By Sarah Moskowitz
The news came as a shock to many residents of the district, who claim the revolving door of the Malverne administration is starting to have negative effects on the district.
"Why is there no continuity in this school district in regards to higher, administrative positions?" asked Suzanne St. John at the meeting. St. John is a Malverne alumnus who has three children in Davison Avenue School.
Mannella, who came to the district in April 2001, will return to the Manorville School District where he served as principal of the middle school for four years. He will be involved in a project to merge the district with Eastport Schools to create Eastport-South Manor School District. Mannella applied for the position and decided to resign from Malverne in May. He was appointed to the Manorville board on Sept. 17.
"It's a new, exciting opportunity," said Mannella, whose last day was Tuesday.
Simmons' last day at Malverne schools will be Oct. 28, when she will transfer to the Hempstead School District to become the assistant superintendent for elementary education. Simmons began working in Malverne schools in March 2000.
Hill said she made the recent decision to move to Texas to be closer to family there and to explore new career opportunities. Hill added that she plans to get involved with the Texas educational system and that she is sad to leave Malverne behind.
"It wasn't something that we planned," said Hill. "Sometimes life just presents opportunities that you have to stop and think about."
While the news came as a surprise to many, St. John, who heard through rumors last month about the resignations, was prepared and read a statement during the meeting expressing her disapproval of the ever-changing Malverne faculty.
St. John said she feels friction between the board and their superiors may cause the board to argue against, and ultimately undermine, some decisions or recommendations the superintendent makes. St. John said the subordination might be one of the underlying factors as to why administrative positions within the district are constantly rotating.
"[School board members] don't give [Mannella] enough merit," said St. John. "He should know better than them."
School Board President Karen Aker had no comment regarding St. John's statement. Aker said the board would address St. John's concerns in executive session.
Mannella said while the board of education did not always approve of his recommendations that was not his reason for leaving. He said decisions made within the district involve a combination of a number of people and that a solid system between them is in the best interest of the students.
"If you have plans in place and goals that are set, they don't change as individuals come and go," said Mannella.
One mother of a Davison Avenue student who preferred to remain anonymous said she agrees with St. John, but she feels the board does not listen to the parents' voices and opinion and overlooks their concerns.
"I don't think the board is taking the parents seriously," she said. "I think they're just doing their own thing. It's not giving them a good reputation, that's for sure."
Another Davison Avenue parent involved with the PTA said she has heard from many people that there is conflict between the board and superintendent, but that she could not vouch for it firsthand. She also said she felt that a constant replacement of faculty, and therefore replacements of their administrative methods, affect students negatively.
"Everything keeps changing and everyone comes in with a different agenda," said the PTA parent who did not want to be identified further. "They all have different ideas. It's very discouraging as a parent. Just when the program actually starts to get underway...they're gone and the program disappears to a large degree. It's never a continuous educational process for the kids. For [them] it's not healthy. They need routine."
Howard T. Herber Middle School Principal Joseph Donoghue said the parent's worries may be a little unwarranted and that the district will continue to prosper, even with the recent resignations.
"I think the district will survive," said Donoghue. "We'll get somebody else to come in and we'll try to be as successful as we were, and I think we will be. We're here for the children."
Donoghue took the position as principal this September, after working in various departments within the district for 22 years. In addition, Glenda Good was appointed as the new principal in Malverne High School after former principal Raymond Rodecker passed away in January 2001. Good is completing her 13th year in the district, having served as assistant principal of the high school for two years, and prior to that as assistant principal at the middle school for 10 years.
"Always, we're concerned about movement, but it's the normal ebb and flow of a district," said Good.
Other new staff that joined the district in September include Thedra McCrae who is in charge of Pupil Personnel Services, Deidre Gambino who became the district's business administrator and Mary Lou Bensy who is the director of special education.
Patrice Martinez, president of the Central Council PTA and Malverne High School PTSA has been involved in the district for 12 years and counts about seven different superintendents moving through the district during her tenure. Although Martinez feels these people have performed excellently at their jobs, she said she would like to see a superintendent take a more permanent position.
"I hope very soon that we can find a good fit between the board and the administrators," said Martinez. "I just find [so many resignations] very distressing."
Martinez said she constantly gets phone calls from concerned parents over the faculty routinely switching titles. However, Martinez feels that at this time students are not affected by the change in faculty because the staff copes well with the changes.
"If you don't have a happy or focused staff, it might eventually trickle down to the students," she said. "I don't think that's the case right now."
Martinez said she does not know why superintendents, board members and other faculty step down from their positions so often, other than inevitable cases of retirement. She said that to her knowledge, there is no dispute over control between superintendent and board members. If there is, she said, it has not been made public. But, she added, she feels more at peace knowing that the next interim superintendent is familiar with the school district from serving the position in the past.
Dr. Anthony J. Pecorale was the interim superintendent for Malverne schools in the 1996-1997 school year and will serve again this year until a new superintendent is appointed. He has served as an interim superintendent around Long Island for many years.
"I'm looking forward to my time here in Malverne," said Pecorale.
The board has not discussed how Hill's position will be filled, said Aker, because Hill still holds her position and has not yet submitted a letter of resignation confirming a date. Aker added the board has three options to replace Hill. They can appoint someone, hold a special election or leave the seat vacant until the next school board election in May. If someone it appointed to the position, they would fulfil the reaming two years of Hill's term. Board members are in office for four years.
At this time the board has not met with Pecorale to discuss which process will be taken to fill Simmons' position, but a meeting will be scheduled in the next week, Aker said. The board officially meets next on Oct. 22 in executive session, which is closed to the public, with no action anticipated. The next public Board of Education meeting is scheduled for Nov. 12.
At the meeting Aker presented Mannella, Hill and Simmons with plaques to commemorate their time dedicated to the school district. Upon accepting her plaque Simmons said she enjoyed working in the district and that she will miss everyone. Hill expressed similar remarks.
"To say that I'm disappointed to be leaving is an understatement," said Hill. "I know that I will take away some incredible memories. There's something very special about this community."
