Large Crowd Supports Pattison
By ANNE HOLLIDAY
WESB/WBRR News Director
Players, students, parents and coaches showed up at Wednesday's school board meeting to show support for Jerry Pattison, who was not rehired as a Bradford High football coach after 15 years in the position.
Even Pattison's father spoke to the school board.
"What I'm really appalled at is the abuse of power that the school board is allowing the superintendent (Sandra Romanowski) and (Director of Human Resources) Sam Johnson …."
The rest of his statement was drowned out by applause from the audience that, at one point, flowed into the hallway outside the Large Group Instruction Room at Fretz Middle School.
He asked the school board to look into why anybody "can take a personal vendetta and turn it into this bunch of crap."
Pattison, himself, told the board he wasn't given a reason for not being rehired.
He said he was told that if he asked why he wasn't rehired he was to be told it was a personnel reason and "that's all I needed to know."
He said because he wasn't told, people have had more than a week to make speculations and spread rumors.
He said he never received anything but perfect scores on evaluations as both a coach and teacher.
He asked the school board to look into the situation before voting to not re-instate him.
Pattison quoted the statement on the school district web site: "No member of our team is more important than the students we serve."
"I've given so much to these students and players," he said. "How is getting rid of me in the best interest of the students?"
Student Ryan Bunker presented the board with a petition signed by more than 300 people. Owls football players Casey Graffius and Steven Reinhardt also spoke, as did football equipment manager Garett Hatch.
Hatch said it was a consensus among the assistant coaches that if Pattison was not re-instated, the other coaches would quit.
When asked if he was making that statement on behalf of all the coaches he said "it's not just for myself."
Assistant Superintendent Katy Pude said administrators will meet with him about that. They can't publicly discuss personnel matters. Romanowski was not at the meeting because of the sudden death of her mother.
In other matters, both school board member Paul Ridley and business manager Kathy Kelly said they don't foresee a tax increase for the 2009-2010 budget.
That will be the eighth year with no tax increase.
The issue came up when Ridley gave a report on the independent school district audit and the board passed a resolution to not increase taxes above the state index established by the Department of Education.
Kelly said the "clean" audit is a result of the work of everyone in the school district.
Board President Tim Bean said, "It's good to know we're on strong financial footing."
Also last night, Pude told the board that the new Fretz Art Club created a mural featuring President-elect Barack Obama and the qualities they expect him to display.
The mural will be sent to the White House.
Pude said the art club is a way to "involve more students in school-sponsored activities."
Also, Student Representative Bethany Russell noted that the Scholastic Scrimmage team will compete against Clearfield on Wednesday and the school Christmas concert is next Thursday.
The meeting started with Lisa Fedak's Second Grade Orff Ensemble performing "Deck the Halls" and "Jolly Old St. Nicholas."
And, the following scholar/athletes were recognized: Hilary Digel, Jodi Irons, Caroline Morris, Hope LaRoche, Emily Hardy, Ashley Mackey, Megan Barnes, Danielle Hollenbeck, Brittni Wiseman, Myriah Wiseman, Alexandra Szczupak, Lauren Bauchard, Brigid Colligan, Mahita Gajanan, Olivia Goble, Leah Anderson, Tara Coats, BriAnne Gleason, Jenna Gorrell, Casey Vecchio, Adrienne Sloan, Olivia Astor, Tahlisa Broughan, Alice Chen, Erin Frisina, Elizabeth Gardner, Megan Hillard, Kayla Hayden, Nicole Teribery.
And, Tim Hulings, Christopher Mackey, Joshua Stauffer, Matthew White, Michael White, Adam Barnes, Evan Feura, Gage Bunker, Aidan Frombach, Tyler Grandy, Richard Oberymeyer, Kyle Yurkeweicz, Mike Pascarella, Casey Graffius, Ethan Peterson, Sean Mooney, Steven Reinhardt, Nate Burrows, Mike Marasco, Devon Swatt, Brett Butler, Matthew Anderson, Patrick Morrisroe, Alex Borland, Tomorrow McDonald, Caitlin Szczupak, Elayna Oaks, Shelby Runyan, Tate Slaven, Chelsea Brien and Kaitlyn Russell.
WESB/WBRR News Director
Players, students, parents and coaches showed up at Wednesday's school board meeting to show support for Jerry Pattison, who was not rehired as a Bradford High football coach after 15 years in the position.
Even Pattison's father spoke to the school board.
"What I'm really appalled at is the abuse of power that the school board is allowing the superintendent (Sandra Romanowski) and (Director of Human Resources) Sam Johnson …."
The rest of his statement was drowned out by applause from the audience that, at one point, flowed into the hallway outside the Large Group Instruction Room at Fretz Middle School.
He asked the school board to look into why anybody "can take a personal vendetta and turn it into this bunch of crap."
Pattison, himself, told the board he wasn't given a reason for not being rehired.He said he was told that if he asked why he wasn't rehired he was to be told it was a personnel reason and "that's all I needed to know."
He said because he wasn't told, people have had more than a week to make speculations and spread rumors.
He said he never received anything but perfect scores on evaluations as both a coach and teacher.
He asked the school board to look into the situation before voting to not re-instate him.
Pattison quoted the statement on the school district web site: "No member of our team is more important than the students we serve."
"I've given so much to these students and players," he said. "How is getting rid of me in the best interest of the students?"
Student Ryan Bunker presented the board with a petition signed by more than 300 people. Owls football players Casey Graffius and Steven Reinhardt also spoke, as did football equipment manager Garett Hatch.
Hatch said it was a consensus among the assistant coaches that if Pattison was not re-instated, the other coaches would quit.
When asked if he was making that statement on behalf of all the coaches he said "it's not just for myself."
Assistant Superintendent Katy Pude said administrators will meet with him about that. They can't publicly discuss personnel matters. Romanowski was not at the meeting because of the sudden death of her mother.
In other matters, both school board member Paul Ridley and business manager Kathy Kelly said they don't foresee a tax increase for the 2009-2010 budget.
That will be the eighth year with no tax increase.
The issue came up when Ridley gave a report on the independent school district audit and the board passed a resolution to not increase taxes above the state index established by the Department of Education.
Kelly said the "clean" audit is a result of the work of everyone in the school district.
Board President Tim Bean said, "It's good to know we're on strong financial footing."
Also last night, Pude told the board that the new Fretz Art Club created a mural featuring President-elect Barack Obama and the qualities they expect him to display.
The mural will be sent to the White House.
Pude said the art club is a way to "involve more students in school-sponsored activities."
Also, Student Representative Bethany Russell noted that the Scholastic Scrimmage team will compete against Clearfield on Wednesday and the school Christmas concert is next Thursday.
The meeting started with Lisa Fedak's Second Grade Orff Ensemble performing "Deck the Halls" and "Jolly Old St. Nicholas."
And, the following scholar/athletes were recognized: Hilary Digel, Jodi Irons, Caroline Morris, Hope LaRoche, Emily Hardy, Ashley Mackey, Megan Barnes, Danielle Hollenbeck, Brittni Wiseman, Myriah Wiseman, Alexandra Szczupak, Lauren Bauchard, Brigid Colligan, Mahita Gajanan, Olivia Goble, Leah Anderson, Tara Coats, BriAnne Gleason, Jenna Gorrell, Casey Vecchio, Adrienne Sloan, Olivia Astor, Tahlisa Broughan, Alice Chen, Erin Frisina, Elizabeth Gardner, Megan Hillard, Kayla Hayden, Nicole Teribery.
And, Tim Hulings, Christopher Mackey, Joshua Stauffer, Matthew White, Michael White, Adam Barnes, Evan Feura, Gage Bunker, Aidan Frombach, Tyler Grandy, Richard Oberymeyer, Kyle Yurkeweicz, Mike Pascarella, Casey Graffius, Ethan Peterson, Sean Mooney, Steven Reinhardt, Nate Burrows, Mike Marasco, Devon Swatt, Brett Butler, Matthew Anderson, Patrick Morrisroe, Alex Borland, Tomorrow McDonald, Caitlin Szczupak, Elayna Oaks, Shelby Runyan, Tate Slaven, Chelsea Brien and Kaitlyn Russell.
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