Supporters of keeping Walsh Intermediate School (WIS) Principal Robin Goeler at his post next year have reached out to Branford's Board of Education (BOE) to make their point, saying his "involuntary transfer" doesn't represent the best interests of WIS students. Recognizing what he termed a "healthy dialogue" on the matter, Superintendent of Schools Hamlet Hernandez told Zip06/The Sound the transition will take place. Goeler is set to begin his new post at the Murphy School on July 1.

At the April 26 Board of Education (BOE) meeting, Chairman Michael Krause recognized a letter of support for Goeler, signed by 86 WIS faculty and staff. The BOE also heard from a former WIS assistant principal who raised questions and said he spoke on behalf of many within the WIS community in favor of having Goeler remain at his post.

The support arrives nearly two months after Hernandez announced Goeler, WIS principal since 2002 (and prior to that,  WIS assistant principal since 1989), will switch posts next year with Murphy Elementary School (Pre-K - 4) Principal Raeanne Reynolds. Reynolds joined Branford Public Schools (BPS) as Murphy's principal in 2014, after serving two years as principal of New Haven's Edgewood School (K-8), a role she entered with 20 years of service to New Haven schools. See the story here

Goeler did not attend the April 26 BOE meeting. Speaking with Zip06/The Sound early on April 27, he said he wasn't aware of the letter or that Strauss spoke to the BOE the night before.

"Basically, it's just me and my family--that's my world in terms of discussing anything with regard to my feelings about my transfer," said Goeler, whose education career spans more than 40 years. "I can't get involved. I just need to carry on."

The letter of support from WIS faculty and staff was received by Krause and Hernandez on April 17 from WIS faculty member Carl Seeley (see related document). In a cover letter to Hernandez, Seeley said he was sending what he referenced as a "petition" at the request of faculty and staff and asked it be accepted in the "spirit of professionalism and collegiality in which it is intended."  Endorsed by 57 teachers, six secretaries, eight paraprofessionals, 12 custodians and three nurses, the letter states, in part, "it is the opinion of the faculty at Walsh Intermediate that the involuntary transfer of Robin Goeler to Mary T. Murphy does not represent the best interests of the student population here at WIS."

The letter discusses Goeler's qualifications and exemplary leadership as a "pillar of support," and calls into question the wisdom of removing him from a building on the verge of an extensive "next generation" facility transformation.

"The renovation and construction of the new hybrid building easily represents the biggest change and uncertainty for the faculty, staff and students at WIS. Aside from perhaps [Head Custodian] Marc Collins, there is no other person in this district with more knowledge of the building than Robin Goeler," the letter states. "He knows not only the physical needs of the grade 5 – 8 middle school student in Branford, but also the programmatic needs of efficiently designing, implementing and structuring programs that best service the grade 5 – 8 middle school student. He is well-versed in the philosophies and pedagogy that dictate the needs of the new building. And as he has demonstrated throughout his career, Robin's decision-making process and leadership style has always put the needs of students at WIS first."

In an interview given at the time of his decision in March 2017, Hernandez told Zip06/The Sound, "all of the town's public school principals have the same charge, regardless of the building they oversee. The responsibilities of a being an instructional leader and the building leader is the same. When the administrators are minted through the certification process; they are certified to lead with the same commonalities--leading the building, your resources, teachers, students, and parents."

The April letter from the WIS faculty and staff acknowledges, "we know that any experienced school leader knows that the best interests of the students should always be the priority," but goes on to qualify, "But all of this: trust, building capacity, empowering teachers, getting familiar with the needs of the student body...takes time [and] unfortunately we do not have the luxury of taking time to foster these relationships, with the building project being a very imminent reality."

Project construction is timelined to begin during the summer of 2018 and be complete by December 2020. It will add a new upper school (grades 7 - 8) and lower school (grades 5 - 6) and renovate a portion of the existing building. The $88.2 million project was approved by the town in 2016.

On April 27, Zip06/The Sound asked Hernandez whether the letter of support will serve to open dialogue to address the concerns raised by WIS faculty and staff.

"I think that's already been discussed," answered Hernandez. "The rational was discussed with both administrators, and both had an opportunity to speak with their staffs. That piece was almost two months ago. I totally understand and I applaud the fact that people feel comfortable to state what they believe; and their level of upset. But ultimately, I need to make a decision based on my perspective as a superintendent."

Hernandez also emphasized his decision was based on careful deliberation.

"I don't do things impetuously," said Hernandez.

Of the decision to move Goeler out of WIS, Hernandez added, "It's normal to transition, and also atypical for anyone to be in a building for that amount of time. Ultimately a superintendent needs to determine how we can maximize leadership, over time."

Unrelated to the WIS letter of support, former WIS Assistant Principal Peter Strauss (retired, 2012) appeared at the April 26 BOE meeting to give his personal remarks in support of Goeler. Strauss also raised questions regarding the impact of the change.

"I'm here tonight because ever since I found out about the plan to switch the Walsh and Murphy principals, I've been a bit perplexed and upset about it," Strauss told the BOE. "Yesterday, I happened to stop by the intermediate school to drop off a check for their retirement dinner, and had occasion to chat with some of my former colleagues, and I was overwhelmed by the level of upset; which was palpable and pervasive among the teachers."

Strauss said most of all, the teachers didn't understand why the switch was being proposed. He said the level of upset so resonated with him "that when I saw there was a board meeting tonight, I decided to come here."

Strauss then asked the board, "How will the Walsh building project be enhanced by removing the person most familiar with the school and it's needs? How will Murphy School be enhanced by removing its capable principal [and] replacing her with one who has no elementary school experience and most likely won't be there more than a handful of years, ensuring additional turnover in leadership at a school that has had more than its share?"

Strauss also characterized the switch as an "unusual one," saying, "while reassigning principals can represent a positive change, doing so without regarding such factors as training and experience at a particular level is unlikely to enhance either school. While the state certification requirement for elementary and middle school principals are the same, the skills and background needed are quite different."

Strauss also questioned the process involved in the decision, saying, "I find it ironic [that] any professional hired in Branford goes through several rounds of interviews by committees, which includes parents and teachers from that school, but these two key positions in those schools are being filled without any such input."

If a goal is to retain continuity of leadership over the coming years, Strauss suggested having Reynolds switch in to WIS as an assistant principal, allowing her to "partner" with Goeler during the facility's renovation and construction phase, "...and presumably, take the reins once the school opens. And Murphy, in the meantime, might get a principal who will remain there for more than a few years."

While Strauss said he understood staffing decisions "are normally the sole purview" of the Superintendent/Central Office staff, "I came tonight in the hope that change of this magnitude, one with a plethora of questions surrounding it's impact, would merit input and discussion by the entire board."

Asked if the BOE had given him any direction, based on the letter of support and Strauss's input, Hernandez told Zip06/The Sound the decision doesn't lie with the BOE.

"Ultimately, this is an administrative decision, not a board decision. Certainly, I've kept the board apprised, as well as Robin and Raeanne. That's all been very above board," said Hernandez. "As far as the reassignments, as superintendent of schools, it is my job to look at how best to use our staff. Clearly, it is under my purview to reassign administrators, and even teachers. That decision is made carefully. It's not a referendum. It's made by garnering a lot of input."

Hernandez has been leading BPS for seven years. He said felt he Strauss wasn't up to speed with the district's current "growth mindset."

"Peter, who has not been in our school district for about four years, is not connected to the where the district is going. I'm saying, in a factual way, he's not been engaged in the work that we're doing as a school district," said Hernandez.

In recent years, Hernandez said just a few significant district changes have included the most recent accreditation by New England Association of Schools and Colleges (NEASC), the switch from CT Mastery Testing (CMT) to Smarter Balanced Assessment Consortium (SBAC), curriculum revisions to include Common Core and the district's full implementation of technical device usage for students and faculty.

Hernandez said he also took issue with one of Strauss's statements to the BOE on April 26. In opening his remarks, Strauss had said he felt "a lot" of the teachers who didn't sign the letter of support "were reluctant because they are concerned that they might be moved to another school, or even worse."

Saying he recognized a certain "point of view" in that statement, Hernandez added, "I challenge anybody to show me, in my seven years, how I have done any retribution toward anybody. I take exception to that. My point of view is that this was a difficult decision, and difficult things, and things that are emotional, should never feed into reprisal."

Asked about the number of WIS teachers who have made a point to show they have concerns, Hernandez answered, "I certainly can appreciate the teachers' concerns. But for every teacher with concerns, there's others that we feel understand; and the flip side is teachers afraid to state what they really feel."

At the same time, Hernandez didn't gloss over the fact that "some people have publicly shared they're not in support of this. It's important to know this isn't a referendum of either Robin or Raeanne. This is a very progressive school district which looks at how we can improve. Sometimes, difficult decisions are made, and it falls on me to have those decisions made with the future in mind."

Hernandez said transition efforts, including Goeler visiting Murphy school, have already started and will continue. He said there will also be future "meet and greets" to help incorporate families.

"There are natural bumps when people transition. The question is, how do we transition, and how do we support our children and our families? I'm confident both staffs will embrace their new leadership and continue to focus on the children," said Hernandez.

As for any further discussion on the matter, Hernandez said, "it's a healthy dialogue, but in the end, Mr. Goeler is going to Murphy School and Mrs. Reynolds is going to Walsh next year. We welcome these changes and hope people will focus on supporting their new administrator."