Updated: Pleasantville BOE Reaffirms Bartz's Resignation

Note: This article was originally published at 9:42 p.m. June 18 and has since been updated.

Update, 1:30 a.m.

The board's decision not to entertain a revote on the agreement evoked negative reactions from some of the dozens of community members who remained in the library for the second session early this morning.

As the meeting was closed, Bartz, with a smile, hugged and thanked residents who had defended her and comforted a group of crying students.

Three board members stayed behind as others cleared out of the meeting and attempted to answer the lingering questions from emotional residents.

Stargiotti, who circulated a community email about Bartz's pending resignation today after he said he met with her over the weekend, reacted to the news.

"They are good people," he said of the board members. "I felt the process was mishandled, but in the end, they have to make those hard calls."

Update, 12:44 a.m.

In a second public session that lasted less than two minutes, Pleasantville's Board of Education unanimously voted not to reconsider accepting Bartz's resignation.

"We were well-informed prior to the vote," Board President Lois Winkler stated.

Directly following the board's decision not to revote on the issue, the meeting was adjourned.
Update, 11:55 p.m.

The Board of Education voted at 11:45 p.m. to go into executive session following the completion of public comments.

According to David Shaw, the school district's counsel, the board can vote to rehire Bartz if it chooses to do so.

The board is expected to address the possibility of a revote when it returns into public session.
____

Pleasantville's Board of Education has unanimously voted to accept PHS Principal Dawn Bartz's resignation this evening.

Following the vote, a number of residents, and students, have spoken in defense of the principal and continued to do so until past 11:30 p.m.

Student Emily Ultan, in addressing the board, said, "She is extremely approachable, she's friendly...she cares about the students."

Few details surrounding the two-year principal's departure have been made public by the district, though emails speculating about the issue have surfaced today in the community.

The board would only say an agreement has been reached between the board, Bartz and the union that includes confidentiality clauses.

The agreement, according Board Vice President Shane McGaffey, lists a resignation date of July 31, 2013 for Bartz.

Board President Lois Winkler noted the district has been compiling a "transition plan" for Bartz's eventual replacement.

As the board announced its intent to vote on accepting the agreement, parent Joseph Stargiotti stood in the audience and asked the board allow public comments prior to the vote.

Speaking at the podium for the second time later tonight, he told the board, "I am pissed off."

Joseph Riley repeatedly asked the board while to address the "process" that led to the agreement. 

"I am very concerned that Dawn Bartz is being pushed aside by interests who want things to stay the way they are...and we hired her to change that," he said.

Bartz herself also took to the podium when prompted by a community member.

There, she spoke about her love for the Pleasantville community and willingness to take on a second chance in the position. She admitted to perhaps implementing change too quickly, something she said she would remedy if rehired, but praised the high school's staff.

"I truly, truly feel like I am the community's principal," she said. "I would love for my children to be able to continue in the schools."

Her comments evoked a standing ovation and a long applause from the overflowing high school library.

View clips from her comments here.

"There is no question that if I had a second chance...you better believe I would be doing things a lot better, a lot slower," Bartz said.

A few who spoke, including former board member Dave McCullaugh, asked community members to "trust" the board's decision.

"I know what it's like to sit in that chair," he said. "They are trying to do what's right."

Maria Sullivan said, "I actually support Mrs. Bartz's resignation," alluding to negative experiences with the principal.

"They are not doing anything underhanded," she said of the board.

But the vast majority of speakers passionately defended the principal, who was hired two years ago with the support of a search committee that included residents.

Bruce Figler asked each the board if they had spoken directly with Bartz about any alleged infractions. While the board did not directly answer, when Figler turned to Bartz in the audience, she motioned that zero board members had sat down with her.

"Why isn't she allowed to face her accuser?" he asked.

Others, including Kat Nemec, also asked for answers.

"She deserves a chance," she said. "Give her one more year."

Some residents alluded to a claim that Bartz was faced with a choice to either hand in a resignation or face termination following a staff member's complaint; and later asked the board to consider rejecting her resignation.

Said Carolyn Sweeney in response to Shaw's description of the tri-party agreement, "It's not consensual when someone is forced."

Others wondered about the backlash of the board's decision in terms of attracting "quality" future administrators and affecting the district's reputation and perhaps property values.

Nemec told the board, "We will stand behind you if you do the right thing."

Check back with Patch for more soon.