At the April Board of Education meeting, the Board approved the resignation for purposes of retirement for Ms. Mona Hecht, Assistant Superintendent for Counseling, Student Services & Human Resources, who has served in the educational system for 34 years.

Ms. Hecht came to our district with extensive experience in the areas of guidance having served earlier in her career as a counselor and later as a leader of the guidance programs in the Carle Place, Sachem and East Rockaway school districts. Ms. Hecht also brought a unique perspective to her position as an experienced central office curriculum leader who worked closely with teachers and staff to address the needs of students and enhance the delivery of academic programs.

Superintendent, Jill M. Gierasch shared, “During her time in Cold Spring Harbor, Ms. Hecht enhanced the operations of the human resource department by streamlining procedures, recruiting the finest teachers and staff, and ensuring effective communication with our school community. She has supported numerous employees who have required special attention as they managed personal and family situations with sensitivity and grace. Her steadfast oversight of the department ensured that our operations consistently adhered to legal regulations, employee contracts and safeguarding the integrity of the Cold Spring Harbor School district. This work is tedious and she was just the right person for the job.

On top of these responsibilities, she also served in another critical role, essentially the Director of Guidance. Each day, Ms. Hecht was the first to arrive at work in the wee hours of the morning to ensure both of these critical positions received her full attention. Our students, social, emotional academic and career goals remained a top priority for her. She provided leadership and guidance to the counseling department to ensure our counselors were well equipped with the necessary resources to deliver personalized guidance to their students. This included facilitating academic planning, course selection post- secondary education advice and providing social emotional counseling to address students, personal and interpersonal challenges. Her newsletters, especially the Guidance Light, served as a tool for our families to stay informed and in touch with current trends and updates which were noted to have been shared with other families beyond CSH. Ms. Hecht has been the rock that many new administrators needed and came to rely on as they navigated their new positions. She has left an indelible mark that will be sorely missed.”

Thank you for your service and dedication to our district, we wish you the very best in your retirement years, may they bring you joy, fulfillment and adventure – Congratulations!