Superintendent Search Updates
April 9, 2025
Merrick Board of Education announces Diana Ketcham as next
Superintendent of Schools
At their business meeting on Tuesday, April 8, the Merrick Board of Education was proud to announce that Diana Ketcham will serve as the district’s next superintendent of schools, effective July 1, 2025. Ms. Ketcham will replace Dr. Dominick Palma, who is retiring at the end of the school year after serving as the Merrick superintendent for the past 13 years.
Ms. Ketcham joins Merrick from the Half Hollow Hills Central School District, where she has served as the assistant superintendent for elementary education since 2018. In that role, Ms. Ketcham led all facets of instruction and curriculum, while supporting staff, students and families with dedication and care. As assistant superintendent, she collaborated with colleagues to develop a long-term perspective on students' educational journeys and how to best plan for their fundamental elementary years and beyond. Under Ms. Ketcham’s leadership, Half Hollow Hills implemented award-winning programs, and its elementary schools have been rated No. 1 in Suffolk County by Niche.com.
Prior to her time as assistant superintendent for elementary education, Ms. Ketcham held numerous positions in the education field, beginning her career as an elementary teacher in the Babylon School District, where she taught primary and intermediate grades, as well as general education students and students with disabilities. Ms. Ketcham then went on to serve as principal in both the Bayport-Blue Point and Hicksville school districts. In both districts, her leadership was marked by innovation, strong school-community partnerships and a focus on the whole child.
“After an extensive search for our district’s new leader, we are pleased to welcome Ms. Ketcham as our next superintendent,” said Board of Education President Jill Levine. “Ms. Ketcham embodies all the qualities that our community deemed essential in its next leader. I am confident that she will lead our district with integrity, vision and a deep commitment to excellence. Her collaborative approach and proven track record in educational leadership make her the ideal choice to guide us into the future.”
“I am honored and privileged to join this exceptional school district,” said Ms. Ketcham. “As I step into this important leadership role, I do so with a deep sense of responsibility and commitment to the entire Merrick school community. I look forward to working with our incredible educators, our dedicated families, and, most importantly, our bright and talented students. Together, we will ensure all students receive the support, opportunities and inspiration they need to succeed and thrive.”
Ms. Ketcham holds a bachelor’s degree from SUNY Old Westbury and a master’s degree and school district administrator certificate from Stony Brook University. She has also completed additional leadership training through both Columbia University and Harvard University’s Principal Institute. Ms. Ketcham’s work in education has been recognized with several honors, most recently including the Champion of Education Award from SUNY Old Westbury, which acknowledged her exceptional leadership and impact in the field of education
February 27, 2025
Letter from the BOE re: Superintendent’s Search Update
Dear Merrick School Community,
We hope this letter finds you well and that your family enjoyed the mid-winter recess last week. As you know, as a Board, we have actively been engaged in a search for our next superintendent of schools. We would once again like to thank those residents who participated in the survey and community forum in late fall, as your input was invaluable for us in shaping our candidate profile. We have been thorough and thoughtful throughout this process as we seek a leader who will continue to advance the success of our students.
To update you on where our search process stands, the application phase for candidates officially closed on Feb. 14. We are pleased to share that we received responses from a pool of applicants who were highly qualified. School Leadership, the professional search firm assisting with this process, has carefully screened all appropriate candidates.
In consultation with School Leadership, the Board of Education has selected a list of candidates to move forward to the interview phase. These initial interviews with Board members will be conducted by mid-March. Following this round, finalists will be invited for a second interview before the Board selects the intended candidate.
We will continue to provide updates as the process progresses and appreciate your ongoing support and engagement.
Sincerely,
Merrick Board of Education
Jill Levine, President
Linda Wilk, Vice President
Nancy Kaplan, Trustee
Gina Piskin, Trustee
Jennifer Schatzman, Trustee
Nicole Venditti, Trustee
Butch Yamali, Trustee
November 22, 2024
Community Input Wanted re: New Superintendent – Please Participate!
The Merrick School District values the input of our community as we begin the important process of selecting a new superintendent. We want to ensure the next leader of our schools reflects the priorities and aspirations of our parents, staff members and community residents. As reminder, the district will host a community forum on Monday, Nov. 25 at 7 p.m. at Levy Lakeside School in the Lion’s Den (cafeteria). The forum will offer an opportunity for you to share your thoughts, priorities and expectations for our next school leader.
If you cannot attend the forum, please take a few moments to complete the anonymous survey below, which will guide the Board of Education in identifying the qualities and characteristics most important to you in a superintendent. Your feedback is vital in shaping the future of our district. The survey will close on December 5, 2024. Thank you for your participation and continued support!
www.surveymonkey.com/r/merricksupt
November 18, 2024
Community Forum on Superintendent Search
Dear Merrick Community,
As a valued member of the Merrick school community, the Board of Education would like to invite you to participate in an upcoming community forum centered on the search for our district’s new superintendent. The session will be held on November 25, 2024, at 7:00 PM at Levy Lakeside School in The Lion’s Den (cafeteria) . We believe that your input is invaluable as we work to identify a leader who will continue to guide our district with excellence and support the educational needs of our students. The session will be led by consultants from School Leadership, LLC, the firm assisting us in the search process.
The forum will offer an opportunity for you to share your thoughts, priorities and expectations for our next school leader. Your insights will help shape the profile of a candidate who aligns with the vision and goals of our community.
If you are unable to attend the focus group, we encourage you to participate in an anonymous online survey to ensure all voices have the chance to be heard. Details of the survey will be shared with the community in the coming weeks.
We hope you will take part in this important process that will shape the future of our district. Your perspective is essential, and we look forward to hearing from you. Thank you in advance for your participation.
Sincerely,
Merrick Board of Education
Jill Levine, President
Linda Wilk, Vice President
Nancy Kaplan, Trustee
Gina Piskin, Trustee
Jennifer Schatzman, Trustee
Nicole Venditti, Trustee
Butch Yamali, Trustee
November 8, 2024
Board of Education retains Superintendent Search Firm
Dear Merrick School Community,
As you are aware, earlier this fall, Superintendent of Schools Dr. Dominick Palma announced his intention to retire at the end of the 2024-25 school year. We thank Dr. Palma for his 13 years of dedicated service and leadership to our district. His mark on Merrick is profound, evident in his commitment to fostering a supportive environment for students, families and staff alike. We wish Dr. Palma the best in his retirement and extend our heartfelt gratitude for his commitment to the students of Merrick.
Since Dr. Palma’s announcement, the Board interviewed three potential firms to assist us in our search for the district’s next superintendent. We have engaged the services of School Leadership, LLC, a respected firm that has conducted numerous searches for other districts in our region. The search will be led by former Merrick superintendent Dr. Ranier Melucci, along with Dr. Roseanne Melucci, a retired superintendent from our region. We believe that with their combined years of leadership service, along with Dr. Melucci’s extensive knowledge of our district and community, the process will be thorough, thoughtful and guided by a deep understanding of our unique needs and goals.
Throughout the search process, we will provide multiple opportunities for community input, ensuring our next leader reflects the qualities our stakeholders value. We will keep you updated about these opportunities and look forward to your involvement.
Please be assured that we are committed to selecting a new superintendent with the expertise, skills and passion to build on the outstanding work already underway in our district. We anticipate appointing a new superintendent in the spring of 2025, with a start date of July 1, 2025.
All information related to the search process will be posted on the district’s website, www.merrick.k12.ny.us. Thank you for your continued partnership and support.
Sincerely,
Merrick Board of Education
Jill Levine, President
Linda Wilk, Vice President
Nancy Kaplan, Trustee
Gina Piskin, Trustee
Jennifer Schatzman, Trustee
Nicole Venditti, Trustee
Butch Yamali, Trustee