After Queens North Superintendent Larry Pendergast transitioned into a new role overseeing teaching and learning for the city’s entire school system, a southeastern Queens educator will move north to take over his former position.
Current Superintendent of New York City School District 28 Mabel Muñiz-Sarduy will begin her new role as Queens North Executive Superintendent beginning Monday, Nov. 4.
“We thank Executive Superintendent Muñiz-Sarduy for her leadership in District 28 and look forward to the experience she will bring and the work she will do for the Queens North community in her new role as Executive Superintendent,” said First Deputy Chancellor Cheryl Watson Harris.
Since becoming district superintendent in 2014, Muñiz-Sarduy has served schools across South Jamaica, Rego Park and Forest Hills with a student population of approximately 42,000 students.
In this role, she increased student performance in ELA and Math, according to the DOE. She began her career as a teacher at P.S. 86 in Jamaica 30 years ago before working her way up to assistant principal and then principal.
“I thank the District 28 students, teachers, principals, parents, and parent leaders for their partnership and look forward to hitting the ground running in my new role supporting all of our Queens North districts and schools,” said Muñiz-Sarduy.
In her new role, she will use her experience to bridge the gap between district superintendents and the Queens North Borough Office, which perform tasks ranging from hiring and training staff to counseling and providing support for students with disabilities or those learning English.
In Muñiz-Sarduy’s absence, Seiw Kong will take on the role of Acting district superintendent starting Monday. She has served as deputy superintendent for the last five years and has 22 years of experience, serving as a teacher, bilingual coordinator, assistant principal and principal within the DOE.
The process to select a new, permanent superintendent will begin in the coming weeks, which will involve taking community input as Kong and Executive Superintendent Muñiz-Sarduy will begin meeting with district leaders and community stakeholders.
