Webutuck Board of
Education held the March 30, 2009 Worksession meeting at 7:30 p.m. in the
Webutuck High School Library.
The following Board members were present:
Dale Culver
Joseph Herald
Andrew Jablonsky
Susan Lounsbury
William McGhee
Joseph Matteo
John Perotti
Also Present:
Dr. Richard Johns
Linda Peters
Therese Trotter
CALL TO ORDER
President Culver called the Work Session meeting of March 30,
2009 to order at 7:40 p.m.
PUBLIC COMMENT
-The following comments were made by audience members:
-I have information from FOIL for information on pizza oven. When was it bought? It was during the Capital Project in 2000. This is wasting taxpayers’ money.
-The Oil Spill and the truck is also wasting taxpayers’ money. Someone should be fired.
-I fear for myself and my children.
Police showed up at my door.
Parent read a letter to the Board stating incidences that have occurred
with her children. PINS should be
revoked. She requested that the Board
respond to her in writing.
-The school is in crisis. I talked
to the DEC and they are sending me information on the oil spill. No letter was sent home that told specifics
with regards to the children. If you don’t address the rumors then the Board
continues to allow it to go along.
-What about other students that got caught with alcohol and their
punishment? The Board cannot discuss
specifics on other students’ issues.
-Is there a principal being considered for the WHS?
-Want to address issues of taunting and bullying. I called the Superintendent and it fell on
deaf ears. This taunting has gone on for
two months.
-Concerned about school safety. My
daughter fell in gym with a minor cut Mr. Grossi was off and no one could
provide ice for her. This happened last
week. The Board will discuss professionals being off and no substitute
coverage.
-On April 13 we will discuss the truck. Mark Lounsbury requested the
truck. He didn’t order it. The School Business Administrator had to know
about it. You better have the answers
April 13.
-Students came to speak about Mr. Posephney being let go. One student said he didn’t have favorites he
helped a lot of people. Other students
spoke about how they felt about Mr. Posephney.
-My son was suspended on Thursday.
There was no warning.
- Several students stated concern about discipline that has declined over
the last couple of years.
-Under what circumstances was Mr. Posepney let go? The students should have been notified.
- I have gotten into lot of trouble over this year but I had a good
relationship with Mr. Posephney.
-The Board should keep be mindful of both friendship and discipline but
if the student had to pick between the current principal and the last principal
I would pick Mr. Posephney.
-If you have a dictator here and take a child like my child you will have
a lot of kids shut down and drop out of school.
-How did we get to this point of having a principal resign last week and
having one name out there?
-How did we get to this point? We
are having a tremendous amount of personnel change. I have a daughter who will shut down.
-Confused about something. How can
a nurse have a day off? Especially after
what happened to my son. I don’t
understand this?
- Everyone is going to make mistakes, maybe not the 5% of Honor Society
students but the rest of us will.
- The crime and drug use has gone up.
Every staff member should be responsible. It’s not only the Principal’s
fault shouldn’t you fire everyone.
-My daughter is out of track because she had an asthma attack and she was
asked if she needed an ambulance. She is
no longer in track.
-Everyone knows you shouldn’t send a student who isn’t feeling well into
a building by themselves; someone should be disciplined.
-Consider how students feel when they walk into a building. An administrator is supposed to “assist”. Discipline should not be the only issue to
consider.
- Someone dropped the ball on information with Mr. Posephney
leaving. The kids didn’t learn anything
Friday or Monday because of rumors that were rampant. Can Mr. Posephney come back to give out
diplomas?
-The truck deal keeps coming back because it was done illegally. We need answers.
-Sauer coming back is just rumors.
The Board got rid of Sauer last time.
Rumors swirl about his last job.
The Board granted him tenure and then he left.
-My son said he doesn’t want to come if Mr. Sauer comes back.
-You have heard about different principal’s styles. Maybe our model is wrong. Take a good look at the next person you bring. The last two styles did not work.
-Many audience members weighed in on their feelings of Mr. Posephney
leaving and Mr. Sauer coming.
-Please set up tutoring for my son.
-Why is there so much turmoil at school?
Principals and good teachers are leaving.
-There are double standards of administrators here.
-The boy should not have been sent to the building by himself.
-No one rode the ambulance with the student and no one called home to
check on Adam.
-This is an opportunity to make a decision we have a new school set up;
you will make a good decision for our students.
The constant is the community and parents.
-We should institute that document you read a lot.
-Is this interfering with our budget?
No.
Schools have counselors that students should go to if they have
issues. It is not necessarily the
principal that students should go to.
EXECUTIVE SESSION
Mr. Matteo made and Mr. Lounsbury seconded a motion to adjourn to
executive session at 9:00 pm for the
purpose of discussing particular personnel matters. The seven Board members
present voted. The motion carried
unanimously.
RECONVENE PUBLIC SESSION
Mr. Matteo made and Mrs.
Lounsbury seconded a motion to adjourn the executive session and reconvene the
public session at 12:12 pm. The seven
Board members present voted. The motion
passed unanimously.
ADJOURNMENT