Bellmore Superintendent Dr. Joseph Famularo announced Tuesday that Reinhard Principal Clifford Molinelli would be retiring at the end of the school year.
Molinelli, who spent 25 years in the Bellmore School District, started his career in three village and then moved on to Shoreham/Wading River for 13 years. After that, he took his first job in the area as a speech pathologist at Winthrop Avenue School.
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Next, Molinelli was shared in speech pathology at both Winthrop and Reinhard. He then served stints as assistant to the principal at both Reinhard and Winthrop before being named principal at Winthrop, a post he held for 10 years. He's spent the final five years of his teaching career at Reinhard.
“It’s just the right time in my life," Molinelli said. "I’ve had 39 years in education which I’ve thoroughly enjoyed.”
Members of the Board of Education wished Molinelli luck in his future endeavors, but added that it's a tremendous sting for the district to lose him.
"It’s a great gain to your family, but it’s a tremendous loss to the district," Trustee Jay L.T. Breakstone said. "To think that there are kids that will not have you watching over them…we’ll have to look long and hard to replace you."
As for what's next for Molinelli, he added that he has three grandchildren that he'd love to spend more time with, and he'd also like to travel with his wife. Additionally, Molinelli is interested in doing some volunteer work.
"You’ve been such a major part of this district for so many years, and you’ve impacted so many of our kids," Trustee Janet Goller said. "We’re going to miss you big time, but we certainly hope that you have a great retirement."
What are your memories of Molinelli in Bellmore Schools? Tell us in the comments section below.
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