[you crazy diamond]

Quote:

A quick resignation goes against Abrutyn’s contract
By Loretta Rodgers, Times Correspondent

ASTON — The Penn-Delco School Board at the end of last week made plans to meet in a closed executive session to discuss whether to extend the contract of Schools Superintendent Dr. Leslye Abrutyn.

The board will go forth with their meeting Thursday night, but the topic of discussion has drastically changed.

Abrutyn, in a move that stunned most employees of the embattled school district, tendered her resignation Monday in a concise letter delivered via Federal Express to School Board President David Seitz.

“We have much to discuss and many important decisions to make,” said Seitz. “We need to examine our options about hiring an interim superintendent, establishing a search committee for a new permanent superintendent, as well as addressing all of the pertinent issues surrounding Dr. Abrutyn’s resignation.”

Seitz said Abrutyn offered to remain with the district during the transitional period and that too will be discussed by the board.

Abrutyn was initially named director of education in 1993 and was appointed assistant superintendent Sept. 24, 1997. Superintendent of Schools Timothy Kirby accepted a position with an area school district and Abrutyn was unanimously appointed acting superintendent; a post she held from October to June 1998. She then was offered a five-year contract and accepted the position of superintendent on a permanent basis.

Her current contract, which was scheduled to expire in March 2008, includes a base salary of $166,801 and additional benefits totaling $20,360. In lieu of receiving the benefits, Abrutyn chose to be paid the cash equivalent. With the 5 percent increase she was awarded plus a Plan 457 contribution of $9,826, her reportable salary for 2006-2007 was $206,346.

The above figure includes a $500 per month car allowance, plus a district credit card for the purchase of gasoline not to exceed $125 per month, retirement, car insurance, health, dental, prescription and vision package.

Abrutyn’s contract also states if she voluntary leaves the employment of the district, she must provide 180 days notice.

“I can attest that Dr. Abrutyn submitted her resignation of her own free will and was not asked to resign,” said Seitz. “There are issues that must be addressed in reference to the terms of her contract not being followed. Based on contract language, she obviously did not provide the required 180-day notice, therefore certain payment provisions become null and void. But, these are questions that must be clarified by district solicitor Mark Sereni.”

Abrutyn has been at the center of a controversy that has swirled around the school district for nearly a year. School board meetings have become contentious with residents repeatedly demanding answers in reference to the replacement of a popular pre-school program. Allegations have been made that personal items were purchased for former embattled school board president Keith Crego and other current and former board members, without the approval of the board.

Seitz and the board have remained silent on the issues, relying on Sereni to respond to the barrage of questions and accusations.

“This board has been through a lot,” said Seitz. “It has been very difficult for these past few months not being able to answer the questions presented, but in light of the ongoing investigation by the office of the Delaware County District Attorney, we felt it best to remain quiet. I can tell you that I have lost many sleepless nights questioning how all these alleged things could have transpired. I voted against a number of things Keith Crego brought to the board. What happened late at night, like parking lot pay-offs and back door deals were done outside the framework of the school board and I knew nothing about any of it. Many things were kept from the board.”

Seitz said the DA’s office has not been forthcoming with information in reference to the status of the investigation.

“All we can do is continue to run the school district,” said Seitz. “Our administrators, teachers and staff have been doing a wonderful job throughout this ordeal and will continue to do so. The board has great faith in our employees. We need to do our best to get back on track with 100 percent of our focus being on district operations, without outside distractions.”

Brookhaven resident Rachel Irvine agrees with Seitz and hopes the district can soon return to a sense of normalcy.

“I feel everything is now coming out that has been whispered about around town for over a year,” said Irvine. “It is a shame that the situation was permitted to get this far. I give Aston resident Janice Fromal all the credit in the world for speaking out and bringing this out in the open. I hope the school board appoints any future members in a non-political way. School board members should be appointed on their merit and honesty and willingness to do the right thing for the taxpayers and children.”

[Sandbagger]

Wednesday, July 4, 2007
The Heron's Nest: Blogging with the Editor: A stunner in Penn-Delco
By Phil Heron


Keith Crego has not been president of the Penn-Delco School Board since last December.

But the shroud he placed on the troubled district continues to grow, as does the body count of those caught in the tentacles of what he did to the district.

Under his leadership, school board members seemed to come and go every couple of weeks. Many believe people got positions on the board not necessarily because of their expertise or what they could offer the district, but because of their ties to Crego.

The board became something of a revolving door.

Monday the door opened once again, and this time it took another significant toll on the district.

Superintendent Leslye Abrutyn is exiting as schools’ boss, apparently tired of the soap opera that has surrounded the district and school board since Crego cast his spell on the surroundings.

It is almost unfathomable that someone so bright, so gifted, with so much to offer a school district could become just another victim of Keith Crego.

Abrutyn had been superintendent in Penn-Delco for the past decade. Her era was marked by fiscal prudence and increasing test scores.

Then Keith Crego rose to power as the leader of the Penn-Delco School Board.

Now Crego, and to some degree Abrutyn since she was the CEO of the district, find themselves at the center of an investigation into the district’s connection with Quick Start Preschools, a private day-care provider that was brought on board in 2005.

At the time, the service was being provided by the Rocky Run YMCA. The change to Quick Start, without a bidding process, raised a few eyebrows.

Now it is being looked at by county detectives. Both Crego and Abrutyn received subpoenas to appear before a county investigative grand jury.

Abrutyn is believed to have talked to investigators, but did not appear before the grand jury.

The district’s solicitor has indicated he does not believe the probe is targeting any current board members or school district employees.

Make no mistake. We have not heard the last of Quick Start, nor Keith Crego. Nor, I guess, Leslye Abrutyn.

After all, the new wing at Sun Valley High School carries her name, “The Dr. Leslye S. Abrutyn Wing of Education.”

It remains to be seen whether the district will mull a change of the name, much as it did with the Keith Crego Conference Center, where they hold their meetings.

I will admit that some of the stories you hear about what was going on in the district, and among some board members, is hard to believe.

It would be hard to believe among anyone in the district. Then you remind yourself that these were school board members.

Apparently Abrutyn, who is caring for her ailing mother and whose husband died of a heart attack last February, has tired of being under the microscope.

She can thank Keith Crego, in large part, for putting her there. And also herself, for not putting her foot down and putting an end to the shenanigans long before they reached the point they have now.

[Mastodon]

Quote:

Abrutyn is believed to have talked to investigators, but did not appear before the grand jury.

A grand jury, in theory, is comprised of one's peers. If she were subpoenaed to appear before us at say, 'Big Al's,' I may find it in my heart to offer clemency. If she puts her heart in her performance, she could theoretically leave with an impressive severance package...albeit in dollar bills.

[Northernbound]

Whoa....she gets CAR INSURANCE Now, I'm impressed

[Stinky Pete]

I'm making up "Rachel for School Board" signs in my basement this morning!

2cats1dog wrote:

Brookhaven resident Rachel Irvine agrees with Seitz and hopes the district can soon return to a sense of normalcy.

“I feel everything is now coming out that has been whispered about around town for over a year,” said Irvine. “It is a shame that the situation was permitted to get this far. I give Aston resident Janice Fromal all the credit in the world for speaking out and bringing this out in the open. I hope the school board appoints any future members in a non-political way. School board members should be appointed on their merit and honesty and willingness to do the right thing for the taxpayers and children.”

[ronnie]

She gets paid $166,000 to sit on her [--removed--] and do nothing. I bust my [--removed--] day in and day out for $28,000. I sweat and use my muscles. This is ridiculous. How the heck can people make that much doing absolutley nothing while sitting behind a desk. This whole economy just isn't right. This gets to me.

[teal]

I am no great fan of her but you can't say all she did was sit at her desk and do nothing! She was responsible for many good programs and initiatives in this district for many years. And as far as her salary, that's what superintendents in and around this area are making, like it or not.

[Stud Leee]

Hey! When she comes to clean out her desk, someone slap the GoAston sign on her, and take her picture! June, we'll need you to stake out the administration building.

[ronnie]

Thats just not fair. People who work for a living with their hands seem to be the ones who gets screwed with the compensation we recieve. We are the ones who should recieve all of that money. While people behind desks should be making what we make. All they do is type all day long. How freaking hard is that. Big whoop.

[rock]

One word EDUCATION