Middle Country Central School District students, family, board members, administrators, faculty, staff, and community members recently gathered at the Dr. Karen J. Lessler District Conference Center located in Centereach High School to honor the late Dr. Karen J. Lessler during a solemn and heartfelt dedication ceremony.
“We are grateful to be able to dedicate the District’s conference center in honor of Dr. Lessler,” said Dr. Roberta Gerold, Superintendent of Middle Country Central School District. “Her passion for her community, students, education, and family was limitless. It’s reassuring to know that visitors who pass by or visit this conference center will have a moment to remember Dr. Lessler and reflect on her legacy as a great educator, mother, wife, and friend. I especially want the members of the Lessler family who are with us this evening to know that Karen’s impact on this district and community will be felt for generations to come.”
Dr. Lessler served on the Middle Country Central School District Board of Education for over twenty years. She held the position of president of the Board for eighteen years. During her tenure on the Board, Dr. Lessler received numerous awards and recognition, including the Person of the Year Award in 2006, Volunteer of the Year in 2008, Teacher of the Year by the Veterans of Foreign Wars in 2006 and 2015, the Education Award at the 28th Annual Women’s Recognition, the Town of Brookhaven and the Nassau-Suffolk School Boards Association Distinguished Service Award in 2015. Dr. Lessler was also invited to interview and nominated by the Senate and Assembly Education Committee for an at-large Board of Regent position in 2015 and served as the Long Island spokesperson for St. Jude’s Children’s Research hospital for 10 years. The Middle Country Central School District dedicated the District Conference Center to Dr. Lessler in recognition of her over twenty years of devotion and service to the district.
“It was heartwarming to see everyone who gathered to honor Dr. Lessler. She was a leader and a friend who served our students and community for over 20 years with compassion, intelligence, vision, and heart,” said Board President Dawn Sharrock. “Thank you to Legislator Nick Caracappa, Ron Edelson of ZE Creative Communications, and Danny Haffel of Johnson Controls Inc. for their generous donations that allowed the memorial plaque in Dr. Lessler’s honor to be created.”
