Ward Melville principal William Bernhard placed on administrative leave
The principal of Ward Melville High School in East Setauket has been placed on leave, officials in the Three Village School District confirmed, and an interim leader has been named.
William Bernhard, who served as principal of the high school, was placed on administrative leave “effective immediately,” according to a letter Superintendent Kevin Scanlon sent to the community Tuesday. The Board of Education on Wednesday approved naming Paul Gold, an assistant principal, as acting principal. An investigation is underway, district officials confirmed. They declined further comment.
According to Newsday’s database of educator salaries, Bernhard earned $233,250.08 in 2022-23 as principal in the Three Village School District and $76,579.84 from Stony Brook University where the university website listed him as teaching math.
He could not be reached for comment Thursday. Ward Melville has about 1,500 students, state records showed.
Parents said he made a positive impact on children for the years he was in the district.
Dr. Lauren Zaretsky of East Setauket has three children who all graduated from the school district and had Bernhard as either their math teacher, junior high school principal or high school principal. Zaretsky said Thursday that Bernhard was an excellent educator, who helped guide her children to success. She feels that he should not be treated the way the district and the board is treating him right now.
“He was a major reason why we felt so positively about the district. He was one of those people,” she said. "A true 'educator.'"
In 2017, Bernhard, who was principal of P.J. Gelinas Junior High School in Three Village, spoke to Newsday about the state’s geometry exam and said at the time that he was also an adjunct math lecturer at Stony Brook.
Bernhard has been a longtime educator in the district and, according to a Newsday story, he pledged in the 2015-16 school year to "guest teach" classes in every subject offered at the junior high school. It was in his second year as principal of the school.
He is also a former math teacher who previously served as math chairman at the high school.
Joie Tyrrell is a Long Island native and covers education for Newsday, where she has worked since 1998.
