I would like to take the time to thank everybody who went to bat for me and spoke or wrote in my behalf at the board of ed meeting July 1.

Thirty-one years ago I first came to Glen Cove to take my first teaching position. Being from New Jersey, this was only going to be for one year, until I found a position closer to home. During that year I saw what a close-knit community Glen Cove was, which reminded me a lot of the town that I grew up in. Even though I had positions offered to me back home, I always found a reason why I wanted to stay at Glen Cove High School. After four years of commuting here, my wife and I decided to move to Long Island. Eventually, we bought a house in Glen Cove where we raised our family.

It is 31 years later and I am still teaching and coaching in Glen Cove. I look back on the years and feel very fortunate to say I am a resident of the community. Glen Cove is a community that always supports its own. I have seen that over and over throughout the years. Whenever one of their own needs help, people always stepped forward to lend a hand.

I witnessed this firsthand; former players, parents and others coming out in support of me. You can work a job a lifetime and never realize what people might think of you or of your lifelong work. I am fortunate to witness this for myself. I thank everyone for their support.