Beloved former Hewlett-Woodmere teacher dies at age 60

Robert E. Carp, a beloved social studies teacher in the Hewlett-Woodmere Public Schools for 38 years, died on April 9 at South Nassau Communities Hospital in Oceanside. He was 60.

Carp taught social studies in the Hewlett-Woodmere Public Schools from 1971 to June 2009. He started out at Woodmere Junior High School North before moving to Hewlett High School in 1980 and was chairman of the school's social studies department for 20 years starting in 1989. Beloved by his students, he was twice the recipient of the Hewlett High School yearbook dedication.

"Robert Carp was the epitome of the word gentleman," said Hewlett-Woodmere school board member Howard Weinick. He was a vital participant in the Hewlett-Woodmere community and I frequently bumped into him in the neighborhood."

Carp, a Woodmere resident, was co-advisor of the "Hewlett Spectrum" from 1980-2009, and with his co-advisor, Margery Kashman, helped lead the school newspaper to numerous local, state, regional and national awards. He was also active with the Hewlett-Woodmere Faculty Association and assisted with student government, including being a faculty advisor for the class of 1989. He attended every Sports Night and Cabaret Night (a fund-raiser for the Laura Rosenberg Fund at Memorial-Sloan Kettering Cancer Center) at Hewlett High School since these events were established.

That Carp had an impact on numerous students was evident during a retirement dinner held for him on June 22, 2009, with many writing testimonials of what he meant to them. Leslie Sheinberg Hartman, who had Carp as a teacher while attending Woodmere Junior High North, wrote in her testimonial, "He would always have a line of students waiting to speak with him after classes, because students felt he was approachable, and knew that he really cared about their well-being."

Kenneth Podell wrote in his tribute to Carp's retirement that it was his enjoyment of his social studies class that led him to major in the subject in college. "I remember feeling as though history was coming alive," said Podell of what he recalls from Carp's class.