Shedding some light on Sidney Freund's abrupt resignation as Greenwich's Superintendent of Schools

I previously reported that both Stamford and Greenwich are finding it harder and harder to find competent administrators to run their respective Boards of Education--let alone retain them. ( Click here to see my recent blog on Major, Global, National and Local Stories of the first Six Months of 2011).

The dust is beginning to settle in Greenwich after the shocking and sudden (to most people)  May, 2011 resignation of short term Superintendent Sidney Freund; he served just short of two years into his 3 year contract and was reportedly in negotiations to renew his contract for the next 3 years. This competent administrator, who served a 6 year stint as Superintendent of Schools in Dobbs Ferry, has been relatively close- mouthed about the reasons for his decision.

A recent public meeting of the Board of Education was held and  tearful, emotional parents pleaded for Dr. Freund to rescind his decision-- all to no avail.  Some board members left their podium seats to hug Dr. Freund confessing and apologizing for their shortcomings.   (It was reported that Congressman Himes also met with him privately-- to no avail.) So, it seems that Greenwich is doomed to find its 5th candidate after the last fruitless 10 years.

Why is he leaving?

On one side, angry citizens are blaming two members of the 8 member Board of Education for making Dr. Freund's life unbearable. Its seems that hundreds if not thousands of (their) emails have been unanswered.

The rhetoric of disappointment, rage, anger and resentments has heated up the once, perhaps, civil discourse into an intolerable level-- where Dr. Freund and the Board were at cross purposes; instead of functioning harmoniously, the Board was itself divided into  'warring' groups.

Thanks to a reasoned column by Publisher Jack Moffly in the July issue of Greenwich Magazine, some measure of sanity and clarity may be brought to the extreme almost chaotic atmosphere that has been brewing for such a long period of time.

Here's a brief summary of  Moffly's research: The issue, it seems, revolved around the implementation of Dr. Freund's beloved International Baccalaureate (IB) program. into the Western Middle School (WMS) and into the High School. Two board members Marianna Ponns Cohen and Peter Scher had discovered that Dr. Freund had forged ahead with implementing the program into WMS and the 9th and 10th grades of the High School without formally getting the Board's approval or airing out the program in a public forum as was required.

It was discovered that Freund and BOE Chairman Steve Anderson had "pledged significant funds for teacher training, additional staff and teaching materials."

When confronted by repeated requests by Cohen and Scher to substantiate Board approval, Freund, according to Moffly, simply ignored them; this inaction merely placed more fuel on the fire and made these two whistle blowers 'scapegoats' for public ire.  In Moffley's opinion, Freund  "appeared unaccustomed to having his judgment challenged or to accepting the need to be accountable to the public and all members of the Board."

You may read Jack Moffly's comments "Behind the Freund Resignation" by clicking here.

I wish to thank the Greenwich Citizen, the Greenwich Post and the Greenwich Times (along with Jack Moffly)  for their in depth coverage of this story.

Kudos to the Symposium sponsored by Stamford Achieves at the Ferguson: Why the urban student need not fail and how to remedy a failing education system

At last Wednesday night's Success Symposium, hosted by Stamford Achieves, Ms. Sylvia Abbati, Asst. Superintendent of Union City New Jersey's school district said that in the High School's General Education the pass rate had been 30% for students (excluding limited English proficiency and  special needs students). This past year, the pass rate had jumped up to 70%.

Stanley Sanger Superintendent of Union City, NJ Public Schools 
He has been at the helm for the last 12 years and 40 years in the district

Mr. Stanley Sanger  the Superintendent of the Union City school system presented the audience with some amazing numbers. 97% of the children are Hispanic, 34% are English Language Learners, 12% are special needs and 45% are at risk. 

The keynote speaker, Dr. David Kirp, who has written a book on the success of  Union City Schools, told a room full of educators and guests that the community's  High School graduation rate is currently an astounding 90%;  this compares with a national average of  75%. 

25 years ago, Union City had the second worst graduation rate in New Jersey--just behind Camden. 

Stamford's High Schools'  graduation rate stands at 80%. 

What are the secrets of the Union City model?

1. The consistency of setting a rigorous core of standards and a skilled teacher that engages the students in the learning process so that he/she not only learns facts but can analyze and synthesize these facts through the process of higher thinking. 

   Learning by rote is being replaced by learning through doing: computer interactivity, drawing, acting projects, etc. 

     This process begins in pre-k and is developed incrementally, systematically and  consistently through elementary school to high school. 

 2. Retention of personnel. Out of 993 educators in Union City, only 3 left last year. Clearly teachers are getting results, are given recognition and excellent remuneration.

     Joshua Starr Stamford's previous superintendent, an outside hire, left after only 6 years at the helm in 2011. Winifred Hamilton, a 40 year veteran of the district was appointed Superintendent starting in the fall of 2013 after serving as interim appointee at the helm for two years.  

        

 3. Strong Central leadership:  the members of the Union City Board of Education are appointed--not elected.

    This is indeed controversial, but has proved successful.  

     Lining up Board members who are united in thinking can achieve amazing success. Many a school district falters because of division, dissension and the playing of politics. (see my blog on the bitter friction between Greenwich Superintendent of Education Sidney Freund and his board of education and his subsequent resignation after only five years.)

    This dissension trickles down from the board to the Principals, then to the APs, to the teachers and ultimately the students suffer. 

     Union City has the formula and hopefully this will inspire other schools systems such as ours to rethink its current practices and long term vision.  

Major Global, National and Local Stories of the First Six Months of 2011

1. Osama Bin Ladin is hunted down and killed. Can his second in command al- Zawahiri fill his shoes?

2. The Pain mounts for our country's middle class citizens. The US and state governments' legislators refuse to rein in spending and pass new taxes. States such as Connecticut and California brace for massive layoffs and cut backs to essential services (e.g. transportation, garbage collection, police duties, etc)

3. Unions flex their muscles and are refusing to make concessions on extending retirement age, delaying and cutting back on pension benefits, etc. A notable exception is New Jersey where Governor Chris Christie was able to hammer down a deal exacting 'sacrifices' from both unions and teachers.

4. The Pain mounts for homeowners whose homes are worth less than their outstanding mortgages. Millions of Americans face foreclosure especially in Florida, Arizona and California. Homes are abandoned in many neighborhoods and many Americans are living in their cars and seeking homeless shelters--even in affluent counties such as Fairfield.

5. Foodbanks have swelled and multiplied all over the country. Safeway Stores in Northern California's affluent Marin County has prepared bags of basic foodstuffs that at $10 are being purchased by those that have for those that don't have. Hats off to Safeway!

6. Unemployment is a global blight as the young are protesting the lack of job opportunities in Britain and Europe.

7. The Arab Spring is a bright sign in countries such as Tunisia Libya, Egypt, Syria, Yemen, Iran and Bahrain as the smart phone/facebook generation takes to the streets and instantly uploads images and stories of revolution and changes. They want freedom. They want an absence of military state that brooks no dissension. They want their dignity, their humanity so long denied to the youth of the middle east.

8. Unfortunately, so many of these rebels are being cold-heartedly slaughtered in the thousands by repressive autocratic leaders in Libya, Syria, Bahrain, Iran and Yemen. We in the United States are aghast at the lack of a global resolve to eliminate these tyrants holding on to the last vestiges of power.

9. The key question is when these dictators are deposed, as they inevitably will fall, what type of government will fill the vacuum. If Egypt is an example, the military will 'sweep ' into office establishing a disciplined spartan system that might just resemble the one that was replaced???!!

10. Your online information is more susceptible to hackers than ever before. As the cloud continues to clutter with personal data, you are more at risk than ever before because the 'booty' keeps mounting. Witness the attacks on Sony, Northrup Grumman, the US Senate, The CIA, PBS, etc.

And these are just the reported cases!

For goodness sake, if you live in East Hampton, NY, don't leave an unclaimed transaction receipt at the ATM window totalling $99, 864, 731.94 for all the world to see.

11. Educational leaders are harder and harder to find, let alone keep on the payroll.

Greenwich, CT has just lost its fourth Superintendent in 11 years as Sidney Freund submitted his resignation. Presumably he and a number of members of the Board of Education could not amicably share the power-- entrusted to them by the community of parents and students they serve--equitably and responsibly together.

Stamford lost Dr. Joshua Starr, its superintendent for the last 6 years, after he elected to depart to run the Montgomery County, Maryland school system; he will represent one of the country's most literate and highly educated group of parents and students. (I lived in Potomac, Maryland for a number of years and can attest to that fact!)

Image source (1)

12. Rinderpest (literally, "cow plague"), a viral disease that has been a scourge for two millenia, has been eliminated.

It is only the second major global viral disease to be conquered (the other being smallpox).

It is thought to be one of the major reasons for speeding up the downfall of the Roman Empire, "aiding the conquests of Genghis Kahn and hindering those of Charlemagne opening the way for the French and Russian revolutions and subjugating East Africa to colonization. "

(Science Times 6/27/11. Click on Rinderpest above for full story)

What is so promising about this event is that perhaps we will see the total conquest of malaria in our lifetimes--especially with the tens of million of research dollars being poured into the cause by the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation and Rotary International amongst others.

Stories you may have missed and some you still might miss

California Chrome winning the 140th  Running of the 

Kentucky Derby
Photo from the Daily News 

1. The Kentucky Derby still has room for dreamers with modest means:  The winner this year, California Chrome, was purchased by  his owner for only $10,000 proving you don't have to be a multi-billion dollar Sultan to win.

2. In New York City, pre-kindergarten applicants are up 36%-- a milestone advancement in education. See my prior blog on why this is so important. Click here to view

3. With the help of Governor Molloy and Stamford Mayor David Martin, the loft artists' fund raiser was a success. Monies raised will fund the LAA's free summer art workshop for children.

4. A nepotism ordinance in Stamford city government hiring is advancing thanks to the Board of Representative's mandating human resources officials to write and implement such a policy.

5. The Greenwich Arts Council is again sponsoring a public display of art along Greenwich Avenue. For the 17th year running, art will be displayed on the walls and among the merchandise through May 26th.

Canyon Flow by Ann Marie Tetelman

Best of Show at Spirit of Water exhibition 

6. The Stamford Art Association's juried art show entitled, Spirit of Water, opened at the Ferguson Library and and will be on display until July.

7. The annual Royce and Dr. Alfred Wolfsohn Lecture will be held on Tuesday, May 13 at 8 PM at Congregation Agudath Sholom in Stamford. The speaker is Rabbi Abe Cooper of the Wiesenthal Center, whose subject is Report from the Trenches: The New and More Virulent European Antisemitism.

8.. Kudos again to Bob Dilenschneider, Hearst Media Services CT  and other sponsors of the Civility in America series. Abraham Foxman will speak about Civility in Public Life on Tuesday, May 20th at 6 PM. Reservations are recommended. Call 203-964-1000 or register online at     http//www.sacredheart.edu/civilityinamerica
For an illuminating three year history of this seminal series at Ferguson, click here 

9. Americares Free Clinics in Stamford, Norwalk, Danbury and Bridgeport will be provided free drugs by Boehringer Inglehiem. Three classes of drugs will be provided: antibiotics, those to treat high blood pressure and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. Over 3,000 Connecticut residents without insurance who use these clinics will be aided.