New Rochelle Superintendent Organisciak Announces Resignation Effective June 2014, Maybe Sooner

Written By: Robert Cox

OrganisciakNEW ROCHELLE, NY — New Rochelle Schools Superintendent Richard Organisciak read a statement at the close of tonight’s school board meeting announcing his resignation effect June 30, 2014 which is the last day of his current contract.

Organisciak left open the possibility he may leave sooner due to continuing medical issues which caused him miss several weeks of school after surgery in March.

Rumors have circulated for months that Organisciak would use up his remaining sick days to end his tenure this fall, possibly December and even as early as October. The rumor mill had Organisciak being replaced by Assistant Superintendent Diane Massimo on an interim basis with Isaac E. Young Principal Dr. Anthony Bongo stepping into the Assistant Superintendent position with responsibility for New Rochelle High School, Special Education and Pupil Services.

A number of newer board members did not support Organisciak when they joined the board over the past couple of years and support waned for Organisciak among board members with more seniority. Organisciak was formally notified that his contract would not be renewed in the past few months. While Organisciak has been seriously ill and has had serious medical issues in the past, the Superintendent had opened to continue in office. His decision to use up remaining sick days and leave six to eight months before his contract ends is a reflection both of his medical condition and his displeasure and not being renewed under his contract.

The board has not announced plans to begin a search to replace Organisciak.

2 thoughts on “New Rochelle Superintendent Organisciak Announces Resignation Effective June 2014, Maybe Sooner”

  1. We Wish Him Well
    New Ro’s Superintendent of Schools has resigned effective spring 2014. We wish him well.

    His statement in his resignation letter attests to leaving the district in “sound pedagogic, administrative and financial shape”. Right. So it begs the question, what will be his legacy? What meaningful improvements have occurred in the school district during his tenure? Are we sincerely excited about the educational future of our children in New Rochelle? Given the many negative and distasteful occurrences throughout his tenure that have embarrassed our community which have often been left for us (and TOS) to discover and expose, his legacy can only be one where silence and lack of transparency had been the norm for him.

    While some positive initiatives began while Sara Richmond was at the helm as president of the BOE and stifled once again by Ms. Petrone, who was easily manipulated by the Superintendent, we can expect no initiatives by David Lacher – since he is conveniently attached to the political and real estate powers in town – so rocking the boat is not healthy for him.

    So we have a school district that is over 70% students of color whose on-time graduation rates are below state averages – and whose “improvement “ in recent years is suspect due to the rapid social promotion devised by Don Conetta in his last three years as Principal at NRHS. There have been no pedagogic initiatives to combat the inequities in our schools as some are conveniently overcrowded, not diverse and is essentially, and as promoted by FUSE, business as usual. Our community continuously gets distracted by having a state football champion, but look at the graduation rates of the football players – track them when they leave NRHS. You will be surprise.

    So over the next year, the BOE will hopefully begin a process of selecting an appropriate candidate who will be a leader in our school district – not a manipulator who will conveniently make statements that are self-serving and be so out of touch with the community. I do hope that such a leader will come with new ideas and new vision of where to lead our schools. The composition of our schools has been transformed due to demographics and income inequalities yet our school leadership is oblivious to all of this. We have now a Board President who supports a corrupt “economic development in Echo Bay” despite the overwhelming community disdain towards it AND who forgets that because of this development the City Yard will be moved to the West End community where many, many children live and who will be exposed to toxic and dangerous daily travails that the sanitation trucks bring. Imagine a City Yard up Pinebrook and Quaker Ridge? Do you care Mr. Lacher? Can you speak publicly about it or are you too manipulated by Noam Bramson’s mantra of not speaking in public about uncomfortable subjects.

    So good luck Mr. Organisciak. Good luck BOE in selecting an appropriate Superintendent.

    1. What is Next for Our Schools
      Well said Martin. I cannot wait to see who is on the committee to interview and pick the new superintendent. Let’s hope that we will see some new people on that committee and not the same brainwashed and manipulated group that Noam Bramson prefers to further his agenda.

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