A new superintendent for Franklin Square School District

The Franklin Square School District has found a new superintendent, and the Board of Education didn’t have to look far. Assistant Superintendent for Finance Patrick Manley, who has been working for the district for five years, was the favorite of parents, teachers and board members.

Manley was selected after a year-long search that brought together parents, faculty, community and board members as well as the district’s interim superintendent, Tony Pecorale. “It was a fully open search — the board went in with no front-runner or preconceived notion,” school board President Joe Armocida said. “We opened up the search, and once we got the applications back there were 10 to 12 people that we were interested in.”

Armocida said that Manley set himself apart with his familiarity with both the community and students during several interviews. He and the Board of Education negotiated a new contract that was ratified by both parties at the district board meeting April 6.

“I think this community is outstanding,” Manley said after being officially chosen by the board. “When the chips are down, this community really bands together and can make great things happen. I’ve seen some great things go on in this community, and I hope that by providing some stable leadership, we can continue that trend.”

After five years in the district, Manley is familiar with his environment — the students and teachers — but he came to education from a very different place: Wall Street. “I came to Franklin Square five years ago but had a finance background — I started on Wall Street in 1991, then eventually went back to school,” he said. “I consider it lucky that it’s a small district where I was able to work closely with people and really immerse myself in the business of education.”

Manley made the switch in part because he was more interested in working with children and schools as a result of his background. He grew up in West Islip, where his father was a superintendent and his mother was a teacher. “It’s kind of the family business,” he said. “It’s been something that is in my genes my whole life.”