School Board Trustee Resigns

Carol Leister, who had served the Three Village Board of Education since 2008, has resigned from the school board effective Feb. 28.

Leister declined to comment other than to say she resigned for personal reasons. The school board accepted her resignation at its March 1 meeting, during which board president John Diviney reflected on her three years of service to the district.

"She’s a very valuable person in terms of being a former administrator," Diviney said. "She brought a lot to the table in terms of school and administrative experience and was just a real asset for us."

According to her district biography, Leister served as an assistant superintendent for instruction and learning for the Longwood and Eastport/South Manor school districts. She also taught classes on children's literature and educational administration as an adjunct professor at Dowling College, C. W. Post College, and Stony Brook University. She was elected to the board in a 2008 special election.

Diviney said while the board has the right to either appoint a new member or hold a special election to fill Leister's seat, the board will most likely choose to do neither since the next regular election is coming up so soon. He said a special election would have cost the district thousands and "that would be crazy." A final decision on the matter is expected at the March 8 board meeting.

If the board chooses not to immediately fill the vacancy, voters will elect four trustees instead of three during the upcoming vote. The regular three-year posts currently held by Diane Peritore, Frank McIntosh and Glen Whitney are on the ballot this year; the fourth vacancy will be for the remaining year of Leister's term.

Diviney said he does not expect the board's regular functions to be negatively impacted by Leister's resignation.

"It could potentially complicate a vote because you could have a 3-3 vote, but there’s no direct complication," he said.