In a significant turn of events, the Mineola school board has officially accepted the resignation of Superintendent Michael Nagler, who had been on suspension for nearly a month due to serious allegations regarding his adherence to the district's ethics code and his employment agreement. This suspension followed the tumultuous launch of a new digital system intended for use in the district's high school, which did not meet expectations.
Nagler's position became increasingly uncertain after an external investigation revealed that his financial investment in a private company he co-founded with his son was in direct conflict with the district’s ethics regulations. These rules explicitly prohibit employees from maintaining investments in businesses that could potentially interfere with their official responsibilities.
During the school board meeting held on Thursday, trustees unanimously approved Nagler's resignation, which will be recognized as retirement effective February 5. His contract was originally set to continue until July 2027, but the decision to resign has altered that trajectory.
In the wake of this development, Catherine Fishman, who had been serving as deputy superintendent under Nagler, was appointed as the acting superintendent. Fishman had already taken on this role since Nagler's suspension on January 8, with his suspension subsequently extended two weeks later.
"Dr. Nagler and the Board of Education have come to a mutual understanding regarding our differences," Richard Zuckerman, the attorney representing the board, shared with Newsday in a statement. "We are grateful for Dr. Nagler's contributions to the district throughout his tenure."
Under the terms of the resignation agreement, Nagler is set to receive nearly $512,000. This amount includes his salary through the end of the current academic year—a prorated sum of $181,576—as well as over $173,000 for unused sick leave and more than $149,000 for accrued vacation time, according to Zuckerman's disclosures to parents.
Having been a part of the Mineola school district since 1999 and serving as superintendent from 2009, Nagler's departure marks the end of a significant chapter for the district. Attempts to reach Nagler and his attorney, Jacinda Conboy, who is also the general counsel for the New York State Council of School Superintendents, were unsuccessful as no responses were received immediately.
Parents of students within the district expressed a mixture of emotions regarding Nagler's exit during the board meeting. Many emphasized the need for a professional search firm to aid in finding a suitable candidate for the permanent superintendent position.
"We haven’t undertaken this process in 17 years, so it’s important we take our time," stated school board president Cheryl Lampasona, reassuring attendees that they would proceed thoughtfully rather than hastily.
The investigation into Nagler began back in October following parental concerns about a controversial program named 'Build Your Own Grade,' which was implemented for eighth graders at the start of the academic year. This program was associated with a learning management system developed by Quave, the company Nagler founded alongside his son, James, a student at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Notably, the investigation determined that Nagler failed to inform the board about the formation of Quave, and he did not provide prior notice concerning its establishment before last September.
Investigator Nathaniel Nichols also concluded that Nagler breached his employment contract, which mandates him to keep the board informed about district administration and to notify them in writing if he engages in other educational endeavors.
According to Nichols’ findings, Nagler established Quave without authorization from the board and incurred personal expenses of around $10,000 to do so. During the investigation, Nagler, one of the 16 witnesses questioned, mentioned that he created Quave primarily for tax benefits and to protect his son from any liabilities. Interestingly, he had previously indicated a willingness to transfer ownership of the intellectual property to the district, as he considered the learning management system non-profitable.
Importantly, no district funds were utilized in the creation of the learning management system. However, Nichols noted that despite no immediate financial gain being realized, the potential for conflict remained significant. Zuckerman reported that Nagler had communicated in writing to the district that all student data and work completed by Mineola staff that he and his son had worked on "has been destroyed and cannot be retrieved."
Robert Brodsky has been a breaking news reporter for Newsday since 2011, holding degrees from Queens College and American University.
