“My hope is that the board and the community will continue to give the Montessori program the opportunity that it needs to grow and see how successful it is,” he said. “It’s only been in operation for a short time, but anybody who goes into that building and observes, who talks to children and sees what they’re doing on a daily basis, and who talks to any of the educators in that building, and the parents are certainly very grateful for that opportunity.”
Gretzinger said criticism of the program — the students have lagged so far in standardized test scores — is premature, adding that one only needs to go into the school to see the impact it’s having on George Washington students.
“I understand that to the board it’s important that the test scores reflect positively on each of our schools, but there’s a lot more than just test scores in the development of children, and what we’re responsible for giving them as good citizens of our community, teaching them respect, keeping them safe and teaching them how to work positively with one another,” he said. “And it’s a school, too, where bullying really isn’t an issue, and where maybe several years ago it was. It isn’t anymore because people are learning about peace, caring and helping one another. That’s a very important piece of education, and we can’t ignore that because of New York State test scores.”
Gretzinger also noted other accomplishments during his time as superintendent, including a districtwide EXCEL project, a new turf and track at Dietz Stadium and the expansion of KHS-TV, both within the high school and into the community through public access television. But he also acknowledged that there were things that hadn’t come together as he’d have liked, including the ongoing issue of redistricting following the forthcoming closure of Frank L. Meagher Elementary. Gretzinger’s last meeting as superintendent, scheduled for Wednesday, Jan. 5 after the Kingston Times went to press, was expected to address the matter, and Gretzinger said he hoped that the destination for Meagher’s students when they begin the 2012-13 school year will be settled by then.
“I think the board owes that to the Meagher families, to the community, to the Meagher children and the Meagher teachers,” Gretzinger said, adding that while the issue has seen the administration and members of the school board butt heads, the notion that there is tension between the parties is an inaccurate perception. It stemmed, he noted, from an article in the Daily Freeman which reported on an exchange between the superintendent and James Shaughnessy, president of the Board of Education.
“I really do believe I have a very good relationship with the majority of the board,” Gretzinger said. “I was criticized as being disrespectful because I made a comment at a board meeting. It certainly was not meant to be disrespectful. It was misrepresented in that newspaper. Right after that meeting, my comment to Jim was, ‘You know that in no way did I mean to disrespect you, and I hope you didn’t take it that way. If you did, I am sorry.’ That happened that same evening, Jim and I had a clear understanding that there was absolutely no disrespect.”
Addressing serious issues
There have been other more substantial issues during Gretzinger’s time as superintendent, especially in recent years. He declined to comment on a scandal involving former Kingston Police Detective Lt. Timothy Matthews, who was investigated by state auditors for double-dipping with for the district and city on 16 separate occasions during 2009-10 and is facing felony charges in connection with thousands of missing dollars from a police department safe.
