<!--Rick Forgione--><table width="234" border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" background="http://static.cnhi.zope.net/flashpromo/niagaragazette/images/byline_234x60.jpg" height="60"><tr><td><div align="center"><font size="3" face="Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif">By Rick Forgione</font><font face="Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif"><br /></font><font size="1" face="Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif"><a href="mailto:rick.forgione@niagara-gazette.com">rick.forgione@niagara-gazette.com</a></font></div></td></tr></table>
The Niagara Falls School District is moving quickly to replace seven employees fired two weeks ago for violating the residency policy.
School Superintendent Cynthia Bianco said replacements have already been chosen for a few of the open positions and interviews are ongoing for the others. She expects the personnel actions to be ready for school board approval at the Oct. 22 meeting.
“We have kids in front of us and schools and departments to run so we’re moving forward,” Bianco said Wednesday. “We can’t leave positions vacant. We’re handling them as we would any vacant position.”
School Board members voted unanimously on Sept. 24 to fire seven employees, including an English teacher and a high school guidance counselor, found in violation of the district’s 15-year-old residency policy. The employees were living outside of the city, according to an investigation done by a private company hired by the district.
Another targeted employee resigned prior to board action and one teacher has avoided termination, at least temporarily, by getting a court order against the district.
In addition to the English teacher and guidance counselor, the open positions include a classroom associate, food service helper, maintenance worker and two employees in the Information Systems Department.
Bianco said a candidate has already been identified for one of the vacant teacher positions and that interviews were conducted Wednesday for high school guidance counselor.
The Niagara Falls Teachers Union and representatives of the fired employees have said that legal action may be taken against the district in hopes of reversing the dismissals. However, School Board President Russell Petrozzi said the district cannot delay filling the positions while waiting for a court proceeding.
“We feel we’ve done everything by the book,” he said. “There’s always going to be controversy but we have to go forward. You can’t leave critical positions open. You have to do what’s best for kids and what’s best for kids is to move on.”
