Dawn Parks Resigns From Berkeley Board Of Education
Parks cites lack of professionalism on board and mismanagement of super search as reasons for leaving
Berkeley Board of Education member Dawn M. Parks has handed in her resignation letter, effective today.
Parks said she could no longer abide what she called the lack of professionalism among board members at the closed session at the May 24 board meeting and the board's subsequent decision to hire another interim superintendent.
"I've had it," Parks said today. "There's no organization there, and nobody willing to work with anybody. It's a sad atmosphere."
Parks said in her letter she was leaving because of the "lack of professionalism of the members of the Berkeley Township School Board and the mismanagement of Berkeley Township taxpayers funds in reference to the hiring of an interim superintendent.
"I do not want my name associated in any way with this Board's discussion and their improper use of taxpayer funds," the letter states.
Board members went into closed session at the May 24 board meeting for over an hour. When they came out, they voted to appoint former Monmouth County schools superintendent Carole K. Morris to the position, at a salary of $500 a day
Board members only found out two days ago about a proposed interim superintendent to replace Joseph H. Vicari, Parks said.
"There were other things we could have done with that money," she said. "They just decided to rush it. There were no other interviews. Who picked her, I don't know."
Board members could have opted to ask Bayville Elementary School Principal Arleen J. Lippincott or Central Regional Superintendent Triantafillos Parlapanides to step in as interim superintendent until a permanent superintendent was found, which would have saved the district money, Parks said.
Lippincott previously served as interim superintendent when Vicari left the district in 2009, after his contract had expired. She thought she was on her way to becoming permanent superintendent when some board members approached Vicari about returning.
Parlapanides has said he plans to apply for the superintendent position and wouldn't ask for any additional money to oversee the four-school Berkeley distrct.
Parks said she has long favored shared services with Central Regional and other school districts and thought Parlapanides was the right person for the superintendent job.
Parks said there were other issues "leading up to" her decision to resign.
Board President Steven M. Pellecchia - who became board president earlier this year after former board president Jame Byrnes resigned after he was appointed to the Township Council - removed Parks from all but one board committee in February. She had previously served on three committees.
Betsy Huhn
7:28 pm on Friday, May 25, 2012
What a shame...I dont know Mrs. Parks..But it has sounded like she was the only member of the board that had any common sense.. I dont blame her for not wanting her name associated with the rest of them. So....Lets see what other person that has previously run for a board seat and not been elected gets handed a seat!!!!!
barb
8:31 pm on Friday, May 25, 2012
Sorry she had to do that but good for her!!
Fawkes
2:16 am on Saturday, May 26, 2012
Unprofessionalism and mismanagement of funds from the school board? I never saw it coming. Shocked, I tell you.
cheriferguson
4:38 am on Saturday, May 26, 2012
The effectiveness of online education such as High Speed Universities depends on the learner. If you want to learn, you learn. If you don't, you can cram or cheat
BayvilleDad
7:46 am on Saturday, May 26, 2012
What a shame. Now that she has left, does that mean Vicari has his unanimous support and will now stay? Our tax dolllars and kid's education are quickly disappearing. Thank you Dawn for your service.
brokeninbayville
9:03 am on Saturday, May 26, 2012
Shame shame shame on them. Taxpayer revolt needed. Investigations needed. If she doesn't know who and how this happened, then something is up. Dawn, we can use you at the CRAA. Think about it.
Doris Cauda
10:42 am on Saturday, May 26, 2012
I take Ms. Parks' comments as a disgruntled Democrat who was outnumbered by Republicans. Sour grapes, Ms. Parks. As for Mr. Vicari, he was always a gentleman and did his best for the students and saving money for the taxpayers. I was impressed by the installation of solar tubes to save money and other innovations he instituted. Too bad Ms. Parks let her politics get in the way.
voice of reason
1:32 pm on Saturday, May 26, 2012
DISGRUNTLED DEMOCRATS OUTNUMBER BY REPUBLICANS ? Are we talking about an election or our kids ? This is the problem with Berkeley and you Doris are a part of the problem these positions on the board were not meant for politics we need to clean house and elect parents/taxpayers and not democrats or repulicans Berkeley Board is a joke and so is Vicari rosseta stone spanish comone he is a joke
Fawkes
2:51 pm on Saturday, May 26, 2012
Everything is political with you slimy Republicans. The school board should be about our kids' education, not making sure all your party's cronies have something to do. Shallow people like you are why this township is in the toilet.
BayvilleDad
11:14 am on Saturday, May 26, 2012
Ms. Parks has been political????? Are you kidding Doris??? Vicari and this BOE has been nothing but political and our kids' education has suffered. Stop trying to spin what has gone on just because you are a Vicari lover.
john
11:22 am on Saturday, May 26, 2012
Solar is done . Srecs dropped to under200. Bucks. Payback on systems now longer than life of equipment. I cancelled my trinity install. I ain't repaying20 years of electric. bad deal now imo
charles
10:01 pm on Saturday, May 26, 2012
So there wasn't money in the budget for stokes and had to pay 150 dollars to send them there.. but they have the money to pay a guy 500 a day for a part time job .. that's nice .. why is this stuff not voted on by the tax payers
jacdem
11:20 am on Sunday, May 27, 2012
I have followed this unfortunate saga with Mrs. Park and find that the Beerkeley BOE has to be one of the more, if not the most, politically influenced government bodies I have seen. My congtatulations to Mrs. Park and my condolences to the students in the Berkeley school district.
Dawn parks
12:10 am on Tuesday, May 29, 2012
Hey pizmo. I think u have the wrong person. If you do your research I never sat on the board in 2008. So, what did I have to do with mr. Vicari's illegal firing??? NOTHING!!!! I' m not the president of the the democratic club either. Nice try!!!.
pizmo
9:05 am on Tuesday, May 29, 2012
were you ever the president of the democrtic club? answer that...
Commenter
9:19 am on Tuesday, May 29, 2012
Next time I suggest George Gilmore pick his superintendent more quickly. That way he won't need an interim to extend his and the party's time finding the "MOST QUALIFIED" candidate.