Wilson Elementary School’s interim principal to remain in role permanently

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Jim Duffy, who was named interim principal of Francis F. Wilson Elementary School last August, a week after Thomas Ricupero announced he would retire, will remain in that role, Superintendent William Johnson announced last week.

Johnson shared the news during the Rockville Centre Board of Education’s March 6 meeting, noting that though the school district looked at other candidates for more than a month, it was best for Duffy to continue in his current role.

“We had some really incredibly good candidates,” Johnson said, “but I am very, very pleased to say that at the end of the day, the experience that has been provided to us by Mr. Duffy was one that we felt needed to be married to the Wilson school for a long period of time.”

Duffy, who lives in Lindenhurst with his wife and three children, joined Jennie E. Hewitt Elementary School in 2003. There, he served as a fourth- and fifth-grade teacher, as well as the school’s academic facilitator at Hewitt, handling certain administrative duties for the principal, like scheduling.

Duffy was also a teacher for the district’s STELLAR — success in technology, enrichment, library, literacy and research — program. Additionally, he served as the director of Project Great, a before- and after-school program in all five elementary schools, and has been principal of the district’s summer program for the last four years.

Johnson’s announcement was met with applause from meeting attendees, and Duffy approached the microphone.

“I’d like to start by thanking Dr. Johnson and the board for this great opportunity and for all your support in the last few months,” he said. “Wilson is a wonderful school with some really great teachers and some incredible students. I’m very excited to be part of the team, and I look forward to working there for many, many years.”