Letter to the Editor: Burak for Lynbrook Schools Chief

The following letter was sent to the Lynbrook Board of Education on Oct. 10.

I am sending belated condolences to all of the members of the Board of Education on the loss of our wonderful Superintendent, Dr. Santo Barbarino.  He was a tremendously kind and talented man who will be greatly missed.

I'm sorry that I am unable to attend tonight's BOE meeting, where I had intended to publicly express my support for Dr. Melissa Burak as our new Superintendent.  Many of us are aware that the search committee is in full swing, and that the Board may feel that it must see the process through to its conclusion; but as far as I am concerned, there is no "miracle candidate" of an administrator out there who can do a better job than our own Dr. Burak.

A lengthy letter was what I had planned, but on rethinking it, I am sure that my thoughts are not new.  The accolades for Dr. Burak, and the high esteem in which she is held, has been expressed by many people, and in many ways.  My experiences in dealing with Dr. Burak have been consistently good; I have found her to be interested, thoughtful and exceptionally competent. Even when there was not full agreement on an issue, she has behaved with grace and equanimity.

I hope the members of the Board of Education will give Dr. Burak the full consideration she deserves.  Perhaps Dorothy was right when she returned from Oz and expressed that sometimes, there's no need to look further than our own backyard.

Respectfully,

Nancy Wolfsohn

Lynbrook School District resident