For Immediate Release - Half Hollow Hills

For Immediate Release
Contact:
Christine Geed
Coordinator of Public Relations
Half Hollow Hills Central School District of Huntington and Babylon
Phone #: (631) 592‐3174 ‐ Cell Phone #: (631) 398‐8044
Fax Number: (631) 592‐3951
cgeed@hhh.k12.ny.us
Half Hollow Hills School Superintendent Retires
Dr. Sheldon Karnilow, School Superintendent of award­winning Half Hollow
Hills School District announces his retirement.
After an impressive 43‐year career in education and most recently as
Superintendent of the award winning Half Hollow Hills Schools District, Dr. Sheldon
Karnilow has announced his retirement, effective September 1, 2011. In a letter to
his School District staff dated February 18, 2011, Dr. Karnilow stated, spending
quality time with his out‐of‐state grandchildren and the opportunity to experience
other personal and professional endeavors, for his reasons. “As my grandchildren
reach each milestone in their development and I am not there to witness them – the
first day of pre‐school, their first dance recital, the first steps of another grandchild
or the ability to be there when my latest grandchild is born – I stop and reevaluate
those things that truly matter in my life,” Dr. Karnilow stated.
A published author in the field of education, Dr. Sheldon Karnilow took his vast
experience and knowledge in the field and made a good School District into a great
one. As Superintendent of Schools for Half Hollow Hills, Dr. Karnilow built a
remarkable legacy of achievements in every aspect of district operations.
Fiscally, Karnilow made the financial health of HHH a priority – ultimately garnering
Half Hollow Hills with Moody’s AA1 financial rating, the highest in Suffolk County.
Half Hollow Hills was also cited by the Center for American Progress for its high
level of academic achievement in relation to its educational spending.
In recognition of his focus on technology, Karnilow was the recipient of the
American Association of School Administrators and Apple Computers, Inc.’s
President’s Technology Award and the eSchool News Award for Tech Savvy
Superintendents. Worthy accolades as Karnilow introduced the use of technology
throughout the District, including an award‐winning Eboard system, Connect‐ED
communication system, laptop technology for teachers program and a state‐of‐the
art and award‐winning website.
Of all the things that Dr. Sheldon Karnilow has accomplished over his career, he will
be most recognized and regaled for his commitment and dedication to every student
of Half Hollow Hills – being certain that they were all prepared for the 21 st Century
he began by assuring that his staff had all of the tools, training and support to get
their classes to the next level. With his trademark for the Half Hollow Hills School

District being a Triple A District, he left no stone unturned in each discipline –
Academics, Athletics and the Arts. Academically, he instituted the Nine‐Period School
Day, Achievement Gap and Rising Star Programs, Differentiated Instruction, Student
Roundtable discussion groups, and so much more. When he began as
Superintendent, approx. 600 Advance Placement exams were written each year.
That number is now well over 2,000. In the Arts, he brought a Broadway‐quality
theater experience to 5 th graders in the District with “Hills on Stage”
(2)
and offered high schoolers the opportunity to produce, direct and star in their own
musicals in an annual student‐directed production. Musically, Half Hollow Hills was
named one of the “Best” 100 Communities for Music Education in America. The
third “A” – Athletics also offers shining moments – HHH offers the most varsity
sports opportunities in Suffolk County, both High Schools
East and West received the School of Distinction Award from the New York State
Public High School Athletic Association for having 100 percent of its varsity teams
achieve the scholar/athlete status. HHH was also named the 2010 Top Athletic
Program in Suffolk County by Ultimate Athlete Magazine. Each of these amazing
achievements was under Dr. Karnilow’s steadfast leadership.
Lamenting on the Superintendent’s 10‐year contribution to the District, HHH School
Board President, Anne Marie Sorkin said, “Dr. Karnilow brought forward our rich
traditions from the past and moved us forward, developing and implementing a
world‐class environment in which students, staff, and community members have
grown. He has been at the forefront of reinvigorating the critical success
components leading our students into the 21st Century. For his vision and guidance
we will be forever grateful. We wish him the very best in his retirement.”
In his letter to the Half Hollow Hills Community, Dr. Karnilow said, “I realize that
everything that has been accomplished during my tenure in Half Hollow Hills would
not have been possible without the major contributions of our supportive Board of
Education and without our incredibly talented team of Assistant Superintendents,
faculty, support staff and parents who do everything possible to strengthen our
amazing School District and its wonderful children. It has been a tremendous
privilege to serve the community with which I have been associated for over forty
years.”
The HHH Board of Education accepted Dr. Karnilow’s resignation for the purpose of
retirement at its Monday, March 7 th Board of Education meeting. A search for Dr.
Karnilow’s successor will commence immediately.
The award‐winning Half Hollow Hills Central School District of Huntington and
Babylon provides educational services for students in grades Kindergarten through
12 and prides itself on being a Triple A District ‐ achieving excellence in Academics,
Athletics and the Arts.