Stephen Ruland was elected as president of the East Islip Board of Education for the 2025-2026 school year during the annual reorganization meeting on July 1. Ruland was first elected to the board as a trustee in 2021 and served as vice president for 2023-2024 and 2024-2025.

Timothy Sassone, who joined the board in 2022, was elected as vice president. 

Michael Dorgan, who served as president for the last two school years, remains a trustee. 

Additionally, East Islip added an ex officio student board member this year, incoming East Islip High School senior Angel Mai. This non-voting, uncompensated position, mandated by New York State law, allows high school students to serve on a school board in an advisory capacity and make student voices heard.

“I feel pretty excited about becoming an ex officio student board member because this is a new start to the journey of my life, and I hope that I can help achieve new things,” Mai said.

During the meeting, Ruland, Sassone, Mai and Superintendent Paul Manzo were all sworn in by new district clerk Gigi Otten.