Letter To The Editor – BCS Compare and contrast…..

To the Editor:
As the first year of my three year term on the Berlin Central School District (BCSD) came to an end this past July I look forward to the great opportunities that await the children and our communities. I would like share MY thoughts while reflecting on this first year. Again, these are my opinions and do not reflect the opinions of any other BOE member or representative of the BCSD.
Our departing interim superintendent Brian Howard took the time in his departing letter to describe our district as “dysfunctional” and speculated on this “group” that is keeping us from moving forward in the best interest of the children! His message for the BOE and the community to come together seemed contradictory when his commentary was divisive in nature. It appeared to me that his frustration was driven by his failure to succeed in what he came to our district to accomplish. I have come to believe it was no coincidence that he was the only candidate available out of the five that were suggested to the board by Questar III as potential interims!
But let’s get back to the label of “dysfunctional.” Since July of 2010 our Board of Education (BOE) has addressed many challenges. Starting with our previous three and a half year superintendent’s resignation after creating more division than ever in our communities by closing two elementary schools and putting all the youngest children into a school that STILL has many health and safety issues. The board went forward and unanimously appointed Eileen Leffler to act as an interim superintendent until we could initiate another new superintendent search. Then a few weeks later the business manager the previous BOE had spent thousands of dollars training decided to resign as well. Again the BOE was forced to focus on the important task of replacing the district business manager and did so successfully and recently hired Bill Burke, to hopefully, permanently fill this position. Thanks to Bill and his sense of honesty and integrity the budget process this year was the most transparent I have ever witnessed.
As the 2010-11 school year began the news that an evaluation of the chipping and peeling paint in Berlin Elementary School (BES) had created an environment where our youngest were being exposed to lead dust in many of the classrooms in BES. Information the district had in its possession months earlier. The debate as to whether the levels were dangerous could go on endlessly depending on whether you use the measures put forth by the so called experts from the state and county or whether you consider the research of many environmental health experts around the world. The scientists who feel any exposure to lead by children and adults is dangerous and have argued for years the levels the state and county find acceptable are too high. The BOE had to make an immediate decision to address this crisis and did so successfully, even when the district legal counsel was in disagreement with the process. We were able to initiate a temporary solution that reduced the risk to the children significantly and we STILL need to take the steps to complete this project.
Soon after Eileen Leffler resigned and the need to find another interim superintendent led to Brian Howard falling out of the sky. At this time a serious commitment was initiated by John Greene, Bev Stewart and Liz Miller to find a permanent superintendent. The next major challenge was John Greene’s resignation from the BOE which left us with a split board and one side that refused to consider a special election or an appointment to fill the vacant seat, which was a violation of school law. I was sorry to see John go and have nothing but respect for Bev Stewart in her leadership as BOE president over the past six months. Her skills in communicating, leading by example, and mediating internal tension within the BOE was outstanding! She kept us on task while working through the budget process, which was really not that “grueling.” It only started to get difficult when we started considering cutting positions and those who were running for re-election refused do anything that might keep them from being re-elected. Even with the resistance we cut more than $900,000 from the budget with minimal impact on the academic program.
Other challenges that came up along the way included the so called, “Bus Strike” that never was a strike. The issues with the nomination petitions and the BOE election that should have had three current BOE members names removed from the ballot. Ignorance of the law is no excuse and accountability for district employees responsible seemed to be ignored. NYS School Law has a way of being used as a means to an ends when it is convenient for maintaining the status quo.
So here we are, forty plus meetings later being described by a departing administrator as dysfunctional. What he failed to recognize that under Bev’s leadership we faced all these challenges and more while keeping the district running and moving forward, no matter what your perspective.
At the July meeting the status quo’s appointed Gina Goodermote as our new BOE president. She seems to struggle with the responsibility and came very close to derailing our superintendent search in the final stages. She has big shoe to fill and should follow the examples of our most recent BOE president.
Today our district has a great opportunity to move in a more progressive direction. When it comes to educating children, being average or mediocre is not good enough. I am very confident in our newly hired superintendent, Dr. Stephen Young’s ability create a vision with the BOE that will allow us to be a district of distinction. A district that might encourage the parents of over 100 student that are either being home schooled or attending private schools to consider returning to the BCSD. A school district where children feel a sense of ownership of their schools and enjoy coming.
What I am asking all who care about our district and the children to do, is to compare and contrast the leadership skills of previous superintendents with Dr. Young’s skills, do the same when you consider our current BOE president’s leadership skills with past BOE presidents. Also when someone refers to that “group” ask them who they are referring too and what it is that makes them such a threat? If you do, you might find that these folks are your neighbors and want many of the same things you want for your children. We are just a group of concerned citizens that feel we can do better! In addition, compare and contrast your own participation in the affairs of BCSD and the education of your children. If you think you could do more, please come out and play a role in assuring that we all benefit from our children’s success!
John P. Nash
29 Agan Way, Cropseyville