Gabriel: No need for policy committee

April 16, 2010


By PATRICK E. LITOWITZ
plitowitz@ncnewsonline.com

Superintendent George Gabriel displayed a thick binder with pages of guidelines stuffed inside.

Topics ranged from programs, pupils and finances to operations of the New Castle school system.

Ninety-nine percent of those policies were created without the input of a policy committee, Gabriel said.

That advisory panel ceases to exist. A prolonged quarrel involving board member Barbara Razzano over the committee’s purpose led to its elimination during Wednesday night’s school board meeting.

“What was the purpose of policy committee? I have no idea,” Gabriel said. “It hasn’t been functioning in years.”

Working with the Pennsylvania School Boards Association, the district spent two years constructing a policy manual with the backing of the city school board.

The board pays the association to provide preliminary policies and updates. The policies are meant to guide the district and conform to federal and state laws and regulations.

“You’ll see on a monthly basis a revision of board policies,” Gabriel said. “I cannot think of a time when we did not have a revision to a board policy.

“I’m conformable doing that because it has passed legal scrutiny from the PSBA, and it has been given a review by our solicitor.”

In the case of assistant principal Ralph Blundo, the board had to revise a policy preventing administrators from coaching. He was named the high school boys basketball coach at Wednesday’s meeting.

Bradley G. Olson Jr., who chaired the now-defunct group, said the revision was discussed at an athletic committee meeting and Monday’s work session.

“There was no request made to me as the head of the policy committee to have a meeting on it,” he said. “It could have been done simply.

“This policy was discussed thoroughly. We made a proper decision.

“I did not see any documentation from Mrs. Razzano, who had a problem with the policy.”