Hewlett-Woodmere Superintendent Ralph Marino Jr. to retire 2025
Ralph Marino Jr. will say goodbye to the Hewlett-Woodmere school district next year.
The superintendent announced he would step down, effective Aug. 31, 2025, at the July 1 board meeting on July 1.
“On behalf of the Board of Education, I extend my deepest gratitude to Dr. Ralph Marino Jr. for steering our District with unwavering passion and dedication to education and our community,” Debra Sheinin, president of the Hewlett-Woodmere Board of Education said. “We are profoundly grateful for his service and wish him all the best in his well-deserved retirement.”
He has been a part of Hewlett-Woodmere since 2015, when he started as superintendent.
“It has been an honor and privilege to serve the Hewlett-Woodmere Public Schools as its Superintendent for what will be ten years,” Marino Jr. wrote in a news release. “I am so fortunate that my career in education provided me the opportunity to develop meaningful relationships with the students, staff, parents, community, and Boards of Education of Hewlett-Woodmere.”
Marino Jr. led the district through Covid-19.
“Together, we will navigate this storm and emerge once again as the unparalleled, compassionate, and extraordinary community of Hewlett-Woodmere,” Marino Jr. wrote in a 2020 letter to the community.
Marino helped to bring the Microsoft Translation tool to Hewlett-Woodmere, to help bridge language gaps between teachers and district families.
“Our goal is to establish and simplify two-way communication between district staff and parents in languages other than English,” Marino wrote in a 2022 press release when the program launched.
He has held community round tables where he discusses district planning, gives updates on extra-curricular offerings and answers parent questions.
Marino, Jr. has 33 years of education experience. His previous roles included superintendent of Horseheads Central School District in Chemung County for nine years and Hunter-Tannersville Central School District in Greene County.
He held principal roles at Hunter-Tannersville Middle School and High School. Marino was also summer school principal at the Ravena-Coeymans-Selkirk Central School District in Ravena.
Before administration, Marino Jr. taught eighth grade and 12th grade social studies for three years and fourth grade for two.
“I welcomed the opportunity to join a high performing district, one that offers vast opportunities for students, regardless of their interests,” Marino Jr. said in 2015 when joining the district. “On a personal level, Hewlett-Woodmere is a great place to raise my youngest child. My Family is thrilled at the opportunity to live so close to both New York City and some of the best beaches on the East Coast.”
The district has started a nationwide search for the next district superintendent.
“For the next fourteen months, I will work alongside the District’s exceptional staff to continue to provide outstanding educational experiences for all students,” Marino wrote in a statement to the Herald. “I look forward to spending as much time as possible with our incredible students in their classrooms and at their activities and events throughout the 2024-2025 school year. I also plan to assist the Board of Education in ensuring a smooth transition for my successor.”
