Former student, teacher elected as new trustees

Athul Santhosh is a 2025 graduate of Herricks High School, and when he begins his term as one of the district’s trustees on July 1, he will be 19. He will be serving alongside his former English as a Second Language teacher, Lisa Iucalano, who he had when he was in elementary school. She is a new retiree of the district after serving for 35 years and was also elected to the board as a new trustee on Tuesday, May 19.

Together, the pair is excited to start their terms at Herricks. Santhosh has taken the seat of retired Trustee Henry R. Zanetti, and Iucalano is replacing Trustee Jim Gounaris, who is also retiring.

“Being able to serve on the Board of Education with a teacher who genuinely changed my life, especially in the way I was able to communicate at the candidates forum, and throughout the years, that’s because of her,” Santhosh said. “Because of the skill she was able to instill in me at a young age.”

Iucalano said she is excited to work together with Santhosh for the students and the school district.

“I feel like everything has come full circle,” Iucalano said. “Never in a million years would I have imagined this scenario.”

After more than three decades at the district, Iucalano is looking forward to joining the board and to better communication with the community and more transparency for parents, students and faculty.

Similarly to Santhosh, Iucalano is a former graduate of Herricks. Throughout her life at the district, she said, she has been a student, a parent and a teacher, and said she will make sure all perspectives are heard by the board.

“I think the advantage of being a former teacher is that I can see what I have experienced, what works and what doesn’t work,” Iucalano said.

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Sathosh said he took inspiration from Herricks’ portrait of a graduate, which includes six C’s, one of which is collaboration. He said he will make sure that more students can get involved with board committees and give their perspective.

Source: LI Press