Michael Rodgers, a longtime Amagansett School gym teacher and administrator affectionately called Coach Rodgers by colleagues, students, and parents, has been appointed superintendent of the district.
Richard Loeschner, the interim superintendent, formally announced the news on Tuesday during a special meeting of the school board — a meeting that had been advertised in the days leading up to it as “executive session only,” before being declared an open meeting shortly before it began. Mr. Loeschner notified parents and teachers of the last-minute change directly.
“Mr. Rodgers is well known to the Amagansett community, having served our school district since 1999 in a variety of teaching and administrative positions,” he said in prepared remarks Tuesday. “After 25 years, he has a deep working relationship with school staff and Amagansett community leaders, along with a unique perspective on what makes our district successful. The board is delighted that Mr. Rodgers emerged as the top candidate.”
There was applause in the school library as the unanimous board awarded the new superintendent a three-year contract beginning on July 1. In a statement, Mr. Rodgers expressed humility and gratitude for the opportunity.
“I am now at a stage in my career where I am teaching some of the students whose parents I taught,” he said. “This is what I lean on — the strength of this community’s bonds and support for its school. I’m ready to roll up my sleeves and get to work.”
His own children went through the Amagansett School; his wife, Jessica Rodgers, is the assistant principal at the Springs School. Mr. Rodgers is a Navy veteran and volunteer fireman who holds university degrees in physical education and instructional technology.
The appointment comes amid a turbulent year at Amagansett. Its last superintendent, Seth Turner, resigned in October, just weeks after the U.S. Department of Education named the district a Blue Ribbon School in recognition of its academic excellence. Mr. Loeschner, who had just retired from his post as superintendent in the Brentwood School District, stepped in as interim.
The current principal, Maria Dorr, has been on paid administrative leave since December. School budget season was controversial, too, with the community ultimately approving an over-the-tax-cap budget that meant the layoffs of four special-education teachers.
The school board hired Eastern Suffolk BOCES last fall to manage its superintendent search. Candidates both internal and external were considered. Interviews were conducted over the course of at least three executive sessions. At a board meeting in March, fellow teachers and former students urged the board to consider Mr. Rodgers.
“I am overwhelmed with gratitude and joy that Michael Rodgers has been appointed as the superintendent of Amagansett School,” said Kate Ciullo, a graduate of the school who is now a parent there, and who on March 17 started a change.org petition in support of the appointment.
“As someone who was once his student and now watches my own son thrive under his guidance, I cannot imagine a more perfect choice. Thank you to the board, the community, and the parents for recognizing and supporting Mike. His dedication, kindness, and unwavering commitment shaped my childhood, and I am confident he will continue to inspire and uplift our students and families.”
Mr. Rodgers had also been serving as co-president of the Amagansett Teachers Association, the faculty union. He recently stepped down from the post. In a statement issued Thursday, the union members said: “The Amagansett Teachers Association congratulates Michael Rodgers on being named Superintendent of Schools. We recognize his dedication to the Amagansett School and look forward to working together collaboratively.”
This story has been updated since it was first published to include a statement from the teachers' union.