The Amagansett School was often in the news in 2024 due to an investigation stemming from the alleged theft of a gift card shortly before Christmas in 2023. “Our school community has experienced a great deal of emotional turbulence over this matter,” the school board acknowledged in a statement read at a March meeting and posted on the district website, saying it “believes that it is time to put this matter behind us and remain focused on the exceptional work that our educators do on behalf of students and families in Amagansett.”
As the district works to do that, two incumbents on the board — Wayne Gauger and Kristen Peterson — are seeking re-election, with a third — Joseph Karpinski —- a parent of three children at the school and a vocal critic of the board and certain administrators, also vying for one of two seats.
In the gift card incident, Maria Dorr, the principal since 2015 and a district employee since 2014, was accused of taking an envelope that did not belong to her from the mailroom. She was put on administrative leave early in 2024, bringing the 26-year educator’s career to a halt and confusing and angering parents and other members of the community.
In March, more than one year after her suspension, a hearing officer assigned by the New York State Education Department to determine whether disciplinary charges should be brought against Ms. Dorr found her not guilty and ordered the district to reinstate her as principal and expunge the charges from her personnel record. The officer, Timothy S. Taylor, said that the district failed to meet its burden of proof in establishing Ms. Dorr’s guilt; that one of its key witnesses was “not credible,” and that the former interim superintendent, Richard Loeschner, had “failed to conduct a full and fair investigation.”
The school board responded to that decision with a statement saying in part that it disagreed with Mr. Taylor’s decision but accepted it, and authorized Michael Rodgers, the superintendent, to “take the necessary administrative steps for the implementation of this decision.”
Wayne Gauger
Mr. Gauger, the president of the school board, is completing his first three-year term and is seeking a second. A parent of three students at the school, he said last week that the board is functioning well and he has learned a lot while serving on it. Mr. Rodgers, the superintendent, “has built a great team,” Mr. Gauger said. “We’ve got a lot of positive feedback and momentum, and we’ve got to continue moving forward.”
A graduate of the Springs School and East Hampton High School, Mr. Gauger is a lifelong resident of the town. He is a sergeant in the East Hampton Village
Police Department, where he has worked for 10 years.
With respect to a tax-levy increase, “the cost of everything is going up year over year,” he said. “It’s a natural thing for taxes to gradually increase. I hope everybody understands that.”
Mr. Gauger said that he could not comment on the accusations against Ms. Dorr or the outcome of the investigation. “Everything is going well, as far as I’m concerned,” he said. “Mike is doing a great job, we’ve got a great leader. Morale in the building is great, which echoes through the students’ performance. We’ve got a lot of positive feedback from parents.”
Joseph Karpinski
“For far too long there hasn’t been a voice of dissent,” said Mr. Karpinski, “and there is a bit too much groupthink. I’d like to bring the school back to its Blue Ribbon status.” (The school was recognized as a National Blue Ribbon School by the federal Department of Education in 2023.) “Even if you look at last year, they pierced the [tax] cap, fired teachers, and now hired more administrative staff. In my opinion that money could have gone more toward instruction. That’s been taken away.”
Mr. Karpinski is also a parent of three students at the school. “Obviously, with the Maria Dorr situation, you can put that in the category of ‘what a waste of money for this district,’ “ he said, adding that there has been “no accountability.” “Those are matters that still haven’t been dealt with, and they can’t be cast aside. From the outside, I can be a voice of dissent at meetings, but that’s not getting me anywhere. The only way to have substantial change would be sitting on that board.”
He pledged to “be that voice to question what is going on. I will be transparent with the community that still desperately wants to know how things happen at this school. There are great teachers, great students, great staff, and I want to make sure they are supported in each and every way they should be.”
Kristen Peterson
A 10-year member of the school board, Ms. Peterson’s two children graduated from the Amagansett School. “The learning curve is consistent,” she said. “Things change all the time and it’s our job to adapt to these changes.” The work is at once challenging and rewarding, she said, “as each year brings different aspects of leadership to the role, which I find very interesting.”
This year, “we successfully launched a STEM [science, technology, engineering, and mathematics] program that has already enhanced student engagement and learning, and we plan to continue strengthening and expanding it,” Ms. Peterson said. “New York State has made a huge push to increase student mental, physical, and emotional health. As a result, we have created a physical education program with two amazing teachers that are able to provide daily instruction to all students as well as support our classroom teachers and support staff in other areas.”
The board, Ms. Peterson said, “is responsible for policy and fiscal oversight. We rely immensely on the trust and integrity of our administrative leaders to follow established protocols, especially when it comes to issues that involve the safety and security of our schools.”
With regard to Ms. Dorr, “the board of education has remained professional and confidential throughout this matter and will continue to do so,” she said. The board, administration, and staff, she said, have demonstrated through their actions, values, and ethical standards “that we operate as a team, and [Ms. Dorr] is a part of that team.”
“At the end of the day, this was never about a $25 gift card but about trust. The Amagansett School Board will always endeavor to foster trust, accountability, and our commitment to act in the best interest for our school and community,” she said.