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East Quogue School District Superintendent and Elementary School Principal Robert Long.
The East Quogue School Board appointed Kelly Fallon as interim superintendent and principal of the elementary school for the upcoming school year at an emergency meeting on Monday morning, August 8.
Fallon will step in for longtime Superintendent and Principal Robert Long, who died this week following a long battle with cancer.
The meeting was called after the community received a letter from Long last week announcing that he would not be returning this fall. Long, who has been battling stage 4 liver and colon cancer, said he was under the care of East End Hospice.
In his emotional letter, he told school district residents how much his 20 years at the helm has meant to him.
“It is with a heavy heart that I write to you all to announce that I will remain on leave from the East Quogue Union Free School District. When I first walked through the doors of East Quogue on October 16, 2000, my life changed forever,” he wrote.
“To try and sum up what these past two decades have meant to me seems impossible, but I will try,” he said.
“Whether it was a field day, faculty meeting, talent show, board meeting, pandemic, field trip, graduation or just a regular school day, East Quogue always showed up. Your love and passion for this exceptional community inspired me to be better, do better and show up, even on the hardest days. Getting to know your families and work alongside this incredible faculty and staff is something I’ve never taken for granted.
“Please know that, though these last four years have presented their fair share of challenges, we never gave up.”
Upon her appointment, Fallon offered support to families and staff.
“I’m here for you. I’m approachable. Ask me any questions,” she said. “Whether you see me here or in Stop & Shop, I’m the same person.”
Assistant Principal Kelly Freeborn said the district is part of the Eastern Suffolk BOCES employee assistance program, which offers a 24/7 mental support staff, and added that East End Hospice will also provide grief counseling to adults and kids.
“We have a wealth of resources, and when it’s appropriate, we will send those out to families,” she said, noting that East End Hospice has a list of resources available on its website.
“Anything you need in terms of support, we’re here,” Freeborn said. “If conversations come up in class, the teachers will have the resources to work through them.”
Board of Education President Chris Hudson added that surrounding districts have been “phenomenal” — in particular, the Hampton Bays and Westhampton Beach school districts. Hampton Bays Superintendent Lars Clemensen’s wife, Kim, is a music teacher in East Quogue.
“Right now, we’ve hired Ms. Fallon for the year,” Hudson said. “We will move forward with the process and take it step by step, but right now, our biggest goal is to get the kids in school and start the school year off successfully. Between Ms. Fallon and Ms. Freeborn, that will happen.”
Fallon has been an adjunct professor, kindergarten and first grade teacher, principal and superintendent for schools across Long Island. She was the superintendent for Half Hollow Hills Central School District from 2011 to 2017, interim principal at Harborfields Central School District’s Washing Drive Primary School from 2017 to 2019, and interim assistant superintendent for curriculum, instruction and administration in Harborfields and for the Oyster Bay-East Norwich Central School District before accepting the interim position in East Quogue.
Long, who asked for privacy “as we navigate this difficult time together,” said in his remarks last week that the continued love and support from the community had meant the world to him and his family.
“I would like to send a special thank you to our board of education. The future of East Quogue Elementary School is in great hands under its incredible leadership,” Long said. “Thank you again to this one-of-a-kind community for making this the best job in the world.
“I have been so lucky. See you out there.”
