labor relations and collective bargaining. Celano completed classroom observations and tenure recommendations for probationary teachers. He implemented the annual new teacher orientation and Superintendent’s Conference Day, which are staff development programs.
Celano became the assistant superintendent for personnel for the Garden City School District in September 2005. He is responsible for supervision, mentoring and guidance to all district principals and department directors. Celano provides leadership and professional development on best practices for classroom instruction, on teacher observations and the evaluation process.
Classroom observations and the tenure review process for all probationary teachers and administrators are part of his responsibilities. Celano has planned and implemented new teacher induction and mentor programs. He has developed paperless digitized systems and operations, resulting in cost-savings and administrative efficiencies.
The district’s consolidated grant writing are also Celano’s responsibilities, as well as coordinating district-wide anti-bullying and character education programs.
Celano’s additional professional and development highlights include the Harvard University Graduate School of Education, Leadership: An Evolving Vision, Cornell University ILR School, effective collective bargaining skills and strategies, Leadership for Educational Achievement Foundation (LEAF) and Supporting and Sustaining Instructional Leadership Workshops in 2013-14.
