Exceptional Harborfields High School student-athletes and retiring Board member Suzie Lustig were recognized at the Harborfields Central School District’s June 12 Board of Education meeting.
Athletic Director Rob Franco began with exceptional athletic recognitions, honoring Harborfields High School seniors Haralambos Constantatos and Jill Newman for being named winners of this year’s Suffolk Zone Awards, given for excellent achievement in physical education, outstanding character and leadership in schoolwide activities.
Next, senior Kate Lysaght was recognized for being named a News 12 Scholar Athlete.
“Kate’s an extremely talented student who has always challenged herself with the most rigorous coursework,” Franco said. “She’s also a force to be reckoned with on the field as a two-time captain, two time All-County and All-State player. As the starting quarterback of the varsity flag football team, she earned All-Division honors in only her second year on the team, a first in Harborfields history. She was recently named the Harborfields Female Athlete of the Year. Kate also makes time for a passion for music, earning All-County recognition for three consecutive three years playing the flute. Kate received a $1,000 scholarship as part of the News 12 Scholar Athlete recognition. This will a long way to tuition at Muhlenberg College, where she’s committed to playing field hockey and majoring in biochemistry. Congratulations, Kate, on an incredible athletic and academic career here at Harborfields.”
Finally, Franco recognized the members of the high school’s 2024 inaugural Unified golf team. Harborfields is one of only eight schools on Long Island to offer Unified golf, which has been made possible through a partnership between the Special Olympics and Top Golf.
“We are pleased to share that our athletes took first place in each of their divisions and we are very proud of their victory,” Franco said. “Congratulations on a great season.”
Superintendent Dr. Rory Manning then paid tribute to Board of Education member and former Board president Suzie Lustig, who is retiring after nine years of service to the Board.
“Suzie was the board president upon my transition from assistant superintendent to superintendent,” Dr. Manning said. “It was the height of Covid, and those were really challenging times. I could not have managed without Suzie’s guidance or steady hand. I just want to say, congratulations, Suzie. Thank you on behalf of my team and staff here, for all you’ve done.”
“It takes a lot of time and patience to achieve the things we’ve set out to do,” Board President Christopher Kelly said. “It takes a steady commitment to make a positive change over the years. I’ve had a front row seat to watch Suzie at work, and I can tell you sincerely, her dedication and work ethic, week in and week out, are unstoppable. This ship is a slow-moving one and it seems like it takes forever to get things done, and our eyes are always moving forward. But at times like this, we like to take a moment and look back. I have a long list of things that we accomplished over the last nine years. Suzie was instrumental in the way the Board operates and the way we review policies. Her leadership through Covid, as mentioned by Rory, was outstanding. We have one-to-one Chromebooks and a coding program, late buses and curriculum changes. We’ve made significant changes to the arts, improved grade weights, added a turf field and communications. We’ve had the 2015 bond, 2019 bond, 2022 EPC bond and the 2024 bond. We added reading and writing programs, marching band, kickline uniforms, athletic uniforms, clubs, network upgrades, electives at the high school, CTE programs, TAs, librarians, psychologists, a tech director and a full-time assistant principal at Washington Drive. It is a lot of work, and Suzie’s fingerprints are all over this. Thank you on behalf of the Board and on behalf of all the thousands of students that you’ve impacted and the future students that are going to benefit from the work that you’ve done. Your impact is going to be felt for a very long time.”
“My name is a part of this group, but obviously it’s not just a one-person team,” Lustig said. “It takes a team and a collaboration with all of the administrators, building administrators, teachers and volunteers, PTA and HACO, all steering that ship forward. I thank all of you for the memories, and the support and love you’ve given me over the years. It’s been a pleasure to collaborate with all the teachers, the staff and my Board, and I will miss you dearly.”
Date Added: 6/18/2024