If you aren’t a parent of a student attending Tuxedo UFSD, or, if you haven’t been following religiously the board of ed meetings, you may not know who Ms. Scariano is and why this post is needed.
Last school year, September 2020-June 2021 was a very hard school year for many districts around the country, our state, and especially Tuxedo UFSD. The district had a superintendent that was under much scrutiny from unions and parents. The superintendent also had to deal with new and daily changing regulations due to COVID-19. To say the least, it was a very stressful year for all involved, especially the students. In January of 2021, just when COVID-19 was hitting another surge, the superintendent resigned.
- Ms. Scariano was hired December of 2019 as Director of Student Services.
- In April of 2020, Ms. Scariano had a title change to Assistant Principal of Student Services.
When the superintendent resigned in 2021, the board unanimously moved Ms. Scariano forward. According to the meeting minutes of January 4 2021, Ms. Scariano would serve as the Acting Superintendent/High School Principal and she would also serve as the alternate CSE/CPSE chairperson. (Ms. Scariano’s contract can be FOIL’ed). Ms. Scariano was hired with the knowledge that the district was on a search for a new superintendent. On Jaunuary 14, 2021 during a “Join Us” meeting hosted by the PTO, Moving Forward with Ms. Scariano, you will hear about the knowledge and talent Ms. Scariano brought to the district and a true flavor of Ms. Scariano’s approach to learning, students, teachers, and parents. In this interview Ms. Scariano made it clear that she would be applying for the role of superintendent.
During this term of interim superintendent, Ms. Scariano delivered detailed and organized board reports, and was an integral part of tackling the district budget at an unprecedented 88% taxpayer approval rate. Ms. Scariano developed a 3-year strategic plan for increasing in-district enrollment, a strategic plan for curriculum with instruction technology inclusion and facility improvements, restructured the business office, identified deficits in the child nutrition program, launched sports for the spring of the 2021 school year, established a partnership with a local health provider for free COVID-19 testing, led a phased-in approach from 100% remote to 100% in-person instruction, negotiated in collective bargaining with teacher and employee unions, created the Summer Bridge program to rectify any educational deficits the district students may have because of the pandemic, and implemented the Teen Think Tank program that ran in June of 2021. Actually, this is only a portion of the items Ms. Scariano achieved in such a short period of time.
This is an important time-line to better understand major shifts in Ms. Scariano’s role
- June 16, 2021, the Board ended activities of the consultant services of Dr. Valenti.
- June 17, 2021, Ms. Scariano was authorized to work with the BOCES Superintendent to determine what options the district may have with the State of New York for the removal of a board member.
- June 18, 2021, the Board voted to prefer each of two charges of official misconduct against school district by a school district officer.
- June 18, 2021, Mr. White is hired as Superintendent of Schools at $200,00 for a 3 year term.
- July 8, 2021, a new Board has reorg meeting
- July 8, 2021, Dr. Valenti was re-retained as a consultant at over $1,000 per day
- July 14, 2021, the Board rescinds charges of official misconduct brought against a school district officer.
On Friday, October 22, 2021, the PTO were organizing outside the upper school Halloween costumes for sale. One member was dressed in a cow costume. Things were being set-up to greet the students leaving their last class of the day. During this same time, Ms. Scariano was escorted out of the building by an Orange County Sheriff. Students, parents, teachers, staff, and members of the community were witness to this event.
The community should ask questions
- Did the Board approve Ms. Scariano’s dismissal?
- Did the Board approve of the methods used to remove Ms. Scariano from the building?
- What are the reasons behind the dismissal?
- Is this a newly approved protocol for employee removal?
- When was this removal going to be announced to the public?
References:
Scariano hire: https://core-docs.s3.amazonaws.com/documents/asset/uploaded_file/568654/MinutesSigned12-12-19.pdf
Scariano title change: https://core-docs.s3.amazonaws.com/documents/asset/uploaded_file/677768/Minutes_4-2-20_Signed.pdf
Scariano interim superintendent: https://core-docs.s3.amazonaws.com/documents/asset/uploaded_file/1091955/Minutes_1-4-21_Signed.pdf
Moving Forward with Ms. Scariano: https://core-docs.s3.amazonaws.com/documents/asset/uploaded_file/1093268/Nicole_PTO_Meeting.m4v
Summer Bridge program: https://www.tuxedoufsd.org/page/summer-bridge-ed-camp
End of services with Dr. Valenti: https://core-docs.s3.amazonaws.com/documents/asset/uploaded_file/1352201/Minutes_6-16-21_Signed.pdf
Scariano investigate board member removal: https://core-docs.s3.amazonaws.com/documents/asset/uploaded_file/1454553/Minutes_6-17-21_Signed.pdf
Charges of misconduct: https://core-docs.s3.amazonaws.com/documents/asset/uploaded_file/1454554/Minutes_6-18-21_Signed.pdf
Rescind of charges: https://core-docs.s3.amazonaws.com/documents/asset/uploaded_file/1454552/Minutes_7-14-21_Signed.pdf
Connecting the Dots: https://kbfortheboe.com/unpacking-the-7-8-2021-boe-meeting/