By Anthony Rifilato
Only one parent, Umberto Thomas, inquired about a new principal
for Brookside and said parents felt as if they were still "in the dark."
"Kids are asking, 'Who's the new principal?', and we don't know,"
Thomas said.
School board president James Scannell assured Thomas that by the fall there would be an interim principal at the school while the board looks for a permanent replacement.
"In the next few weeks we will inform parents and bring them up to speed," said Scannell, who explained that the board will advertise for the full-time position and that the process would take about a year. In the meantime, the board has contacted an agency called SCOPE, an independent Smithtown-based organization which provides educational services and a pool of educators, to find an interim principle.
"We want a committed person for the job," said Scannell. By September 2003, Brookside will have a permanent principal, he said.
There is still no word on whether New York State Education Commissioner Richard Mills has acted on behalf of parents' appeals, or whether McBeth has acted on filing a discrimination lawsuit against the school.
The board also announced that a public relations firm would take on communications duties for the district when Public Information Officer Trish Hughes, who worked in Baldwin for six years, retires this September. The district awarded the $49,000 a year contract to BOCES/Syntax Communications.
"We need an entire organization to replace Trish, she's done such a wonderful job," Scannell said.
As the start of the school year approaches, the board addressed a number of issues concerning the district, including the canceled graduation ceremony at Baldwin High due to heavy rain last June, which many parents said could have been avoided with a good contingency plan.
"It does deserve examination, and we'll direct [Superintendent] Weiss to look into it," said Robert "B.A." Schoen, the board's legislative representative. Schoen said that any alternatives to an outside graduation for next year would be difficult because the date of graduation has already been set, but they would explore other avenues for the future. "We are saddened by what happened," Schoen said.
Other parents voiced their concern about everyday topics, such as student conduct. One parent, Anne Hannon, said though no particular incidents have happened at the Middle School, where she has two kids, parents and students were afraid about perceived bullying and would like a year-round ban on hats, similar to the ban in the summer school.
"Some parents see what they read in the papers and it makes them uncomfortable," Hannon said, referring to the transition kids face going from middle school to high school.
Coincidentally, the transition from this board meeting to the next should be felt. The next date: Sept. 11.
