Eldred and Fallsburg swap superintendents

Eldred accepts Katz resignation, brings back Fallsburg’s interim superintendent

By SANDY LONG

ELDRED, NY — The Eldred Central School District (ESC) met on June 8 to continue discussion of the district’s wellness policy and other matters. First came the official announcement that superintendent Dr. Ivan Katz has been selected to become Fallsburg Central School District’s new superintendent.

The board accepted Katz’s resignation effective August 1, 2006. Board member Robert Burrow expressed his “deep regret” over Katz’s departure and thanked him for his dedicated service to the district.

But before the evening had ended, the board approved the appointment of Charlotte Gregory, who is currently at Fallsburg, as Eldred’s new interim superintendent.

Katz characterized the move as one that would allow “a positive and smooth transition” over the summer months leading to his departure.

Katz described his successes over the past eight years as the result of the combined efforts of board members, educators, parents and students. “Eldred is a community of learners and every success we’ve had is a result of teamwork,” Katz said. “I’m grateful to have had the opportunity to be part of a community that takes its schools to heart and makes students its number-one priority.”

Gregory’s move to ECS is actually a return to a post she held in 1999, when she served as ECS’s interim superintendent. She expressed her eagerness to re-assume the familiar post, saying, “I’m looking forward to seeing some people I used to work with and renewing friendships. I would like to see the district succeed.”

The wellness policy

A School Wellness Committee, consisting of students, cafeteria and physical education employees, nursing and health education staff, administration and members of the ECS board, was established and has worked on the policy throughout the past school year, reviewing and recommending revision of current school nutrition and physical activity policies.

Among other things, the policy addresses monitoring the nutritional quality of foods and beverages served and sold to students, increasing student opportunities for physical activity and physical education, increasing nutrition education for students and parents and establishing a sub-committee focused on promoting staff health and wellness. A draft of the Wellness Policy can be viewed at www.eldredschools.org/district/id38.html.

During the board’s discussion of the district’s proposed wellness policy, board member Robert Warden objected that the board was being required to implement “another unfunded mandate.” Despite this concern, Warden and other board members spoke in favor of the wellness committee’s work on the policy.

The board voted to adopt the policy, which Katz described as “a living and breathing policy.” A student in attendance asked whether more fruits and vegetables would be made available under the wellness policy. Katz assured the student that every effort will be made to provide more healthy choices, citing the district’s switch “from white bread to wheat” during the past year.