Massena Central School Board makes administrative changes
Apr. 17—MASSENA — Goodbye, dean of students. Hello, assistant principal.
That will be the new administrative order at J.W. Leary Junior High School after Massena Central School Board members agreed to reclassify the position with the June 24 retirement of Richard Norris, the current dean of students.
"The board has accepted the resignation for retirement purposes of our junior high dean of students. Upon the recommendation of the building principal, I am recommending that that position be reclassified from dean of students to assistant junior high principal. There are many benefits to that," Superintendent Ronald P. Burke said.
The school board also agreed to increase the Committee on Special Education chair position from 80% to a full-time equivalent on July 1. The move is in conjunction with the June 30 retirement of current CSE Chair Michelle Zagrobelny.
"Currently, we had a CSE chairperson who for a number of years has been at 80%. The board has accepted her resignation for retirement purposes effective June 30. I'm asking that the board consider moving that to a 1.0 position," Burke said, adding that with the increasing number of impacted students, "it's definitely a necessity."
Burke said he was asking for board approval now rather than waiting until the budget vote because "our needs are critical at the junior high assistant principal and CSE chairperson."
In the case of the CSE chair, he said, "With our current incumbent retiring, she has so much knowledge. We can't simply hand the keys to the office over on June 30."
Board members also approved the creation of a full-time equivalent computer technician I position. Burke said the service is provided through the Board of Cooperative Educational Services and would have somebody in the district five days a week.
He said they currently have one individual who is in the district two days a week, and a second person three days a week. Under that concept, he said a project gets started by one person and is handed over to the second person, losing efficiency in the process.
Staffing is also an issue, Burke said.
"This year we are under eight individuals. It's just the way of the world right now," he said.
In a separate action, board members approved a contract with Alan D. Pole, an educational consultant from Castallo & Silky LLC, for an instructional administrator structure study. Pole has previously worked with the district on a reorganizational study, as well as the recent superintendent search that brought Burke from the Canton Central School District to Massena.
"Certainly, Alan Pole has a track record of helping us out a lot. He's done great work for us," President Paul A. Haggett said.
Board member Patricia F. Murphy said it would be a wise investment.
"I think this is going to be a very instrumental thing in looking at our structure. I know we had talked about restructuring the district some years ago. I think it's time that we have an outside person, a new set of eyes looking at how we might be more effective. I think it's a really worthwhile expenditure of funds," she said.
