Residents on both sides had their chance to speak their mind on the centralization discussion during last week’s joint meeting between the Fredonia and Brocton boards of education. But prior to that discussion, members of the Fredonia Board of Education, during its regular meeting, asked their administrators what their thoughts were on the topic.
“When I look at the elementary offerings, I have to conclude they are not varied enough to compete with what is currently offered in other western New York schools, and on a national level,” started Fredonia Elementary School Principal James Detwiller. “We have in some respects rested on our laurels for far too long. We have been known as a leader in this county and we are a leader, but as enrollment declines, as the funding becomes scarce, we have to look at other options and that’s what I applaud the board for doing.”
Detwiller, a parent of two elementary students within the district, used the opportunity to speak to tell the board about all of the programs he would like to see installed in the district but has never had a chance to request.
“I have rarely been invited to add any new programs. If I had that chance, here is my list – certified technology teacher; a social worker to work with families at risk that we can’t possibly get to at 3:30 p.m.; a gifted and talented teacher which we had when I first moved into this district; foreign language at the elementary level and not just Spanish — I mean Mandarin, Chinese ...” Detwiller continued. “As a parent of two elementary students in this district I want more for my kids. I think any parent in this room would say the same thing, you can not give them enough you love them so much, I want more for them.”
Superintendent Paul DiFonzo let the administration and board members do most of the talking during the discussion, but he firmly agreed with Detwiller’s comments on what could possibly be provided should centralization become a reality.
“I can’t predict five years, 10 years down the road and I think it is going to take more than two years for the state economy to turn around,” he began. “But I would dearly love the opportunity at some point in time as superintendent to actually have monies to take and actually put toward some of the programs Mr. Detwiller mentioned, rather than sitting down with the board and administrative team and say, ‘what can we afford to give up this year?’ And that is all I’ve been able to do the last eight years.”
Fredonia Middle School Principal Andrew Ludwig, who could be impacted directly should Option 2 be approved by voters (Wheelock unused for class, K-5 in each community, high school at the Fredonia Main Street campus and middle school students in Brocton), said the decision is difficult on both sides, but that sometimes the convenient choice is not always the best for everyone.
“I took a walk through the Brocton facilities, and I started looking around thinking where might we put this classroom, where might we put this program, and it’s a beautiful facility,” he said. “While it might not be the most convenient thing for most people, another eight miles down the road, it will inconvenience some people, but it’s not a glitch we can’t solve together. Sometimes the most convenient thing isn’t the best thing for everybody.”
Fredonia High School Principal Todd Crandall added that the Brocton community needs the identity.
“They need a hub of activity and they need to identify that this is going to work for them also. I am willing to take any option and make it work, but in my heart I completely understand and I would support a middle school here, k-5 in both buildings and the high school in Fredonia,” Crandall said.
As far as transportation issues and concerns go, Crandall suggested perhaps a 7 o’clock bus, or a 5 o’clock bus and a 10 o’clock bus run. When he was principal in Forestville he said they ran a 5:30 bus every night to both ends of the district to save some of the transportation.
“I have a daughter in seventh grade who takes some eighth-grade classes. If this was to happen and happen soon she could be one of those students who comes to Brocton and I’m very comfortable with that,” Fredonia board of education president Dan Ihasz said. “I would think from what we’ve been told with the opportunities we’d have with having the middle school separate, that would allow us to do things that we don’t or can’t do right now. That opportunity, even the chance of having the opportunity to do something more for them ... she is a very good student and I would love to see us do something that would help to enhance what she can already do.”
Ihasz added, feeling he might be a total optimist, “We might have that student in our district who might be the one who discovers the cure for cancer, but we won’t know that if we suppress them, if we don’t give them opportunities for something bigger.”
Fredonia Director of Information Joseph Reyda said he went through the merger at Chautauqua Lake where he ended up teaching in a separate middle school which was the former Chautauqua Lake High School.
“It was the first time both schools had a designated sixth-, seventh- and eighth-grade building that was a part of everything else and I think it was one of the best things for the kids,” he said. “Literally it took them until noon the first day before they all got along. It took parents a little longer, but for the kids, they were just happy to be back in class, back with the teachers. It’s not the buildings that teach it’s the actual teachers in the classroom.”
In other news:
¯Approved was the Ratification of the Contract between the Superintendent of Schools and the Salaried Support Staff Association (SSSA) for the period of July 1, 2009, through June 30, 2013. Salary increases will be 3.75 percent each year for the 4-year duration of the contract.
¯ Approved was the Ratification of the Contract between the Superintendent of Schools and the Civil Service Employees Association (CSEA) for the period of July 1, 2009, through June 30, 2012. Salary increases will be $.45 for Year 1 and 3.95 percent each year for the remaining two years of the contract.
¯ Approved was the appointment of Amy Piper to the position of Interim Elementary Principal at the Wheelock building, effective Oct. 26. There will be no salary change for this change in position for Piper and she will continue in her position as Director of Pupil Services.
Comments on this article may be sent to
mrukavina@observertoday.com
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