By MIKE RUSSO
Potential superintendent candidates withdraw
As a result of a campaign launched against the East Meadow Board of Education and its superintendent search firm by an anonymous community-based group, two potential superintendent candidates decided to withdraw from consideration, leaving the board to decide to unanimously approve the appointment of current Superintendent of Schools Leon Campo as interim superintendent for the 2008-09 school year.
Campo was appointed interim superintendent at a June 10 meeting of the Board of Education at the Salisbury Center in Westbury, while a dozen residents gathered outside to protest the meeting, the purpose of which, they believed, was to hire a superintendent before two newly elected board members, Al Semonella and Diana DeVito, took office. Protesters claim that the school board conducted a confidential search for a superintendent in conjunction with the search firm, School Leadership LLC.
"We want to know that we are part of the team," said Robert Zafonte, president of the East Meadow Civic Association, who took part in the rally.
Semonella, who also took part, said that he was against the current board's hiring of a new superintendent because he felt that the new board, which will include Semonella and DeVito as of July 1, should have been involved in the selection process.
"What's the rush?" said Semonella. "We don't see why they can't wait. We feel like we need to be part of the process."
According to board President Deborah Coates, School Leadership LLC "presented the most qualified candidates for the superintendency based on actual experience in public education, current employment in a responsible educational position, qualities of character and demonstrated leadership in the field of education." Coates, referring to the fliers circulated by the protesters, said, "Under these abusive circumstances, these qualified candidates are reluctant to take the next logical step in the process which ultimately leads to an appointment." Coates added that the firm previously met with the community and PTA, including holding public meetings at the Salisbury Center.
"It didn't have to be this way," said Coates.
Board Vice President Walter Skinner had a similar opinion. Said Skinner, "I think it's a damn shame. We had two great candidates, one of whom I was ready to pick. This puts the rest of us in a hard spot." Skinner added that Campo is the best option right now as the board continues its search for a new superintendent.
Campo, who has 34 years of experience in East Meadow schools, had filed for retirement before the board recommended that he stay on, so he will receive a pension but will take a significant salary cut and receive no benefits from the school district. Campo is 65, so he does not have to apply for a waiver from the State Education Department to serve as interim superintendent. Campo said that he accepts the position with the board's promise that they will continue to search for a new superintendent.
"I had very high hopes that our search, which was done for the last year, would be successful," said Campo, who originally planned to retire at the end of the 2006-07 school year, but stayed on to help the district conduct its search. "I would not serve if a majority of this board did not support my interim superintendency."
The two candidates who withdrew, David Feller, superintendent of schools in North Merrick, and Martin Handler, district superintendent of Sullivan County BOCES, were interested in the East Meadow position until they began receiving hate mail from the community-based group.
Handler said he was optimistic about the position until he and others in his district started receiving mail that accused him of being unqualified and a drunk. He also said that there was information in the letters that could have been revealed only by a member of the East Meadow school board.
"I went into this process as somebody very interested, and apparently there is something going on in the community and the school board that is very destructive," said Handler. "It is very unfortunate, but it pretty much poisoned the atmosphere. I think that the students and community in East Meadow deserve better than what happened in this search." Handler added that it would have to be a very different environment for him to consider reapplying for the position, but he praised Campo for his abilities and wished him well.
Feller could not be reached for comment.
Campo will start his new term on July 1. He insists that he remains optimistic about the search for a new superintendent, and that whether the process takes a year or three months, he is ready to step down.
"My first love is East Meadow schools," he said.
