East Hampton High School principal leaving district for new job

EAST HAMPTON — Frank Rizzuto, the principal of East Hampton High School for the past 18 months, has resigned and is returning to South Windsor.

The East Hampton Board of Education has scheduled a special meeting for Wednesday evening to officially accept Rizzuto’s resignation.

The board is also expected to announce a new principal during the meeting, according to a Live Feed on the school system’s website posted Superintendent of Schools Paul K. Smith.

“Look for our big announcement midweek on the next Principal of East Hampton High School!” Smith said in a post late Monday.

Rizzuto submitted a letter of resignation to Smith on July 9.

In the twoparagraph letter, Rizzuto said his last official day will be July 31.

“I am extremely appreciative of the opportunity to have served as the principal of EHHS and wish to extend my sincere thanks to you. It has been a pleasure to work with you,” he wrote.

“Likewise, please extend my appreciation and gratitude to the East Hampton Board of Education for the opportunity to serve.”

Rizzuto, who had previously worked with and for Smith, was the associate principal at South Windsor High School when he came to East Hampton in the wake of the sudden death of thenPrincipal John H. Fidler II in July 2017.

Rizzuto was hired as principal in November 2017, and officially began work as principal in January 2018.

He was credited with leading the school through a difficult transition, following the death of the muchbeloved Fidler.

Rizzuto is returning to South Windsor to take over as principal at the high school.

The current principal, Daniel Sullivan III, resigned in June to become the superintendent of schools in Putnam.

Sullivan had been principal at South Windsor for the past 10 years.

Rizzuto is married to a teacher; the couple is the parents of twin boys.

In an email Tuesday, Smith said the board would interview a finalist for the position Wednesday evening.

“We decided not to go the interim route, but to conduct an expedited search,” he said.

There were 28 applicants for the post; that number was reduced to 10 and then to three semifinalists, Smith said.

“I anticipate that (the board) will appoint (the finalist)” at the meeting Wednesday, he added.

South Windsor High School has an enrollment of approximately 1,260 students, versus the approximately fewer than 500 students at East Hampton High School.

South Windsor has roughly double the population of East Hampton.

By a coincidence, Michael Maniscalco, who had been town manager in East Hampton for the past seven years, began a new chapter in his career on Monday, when he became the town manager in South Windsor.

Rizzuto