August 10 -- Showing himself to be firmly in charge of Ridgefield's school system, Dr. Ralph Wallace tonight made his first appearance at a Board of Education meeting since assuming his post on July 1. In a wide-ranging meeting, Dr. Wallace displayed the hands-on style which attracted the school board to the award-winning and controversial Cheshire, Ct. superintendent. (Photo, left) Dr. Wallace reporting to the school board, flanked by Chairman Linda Bunyan and board member John Armato.
In his first "Superintendent's Report" to the school board, Dr. Wallace reported on the expected enrollment for Ridgefield's schools when they open this fall:
| School | Expected Enrollment |
|---|---|
| Branchville Elem. | 475 |
| Farmingville Elem. | 463 |
| Ridgebury Elem. | 545 |
| Scotland Elem. | 495 |
| Veterans Park Elem. | 436 |
| East Ridge Middle | 1075 |
| High School | 1204 |
| Total | 4749* |
This level of enrollemnt represents an increase of 225 pupils over school year 1997-98. In other comments, the new superintendent praised teachers and school alike for their fine performance in the recent AP testing. Dr. Wallace also spoke about the physical appearance of the high school; he noted that an excellent job has been done maintaining the exterior of the school, but expressed displeasure at the interior upkeep of the school. Reporting that he had met with the staff and with school principal Dr. Ellis to discuss the situation, Wallace said that the appearance of the high school lavatories was "out of the question" and has "got to change." He attributed much of the problem to the students' attitudes toward their school's appearance.
Dr. Wallace has also focused on concerns about the school lunch program. He reported that he had already met with the schools' contractor, Marriott, and indicated that he knew they could do a better job, and that he was committed to seeing that they did.
Summarizing, Dr. Wallace said that he had spoken to more than 200 people personally since arriving, and that he was pleased that there was an overall commitment to a high quality school system. "This school system has all the pieces to be a high flyer --- I know it can be done." Wallace said it was a "pleasure to be involved with this type of enterprise."
Also discussed at tonight's meeting was the specification for the new intermediate school. It was reported that the current plan has the schoool building needing 15,000 sq. ft. more than in the recently approved plan. This is due primarily to a more conservative planning estimate for the amount of "infrastructure space" (stairwells, mechanical space, courtyards, foyers, etc.) needed for each square foot of classroom space. The firm working with the Building Committee, Antonazi Associates, recommends a "multiplier" of .6, vs. a state formula of .45. (Photo, right) Pat Michael reviews the current status of the "Educational Specification" for the new intermediate school.)
Reviewing plans for the state-of-the-art library, computer, and other facilites for the intermediate school, Dr. Wallace pledged that this will be a "school of the future;" and one that Ridgefielders can be proud of for years to come.
Also at tonight's meeting, the retirement of long-time school finance official Carol Puskas was announced. School officals and board members spoke glowingly of Ms. Puskas' many accomplishments, particularly in the area of meticulously caring for the school system's accounts payable over the years. Dr. Wallace expressed his pleasure at seeing Ms. Puskas embark upon her well-deserved retirement, but lamented the school system's loss of her experience and talent. "She will be very difficult to replace," commented Wallace. (Photo, right) Retiring school finance official Carol Puskas is congratulated on her retirement by Board Chairman Linda Bunyan.
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