The Great Neck Board of Education announced the appointments of an interim principal and an acting assistant principal of E.M. Baker School as well as the retirement of the principal of Village School, at a meeting on Wed., Nov. 12.
Heather Sweet-Lazos will serve as interim principal for the E.M. Baker School after holding the position as assistant principal at Baker for nearly a decade. She will replace Michael Grimaldi, who resigned from the position earlier this month.
“We went to the person we feel could really have a wonderful year for the students, faculty and staff for Baker – and we know that because she’s already done it for nearly a decade,” Superintendent Kenneth Bossert said.
The school board also accepted the resignation and retirement of Village School Principal Stephen Goldberg.
“Steve, if you’re watching, we will have plenty of opportunity to celebrate your retirement over the next few months,” Bossert said. “But we’d be remiss if we didn’t acknowledge the extraordinary impact you’ve had on Village School and Great Neck Public Schools. Going to be a very, very tough act to follow at Village.”
Bossert said he congratulated Goldberg on the decision to retire and said the district will post the position open shortly. Goldberg did not make any public remarks.
The board also appointed veteran administrator Kathleen Murray as E.M. Baker’s acting assistant principal, filling the vacancy left by Grimaldi’s resignation and Sweet-Lazos’ promotion. Murray served as principal at Parkville School from 2018 through 2021, when she retired. Before that, she served as assistant principal at John F. Kennedy Elementary.
Bossert said Murray has a “wonderful reputation and longstanding relationship with so many menders of the Great Neck school community.”
Both Murray and Sweet-Lazos gave remarks at the meeting.
Murray said she has seen Sweet-Lazos thrive in her assistant principal role and looks forward to continuing to work with her.
“Heather is an exceptional person. It has been such a pleasure to see her grow into her role as assistant principal and to see the respect that she has earned from her colleagues, parents, students and staff,” Murray said of Sweet-Lazo’s appointment.
Sweet-Lazos said she looks forward to continuing to serve E.M. Baker and the Great Neck community.
“I feel truly fortunate to continue my work with such a dedicated staff and faculty in such a special and vibrant community,” Sweet-Lazos said. “It is a privilege to collaborate with Ms. Kathy Murray. Her experience, insight and compassion make her an exceptional colleague and thought partner. Together, we are committed to making sure Baker remains a place where every child is known, valued and challenged.”
In other news, the board announced the establishment of a scholarship in honor of a former superintendent.
School board President Grant Toch announced the launch of the Teresa Prendergast Memorial Scholarship, dedicated to the former superintendent, who died in 2023. The scholarship will award two seniors – one from North High School and one from South High School – a $1,500 scholarship. It will be funded by a $75,000 donation from Scott and Ariel Alban.
Toch said the award will be given to a student “who demonstrates excellence in school spirit, with a passion to pursue a career in education, including those who have shown an exceptional commitment to their school community through active participation and extracurricular activities, volunteer work and leadership roles.”
