Watchung Hills Staff Development Expenses Spark Debate

Some issues at the Watchung Hills Regional Board of Education just can't be resolved—and the school's new superintendent discovered one of those issues at Monday's meeting.

Superintendent Elizabeth Jewett seemed taken aback when board member Peter Falzarano voted against a resolution approving payments for workshops and travel expenses for professional development—something Falzarano votes against regularly as a matter of philosophy, and in this instance, concerned Jewett.

"Can I ask why you don't support my professional development?" she asked.

"I think that's your department," Falzarano said. "I just don't agree with paying for that."

Falzarano also said he has sought additional information anytime the board votes on such expenditures, including cumulative totals paid for employees in the expenses. Board President Robert Horowitz said that in the resolution approved by the board, the expenditure breakdown provided to board members for Jewett did actually represent the cumulative total—since it was the first for Jewett since she stepped into the superintendent's position in June.

"So, do you disagree with paying for professional development for any staff member—or just the superintendent?" Jewett asked.

"It depends on what it is," Falzarano said.

"I'm just trying to understand because I believe it's part of my job as a school leader to help and encourage the growth of the staff," Jewett then said.

"In all the votes we have taken in public and private, my vote is the same," Falzarano said. "I disagreed with it then, and I disagree with it now."

Jewett noted that line of thinking means Falzarano wouldn't support any such expenses, and added, "So that just concerns me that a board member wouldn't support professional growth and development of the staff."

Falzarano reiterated he did not believe it was an appropriate board expense. 

At that impasse, the board moved on—leaving the issue to rise again at a later meeting.