The Carle Place School District will have two new faces join its administration this school year.
Leigh Shaw was appointed as the assistant superintendent for curriculum, instruction and innovation and Andrew Bennett as the district’s executive director for human resources and leadership development.
“Their leadership, experience and vision will strengthen our district with fresh perspectives and talents,” Superintendent Ted Cannone said about the two new administrators. “I look forward to working with them as they help guide our students and staff to continued success.”
Shaw and Bennett both started out teaching in New York City before taking their careers to Long Island.
Shaw had served as principal of Hampton Street School in the Mineola School District since 2021, leading a staff of more than 80 and overseeing the education of approximately 400 pre-K through second-grade students.
“My passion is curriculum and instruction,” Shaw said.
She also has 10 years of experience as a district instructional leader for PreK–12, developing professional learning opportunities for staff on topics such as neuroscience of learning, growth mindset, neurodiversity and creative and critical thinking.
“I would say I’m a very creative person, but I also really like to operate within systems and create systems,” Shaw said. I just kind of make all those puzzle pieces go together and continue driving the ship forward.”
Shaw said she sees the smaller size of the Carle Place School District as an advantage, and that the district could come up with new ideas and quickly implement them into its education.
She said everyone within the district she has met has welcomed her and that she knew she belonged in Carle Place ever since she walked into her first interview.
“It feels like a family here,” Shaw said. “Everyone is so lovely, it has a sense of a town full of pride and warmth.”
Bennett previously served as the principal of Selden Middle School in the Middle Country Central School District, a role he was promoted to from the school’s assistant principal position.
Throughout his time in the Middle Country School District, Bennett led initiatives to support, recruit and retain faculty and staff, implemented curriculum goals, expanded professional development opportunities, created master schedules, oversaw school safety plans and drills, supervised state and district assessments and collaborated with parents, the PTA and community organizations to enhance learning and student well-being.
Bennett said that in his new role, he will be able to specialize in more passionate parts of leading in the educational environment and will work closely with teachers throughout the district.
“I look forward to continuing to grow a collaborative, supportive and inspiring environment for our students to thrive,” he said.
Bennett said that after growing up in Locust Valley, he decided to get into education to make a positive impact in the classroom.
“Even though it’s not the district that I grew up in, it’s sort of like coming home because it’s so similar to the experience and values that I enjoyed as a kid,” he said.”
Carle Place kicks off its 2025-26 school year on Tuesday, Sept. 2.
