Dr. Kishore Kuncham

Superintendent
Freeport Public Schools

Under the leadership of Superintendent Dr. Kishore Kuncham, the Freeport School District has made extraordinary strides in a relatively short period of time. During his tenure, Freeport achieved a double-digit increase in the graduation rate -- the highest in recent history. The district's science research program has produced contenders in the national Siemens Math, Science & Technology Competition for the past two years.

Kuncham's fiscal prudence and long-term planning not only enabled Freeport to safely weather our nation's recent economic downturn, but also dramatically improved the district's bond rating to "AA," ranking it among the top six districts in the state. Out of 700 school districts audited by the State Comptroller's Office, Freeport was one of only 39 to have a flawless report.

"Dr. Kuncham is a strong and caring leader, a visionary and a fierce advocate for children," wrote his Education Partner Award nominator. "He is a champion of public education who holds himself to the highest moral and ethical standards. He leads with the interest of our children at heart."

Kuncham has served the Freeport School District for 18 years, moving into his current position from the offices of assistant superintendent and deputy superintendent respectively. His leadership roles also extend outside the district. He has served as president of both the National Association of State Budget Officers and the New York Schools Insurance Reciprocal's Board of Governors. He is a board member of Reform Educational Finance Inequities Today, United Way of Long Island and the Cradle of Aviation Museum's Advisory Board. He is president of the India Association of Long Island and was honored by the County Executive with the India Independence Day Award, the Salvation Army's Citizen of the Year Award and the International Eagle Award, among others.

A tireless advocate for the students of Freeport, he regularly solicits the help of key policymakers from the state senate and assembly. He chairs numerous community action groups to build grassroots support for public education.

The first Indian-American school superintendent in New York State, Kuncham and his wife Raji live in North Bellmore and have two sons.