Letter to the Editor: Superintendent's Search by Michael Richetelli

This is for the residents of Orange:

A group of Orange parents met with members of the Superintendent Search Forum to discuss concerns over the Superintendent hiring process. The meeting, also attended by members of the press, was held Monday, September 12, 2011 at High Plains Community Center on Orange Center Rd.

The Forum was created to assist the Board of Education (BOE) with the search for Orange’s new Superintendent. Attendees were provided with a copy of a letter from forum members to the BOE expressing concerns over the process, in particular why the BOE did not follow their own policies and procedures, which stipulate that the BOE form a formal Search Committee prior to commencing the search for a Superintendent.

A copy of the policy, along with a letter from the Board Chair stating that “the Board of Education took no formal action to establish a search committee” was also distributed.

Forum member Michael Richetelli addressed the group by reading a prepared statement on the process, “this Board of Education, all of whom are elected officials did not perform their duties to the people of Orange.

I believe that there is only one rational outcome for the BOE conducting the Superintendent Search improperly; the Board Chair should resign and the remaining members of the Board must restart the process and follow the rules.” The meeting included a question and answer period, with Richetelli and fellow forum member Michael Bowler discussing the issues with the audience.

No members of the Orange BOE attended the meeting which lasted approximately one hour. The forum members are now awaiting a formal, written response from the BOE to their letter questioning various parts of the process and the policy violation. A face to face meeting between forum members and the BOE is also anticipated. 

The meeting can be viewed online at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kuhNDOUG7UE