ThisIsRochester.com: Schools

East Rochester superintendent placed on leave

May 6, 2019 -- Superintendent Mark Linton of the East Rochester Union Free School has been placed on administrative leave, the district's board of education announced.

Linton, who became the district's superintendent in 2015, is being replaced on an interim basis by Richard Stutzman, school board President Jennifer Majewski Lesinski informed district residents.

Linton previously served as an elementary school principal in Geneseo and a special education teacher and school counselor in districts in Monroe, Livingston and Ontario counties.

Harley, Allendale Columbia will combine operations

April 30, 2019 --The Harley School and Allendale Columbia, which have worked closely for many years, announced they will combine all operations in July.

The full merger will not take effect until 2020-21 as school leaders work toward decisions regarding facilities, curriculum and leadership. Harley, the larger of the two, will be the lead entity, but the new school name remains undetermined.

Students currently in grades 11 and 12 will graduate from their current schools as planned.

Harley was founded in 1917 while Allendale Columbia was founded in 1890. Harley and Allendale Columbia had PK-12 enrollment of 488 and 411 in 2017-18, respectively, compared to 521 and 446 a decade earlier, according to state data. Both also offer nursery school programs.

RCSD narrows field to four finalists for superintendent

April 24, 2019 -- The Rochester City School District announced four out-of-state finalists for its superintendent's job. None of the four, all black males, has ever led a school district, according to RCSD officials.

The finalists are:

Terry Dade, assistant superintendent at Fairfax County Public Schools in Virginia.
Devon Horton, chief of schools at Jefferson County Public Schools in the Louisville, Ky., area.
Sito Narcisse, chief of schools for Metro Nashville Public Schools in Tennessee.
Eric Thomas, chief turnaround officer for the Georgia State Board of Education.

One of them will replace Dan Lowengard, who has been interim superintendent since Barbara Deane-Williams retired in January.

The 2019-20 RCSD budget proposal includes a salary of $238,703 for the superintendent.

Racism allegations roil Pittsford district

April 23, 2019 -- Allegations of racism within the Pittsford Central School District have prompted Superintendent Michael Pero and school board president Amy Thomas to write to residents to explain that they cannot publicly discuss most of the alleged incidents but "every report we receive is dealt with swiftly and seriously, and appropriate consequences are applied."

Incidents have purportedly been occurring with increasing frequency since the 2016 presidential election, according to parents and the school district. Parents allege the district has been obfuscating and covering up, and concerns spilled over at a school board meeting as dozens of parents questioned Pero's commitment.

Pero defended the efforts underway, including extensive professional development and an inclusivity advisory committee. A black parent recently resigned from that committee, saying it was flawed in composition and direction.

The district's enrollment includes 3 percent black students, a large portion of whom attend through the Urban-Suburban program. The protest at the April 23 board meeting was triggered in part by set in motion by two recent incidents:

A teacher displayed on the wall a Black History Month project in which several elementary students had used photographs of white people rather than the black inventors they were supposed to honor. It was removed after a black parent objected.
A white Pittsford Mendon student repeatedly used the N-word in reference to teammates on the track team even after other students and the coach told her to stop.

A group of 50 parents wrote a letter to Pero and the school board asking them to issue a public statement against racism. Instead, he wrote an email to all district families, referring in general to unspecified incidents and asking parents to "talk with your child about the importance of respecting their peers."

Private schools win round in dispute with NYSED

April 19, 2019 -- A State Supreme Court justice has ruled in favor of private schools by striking down new state regulations the schools said infringed on their independence.

The New York State Education Department issued new rules last year tasking public schools with supervising non-public schools within their borders to ensure students are receiving a "substantially equivalent" education. The elevation to active oversight was a substantial change from what had been a strictly passive role for the public schools.

The rules were initially issued out of a concern with downstate ultra-Orthodox yeshivas, where critics contend students graduate without even a basic secular education.

Three groups representing non-public schools sued in response, and Justice Christina Ryba agreed with their contention the new regulation gave school districts an inappropriately prominent role in their affairs. Ryba shot down the state's contention that the new guidance merely interprets the "existing statutory regulatory requirements."

The Harley School in Brighton was one of the plaintiff schools suing the state.

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	A summary of noteworthy news about Greater Rochester schools
	More from early 2019 East Rochester superintendent placed on leave May 6, 2019 -- Superintendent Mark Linton of the East Rochester Union Free School has been placed on administrative leave, the district's board of education announced. Linton, who became the district's superintendent in 2015, is being replaced on an interim basis by Richard Stutzman, school board President Jennifer Majewski Lesinski informed district residents. Linton previously served as an elementary school principal in Geneseo and a special education teacher and school counselor in districts in Monroe, Livingston and Ontario counties. Harley, Allendale Columbia will combine operations April 30, 2019 --The Harley School and Allendale Columbia, which have worked closely for many years, announced they will combine all operations in July. The full merger will not take effect until 2020-21 as school leaders work toward decisions regarding facilities, curriculum and leadership. Harley, the larger of the two, will be the lead entity, but the new school name remains undetermined. Students currently in grades 11 and 12 will graduate from their current schools as planned. Harley was founded in 1917 while Allendale Columbia was founded in 1890. Harley and Allendale Columbia had PK-12 enrollment of 488 and 411 in 2017-18, respectively, compared to 521 and 446 a decade earlier, according to state data. Both also offer nursery school programs. RCSD narrows field to four finalists for superintendent April 24, 2019 -- The Rochester City School District announced four out-of-state finalists for its superintendent's job. None of the four, all black males, has ever led a school district, according to RCSD officials. The finalists are: Terry Dade, assistant superintendent at Fairfax County Public Schools in Virginia. Devon Horton, chief of schools at Jefferson County Public Schools in the Louisville, Ky., area. Sito Narcisse, chief of schools for Metro Nashville Public Schools in Tennessee. Eric Thomas, chief turnaround officer for the Georgia State Board of Education. One of them will replace Dan Lowengard, who has been interim superintendent since Barbara Deane-Williams retired in January. The 2019-20 RCSD budget proposal includes a salary of $238,703 for the superintendent. Racism allegations roil Pittsford district April 23, 2019 -- Allegations of racism within the Pittsford Central School District have prompted Superintendent Michael Pero and school board president Amy Thomas to write to residents to explain that they cannot publicly discuss most of the alleged incidents but "every report we receive is dealt with swiftly and seriously, and appropriate consequences are applied." Incidents have purportedly been occurring with increasing frequency since the 2016 presidential election, according to parents and the school district. Parents allege the district has been obfuscating and covering up, and concerns spilled over at a school board meeting as dozens of parents questioned Pero's commitment. Pero defended the efforts underway, including extensive professional development and an inclusivity advisory committee. A black parent recently resigned from that committee, saying it was flawed in composition and direction. The district's enrollment includes 3 percent black students, a large portion of whom attend through the Urban-Suburban program. The protest at the April 23 board meeting was triggered in part by set in motion by two recent incidents: A teacher displayed on the wall a Black History Month project in which several elementary students had used photographs of white people rather than the black inventors they were supposed to honor. It was removed after a black parent objected. A white Pittsford Mendon student repeatedly used the N-word in reference to teammates on the track team even after other students and the coach told her to stop. A group of 50 parents wrote a letter to Pero and the school board asking them to issue a public statement against racism. Instead, he wrote an email to all district families, referring in general to unspecified incidents and asking parents to "talk with your child about the importance of respecting their peers." Private schools win round in dispute with NYSED April 19, 2019 -- A State Supreme Court justice has ruled in favor of private schools by striking down new state regulations the schools said infringed on their independence. The New York State Education Department issued new rules last year tasking public schools with supervising non-public schools within their borders to ensure students are receiving a "substantially equivalent" education. The elevation to active oversight was a substantial change from what had been a strictly passive role for the public schools. The rules were initially issued out of a concern with downstate ultra-Orthodox yeshivas, where critics contend students graduate without even a basic secular education. Three groups representing non-public schools sued in response, and Justice Christina Ryba agreed with their contention the new regulation gave school districts an inappropriately prominent role in their affairs. Ryba shot down the state's contention that the new guidance merely interprets the "existing statutory regulatory requirements." The Harley School in Brighton was one of the plaintiff schools suing the state. [ LOOK BACK AT OLDER STORIES ]