More or less Guidance?

The Lawrence High School Parent-Teacher Association is protesting District 15’s administrative decision to merge the positions of Director of Guidance and Director of Pupil Personnel Services, claiming the responsibilities of both departments is too great for one person.

“Since Pupil Personnel Services includes special ed, and that seems like such a gigantic responsibility, there should be one person whose sole responsibility is PPS and one whose responsibility is Guidance,” said Penny Schuster, co-president of the Lawrence High School PTA. “[With the change], you have two important jobs that one person will have to juggle.”

District 15 superintendent Dr. John Fitzsimons and other administrators decided over the summer to merge the position of Director of Guidance and Director of PPS, and have one director responsible for each of the elementary, middle and high schools in the district, claiming it will streamline and improve services for all students. The Board of Education approved the measure. But PTA members are concerned that the high school requires a director strictly dedicated to Guidance, as the college application process is long and involved. Fitzsimons did not return multiple phone calls requesting comment prior to the Herald's deadline on Tuesday night.

The current high school director of Guidance, Dr. Jay Silverstein, resigned after he refused to accept a combined position. “My position, director of Guidance and support services, was eliminated,” Silverstein said. “I was offered the position of supervisor of PPS, which I did not accept. The position placed high school Guidance under the supervisor of PPS, which includes all special education oversight, in addition to all Guidance functions. In my opinion, the position is not viable for many reasons and cannot meet the needs of the students, families and faculty.”

Silverstein is planning to leave his job with the district on Oct. 31, and will effectively be replaced by Laurie Klein Gonzalez, supervisor of high school PPS.