Administrator, teacher respond to allegations

FALLS VILLAGE — A March 16 e-mail from Gale Toensing (the Falls Village representative to the Region One Board of Education) criticizing Region One Assistant Superintendent Diane Goncalves provoked a sharp reaction from Goncalves and from Damon Osora, the chairman of the English department at Housatonic Valley Regional High School.

Goncalves and Osora read statements at the beginning of the meeting of the board Monday, April 5.

Toensing’s e-mail covered three topics: the Region One budget process, failure rates among freshmen at the high school, and, most notably, rumors about Goncalves’ personal life.

Toensing wrote, “It is widely alleged both in the high school and some of the towns that there is currently a personal relationship between an administrator and a certified employee at the high school. Does the board have a policy on fraternatization [sic] and, if so, what it is [sic]? Does the alleged administrator in the alleged relationship have any supervisory role over the other person?

“It is also alleged that the two people have been seen and heard by students and others in the high school in what has been described as a loud argument.�

Toensing requested an investigation by Region One Superintendent Patricia Chamberlain, who stated in a phone interview Tuesday, April 6, that Goncalves has no supervisory authority over the unnamed teacher.

“There is no conflict whatsoever,� she said, adding, “There is no ban on friendship.�

The e-mail was widely circulated last week, and Goncalves acknowledged she was the “alleged administrator.�

In her statement to the board, Goncalves said, “I have been the target of Ms. Toensing’s attempt to discredit me since my arrival in Region One. These attempts have been well documented in the past 18 months.

“While I fully understand that, as your assistant superintendent, I should be held to the highest professional and personal standards, I would ask you to understand and respect that my personal life, friendships and whereabouts on earned vacation days are off limits.

“Having friendships, spending time with friends and, once in a while, disagreeing with friends over trivial matters such as a lunch selection, does not rise to a violation of law or professional ethical and moral standards.�

And, referring to the unnamed person, Goncalves said, “I chose to address this issue openly because Ms. Toensing’s continued attempts at character assassination have now impacted another individual.

“No such damage should have been incurred by this individual, nor by any member of the teaching staff.�

Osora said, “Like many teachers at the high school, I was dismayed to read the Falls Village representative’s comments about [Goncalves].

“I have witnessed firsthand Ms. Goncalves’ strengths as an administrator and have been impressed not only by her unwavering professionalism, but also by the depth of her commitment to improving schools throughout the district.�

Toensing did not attend the meeting, having indicated in her e-mail that she would be out of town.

Chamberlain advised the board to meet with its attorney to go over the rights and responsibilities of board members and, in a phone interview Tuesday, board Chairman Judge Manning confirmed that such a meeting would take place.

The board also heard a presentation from Housatonic Valley Regional High School Assistant Principal Mary Anne Buchanan and faculty memberVance Cannon on the Positive Behavioral Interventions and Supports (PBIS) program.

Buchanan said the program, which sets behavioral expectations at school and rewards  desired behaviors, has shown considerable results in the last two years, with disciplinary referrals down from 721 in the 2008-09 school year to 444 thus far in the 2009-10 year.

Skipping classes and truancy are also down, but problems with students using cell phones and other devices at unauthorized times — “technology referrals� — are up.

Region One Business Manager Sam Herrick said that the Aetna insurance carrier would be meeting either at the end of this week or next week with representatives of the teacher’s union and other affected groups, as the board considers switching health insurance providers.

And board member Phil Hart of Cornwall announced, with evident relief, that the long-awaited Long-range Plan for the high school is just about ready for the printer.