Assistant Superintendent for Human Resources

Hello, 

My name is Joseph Maisano, and I am the Assistant Superintendent for Human Resources. I wanted to take the time to write this letter to introduce myself to our school community. For those of you that do not know me, I have been fortunate to spend the majority of my career as an educator here in Plainedge. In 2004, I was hired as a teacher at Sylvia Packard School and within weeks of beginning my career as a new teacher, I marched alongside hundreds of community members to our brand new Plainedge Middle School.

During my 10 years at the Middle School, I was a special education teacher in various settings and grades. I also spent much time as a coach, club advisor, and academic coordinator. In the Summer of 2014, I entered administration here as the Assistant Director of Special Education. In this role, I supported teachers, fellow administrators, and most importantly our students and their families from Kindergarten through 12th Grade within the complex world of Special Education. In 2016, I was promoted to the Director position within the Department. In my time as a Special Education administrator, I had the privilege of working alongside our talented staff to support struggling learners with a focus on meeting the needs of each individual learner.

In 2020, I was appointed as the Principal of John H. West Elementary School here in Plainedge. My years as the West Principal were incredibly rewarding, and I truly enjoyed the daily interactions with our youngest learners and their families. Having the opportunity to work collaboratively with the dedicated educators and support staff at West to meet the needs of each and every child was both an honor and a privilege. I spent six years as the West Principal striving to provide a productive and fun environment for students to thrive during the foundational years of their educational journey. 

In addition to the responsibilities of my professional life, I am a proud husband and father of three young children, an 8th, 4th and 2nd Grader.  My wife is an educator as well in our neighboring Farmingdale School District. Having school aged children has given me the perspective that I need to always make decisions that are student-centered. In Plainedge, our goal is to provide innovative and rigorous academics through a comprehensive approach that considers the whole child. We maintain high standards for all students while focusing on their social-emotional well-being. We partner with our families to help mold young individuals into kind, compassionate, respectful, hard-working, and contributing members of society. 

In 2024, I was appointed to my current position as Assistant Superintendent for Human Resources.  My focus here is to support the entire staff, so they are well prepared to provide all Plainedge children with the education that they deserve. Education is the foundation for the future, so the responsibility that we have as educators is an important one, and I assure you that we do not take this responsibility lightly. As a school community, we put forth much effort each and every day to create a safe, nurturing, and enriching environment for your children; one in which they feel cared for and inspired to be unique and to take risks.

I look forward to seeing you around our schools, as well as events throughout the District. Plainedge has been my home away from home for the better portion of my adult life, and I look forward to continuing to support this incredible community.

Sincerely,

Joseph A. Maisano