People of Sayville: Ronald Hoffer, high school principal
![Ronald Hoffer is the prinicpal of Sayville High School. (Oct....](/_next/image?url=https%3A%2F%2Fcdn.newsday.com%2Fimage-service%2Fversion%2Fc%3ANDA4MDVhYTQtZTQyNC00%3AYTQtZTQyNC00ZjA3YzZi%2Fhoffer.jpg%3Ff%3DLandscape%2B16%253A9%26w%3D770%26q%3D1&w=1920&q=80)
Ronald Hoffer is the prinicpal of Sayville High School. (Oct. 13, 2011) Credit: Erin Geismar
It's the people that make a community come to life. And part of our TOWN FOCUS series this week, Erin Geismar will give you a glimpse of life in Sayville with quick interviews of everyone from community leaders to everyday people on the street.
Ronald Hoffer
Occupation: Sayville High School Principal
How long have you been principal here?
This is my third year. I’ve been with the district 11 years.
Were you in other districts before that?
I spent time in Deer Park and Sachem.
How would you define Sayville?
I think there’s no better defining testament to this community than the large number of educators who received an education here, still reside in this community and choose to send their children to Sayville Public Schools. That says something about this place.
Did anything surprise you about the community when you first came here?
I can vividly recall walking out onto an athletic field for one sporting event or another and feeling as if I had gone back in time to the 1950s. There was a strong sense of community, there were residents there ranging in age from probably 1 to 100. It was a very, very pleasant feeling that is validated time and time again every time we have an event. It really shows that the hub of the community are the Sayville Public Schools, and I’ll be biased here, the Sayville High School.
What’s special about this high school?
Well, I’ll plug something for the entire district. Something that has formed independent of the Sayville Public Schools is the recently formed education foundation called The Friends of Sayville. Currently, there are over 90 district employees who have volunteered to participate in a payroll cut, which will result in revenue of more than $15,000 a year. That money will all go back into the schools to enhance the opportunities for students K - 12. That’s something very, very exciting and we’re very proud of it. It’s a not-for-profit organization that will hopefully be around for many years to come and benefit generations of students.
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'Keep a little wiggle room in the budget' Back to school shopping is back and costs are actually down compared to last year. NewsdayTV's Ken Buffa and retail research leader Lupine Skelly discuss ways to save on school supplies.
![](/_next/image?url=https%3A%2F%2Fcdn.newsday.com%2Fimage-service%2Fversion%2Fc%3AOWRmMmM5YjktYzY3NS00%3AZjEwNjM2MjctNDJhMC00%2Fdsc_8619ininflation-broll-large-jpg.jpg%3Ff%3DLandscape%2B16%253A9%26w%3D770%26q%3D1&w=1920&q=80)
'Keep a little wiggle room in the budget' Back to school shopping is back and costs are actually down compared to last year. NewsdayTV's Ken Buffa and retail research leader Lupine Skelly discuss ways to save on school supplies.