A Long Island schools superintendent who had a summer side hustle as a lifeguard at Robert Moses Beach is in hot water over allegedly inappropriate pictures he took of teen lifeguards.
Islip Superintendent Dennis O’Hara, 56, is drowning in excuses after allegedly snapping the supposedly risqué shots and sending one of them to his bosses at the state Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation.
O’Hara, 48, claimed he did so to alert them that she wasn’t wearing regulation swimwear.
“My weekend lifeguard employment was called into question by NYS over the manner in which I registered a complaint about the way in which some lifeguards wear their bathing attire while on duty and whether they are in the official uniform,” O’Hara wrote in the letter to the school community, outing himself.
“The method in which I registered this complaint included a photo of a lifeguard on duty.”
But a local law enforcement source told The Post O’Hara only contacted his bosses after the female lifeguards learned about the photos.
“Once the guy’s called out, he’s saying it was all about the girls being out of uniform,” said the source, who lives in neighboring Bay Shore.
“That’s a good one.”
O’Hara, who worked at Robert Moses State Park beach since 1995, was asked to turn in his whistle July 26.
Appointed as Islip’s Superintendent of Schools in 2021, O’Hara will be paid approximately $327,677 for overseeing three elementary schools, a middle school, and a high school during the 2024-2025 school year.
It was unclear how much he was being paid to lifeguard.
O’Hara’s Aug. 2 letter, on district letterhead, adds he “followed the chain of command, seeking assistance in addressing an uncomfortable situation and something I believed unprofessional.”
He is looking forward to “the opportunity to present the facts to officials with the Office of NYS Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation and expect this matter to be fully resolved.”
O’Hara added: “While I believe my actions were appropriate, I apologize to the Islip Board of Education and the Islip school community for creating this distraction.”
O’Hara’s letter noted he was willing to address “questions about my leadership as your superintendent,” and added “I accept and will faithfully respond to any concerns that are raised. I remain fully committed to my primary obligations as your superintendent.”
The state agency would not comment on their investigation, only confirming to The Post he’s no longer lifeguarding, adding in a statement they’re unable to comment on personnel matters.
Islip’s Board of Education has asked the school district’s attorneys to investigate O’Hara’s “actions outside of the school workday,” emphasizing in a statement the importance of “how his leadership is perceived in our community.”
The law enforcement source said police were not investigating O’Hara.
O’Hara did not respond to calls or emails seeking comment.
