Hempstead school district superintendent Regina Armstrong removed

Superintendent Regina Armstrong has been let go from her job as the educational leader of the Hempstead school district after a 4-1 Board of Education vote according to a letter the board sent to the community.

“After careful consideration and thorough deliberation, the Board of Education of the Hempstead Union Free School District has made the decision to part ways with superintendent Regina Armstrong effective immediately,” Victor Pratt, board president, said in the letter.

"This removal was not caused by anything criminal but the last incident in a series of incidents that contributed to the breakdown in trust between the Board of Education and the superintendent," Pratt said in a statement to the Herald.

Armstrong was the superintendent for five years, and she taught second grade at Joseph A. McNeil Elementary School in Hempstead since 1990, according to the school district website. She spent a total of 33 years — her entire educational career — in Hempstead.

This is the final year of Armstrong’s three-year contract, and officials said she was reassigned in the district and will continue to be paid throughout the duration of her contract.

Former district Superintendent Susan Johnson will be the interim superintendent through Oct. 9, according to officials, and the board is actively searching for someone to fill the role permanently.

“We want to assure you that this decision is in the best interest of our students, staff, and community,” Pratt said in the letter. “Our primary focus remains on ensuring a positive and productive educational environment.”

This is a developing story.