Board, Residents Continue Pleasantville Principal Debate

A to-capacity roomful of community members grew impatient about 50 minutes into Pleasantville's Board of Education meeting Tuesday night as the board delved into its discussion of goals for the 2013-14 academic year.

Newly-instated Board President Shane McGaffey acknowledged residents who said they wanted to fast forward to the public comments portion of the meeting, but stressed the importance of the goal-setting session.

"We are very aware of what people think, we are very aware of what people are feeling, we live in this community," he said. 

Matthew Hammond was the first to the podium at about 9:10 p.m., where he told the board he had a document with "388 signatures from community members who support the petition" outlining a requested course of action for the board.

"We are addressing human resource issues, not one single person," he said of the petition, which as of Wednesday evening has 441 signatures.

Hammond implored the board to temporarily cease its current search for a new high school principal, set up "a plan of action" to find a new principal, among other steps; including reinstating current Principal Dawn Bartz (whose resignation is effective as of July 31) as an interim; and hiring an "independent consultant to investigate the events leading up to May 23," the day the board said the agreement between Bartz, the board and the Pleasantville Administrators Association.

McGaffey noted, "We did receive a resignation, we did approve that resignation, we reaffirmed our vote on that resignation and we are 100 percent behind the superintendent and I think that's important for people to know."

Other speakers, many who have also spoken out at the previous two meetings where Bartz's resignation has been discussed, reiterated Hammond's comments.

Bartz also took to the podium asking to be able to "defend" herself and presented the board with a proposal she said could be used to breach the confidentiality clause included in her resignation agreement without the district fearing legal action.

"If you would like to speak openly, because I don't know what you have talked about, you keep alluding to it. I would like to describe fully and openly, all of the issues surrounding my purported resignation," Bartz said. "I would be happy to waive my confidentiality, even if you gave information that did not name the person, as long as it is a firsthand account, if truly there is an allegation."

Some residents, though, praised the board for not breaching confidentiality and shared less-than-glowing opinions of the two-year administrator.

Maria Sullivan was among the last speakers who stood on line past midnight on Wednesday. She told the board, "There are a lot of people who aren't here," counting herself among those "who have a much different opinion."

"There are many people that felt [Bartz] was not up to the task," Sullivan noted, adding, "I do feel that the board is listening."

Two students who spoke earlier in the evening shared emotional experiences with friends in the high school struggling with drug addiction.

"I went to Ms. Bartz and I told her this was really scary and it made me feel unsafe," one student, who will be a senior this fall, said. "I couldn't understand how the faculty could be aware and...nothing was being done."

She continued, "I am not here to trash talk my principal, but I think in moving forward, I'll be here another year...I need to feel protected, like I am safe."

Superintendent Mary Fox-Alter shared yesterday that the searches for a probationary and interim principal are ongoing and she has started to form a principal search committee to aid in the former.

"So far, we have a preliminary list of community members who stepped forward," she said. "We are continuing to work on it."

Fox-Alter also shared the district has contracted with Southern-Westchester BOCES to aid in the search. Two consultants, human resources expert Dr. Sheila McGuinness and BOCES District Superintendent Dr. Harold Coles, "brought a great deal of information to the table," she said.

The board wants a candidate in place by its August 6 meeting.

Fox-Alter said there are so far 61 applicants for the probationary position, as well as a number of candidates for a possibile interim principal.

"And it's a really strong pool," McGaffey added.

Bartz said at the meeting that she has applied for the position.

Emily Persons, who was unanimously chosen by her peers as vice president Tuesday, said the board has received messages from community members with varying opinions for the past couple of months.

"We have to respect everybody in this community, not just that this people in this room," she said.

For further reading:
Pleasantville Community Comes Out as Principal Saga Continues (live updates from Tuesday's meeting)
Bartz Supporters Launch Online Petition
Community Input Part of Pleasantville Principal Search
Pleasantville Board of Ed Eyes New Principal by Aug. 1
Pleasantville BOE Reaffirms Bartz's Resignation
WATCH: Dawn Bartz Speaks After Board Vote