Chris Hender Fully Engaged as New Year Begins

As the summer vacation dwindles down to its final days, Christopher J. Hender is fully engaged in his work as Huntington UFSD’s deputy superintendent, juggling a variety of roles while wearing an assortment of related hats. He’s typically at his desk prior to 7 a.m. and rarely takes a break during the day.

Mr. Hender was promoted and appointed to the position deputy superintendent at the June 3, 2024 meeting of the Huntington School Board. His position encompasses human resources, transportation, student registration and numerous other areas and aspects of district operations. Prior to his appointment as deputy superintendent, he had been an assistant superintendent.

Mr. Hender obtained undergraduate (child study with a concentration in speech) and graduate (literacy) degrees at St. Joseph’s College in Patchogue in 2008 and 2012, respectively. He earned an advanced graduate certificate in educational leadership at Stony Brook University in August 2017. He obtained a second master’s degree in educational finance at Georgetown University in 2023.

A district resident, Mr. Hender is a supporter of Huntington UFSD’s many co-curricular and extracurricular programs. He can be seen rooting for Blue Devil teams just as hard as the most enthusiastic fan.

Huntington’s HR office is staffed in spartan fashion by just one other employee; Jeanne Dunn. She’s just as hardworking as Mr. Hender and the pair bring new meaning to the term “organizational skills.”

A member of Huntington’s faculty corps since February 2008, Mr. Hender served as a fifth grade inclusion teacher at Woodhull Intermediate School. He also worked with third graders in the district’s summer special education program for many years.

A district delegate to the New York State Teachers’ Retirement System for four years, Mr. Hender served for two years as the secretary of the Associated Teachers of Huntington, the professional organization of the district’s teachers. He was the ATH’s local action project coordinator for three years, helping to develop community events, among other responsibilities.

Woodhull School’s central treasurer for seven years, Mr. Hender managed the building’s extracurricular accounts, including the drafting and approval of all checks drawn and the depositing of all monies generated through fundraising activities.

During his teaching career in the district, Mr. Hender received grants from the Huntington Foundation and the Special Education PTA. He earned SEPTA’s Distinguished Service Award in 2016. He was a New York State United Teachers delegate for four years.

While a teacher at Woodhull School, Mr. Hender helped lead the planning and coordination of fifth grade educational field trips, served as faculty advisor for the newspaper club and organized community service projects for the student council.