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WPCNR School Days. By John F. Bailey. September 13, 2004: Almost three years to the day when the White Plains Board of Education squirmed as a horde of parents demanded to know the reasons why former Superintendent of Schools Saul Yanofsky was not being rehired, William Pollack, Terrence McGuire, Donna McLaughlin, Rick Tompkins, Michelle Tratoros, and Peter Bassano sat impassive in a familiar School Board scene as parents wondered in bewilderment why Mario Scarano has been shown the exit from his job as Athletic Director by default.
School Board Listens to Jim Donahoe at mike, speaking in support of ousted Athletic Director Mario Scarano Monday night. Photo by WPCNR News
The Board of Education furrowed their brows and listened to Jim Donahoe, a well-respected parent, a Mario Scarano supporter and expert in the operations of the White Plains High School athletic program, who spoke calmly, with great dignity, and with a sense of incredulity as he detailed a timeline leading up to Mr. Scarano’s last day on Friday.
William Pollak, Terrence McGuire, Donna McLaughlin, Rick Tompkins, Michelle Tratoros, and Peter Bassano all furrowed their brows and listened. Maria Valentin, who was elected to replace Larry Geiger precisely because of the secret Saul Yanofsky firing (April, 2001), was not present.
The Scarano Papers.
Donahoe, piecing together from original correspondence between Mario Scarano and the Shool District (presumably letters he sent to and received from Timothy Connors), detailed date-by-date, the many times the Board of Education delayed telling Mr. Scarano their intentions as to whether they would split his position so he could continue his job. Date-by-date, the delays and excuses they gave him became clear, ending in the Board rendering a final decision two weeks ago not to rescind his retirement.
No Surprise: Donahoe noted that the Board of Education had known since January that Mario Scarano had advised the Board he would retire unless the Athletic Directorship was split, and that he would stay on and wanted to stay on if the Board split the position so Mr. Scarano could handle only the Athletic Director duties. ( Mr. Donahoe observed that Mr. Connors had been quoted in The Journal News as saying the retirement was a surprise.) Photo by WPCNR News
IHe reported correspondence that showed Mr. Connors knew Scarano was going to retire if something were not done with the position. In February, Mr. Scarano spelled out that he planned to retire if the position were not split, and Mr. Connors said he would look after “both our interests” and hold any decision on the position until Mr. Scarano’s concerns were addressed.
“Impossible to Do Two Jobs.”
Donahoe explained that two previous White Plains Athletic Directors have said how impossible a job it is to handle both atheletic directoring and health curriculumming in the same job in the White Plains school district.
Continuing to recount this pattern of slow motion decision-making by the Board, Donahoe said that on February 9, the BOE heard Mr. Scarano detail his plans on splitting the position. One month had passed.
Ball Control Game.
The Board took one month to decide and inform Mr. Scarano (on March 8) that they would split the decision if the school budget could be rearranged to pay for the two positions and the school budget were passed. This stretched out the decision until after May 10 when the budget was passed, Donahoe analyzed. Five months had gone by.
By the end of June, the Board of Education still had not acted on making the official move to split the position, and Mr. Scarano was not given an indication on which way they were leaning. Now six months had passed, and if Mr. Scarano was going to retire, he had to get his papers in to the State Education Department.
However, he had to submit his retirement papers to the district by July 1, and Donahoe said Scarano informed the Superintendent he could not wait any longer. Donahoe said the delay in the school district had cost Mr. Scarano $7,000 in retirement pay for July, because Mr. Scarano’s filing of his papers had been held back due to the Board of Education stall on the splitting decision.
BOE Splits Position Day After Scarano Turns In His Papers.
Then Donahoe reported that Mr. Scarano turned in his retirement papers to the district July 5.
He noted pointedly, that the day after Mr. Scarano put in his retirement papers officially July 5, the Board of Education voted to split the position July 6 as Mr. Scarano asked. This brought a gasp from the crowd of 34 persons, and soft murmors of shock. About 12 parents were there on the Scarano matter.
Donahoe also brought out that after the position was split by the Board of Education, Mr. Scarano asked Timothy Connors if the Board would rescind his retirement on July 13.
Connors advised Scarano, he would meet with the Board on it. Donahoe said the meeting at which the Board was to discuss rescission on July 27 no action was taken “because several members were absent.”
Running Out the Clock.
On August 9, again no action was taken. Then, last week, (as reported by the CitizeNetReporter) in executive session Mr. Scarano petitioned the Board to allow him to apply for the position. (At that Executive Session, Mr. Scarano addressed the board, then afterwards, sources familiar with the Board, said they voted 7-0, not to rescind his retirement.)
The decision to split the A.D.-Health Curriculum Coordinator job into two positions had been delayed, (some might think unnecessarily since the budget always passes in White Plains) four months. The decision whether or not to rescind Mr. Scarano’s retirement had been delayed approximately six weeks at this point.
This inaction by the Board of Education, cost Mr.Scarano his August retirement payment of $7,000. More to the point, Mr. Scarano has been distracted from applying for another job due to the Board lack of definitive action.
A “Testimonial Dinner Tribute” Mr. Scarano Will Never Have.
Prior to the disclosures of the “Scarano Scenario,” Donahoe had listed an array of Scarano innovations the Athletic Director & Health Curriculum Coordinator had brought to the district, in addition to supervising 78 coaches.
Donahoe credited Scarano for starting a Parent-Coaches Preseason Orientation Meeting (which has not been held yet due to Mr. Scarano’s departure), A parent council that met on athletic issues and situations during the school year, hiring a full-time Athletic Trainer at the High School, which Donahoe credited with saving his son’s life in school last spring due his quick action; the Fall, Winter and Spring Sports Dinners; a Kindergarten Phys. Ed. Program; A College Game Plan Guide for athletes, as well as improving the academic performance of athletes.
At the outset of his talk, Donahoe said Mr. Scarano “would love to stay on as Athletic Director of White Plains High School.” He said Scarano “extolled the philosophy that made athletics prosper, and a positive feeling of school pride.”
Women’s Basketball Coach Says Coaches feel “very vulnerable.”
Sue Adams, the Women’s Basketball Coach at White Plains High School came to the podium and said the de facto decision not to bring back Scarano made her nervous.
She said “I’m very vulnerable as a high school coach.”
She said coaches are forced to make very hard decisions . “I’ve had parents very upset with decisions I’ve made…But it’s so difficult. There’s always a parent there to knock you down. Mario was very supportive (of us)…If you bring in a new Athletic Director, they have to be very strong and supportive of the coaches.”
Scarano asked coaches, teachers, student athletes not to speak.
Mr. Donahoe, at that point, asked politely from the back of the room to make a clarification, and he was allowed to do so. He said Mr. Scarano had asked all his coaches and the athletes who play for White Plains High School, not to come and speak for him, though many wanted to come and support him.
Russell: Created an Athletic Program Where There is Something for Every Child
Eric Lazere, whose son played on the baseball team, stood up next and said Mr. Scarano was a man with “vision, and integrity and wise,” calling him a “tremdous asset to the School District.”
Serena Russell, former member of the Board of Education said she was happy the Board was splitting the Athletic Director and Coordinator of Health Curriculum, and praised Scarano for the athletic program providing a program for “every student.”
Mrs. Encarnacio, a parent of an athlete on the White Plains softball team, in an emotional address in which she appeared on the threshold of tears, blamed Mr. Scarano’s ouster on “a small minority of parents” who complained to the board while “the vast majority” of parents are very happy with Mr. Scarano and the program. Ms. Encarnacio said, “one parent had trouble with the softball coach, and another parent had trouble with the baseball coach.” She accused the Board of listening to a few who were out to get Mr. Scarano.
For the record, it is common knowledge in WPHS sports circles, that there are a lot of issues with rosters, playing time and athlete policy. Even Mrs. McLaughlin’s daughter was cut from the softball team and she complained to Mr. Scarano about the cut. Another parent, Stephen Taft, who ran for the School Board last year, was very critical of the baseball coach for his conduct towards the team, and of Mr. Scarano and the school in general on fund-raising activity policy.
Board President Reads a Statement. Donna McLaughlin, President of the Board of Education reads BOE Statement on the Scarano Scenario. Photo by WPCNR News
At this juncture several parents in a respectful way wanted to know why the Board did not let Mr. Scarano come back. Ms. McLaughlin said, flushing, “We didn’t know he’d made up his mind to keep his job,” then, steadied by Mr. Connors arm, sitting beside her, Ms. McLaughlin regained her composure and said the Board did not normally comment on statements made in the public comment period, but said the Board had a statement on the Scarano Scenario which she proceeded to read:
We want everyone to understand that we gave Mr. Scorano’s (sic) request to consider rescission of his retirement due consideration and have fully recognized his contribution and services to White Plains athletics over the past six years.
We have heard many comments from many members of the community, and listened carefully to what you have to say.
In fact, we took the extraordinary step of giving him an opportunity to make his case to rescind HIS resignation before the full Board. But, ultimately, this is a persononnel issue, and, based on hours of discussions and meetings in Executive Session which we cannot discuss with you’re here, we took no further action to rescind his retirement and, therefore, his retirement stands. But we wish Mr. Scorano (SIC) best of luck in his future endeavors.
The somber discussion wound up with a parent asking from the floor if Mr. Scarano could apply for the job. Mr. Connors said, “Anyone can apply.”
The Board did not take the opportunity to explain the reasons, the issues, the transgressions, whatever they may be of what is wrong with Mr. Scarano’s program, and why Mr. Scarano was not being brought back, even though he has begged to do so. They did not take the opportunity to elaborate on what objectives they hoped to achieve by seeking a replacement for Mr. Scarano, and what policies were wrong, if any.
Panaro Hired as Interim Athletic Director
Connors explained that the Board had not been able to reach agreement with Mr. Scarano on continuing in the interim, (as reported by WPCNR), he and Dr. Laura Bochlert, Assistant Superintendent for Human Resources had come up with a “backup plan” and that Nick Panaro had volunteered to act as Interim Athletic Director for the next three months.
Nick Panaro, Interim Athletic Director, White Plains High School Effective Today. He will serve through November 30. Mr. Panaro is seen at the Gressler Memorial Cross Country Meet Saturday. Photo by WPCNR Sports
Connors said Panaro had been a coach at White Plains High School, was a Health Teacher, knew the athletic program and had agreed to step up to the temporary duties. The Board voted later in the evening to hire him for three months, extending through November 30.
As the agenda turned anti-climactically to the good news of the opening week of school, parents moved slowly out of the meeting room, one muttered very slowly, “This is disgusting,”
Another said, “we have to vote them all out.”
The group stood venting loudly in the entrance to Education House for about a half-hour as the meeting continued.
Guidelines for New A.D. to be Set. Stressing Evaluation.
Connors, speaking to WPCNR after the public school board meeting had ended, and they were waiting to start an Executive Decision, elaborated on how Mr. Scarano’s successor would be selected:
“After the committees get together, they will look at those qualities that we are looking for in our Athletic Director. Certainly the things that we are looking for is to continue to build the program that we have for youngsters 7 to 12. Usually the process that we have is that our (personnel) committee will come together help us set those guidelines so that they’re clear.”
WPCNR asked if there were going to be any change in responsibilities of the Athletic Director. Connors said, “No the responsibilities for that job are changed in the sense that it’s just an Athletic Director not a combination of positions. But all of the things were in the present job description (of Athletic Director duties), will be required here, and putting an emphasis on things like evaluation of programs, expansion of programs and those kind of things.”
WPCNR asked if any comtemplation of removing coaches would be considered: “We’re interested in strengthening our program and moving forward. I think we have wonderful coaches and our job as teachers is not to get rid of people but to help them improve their task in terms of helping our young people learn new skills.”
Connors said the hire process would have the screening committee select three finalists and present them to him, and he would make a recommendation to the Board of Education.
Residents can see the The Board of Education meeting which was video-taped and will be cablecast on Channel 77, WPPE-TV, Wednesday evening at 7:30 P.M.
Lisa Lutz, a principal from The Bronx was introduced by Superintendent Connors as a guest of the District. He said she was in the process of earning her doctorate and had asked to observe a School Board in action as part of her research. Ms. Lutz saw how the White Plains Board of Education works.
