It's been a rough year for the Marbletown Elementary School. The closing of the Rosendale school last June is still fresh for many former Rosendale students now attending Marbletown. Throughout the year, Marbletown Elementary has been plagued with a series of bomb threats. And now this: Last Wednesday, the principal, a kindergarten teacher and a secretary were removed from the building -- and their jobs -- with little explanation by the Rondout Valley Central School District.
Rosario Agostaro, the superintendent of the Rondout Valley School District, confirmed on Friday that three people had been removed from Marbletown Elementary School, but he would not identify them or provide a reason, other than to say the district is investigating “suspected irregularities” in connection with the “observation and evaluation” of staff at the school.
Agostaro said two of the three were reassigned within the district, and the other is working outside the district.
“No one was fired,” he said.
Though the district superintendent refused to identify the three staffers, the Freeman learned the names of two of them from a school board member and the president of the local parent-teacher association: Principal William Cafiero and kindergarten teacher Mindy Shaw.
Cafiero, the Freeman notes, has a history of questionable behavior in the district, though there is no indication that the recent issue is connected:
In MAY 2001, Cafiero was removed as the Rondout Valley High School principal after an independent investigator looked into claims that he sexually harassed two teachers, both of whom he had social relationships with.
Cafiero was classified as an “administrator on special assignment” until July 2003. He then was suspended by the school district for two weeks after the state Education Department ruled there was sufficient evidence to merit sexual harassment charges again him. Soon after, though, Cafiero was reinstated as high school principal.
In a message sent to Marbletown parents, Agostaro gave few specifics, saying that he was unable to comment about the "ongoing investigation into serious concerns about the observation and evaluation of staff" at Marbletown Elementary:
I have confidence that the activities planned in June for your children will go on as expected (field trips, class activities, etc.). Additionally, I will be meeting with a representative from our teaching staff this week to discuss questions about planning for next year.
Many parents are upset about the removal of the staffers, and the lack of information from the district. A scheduled meeting of the Rondout Valley board of education tonight at 7pm may see a turnout from the community.
In the nearby Onteora Central School District, a similar situation unfolded earlier this year, when Phoenicia Elementary principal Linda Sella was abruptly removed from her post -- and apparently reassigned to a new administrative job within the school district -- with little information from the district released to parents or the press.
Below: A few reactions to the issue at Marbletown from social media, some left by parents on the district's Facebook page.
