BOE candidates weigh in on new superintendent

On Wednesday, May 13, South Country Central School District superintendent Antonio Santana resigned from his position and the Board of Education immediately accepted the resignation.

“Santana has served the South Country community during a period of significant challenge and transition for the District. Throughout his tenure, he remained visible and engaged with students, staff, families, community members, elected officials, and state agencies, while working with the Board of Education and District leadership to support students and advance the needs of the school community,” said the board in a statement.

In recent months, Santana worked closely with the Board, District administrators, the State Education Department, the State Comptroller’s Office, NYSUT, local representatives, and other partners to address the district’s financial circumstances and help position South Country for continued stabilization.

“These efforts included corrective actions in business practices, increased fiscal oversight, difficult budgetary decisions, and advocacy that resulted in meaningful state support for the District,” said the board.

Upon his exit, Santana expressed appreciation for the opportunity to serve the South Country community.

“Serving as superintendent of the South Country Central School District has been an honor. I am grateful to have worked alongside dedicated educators, administrators, support staff, families, community partners, and Board members who care deeply about our students. South Country is a special place, and I will always be proud of the progress made on behalf of our children and community.”

Assistant superintendent of curriculum and instruction Jaclyn O’Hagan will serve as acting superintendent of schools in addition to her current duties.

The Board has appointed John Dolan as interim superintendent of schools effective May 14, 2026.

Dolan recently retired as superintendent of schools in East Islip after 11 years in that position. “Mr. Dolan’s tenure in East Islip has been described as ‘a renaissance of stability and growth’ for that district,” said the board.

The board is keen for Dolan to be able to apply his demonstrated acumen for districts in turmoil. 

“The District remains focused on supporting students, staff, families, and the continued work necessary to move South Country forward,” said the board.

With school board elections on Tuesday, May 19, The Long Island Advance asked the four candidates running for two open seats their thoughts on the Dolan appointment.

Specifically, “what are the most important strengths the new superintendent should have to help the district navigate the extraordinary financial situation the district is facing?”

Kenyanah Augustin said, “Given the extraordinary financial situation South Country faces, the most important strength John Dolan needs is fiscal transparency paired with servant leadership. We do not need a superintendent who hides behind spreadsheets or take zero accountability. We need someone who will open the books, tell the community the truth about where we are, and then do the hard work of listening to teachers, to parents, to the taxpayers funding this district. The second strength is courage to prioritize classrooms over bureaucracy. Every dollar we spend should be measured by one question: does this help a student learn? If the answer is no, we have to be willing to cut it. That is not easy, but it is what stewardship looks like. Mr. Dolan’s success will depend on trust. And trust starts with telling the truth about the money and putting people before politics. That’s what I will be watching for.”

Linda Brown said, “South Country needs a superintendent who leads with transparency, fiscal discipline, and a long-term vision. The district’s financial challenges were not created overnight, and they will not be solved overnight. John Dolan must be willing to communicate honestly with the community, work collaboratively with staff and the Board of Education, and rebuild trust through accountability and clear financial planning. Most importantly, the focus must remain on protecting educational opportunities for students while creating a sustainable path forward for taxpayers and the district as a whole.”

Michael Kellerman said, “As I am only running for the South Country Board of Education, I was not privy to the information that led to the hiring of Mr. John Dolan. I have to trust that the board did their due diligence in selecting him. I would like to publicly thank Mr. John Dolan for taking on this role under such dire circumstances and wish him nothing but success.”

John Muglia said, “I believe that Mr. Dolan is coming to us with great experience and understanding of what is necessary to cultivate trust and engage a community that has expressed doubt in a school district. He has helped guide other districts through financial hardships. These are the strengths that he will bring to South Country.”