Hastings Community Polarized Over Whether to Replace Assistant Superintendent

The Hastings Union Free School District had another curve thrown its way recently when Assistant Superintendent of Curriculum, Instruction, and Personnel Rhonda Cohen tended her resignation, as of August 1, to serve the same role in Winchester MA public schools.  

With the district already working with new Interim Superintendent Timothy Connors —the notice of Cohen's resignation was Conners' first official interaction with the community—there is some question as to whether the Board of Education will replace Cohen right away, or even at all. 

"Obviously one of the issues that we have in Hastings is that we're a small district and we have to pay high taxes. We must be mindful of how we fill that position," said Eileen Baecher, school board president. 

This year especially, residents opposing the passage of the school budget in the name of lower taxes came out in force, citing reduction in administration as a prime tactic in lowering costs.  

Jane Cody, a Hastings resident and a member of the Hastings Alliance for Affordable Taxes , agreed that budgetary concerns needed to be a part of the decision-making process about filling Cohen's position. "I think that the school should have a lot of autonomy to satisfy their academic goals," she said. "But I think the overall budgetary constraints should guide those goals."

The decision of whether to hire someone to replace Cohen and oversee the district's curriculum has divided people into two camps: those who see the position as important to maintaining a district-wide educational cohesiveness and those who view the position as a luxury Hastings simply cannot afford at this time.

The Board of Education is well aware of both points of view. "The biggest pro is that we want somebody paying attention to the curriculum portion of our business. I mean that is the reason we're here: to educate," Baecher said. "If you don't have anybody in that position, you end up using many more consultants and you have a much more hit or miss approach."

But considering the economic hardships so many locals face, Baecher said, "It is also a budget line item, and many people are concerned about the level of administration we have for a district of our size."

Cody sees the decision of whether to hire a new assistant superintendent as part of the larger issue of district finances.

"Currently Hastings spends more than $27,000 per pupil per year, which has resulted in property taxes that are driving many residents out of their homes," Cody said. "The reality is that the long-term sustainability of our schools requires systemic change. Shared services with neighboring communities, shared services with the village of Hastings, revised compensation structures and reduced personnel should all be under consideration."

Roger Scheiber, another member of the Hastings Alliance who also sits on the Hastings Economic Development Committee, agreed with Cody.  "I think we've been led to believe that there's a direct link between quality of education and how much taxpayers spend," Scheiber said.  "I don't believe it's true."

Scheiber, who has had three children pass through the Hastings schools, said his position would be no different even if his kids were still in the system.

"I voted against budgets even while my kids were in school," Scheiber said. 

But despite Scheiber's confidence that the Hastings Alliance for Affordable Taxes' support had "more than doubled this year, " he acknowledged that the school budget passed with a  resounding 71 percent of voters choosing "yes" in May.  

As a reaction to the Hastings Alliance's call for cuts in spending, residents with the opposite point of view set up two websites, The Hastings Facts Coalition and Hastings Kids Count.  Both sites stressed the importance of making educational decisions based on informed judgments.  

"The parents did a fantastic job of supporting the school district," Scheiber said. "In Hastings we have two polarized camps--and those in favor of greater expenditures ran an incredible campaign."

Baecher said she had not set a specific deadline for making this tough decision--noting that the Board of Education is generally less active during the summer, with only one meeting planned before the start of the school year. Nevertheless, this isn't an issue that she and her colleagues intend to leave unaddressed until then.

"I would anticipate that we would do something in the next month or two," she said. "I would think by mid-August we'll know how we want to proceed, based on conversations we have with the interim superintendent."