Editorial: The next step is critical

Thursday, 05 May 2011 01:00

The hubbub around the latest superintendent hiring at Katonah-Lewisboro may not be the envy of school districts elsewhere, but at least residents here can be thankful they’re not in Greenwich.

That’s because that Connecticut town has just promoted former Katonah-Lewisboro Superintendent of Schools Dr. Robert Lichtenfeld as its new human resources director. Apparently, they either did not talk to anyone here while researching his qualifications or decided his poor record of personnel decisions somehow was not relevant. So now New York taxpayers are footing the bill to pay yet another “retired” superintendent a hefty pension while he is employed in a well-paying major school district position elsewhere. And his promotion is just another example of how school boards throughout the area make questionable hiring decisions often by stressing the quantity instead of the quality of the candidate’s previous employment.

For example, Greenwich district officials are touting his superintendent experience to justify his promotion, instead of taking a closer look at some of the personnel moves he made while superintendent that should have steered them away. Under his watch, John Jay Middle School Principal Doug Both was forced to resign after pleading guilty to charges of defrauding the government. He was one of two school employees — the other was Maureen Brown, Dr. Lichtenfeld’s secretary — who was charged with making false reimbursement claims. Dr. Lichtenfeld had the school board fire business head John Spang after pushing them to hire him only 18 months earlier. Mr. Spang sued, in part because of how his firing was handled, which the school board later settled with a financial payout. Mr. Spang had replaced John Thibdeau — long Dr. Lichtenfeld’s right-hand man until the state comptroller discovered he used school money to buy computers, software and other items that were found at his home. And the district was under the watch of Dr. Lichtenfeld when the comptroller slammed it for lax financial controls that reflected the “tone at the top” — a report that led the school board to spend years overhauling the business department.

We will soon know if the school board here has done a better job researching its choice for superintendent than its counterpart across the state line did in naming its next human resources head. Dr. Paul Kreutzer appears both wunderkind and polarizing — moving through the ranks of the Wisconsin education system at record-breaking speed but aligning himself with controversial views regarding collective bargaining rights, ones he would not support or reject when confronted by the public last week about them. To be considered a successful hire, Dr. Kreutzer will have to be an outstanding administrator that helps this traditionally split district community unite under his leadership — a task made ever more difficult because of his own past.

Dr. Kreutzer can get out of this mess but he will have to be upfront and honest with the public. A good start would be to explain his stance on the Wisconsin bill proposal — whatever his position may be — instead of dodging questions. Setting a tone of trust and open communication is the right way to handle this district, and the only way to move past this shaky start.