Superintendent's Retirement Formally Accepted by East Hampton School Board

During his first year as a teacher in East Hampton, Richard Burns was caught saying during a faculty meeting that he thought he’d “died and went to heaven.”

The longtime educator was referring to how he felt having left his tenure and 10-year career in Brooklyn behind in 1990 to travel out east with his wife and five kids to take an educator position at East Hampton Union Free School District.

“He and his wife are terrific people. They came here as a city folk, weren’t born here, but had that very positive attitude,” Board of Education member John Ryan Sr. said during a board meeting Tuesday night. “He sure as hell made this place better.”

Thinking back to that moment in the faculty room, the first thing Mr. Ryan said upon the resolution being read aloud to accept Mr. Burn’s retirement Tuesday night was: “I’m not accepting it.”

“I appreciate, Rich, your friendship and your ability,” he said, “and what you’ve done in every position.”

Mr. Burns, who lives in Springs, began his career in East Hampton those three decades ago as a special education teacher, and was named director of pupil personnel services before taking the position of interim superintendent in 2011.

Jackie Lowey, the only current board member to have been on the interview committee at that time, said the search for a permanent superintendent was definitely not a “pro-forma” one.

“It was a real search, and Rich from day one hit it out of the park and was so clearly the right person for that job,” she said. “Rich, it’s just been such a pleasure. You’ve really led the district masterfully and are leaving it such a better place than when you came. You’ve brought the skill of being able to have honest and difficult discussions. We’ve certainly had our share of those, and always emerged with a better solution than when we started.”

Mr. Burns was appointed interim superintendent after Dr. Raymond Gualtieri left the district for a job in Pennsylvania. When he was announced the chosen candidate in 2012, it was in front of a high school auditorium filled with parents, fellow teachers and administrators who stood and applauded, some whooping.

“We are gratified that Superintendent Burns will continue his long-term relationship with the district as its chief executive officer and educational leader,” then-School Board President Dr. Laura Anker said, reading a statement at that April 17 meeting. “We believe that Rich Burns will serve most capably the interests of all those who rely upon the district to provide accountable and responsible educations to our students.”

That’s a conviction many believe he more than upheld.

“There’s a lot to be said for somebody who has invested so much in our school and community to move forward,” current board President James Foster said.

He, too, thought back to the first time he interacted with the superintendent, saying, while not even a board member at the time, that at first glance, “I looked at him and thought: ‘They got it right.’”

“You just knew it was the right thing,” Mr. Foster said. “This is an odd feeling, let me tell you. It’s truly a sad day in my opinion.”

Mr. Burns said he wanted to give notice earlier this year so transition planning could take effect. But Ms. Lowey said the superintendent notified the district of his decision to retire nearly three years ago.

“You really did it right,” she said. “You gave us time to think about how we wanted to move forward with the district. I think this transition will be seamless. You will be missed, but I feel very good about the direction and the team we’ve assembled to move forward.”

Mr. Foster said the district is planning to have a contract ready for Assistant Superintendent Adam Fine sometime in January, as part of that long-term, four-step plan the district had in place when Robert Tymann announced he would leave that position last year.

“Adam is on the tail of Rich and it’s a perfect storm,” the board president said. “We’re in such good hands. The public needs to know there’s going to be no gap. This board has put a lot of effort into a plan. The transition period has been reduced to as small as it can be.”

Mr. Burns said he doesn’t doubt all the good the district is capable of in the future.

“Knowing the leadership we have in the tank … we have so many wonderful individuals,” he said. “We’re just in such a good place, continuing so many of the good things we started. I have to thank East Hampton so much to the opportunity it gave not only to me but to my family. This was a truly a wonderful place to work and will always hold such a dear part of my heart.”