Rockville Centre’s two newest district administrators began work on Monday, bringing different professional backgrounds but a shared philosophy centered on listening, collaboration and long-term planning.
Kevin Richman, a member of South Side High School’s class of 2001, returns to his hometown as assistant superintendent for curriculum and instruction after nine years as principal of Binghamton High School.
Richman succeeds John DeTommaso, the district’s interim assistant superintendent for curriculum and instruction for the past year.
William Herman, the district’s new assistant superintendent for finance and operations, comes from the Mineola school district, where he oversaw budgeting, facilities, transportation, food service, school safety and capital planning. Herman replaces Assistant Superintendent Jacqueline Rehak, who left the district in June to join the Garden City school district.
Rockville Centre Superintendent Matthew Gaven said the district sought leaders who could strengthen both its academic and operational goals, describing Richman’s instructional leadership and Herman’s financial expertise as an ideal combination. Richman’s return also reflects the lasting connection many alumni have with Rockville Centre, Gaven said, noting that the district’s influence often extends well beyond graduation.
“I think it speaks to the strength and the draw of this community in our school district,” he added. “Our school district does a tremendous job of preparing students for life after high school, and that resonates.”
For Richman, accepting the position was an opportunity to give back to the community that helped shape him. He recalled the impact teachers and staff had on his own education, and said that returning to the district felt like “coming full circle.”
“I gained so much from the staff, and I felt like it was my time to return home and give back the way people did to me,” Richman said.
Rather than introducing immediate changes, Richman said he planned to spend his first few months learning from teachers, students, parents and residents. Much has changed in the 25 years since he graduated, he said, making it important for him to understand both the community’s strengths and its current needs before he sets new priorities. His experience in upstate Binghamton, he added, taught him that successful leadership begins with listening.
“One of the biggest things that I learned from being a principal is listening with openness and really seeing where everyone’s at and what the needs are,” Richman said.
He praised Rockville Centre’s academic reputation, highlighting its instructional programming and International Baccalaureate curriculum. His goal, he said, is to continually evaluate how well those programs serve students while ensuring that graduates remain prepared for college, careers, military service and other postsecondary pathways.
Richman added that curriculum decisions should be guided by measurable results rather than personal preference, with student performance data helping to identify strengths and improve instruction, enhanced by open communication with the community.
“It’s not about making decisions based on what I like or what I want,” Richman said. “It’s based on the facts.”
Herman will oversee the district’s financial and operational responsibilities during a period when long-range planning and community engagement remain priorities. A Rockville Centre resident whose children attend district schools, Herman said that joining the administration gives him an opportunity to serve the community that serves his family.
“It’s a unique and compelling opportunity for me to contribute directly to the school district that gives so much back to me in the form of what it gives to my kids and what it gives to students,” Herman said.
His first priority, he said, would be to develop a complete understanding of the district’s finances before proposing new initiatives. That process includes reviewing previous budgets, revenue and expenditure trends, capital planning and reserve use while working closely with district leaders, the Board of Education and the community.
Long-term financial planning, Herman said, is only effective when it supports the district’s educational mission.
“A strong financial plan doesn’t mean a whole lot if it’s not integrated into the priorities and direction of the district,” he said.
Herman also hopes to improve communication with residents by drawing on his experience as a former elementary school teacher to make complex financial information easier to understand. Presenting budget information in clear, relatable language and creating opportunities for two-way communication, he said, would help strengthen public trust.
“Transparency is really the key here,” Herman said. “I don’t want to be making decisions in isolation, and I don’t want to be making decisions that folks don’t understand.”
Asked about making difficult decisions involving staffing, programs or district resources, Herman said those choices should always be made collaboratively with district leadership, the school board and the community rather than by any individual.
Gaven said that both new administrators bring valuable experience that will benefit the district as it continues working toward its long-term strategic goals. “They were both outstanding candidates,” he said. “The district is lucky to get them both.”
