ALUMNI TOLD TO GO AWAY
Board of Ed still running from Alumni and Accountability
Ramos Kelly goes further and makes bizarre accuations of North White Plains resident Richard Panetta, of a "harrassing and intimidating tone" . The facts are that her "clerical staff" was not at work on time, did not have the information available, though it was available the night before anddid not put it together until later that afternoon. Harrassment and intimidation? Will she seek to crush all those who stand in her way?
Perhaps she can threaten children and parents and even an administrator this way but I doubt Mr. Panetta will retreat. Given the consistently substandard way the district performs in everyway, it is no surprise that Dr. Kelly uses this tactics to deflect criticism.By all accounts what the board of ed did at the September 25th BOE meeting was nothing short of bizarre. With Television cameras from CBS and News12 filming, the board refused to allow alumni and retired teachers to speak and ran from their own meeting. This will again be MUST SEE BOE TV.
The district policy has never prohibited non-residents from speaking. Alumni and former teachers were always part of the general community that were welcomed and encouraged to speak; but not any more. They even formed yet another committee to replace the trophies they claim they did not throw out. About 25 of these trophies, including many 1st place awards taken out of the dumpsters and off the trash heeps by the same teachers that were threatened for meddling with school garbage and who, last night were refused access to a microphone.
Now, following official board policy, a formal request has been made by Rich Panetta of North White Plains, to put the trophy trashing issue back on the agenda on October 30th and allow Alumni to speak. We will publish the official response from the district, but informally one board member has already called the request a joke and told Rich they will not agree to it. Alumni don't count in Valhalla. Read what the board policy manual says about the board's community relations goals. What a joke!
Board members come and go but Alumni are forever. Alumni are to be forgotten, like the criminal and unethical practices of the board of education. Trash the trophies, let the memorial gardens go, take down the announcers tower and the weather vane dedicated to an alumnus. Let's get to that bond and another $4 million dollars. And if all else fails run away!
Letter From Don LaVarAs an alumni of Valhalla H.S., I am truly sad over the recent actions taken by certain individuals about discarding trophies, especially the ones from the 60's, which actually put Valhalla in a position to be recognized as a competitive force in sports, as well as academic achievements. I am very fortunate as I live in close proximity to my high school coach,Joe Chiera. We both live in S.Florida.The only mementos I have of that era,is that I still have my varsity letter from 61 to 64.I also have an article of myself from that era that describes accomplishments of our football team,and our Coach. I believe we were catalysts that started many years of great sports and academic achievements,and now we are told that someone has erased from history,the foundation,upon which made Valhalla a great school.
LETTER FROM ANTHONY GAGLIARDI, VALHALLA HIGH SCHOOL CLASS OF '82 PRESIDENT
I have recently received phone calls and emails from alumni upset about the sports trophies and plaques which have been thrown in the garbage. As a result, I am taking the lead as Class of '82 President to encourage ALUMNI FROM ALL YEARS to attend the September 25 Valhalla Board of Education meeting to be held at 7:00 PM at Valhalla High School. Our purpose is to get answers to some very sensitive questions, to get a plan from the Board of Education to resolve the situation, and finally to get closure on this entire matter. I plan to attend, and I hope to see many old and new alumni, along with current Valhalla residents at the meeting.
Valhalla High School
Class President 1982September 18, 2007
Dear Board Member:
At the urging of several classmates and dedicated parents, I am writing to you to express my concern regarding the “trophy trashing” that has occurred during the past school year.
Over this past summer, the Class of 1987 celebrated its 20-year reunion. As a gift to the school, the classmates donated a new “Outstanding Senior Football Player” trophy that was to be added to the display case. We also had the privilege to take a tour of the high school during the reunion weekend. The former students met in the lobby awaiting the initiation of the much-anticipated tour. What was witnessed was nothing short of discouraging. The display cases were barren and without trace of our contribution to the history of Valhalla during our high school years. What classmates also noticed was the missing “Playbills” from the auditorium walls. The thought that weighed heavy on everyone’s mind was why this was allowed to happen. Students, parents and former staff echoed this sentiment throughout the reunion weekend. Many people had also expressed concern regarding the new trophy that was donated to the high school in memory of our deceased classmates. Was our trophy also in jeopardy of being trashed? Will someone save it when it is deemed old and irreparable?
One of the duties of a high school’s administration and school board is to clearly and accurately carry out the wishes of the people in its community. I do not think that discarding the trophies in the display case, regardless of championship status or participation status, is what your community hired/elected you to do. These trophies and/or Playbills represent over 40 years of tradition that so many people made possible. It is unfortunate that a select few individuals made the decision to disregard the accomplishments of thousands of people who represented Valhalla over the years. This is not what is expected of the people who represent the community. What is expected is that the leaders of the school district remain steadfast and straightforward. Straightforward being the operative word. No one has been straightforward with the community regarding responsibility of this dishonorable act. Who authorized this trashing to occur? Will anyone step up to the plate and take responsibility?
Since the damage has been done and fingers have been pointed, I suggest that reparations be made swiftly, in order to avoid further negativity. These memories need to be replaced in order for this issue to be quieted. It will take some work to determine what was tossed. Records will need to be reviewed and some monies will need to be spent to replace what was recklessly discarded.
Please remember that your job is only a temporary moment in time. The history of Valhalla and its community members are permanent and will last long after your tenure is completed.
Respectfully,
The district policy has never prohibited non-residents from speaking. Alumni and former teachers were always part of the general community that were welcomed and encouraged to speak; but not any more. They even formed yet another committee to replace the trophies they claim they did not throw out. About 25 of these trophies, including many 1st place awards taken out of the dumpsters and off the trash heeps by the same teachers that were threatened for meddling with school garbage and who, last night were refused access to a microphone.
Now, following official board policy, a formal request has been made by Rich Panetta of North White Plains, to put the trophy trashing issue back on the agenda on October 30th and allow Alumni to speak. We will publish the official response from the district, but informally one board member has already called the request a joke and told Rich they will not agree to it. Alumni don't count in Valhalla. Read what the board policy manual says about the board's community relations goals. What a joke!
Board members come and go but Alumni are forever. Alumni are to be forgotten, like the criminal and unethical practices of the board of education. Trash the trophies, let the memorial gardens go, take down the announcers tower and the weather vane dedicated to an alumnus. Let's get to that bond and another $4 million dollars. And if all else fails run away!
September 18, 2007
Dear Board Member:
At the urging of several classmates and dedicated parents, I am writing to you to express my concern regarding the “trophy trashing” that has occurred during the past school year.
Over this past summer, the Class of 1987 celebrated its 20-year reunion. As a gift to the school, the classmates donated a new “Outstanding Senior Football Player” trophy that was to be added to the display case. We also had the privilege to take a tour of the high school during the reunion weekend. The former students met in the lobby awaiting the initiation of the much-anticipated tour. What was witnessed was nothing short of discouraging. The display cases were barren and without trace of our contribution to the history of Valhalla during our high school years. What classmates also noticed was the missing “Playbills” from the auditorium walls. The thought that weighed heavy on everyone’s mind was why this was allowed to happen. Students, parents and former staff echoed this sentiment throughout the reunion weekend. Many people had also expressed concern regarding the new trophy that was donated to the high school in memory of our deceased classmates. Was our trophy also in jeopardy of being trashed? Will someone save it when it is deemed old and irreparable?
One of the duties of a high school’s administration and school board is to clearly and accurately carry out the wishes of the people in its community. I do not think that discarding the trophies in the display case, regardless of championship status or participation status, is what your community hired/elected you to do. These trophies and/or Playbills represent over 40 years of tradition that so many people made possible. It is unfortunate that a select few individuals made the decision to disregard the accomplishments of thousands of people who represented Valhalla over the years. This is not what is expected of the people who represent the community. What is expected is that the leaders of the school district remain steadfast and straightforward. Straightforward being the operative word. No one has been straightforward with the community regarding responsibility of this dishonorable act. Who authorized this trashing to occur? Will anyone step up to the plate and take responsibility?
Since the damage has been done and fingers have been pointed, I suggest that reparations be made swiftly, in order to avoid further negativity. These memories need to be replaced in order for this issue to be quieted. It will take some work to determine what was tossed. Records will need to be reviewed and some monies will need to be spent to replace what was recklessly discarded.
Please remember that your job is only a temporary moment in time. The history of Valhalla and its community members are permanent and will last long after your tenure is completed.
Respectfully,
On July 7, a group of Alumni toured the high school. This is how the trophy case looked. A year after Jon Thomas was hired as principal, Valhalla's athletic history was pared down to 12 trophies, 4 baseballs, 9 softballs and three certificates. Did Dr. Ackerman already eliminate all the trohpies and plaques before he got there? No one will say. But the current administrators and board of education thought this display represented the accomplishments of all Valhalla athletes of nearly fifty years. All the rest they said were "participation awards" and tossed them. Then on September 25th, the board and administrators ran away when alumni and retired teachers showed up at a board meeting and asked to speak. Do you want to give these people another $4 million or should they answer for what they did? The vote is October 16th. VOTE NO; send a message.
Mr. Gaglione holding two plaques that he rescued. Are these just participation awards? Are they broken? These and many more were discarded by the new administration. Accused of stealing these trophies from the trash, Mr. Gaglione was refused the opportunity to speak at the board meeting. Instead, as a demonstration of what a new track would be used for, they ran away. Hooray for them.
Efforts to get answers as to the 
why board of education allowed their newly hired administrators to trash the trophies are now being frustrated by the Valhalla defense. One board member claims to know nothing about it. The superintendent is asked directly in an email the following questions:
1) Why was it deemed necessary to remove the trophies and plaques from where they were and throw them out?
2) What person or persons suggested that this be done?
3) Under who's authority was this action given the ok to carry out?
What ensues is a classic example of the Valhalla Defense. Redirection, dumb looks, throwing someone (on bed rest) under under the bus. No one responsible is accountable. No one ever has a ready answer to simple questions. The buck stops no where in Valhalla. It is important to note that board members and the superintendent were copied on all Mr. Panetta's emails. Read for yourself. Call the board office, call your elected board members. Hop on the merry go round write to the superintendent dramos-kelly@valhalla.k12.ny.us
The Trophy Trashing Comes into Focus
Enter any High School in Westchester County and you will surely find a case filled with the trophies and medals honoring the accomplishments of students from as far back as when that high school first opened. Each inscription on every plaque telling of individual and team accomplishments that define what it is to be a student and an alumnus at that school.
Visitors at Valhalla High School, whether they are alumni, parents, grandparents or students might be surprised to find that the trophies, plaques and medals telling the history of Valhalla student-athlete accomplishments are gone. Already two teachers have reported pulling a few trophies out of the trash.
We are finding out that more than one long time teacher plucked these trophies and awards out of the trash. As you can see from the following posts on our Blog, both Mr Wylie and Mr Gaglione have several. Another teacher pulled 21 first place trophies and gave them to the new Athletic Director. Let's see if they put them back. How will they explain why they were trashed in the first place. And why are they trying to destroy Valhalla's traditions, accomplishments and links to its past?
I know where two of the recently moved plagues are, I have them. I was able to save them from the trash on the day of the MS/HS luncheon. One of the plagues is the 1997 League Championship for Softball and the other first place at the Mt Pleasant Softball Tournament in 2003. These mean very much to me but even more so to my players. The Class of 1963 donated several years ago an Outstanding Senior Football trophy to replace the one which had no more room. Where is the trophy? This year the Class 0f 1987 donated another trophy to replace the original one knowing it had already been replaced once. I am not only angry as a coach but as an alumnus. I spent most of my life in one way or another in the Valhalla system. I went K-12 there and then taught 32 years; it was my family away from home. I feel like so many others that I have talked to recently, they no longer want to have any thing to do with Valhalla, for many reason, too many to list at this time. History is just that, history. What do you have when that is taken away? I can no longer take my grand children to the school and show them the things that I earned as an athlete or some of the accomplishment I had as a staff member. Some one or many people should and must be held accountable for what they have done. This is not over!
Posted July 20, 2007 03:44 PM |
Robert Gaglione replied to Roger Wylie...
I wholeheartedly agree with Roger Wylie's comments. Not only did I teach at Valhalla High/Middle School for 33 years, but all three of my children also attended. Two of the plaques thrown away were given to me by two students last year, and they were BASEBALL CHAMPIONSHIPS that my son, Joseph, played on from 2001 and 2002. There is no rhyme or reason on which trophies and plaques were discarded. For example, if it was stated that all championship awards from 1962 through 1970 were being distroyed, at least there was some conscious effort by the administration to come to some rational, although erroneous decision, on which ones to discard, but my son's championships were from the early 2000's. Based upon what I observed during my last year at Valhalla, there seemed to be a conscious effort to rid the school of all tradition and history. Considering that Valhalla does not even exist on the map, but is only a hamlet, all that the community has is the school and Little League, and the history of the school is being erradicated, along with other accolades, such as the musicals performed by various classes which once were posted in the auditorium lobby, the class of '85 school gift, (activity directory), and finally, even the library books, which were destroyed without even asking the staff that used them if they still were needed. Just like the sport's trophies, plaques, musical listings, library books, and class gifts were part of Valhalla's history, so am I, but for those parents and students who still are attending the schools, you need to come to grips on the direction of the school district. If it's time for in with the new and out with the old so be it. Otherwise, it's time to change the direction and agree upon a new mission statement.
Posted July 20, 2007 10:16 PM |
