Twenty-one senior educators have applied for the superintendent's post in the Bridgehampton School District, its school board confirmed last week. The number of applicants represents an increase of 20 candidates from the district's last superintendent selection process in 2017 and 2018, for which an open search was not conducted.
The Eastern Suffolk Board of Cooperative Educational Services is coordinating the search for the district, having posted the job on March 1 and closed the application period on March 26.
"The board is seeking an experienced educational leader," according to the job posting, with a track record of innovative and visionary leadership, a commitment to multiple pathways for student achievement, and experience with budgeting, labor relations, technology, curriculum development, and facilities management. The posting said that "the board is prepared to offer a regionally competitive compensation package."
Many Bridgehampton teachers and employees have now thrown their support behind Michael Miller, the current school principal and former athletic director. In a recent interview, however, Mr. Miller declined to confirm whether he had actually applied for the superintendent's job.
Mr. Miller was hired as principal in 2018, having previously held the roles of physical education teacher and athletic director. At that time, he and Robert Hauser were appointed to fill the principal and superintendent positions that were held simultaneously by Lois Favre for several years. When the district began the transition to a new administrative structure, those job openings, along with the school business administrator and assistant superintendent jobs, were not publicly posted.
"I humbly request that you look no further than our current administration" for the right candidates, wrote John Reilly, a social studies teacher, Elizabeth Kirwan, a kindergarten teacher, and Jen Suarez, a prekindergarten teacher assistant, in nearly identical letters to the school board in March.
Mr. Miller, who can frequently be seen wearing a suit jacket emblazoned with the Bridgehampton colors and Killer Bees logo, "has been a consistent force for many years at Bridgehampton. He has a fair and balanced approach to educational and personnel matters. He knows and loves our school," read the letters signed by the three teachers.
Annette Rivera, a fourth-grade teacher who has been with Bridgehampton for almost 25 years, also wrote in support of Mr. Miller. "Some may say he is too young and may not have enough experience, all which he will have over time!" she wrote in an email on March 19. "What time cannot give him is dedication and work ethics, all of which he already possesses! He has proven time and time again that he will always give his best for our school and community!"
Michael Byrne, a third-grade teacher who has been with the district for 32 years, also endorsed Mr. Miller. His "experience, work ethic, and love for our school makes him the perfect candidate to be our next superintendent. He is often the first to arrive at school each day and often the last to leave each evening."
The letters were read into the record at the March 24 school board meeting.
Mr. Miller was hired at Bridgehampton in 2015. Before that, he worked as a physical education and health teacher in the Mattituck-Cutchogue School District. He is also the president of the Bayport-Blue Point School District, where he lives. He holds School District Leader and School Building Leader certifications from New York State.
"I was extremely humbled and obviously appreciative that the staff members would go out of their way to write eloquent letters on my behalf to the board," Mr. Miller said by phone in late March. "I love the Bridgehampton community. Whatever capacity I'm working in next year, as always, as a team, we'll continue to put students first."
The school board recently held a special meeting to discuss a formal response to those letters of support. "We are fortunate that we have qualified individuals working in Bridgehampton who are willing to grow and learn within our district," the board said on April 12. "We acknowledge and appreciate the letters of support we received for Mr. Miller. It is the responsibility of school boards to complete a full superintendent search before making a decision."
Eastern Suffolk BOCES is also conducting a superintendent search for the neighboring Sagaponack School District, where the superintendent, Alan Van Cott, has announced that he is retiring in June after almost eight years at "the little red schoolhouse." During this week's meeting of the school board, Mr. Van Cott said there had been three applicants, though one application was withdrawn before interviews began.