The WW-P Board of Education moved one step closer to a decision on naming the High School North baseball field after former student David Bachner. At its August 26 meeting board members and the public listened to the ad hoc naming committee’s update on the process.
Superintendent David Aderhold made the presentation on behalf of assistant superintendent of pupil services and planning Gerard Dalton, who could not be present. Both Aderhold and Dalton are members of the ad hoc committee, which also includes director of athletics Jean Marie Seal, High School North principal Michael Zapicchi, board member Michele Kaish, parent Heather Nielsen, North booster club member Ted Phalen, and two student representatives.
Bachner, a left-handed star pitcher on the team, was a 2009 graduate of North. He was headed to Seton Hall on a full baseball scholarship when he died from a cardiac condition on August 11, 2009.
Aderhold said that the committee had heard 20 comments in favor of naming the field after Bachner, and one comment against the idea. The ad hoc committee had previously held two public forums for community members to share the opinions on naming the baseball field and had set up a special E-mail address for feedback from the community
At the end of the ad hoc committee process, five members voted in support of naming the field after Bachner, two voted against it and one person was undecided, Aderhold said. One of the students did not vote. These results were passed along to the administration and facilities committee (A&F committee), which is chaired by Kaish.
Board President Anthony Fleres noted that while presentation to the full board was not required, the A&F committee chose to share the results because the results of the ad hoc committee process had merit.
Fleres said that naming North’s field after Bachner was a difficult decision, and there was no right or wrong answer. “Reasonable people can disagree” on what should be done, he said.
Fleres stated that he and Aderhold, who set the board meeting agendas, would discuss the issue with the board before deciding whether the naming of the field should be discussed at a future meeting. Board member Rachelle Feldman Hurwitz responded that she was under the impression that the board would vote on the issue at its September 23 meeting and she wanted to know if this was accurate.
Board member Scott Powell added, “In light of the amount of interest in this topic, whether the board thinks we should have a field named after Mr. Bachner or not, we should have a public vote on that.”
It is expected that the item will be on September 23 agenda, in the form of a resolution. Board members can choose to discuss it further at the meeting,and will vote on the measure if a motion is made by two board members to do so.
Other Board Action. The Board announced several personnel changes. Samantha Tognela was reappointed as the supervisor of special education, at a salary of $118,064, following her leave of absence. Barbara Soares was appointed to be the acting principal of Village School at a salary of $130,448; Soares was formerly the assistant principal of Community Middle School. And social studies teacher Kyle Schimpf has been appointed to replace Soares as the acting assistant principal of CMS, at a salary of $107,331. And Keith Buckalew has been appointed as the director of buildings and grounds for the district, with a salary of $105,000.
The next board meeting will be Tuesday, September 23, at 7:30 p.m. at Community Middle School.
