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Change comes to leadership for Pleasantville School District
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PLEASANTVILLE - For two years, they have been perhaps the two most powerful people in the Pleasantville School District, and today, they're both gone.
No state-appointed fiscal monitor can serve longer than two years, so John Deserable left his post Tuesday to make way for an interim replacement.
And Deserable decided last year not to renew Superintendent Clarence Alston's contract, so he's out, too, in favor of Gloria Grantham, the historically troubled district's 14th chief in 12 years.
The two men each took a few minutes to speak with The Press of Atlantic City on their last day of work - separately, since they're not exactly Butch-and-Sundance buddies after Deserable's decision last year.
* * *
Alston spent his last day on the job signing contracts related to an emergency notification system for staff and parents, as well as ironing out details of food service for summer school, he said. He had already removed most of his office's personal effects over the last four or five months.
"It's been basically a normal day," said Alston, who took the job in September 2006. "Still carrying out the business of the district."
One remaining loose end is Alston's legal grievance against the district. He claims that based on state statute and the timing of his contract's nonrenewal, he is owed from three months to three years' worth of additional salary, possibly as much as $400,000.
A hearing in the state's Office of Administrative Law will happen late this year, unless a financial settlement is reached in the meantime. Alston said attorneys for both sides are pursuing a settlement, though he would not predict when it might come.
"Hopefully, that will not interfere with the new superintendent coming in," Alston said.
The superintendent said Deserable didn't evaluate him fairly before removing him, but he also believes the current and past school boards also are culpable for his downfall.
"The subjectivity and the political nature of it has bothered me tremendously," Alston said. "If we're looking at what is best for the district, I would think you would let the data speak for itself."
He believes the district, including the often-criticized high school, improved on his watch but that he was victimized by unrealistic expectations.
Alston and Grantham have spoken several times, but Alston said he didn't give any advice: "I don't want to take the chance of providing any information that would be misleading or biased."
* * *
Deserable was "mainly just getting some files in order for the next monitor" and meeting with administrators Tuesday, he said. Although Deserable's willingness to nullify administrators' and the school board's decisions won him his share of foes, he said he received a surprising amount of goodwill on his way out.
The monitor has said the poor performance of high school students and staff is largely to blame for the removal of the school's three chief administrators: Alston, Assistant Superintendent Gregory Allen and Principal Stephen Townsend. (Allen, like Alston, is leaving the district, while Townsend is being reassigned to another, undetermined position.)
That performance manifested in a 41-page state report that severely criticized the high school for a host of problems, a document the board and Deserable referred to at the last meeting.
That night, Deserable insisted on a public discussion of the bidding for food-service vendors, something board President Doris Graves had suggested be done in closed session. The board eventually settled on a renewal of the NutriServe company.
Deserable then strongly praised members for their constructive discussion, a remark he has rarely seen fit to make.
"We've made great progress in the financial aspects of the district ... but with almost every one of them, it was a battle with the board," Deserable said last week. "If you think about it, we have over a $90 million budget, and only $6 million comes from Pleasantville; the rest comes from throughout the state. This board and prior boards have demonstrated they have problems handling that kind of money."
* * *
Grantham takes the district's reins today. Asked how he expected her to perform, Alston said, "It's too soon for me to tell. ... We didn't really talk about strategies."
Said Deserable: "I hope that she's strong enough that she can get (the school board) on her side. I'm pretty optimistic."
Deserable said he plans to enjoy retirement, spending a little time on the boat he has neglected for two years and getting to know his 3-month-old grandson.
Alston said he's "considering some options" in the field of education. Reminded that interim monitor James Riehman's term only runs until Oct. 1, Alston laughed: "Maybe I should submit my resume."
E-mail Eric Scott Campbell:
Timeline
July 11, 2006: Clarence Alston named interim superintendent.
August 2006: Two Atlantic County lawmakers ask the state to appoint a fiscal monitor in Pleasantville.
Sept. 26, 2006: School board votes to give Alston a three-year contract.
March 29, 2007: State announces John Deserable will begin as monitor July 1, to be paid $600 a day by the district.
May 22, 2007: Board holds hearing on Alston's future and decides to keep him on.
Sept. 6, 2007: Five board members and former board members are arrested in a federal corruption sting.
April 8, 2008: Deserable overturns a failed board vote and decides not to renew Alston's contract.
March 13: Alston petitions the state to compel Pleasantville to extend his contract, according to state statute.
May 12: Board votes to hire Gloria Grantham as Alston's replacement.
June 23: State announces James Riehman will replace Deserable from July 1 to Oct. 1 and will be followed by another long-term monitor.
Posted in Atlantic on Wednesday, July 1, 2009 3:10 am
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