At their business meeting on Tuesday, Jan. 14, the Malverne Board of Education was proud to announce that Dr. Maria Rianna will serve as the district’s next superintendent of schools, effective July 1, 2025. Dr. Rianna will replace Dr. Lorna Lewis, who is retiring at the end of the school year after five dedicated years of service to the district.
Dr. Rianna joins Malverne from the Glen Cove City School District, where she has served as Superintendent of Schools since 2013. During her time there, Dr. Rianna enhanced curriculum and implemented meaningful and sustainable professional development, resulting in an increased graduation rate from 74% to 90%. Additionally, she introduced new educational programs for all students and secured grant funding in excess of $3 million for the district. Under Dr. Rianna’s leadership, Glen Cove also passed the first significant bond in the district’s history, significantly enhancing the facilities throughout the district.
Prior to her time in Glen Cove, Dr. Rianna held numerous positions in the education field, beginning her career as a special education teacher. She then served in various administrative positions including as a dean of students, assistant director of special education, director of special education, deputy superintendent of schools and assistant superintendent for curriculum and instruction.
“After an extensive search for our district’s next leader, all of us on the Board are thrilled that Dr. Rianna has accepted our offer to serve as our next superintendent,” said Board of Education President Jeanne D’Esposito. “Dr. Rianna is an experienced and highly accomplished superintendent who fully embodies the qualities our community told us they deemed essential in our next leader. She has incredible educational expertise, full data competency and wonderful relationship-building skills. She truly values community engagement and has demonstrated strong cultural competence and humility. We are confident that Dr. Rianna’s leadership will guide our District toward continued excellence, and we look forward to welcoming her as a Malverne Mule.”
“I am honored to join the Malverne School District as its next superintendent of schools and thank the Board of Education for this opportunity,” said Dr. Rianna. “I look forward to meeting with students, families, staff and community members to build strong relationships and collaborate on our shared mission of providing an exceptional education for every child. Together, we will continue to build on the district’s successes and create new opportunities for growth and achievement.”