Principal Gould Reveals Reasons for Firing ® Lj£ ® Tm
Total Page:16
File Type:pdf, Size:1020Kb
Principal Gould reveals reasons for firing The Middle States Association and tnp atijiu. »«.pwtmeM of 1 he TIMES received the following letter from high school future employment. Very truly yours, 1 Education have issued strong and compelling warnings to the principal Geproe Gould. He requested that it be printed as an Hillside School District about the educational disaster which as open letter to tjjje people of Hillside. Within the text of his letter, The reasons are as follows: . £ v Anthony J. Deo, President in the making of Hillside unless some of its problems are quickly Gould has chosen to divulge the letter sent by the Board of Edu- 1. The principal of a school has the responsibility to make Hillside Board of Eduction certain that the building and grounds are kept in a clean and ' addressed. 1 New band uniforms, auditorium seats, field houses for equip* ihc ietter'from the Board; which was sept to Gould, appear here sanitary condition. There has been a general failure to fulfill The allegations could be taken one by one and explained or in iheir entirety, ment and the like, are certainly wonderful, and are implemented this,supervisory responsibility as it relates to the HighSchool, refuted, but in giving this letter to me and setting a hearing for the benefit of our students, but can a Board of Education de 2. Failufe to effectively implement certain High School pro- date, {they have complied with the law, There are many persons, cide in favor of such items .without ever having talked with the 10 THE HILLSIDE COMMUNITY: grams approved by the Board of Education. talented und experienced who can serve as Principal of Hillside Principal denying teacher and administration requests for pro 3. Inattention to the personal supervision of staff as indicated High School. I am convinced that the Superintendent and the gram development. Even while the Thorough and Efficient pro I should like to thank the many, many good citizens of Hill in your evaluations. v Board of Education will do everything they can to select the fin* gram is being implemented statewide, we are suffering reduc side, young and old, professional and non-professional, of all 4. Not being completely prepared for the New Jersey Depart- est, best qualified person available to fjll the vacancy left by the tions in staff and program because of money decisions in which Ethnic backgrounds, who rallied to my support during these last ment of Education evaluation which resulted in the postpone- Board’s decision not to renew my contract. several weeks. What is a disappointing and discouraging situ we have not been involved. ment of the evaluation process and accreditation of the High Much more important, in my mind, is the relationship estab* Whether or not George Gould were to remain as Principal of ation fdr me was greatly softened by the support and confidence School. J lished by the Superintendent and the Board of Education with shown for me by ko many people. t|ie High School, in the long run, is hot of great consequence to 5. Failure to punctually prepare and submit to the Superin- the hew Principal. If the new Principal receives the support and anyone except to him, and unfortunately to Mr. Harry Ladanye, A personal record and statement must be kept private. I did tendent of Schools various written reports required of you. In backing of bis superiors as he recommends new programs, ma- who has been one of Hillside’s most dedicated and faithful ser request a statement of reasons and have decided tnat everyone addition, periodic failure by you to file reports to the Superin- terials, and facilities to serve students, he can create a greatly vants for 30 years, and who put his future oh the line for, as he should know what the Board of Education found lacking in my tendent of Schools with regards to abnormal incidents that oc- Improved school program. But when major decisions are made • says, "A principle and a Principal". The issue wiU not be resol performance, even though I was recommended for rehiring by curried in the High School. cm where money is to be spend with little or no input from the ved by the hiring of new administrators. the Superintendent of Schools. What follows is a full copy of 6. Recent deterioration of your ability to bripg yourself closer leader of the school, and perhaps without input from the Super- that statement of reasons: 1 The support whjch 1 have received from all segments of the to the student body through personal contact as per your evalu- intendent, educational decision making is wrested from the edu- ' community in my presnet difficult situation is greatly appreci atiotts. cators who are paid to do the educational job. If educational Dear Mr, Gould: ated. No person could hope for more than the warm expressions 7. Four (4) of your eight (8) evaluations indicate a need for leaders, who are paid to do* the, job, throw up their h^nds and of confidence and friendship, winch have been forthcoming. I improvement in the implementation of curriculum changes and leave educational decision making to Board of Education mem* shall remembCr my three years in Hillside as characterized by With reference to your request for the reasons that the major the promotion of innovative programs. bers, these educators are equally to blame. good students, and good parents and residents, Interested hr ity of the Board of Education determined, not td renew you con The law and history have Clearly'- established the Board of their school and ajoyTO"work With. Thank you again. tract for the school year 1977-78, we are furnishing this state This letter is being written by me at the request of the major- Education as the sble policy making body in the local school dis- ment to you. ity of the Board and we trust that your request dated May 2, trict. The Superintendent is their executive officer. When he This statement is submitted to your pursuant to applicable 1977 will be met by this letter. Since your have requested an in* gives up,or the Board usurps his authority and responsibility, Sincerely, , statutory, administrative and case law. It is our sincere desire formal appearance before the Board Ip such letter, we will ad- the system collapses. Chaos is the result. This then becomes the . George A . Gould that this statement will be beneficial and useful to vou ih your vise you shortly of such appearance date, which date will be concern of all parents and students. ■Witnin the next thirty days. We a t h e r (Provided by the National Weather Service) Thursday - Sunny, pleasant, high in the 80's. Friday - Partly cloudy, high in the 70't. ® lj £ ® t m ? B Saturday - Partly cloiidy, chance o f showers, high in the 70’s. Sunday - Partly cloudy, chance SERVING HILLSIDE & NORTH ELIZABETH of showers, high in the 70's, VOL. S3 NO. 34 The Times, Thursday, June 1 6,1S77 Accusation’s fly around j — --------------------------------------------------:---------------------s IT PateW ok Thursday, June 18 , policeman’s suspension old Guard, Presbyterian Church, 10 a.m. Elks, 8 p.m. Sinai M ens Club, 8 p.m. his won political nest* and By John Schierer ments were overly harsh I Lions Club Meeting, College Inn, 6:30 p.m. that Baldassano was * try ing Baldassano stated: "They may | Safety Council, Municipal Building - General Conference Room to further his political career be haj-sh, but they sure are I 8 p.m. A wide rift opened between by stepping on the guy’s I members of the Township true". Senior Citizens Ceramics, Community Center, 10:30 a.m. - body*’. 7 Meanwhile, the present J 12:30 p.m. Committee concerning action Welsh accused the mayor of taken to discipline a member PBA president Mike Galloway { Roth Lodge #117, Knights ol Pythias, W ar Memorial Building, .trying to discredit and embar came to the defense of De* i 8:30 p.m. , of the Hillside Police force rass DeMaio because of alleg-* who had falsified work rec Maio and blasted the mayor * Lean Line, College Inn, 7:15 p.m. ations made by the patrolman saying: "Mayor Baldassano I ords. against the mayor during con The controversy began after is doing a great injustice to | Friday, June 17 tract negotiations with the the entire Hillside police for- I Qhrll Air Patrol, Chrlat the King, 7:30 p.m. the Committee took action sur police in 1975 when DeMaio rounding the filing of falsified ce. His political ambitions are | Senior Citizens Mosaics, Community Center, 12:30 - 2:30 p.m. was president of the Police far ahead of his present ! Senior Citizens Bridge Class, Community Center, 9:30 e.m. time slips by Hillside patrol mans Benevolent Association. man Vincent DeMaio. job. His statements are bad | At that time, DeMaio testi for the morale of the depart* j Saturday, June 18 In late 1976, the police de fied during a Public Employee partment found certain irreg ment. I believe it to be a part | Recycling, Behind Municipal Garage, 0 a.m. -1 p.m. Relations Commission hearing of a personal vendetta and I I ularities after a rountine that Baldassano offered his audit of the time-off and over am in total cocurrance with | a promotion in return for the Commissioner Welsh’s state- I Sunday, June 19 time records. The entire Pool Commission Mealing, Municipal Building, 8:30 p.m. use of his influence as PBA •ments*. | matter was turned over to the president to obtain police ap Union County prosecutors In other action taken by the j proval of a contract settlement Committee Wednesday: | Monday, June 20 office, which then sent the offered by the town.