New principals are coming to Roslyn High School and Middle School later this year.
The Roslyn Board of Education unanimously approved the appointments of Dave Lazarus, the current assistant principal at Roslyn High School, and Justin Gabrus, assistant principal at Roslyn Middle School, for the position of principal at Roslyn High School and Roslyn Middle School, respectively.
“These appointments are the result of an extensive selection process involving multiple interviews, community and staff feedback, and a close evaluation of each candidate’s experience and vision,” said Roslyn School District Superintendent Allison Brown. “Dr. Lazarus and Mr. Gabrus rose to the top because of their dedication, expertise, and deep commitment to student success.”
Lazarus and Gabrus will take their new positions when Scott Andrews, the current principal of Roslyn High School, retires on Nov. 26 and Craig Johanson, the principal of Roslyn Middle School, retires on Dec. 31.
Lazarus joined the Roslyn School District in 2015. He first worked as an assistant principal at Roslyn Middle School and then became an assistant principal at the high school in 2020.
Throughout his time at the middle and high school levels, Lazarus has overseen staff hiring and evaluation, developed master schedules, and led curriculum initiatives.
Before joining the Roslyn School District, Lazarus had been an educator for 15 years and taught in his hometown in upstate Dutchess County. Lazarus also holds advanced degrees from the University of Pennsylvania, SUNY New Paltz, Teachers College at Columbia University, and SUNY Stony Brook.
According to the Roslyn School District, Lazarus is certified in school building and district leadership, among other educational accolades.
“I am incredibly excited,” Lazarus said. “This is my forever home. My blood runs blue and white now, and I could not be any more excited for the opportunities that lie ahead and for getting started with the real work.”
Gabrus will become the principal of Roslyn Middle School after serving as the chair of the Art Department and Child Study Committee for grades six through eight and coordinating all state and schoolwide assessments.
Gabrus is also a member of the district’s Behavioral Threat Assessment Team, where he prepares for emergencies and identifies and mitigates potential threats against the district. He also co-chairs the district’s Shared Decision Making Committee and leads family engagement initiatives through the Parent-Faculty Association.
Before his current administrative roles, Gabrus served as assistant principal at Harbor Hill Elementary School, and before joining Roslyn, he was an assistant principal in the Merrick School District, a reading specialist in the Malverne School District, and a third-grade teacher at the Freeport School District.
Gabrus earned his Bachelor of Arts in Childhood Education from SUNY Old Westbury, a Master of Science from Touro College, and an advanced degree from the College of Saint Rose. The new principal also holds professional certifications in School Building and District Leadership, Childhood Education, and Literacy.
“It’s a wonderful opportunity that I’m really, really looking forward to,” Gabrus said. “I’m looking forward to taking all the hard work and all the sweat that [Craig Johanson] put into Roslyn Middle School and continuing his legacy and pushing it forward. And I hope that Craig, down the line, will be proud of everything that I’ve accomplished here.”
