For Warren Meierdiercks, working in the Sewanhaka Central High School District for the past 37 years has been a kind of homecoming.
The outgoing superintendent of the district grew up in Elmont, where he attended the Elmont Road School and the Alfred T. Stanford Middle School. He graduated from Sewanhaka High School in 1970, where he would return after graduation from college to begin his career in education.
As he retired from the superintendent’s office he has held for the past five years on June 30, Meierdiercks said leaving the job would be a “bittersweet” occasion.
“I’ve had 37 years. I’ve had a fantastic run. I’ve been truly blessed,” he said.
That run began in 1974 when he started teaching business courses in Sewanhaka High School as a graduate of Hofstra University with a double major in education and accounting.
Meierdiercks spent eight years as a teacher and chairperson of the business department at Sewanhaka before being promoted to the position of assistant business administrator. He worked his way up, becoming business administrator, assistant superintendent for business and operations and deputy superintendent of schools before being named superintendent.
His career choice came at an early age, when he was attending grade school in Elmont.
“I always knew I wanted to be a teacher when I was in elementary school,” he said, noting that he still remembers the teachers who first inspired him then.
And even thought he’s retiring as Sewanhaka superintendent, the 58-year-old Meierdiercks said he’s planning to return to the classroom. He has taught as an adjunct instructor at C.W. Post, the College of St. Rose and the College of New Rochelle – a role he plans to resume.
“My heart is still in the classroom. So I’ll be teaching as an adjunct in retirement,” Meierdiercks said.
Meierdiercks said he’s proud of his 37 years in Sewanhaka, and particularly proud that the district, which has 8,500 students in five high schools, has a 96 percent graduation rate. Meierdiercks attributes that success rate to a “dedicated” staff of teachers and administrators throughout the district.
He said that shaking the hands of the 1,400 students who were graduated from the district last weekend was very important to him.
“That’s the capstone,” he said.
The past two years have been among the most difficult in his tenure as an administrator in the district, he said.
Faced with shrinking state dollars and rising costs, the Sewanhaka School Board voted to eliminate 15 full-time and part-time positions last year for a $1 million reduction in budget costs in the current school budget. That was part of a $2.73 million reduction in the 2010-11 budget.
In this year’s budget deliberations, the school board faced the prospect of eliminating as many as 50 positions. Meierdiercks credits the Sewanhaka Federation of Teachers for taking what he called a “bold move” in agreeing to a wage freeze in its current contract to help hold costs down.
So in his final year as superintendent, the board presented voters with a $162.2 million 2011-12 budget, a 3.81 percent increase from the previous year, with a 5.13 percent tax levy increase.
“For business purposes, it’s been the most difficult time. We’ve been fortunate to get the support of our taxpayers,” Meierdiercks said. “We’ve been able to maintain all programs for our students in a very difficult financial time.”
He acknowledged there are difficult times ahead, as the state prepares to implement a 2 percent property tax cap next year. But he said that’s not a factor in his decision to retire.
“I love my job, but at some time, you have to retire,” Meierdiercks said.
He said he plans to do some traveling with his wife, LouAnn, as they celebrate their 35th wedding anniversary this summer. He also plans to do some fishing and gardening, and he’ll work on straightening out his golf swing.
And he’ll fondly reflect on his career at Sewanhaka.
“It’s been a great run. I have no regrets,” he said.
Sewanhaka School Board President Jean Fichtl, the only board member who has been on the board through the five years of Meierdiercks tenure, said his financial expertise and experience in the district have been essential assets.
“He’s really been a pleasure to work with. His 37 years of history in the school district have been invaluable. He’s offered us a lot of insight,” she said. “He’s always worked for the best interests of the school district, the taxpayers and the community.”
Fichtl said he’s also offered to help his successor, Ralph Ferrie, in the transition as Ferrie takes the helm as superintendent.
“He was the right man at the right time,” said Fichtl, who encouraged Meierdiercks to take the position five years ago.
Two of Meierdiercks’ former students attended the retirement party the school board had for him three weeks ago. One of them had sent him an e-mail that said, in part, “All I can remember about you is that you made a difference in my life.”
He said reading that note was a reminder of what he feels he’s accomplished.
“That makes it all worthwhile,” Meierdiercks said. “When you can stand in front of a classroom of students and make an impression, and they remember you positively, that’s what makes me fell good, to know that I have had an impact.”
