Tags: alumni, boe, defense, missing, student, trophies

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I know where two of the recently moved plagues are, I have them. I was able to save them from the trash on the day of the MS/HS luncheon. One of the plagues is the 1997 League Championship for Softball and the other first place at the Mt Pleasant Softball Tournament in 2003. These mean very much to me but even more so to my players. The Class of 1963 donated several years ago an Outstanding Senior Football trophy to replace the one which had no more room. Where is the trophy? This year the Class 0f 1987 donated another trophy to replace the original one knowing it had already been replaced once. I am not only angry as a coach but as an alumnus. I spent most of my life in one way or another in the Valhalla system. I went K-12 there and then taught 32 years; it was my family away from home. I feel like so many others that I have talked to recently, they no longer want to have any thing to do with Valhalla, for many reason, too many to list at this time. History is just that, history. What do you have when that is taken away? I can no longer take my grand children to the school and show them the things that I earned as an athlete or some of the accomplishment I had as a staff member. Some one or many people should and must be held accountable for what they have done. This is not over!

I wholeheartedly agree with Roger Wylie's comments. Not only did I teach at Valhalla High/Middle School for 33 years, but all three of my children also attended. Two of the plaques thrown away were given to me by two students last year, and they were BASEBALL CHAMPIONSHIPS that my son, Joseph, played on from 2001 and 2002. There is no rhyme or reason on which trophies and plaques were discarded. For example, if it was stated that all championship awards from 1962 through 1970 were being distroyed, at least there was some conscious effort by the administration to come to some rational, although erroneous decision, on which ones to discard, but my son's championships were from the early 2000's. Based upon what I observed during my last year at Valhalla, there seemed to be a conscious effort to rid the school of all tradition and history. Considering that Valhalla does not even exist on the map, but is only a hamlet, all that the community has is the school and Little League, and the history of the school is being erradicated, along with other accolades, such as the musicals performed by various classes which once were posted in the auditorium lobby, the class of '85 school gift, (activity directory), and finally, even the library books, which were destroyed without even asking the staff that used them if they still were needed. Just like the sport's trophies, plaques, musical listings, library books, and class gifts were part of Valhalla's history, so am I, but for those parents and students who still are attending the schools, you need to come to grips on the direction of the school district. If it's time for in with the new and out with the old so be it. Otherwise, it's time to change the direction and agree upon a new mission statement.

I just wanted to thank you for trying to save at least a small symbol of sports in Valhalla. One of my daughters was on the 1997 League Championship team and I can't tell you how much that meant to her and the other girls. Today, nine years after graduating they still talk about the memories from that experience when they get together. To think that a decision was made to get rid of these reminders is a slap in the face to the athletes who gave their all and represented Valhalla High School with class and pride and the parents who have supported them. I had always enjoyed looking at the trophy cases when I went to the school and can't understand the need to get rid of them. Were any trophies kept and if so are they on display? I believe that the community in entitled to an explanation as to how the administration can justify this decision. When you go into any high school, the sports trophies are on display and is a sign of the pride the school has in its athletes. Again, thanks for at least salvaging at least a small reminder of my daughter's experience as an athlete at Valhalla High School and I agree I don't think that this is over. Sad, very sad!!!

You mentioned how Valhalla is getting rid of tradition and history. All one had to do was look at the trophy cases to find tradition. So many people that had attended Valhalla and played sports or joined other clubs. When they grew, they decided to stay in the area and their children also attend or attended Valhalla. How proud the parents and children were when they could look at the reminders on display and find that they both had awards in the cases. Pretty nice tradition, I think. What a waste that the administration made this assinine decision.

And how about the memorial garden? Does anyone at that school remember it? There were memorial plaques for several students who died either while attending Valhalla or shortly after they graduated. Last year when class members of 2007 asked to clean up the garden and include their classmate who had passed away, administrators could not even figure out where it was or who might be in charge of it. For that matter what became of the tower at the football field dedicated to Bart Paganini and then trashed as part of the fill for fields scam. Where is Bart's plaque? It is really a disgrace.

Yes, I definitely remember the Memorial Garden. I attended a memorial there with my daughter, when she placed a plaque for 9-11 victims who attended Valhalla. There was also a memorial for a young Valhalla student who also passed. If the administration does not know where the garden is, they should be ashamed. The thought that no one has been taking care of this space is a disgrace and a total lack of respect for the people who need this the most. If anyone would like to clean up the garden and make it the place it should be, I would be more than willing to help. As it's name states, it should be a place where people can remember and reflect. Regarding the tower in Bart's memory, I too wonder what happened to it and the plaque. Bart was a wonderful young man and the tower was a great tribute to him. The plaque should be placed in the garden or the hallway leading to it with the other memorial plaques. The thought that these reminders have been forgotten and neglected reflects on the direction that Valhalla has taken. As Mr. Gaglione stated above, Valhalla seems to be trying to get rid of tradition and history. I never thought that Valhalla would become so cold and thoughtless.

There was time and money for a Koi pond, and benches with quotes from Dr. Suess. "Oh the places you'll go!" Too bad if one of them is Valhalla High School because no one will remember you did.

Aside from the disgrace of allowing the memorials to be destroyed, this sounds like some adults that did not make the team when they were in high school, deciding to act out. There is no rational reason to do this, no space contraints, no obsolesence, nothing that could explain this. It is sheer stupidity, mindless incompetence or more likely a deliberate act from a frustrated adolesent with an adult's job. Someone should be fired or made to resign. This can not be fixed. I would not want my child being lead by someone who would do this. Where is the parent concern?

All you have to do is look at the teachers’ contract. They can not volunteer for anything. So, in order for someone to care about the student memories, the school histories or places like the memorial garden, someone would have to be paid a stipend. There are chess clubs and cooking clubs for kindergartners, not because we have budding Bobby Fishers or emerging Emerils but to only give the teachers another stipend. Perhaps it is too tacky for the board to vote a stipend for caring about the memories of lost students, so instead they choose to ignore them and focus on the Jewelry and the Drum clubs. A quick $2,500 and no real work involved.

Mr. Panetta, it has been the very teachers that you are bashing that found numerous trophies and plaques in the garbage and brought this matter to light without a stipend. People actually do things for the right reasons in Valhalla.

No one is bashing these teachers. It is the system that is in place, discouraging volunteering and paying for every hour and every action that is indicative of the problem. I think it is great that these teachers were able to save some of the trophies, but that does not address a system that discourages real caring about what is going on. The fact that some teachers rose above the system and did the right thing is laudible. But someone has to be held accountable.

Mr. Fitzgerald summed it up nicely. The problem is systemic. You also seem to believe all teachers are the same, which I am sure they are not. While I appreciate that some of the teachers care enough to rescue the trophies from the trash, it does not preclude the fact that teachers are being paid stipends for duties that could be filled by volunteers. These stipend positions don’t even have any hourly accounting for labor hours involved, and many stipend jobs are completely unnecessary like the chess and cooking club for elementary school children. Leaving the teacher bashing allegation aside, how about the bigger picture which many of my detractors often forget. Why were the trophies and plaques thrown out? Which individuals made the suggestion, and who made the decision to do it. I have sent an email to the superintendent asking these very questions. If and when I receive an answer, I will post it. Unfortunately our superintendent of schools often chooses to ignore difficult questions.

Why does it have to be a teacher who is in charge of keeping the Memorial Garden in order? Why can't it be a parent or former student? I for one would do it for free, (excluding expenses, which I am sure a parent could find someone to donate some materials). I also agree that someone's head should be on a platter over the trophy/plaque fiasco. Might as well be on a platter, it isn't doing any good on his shoulders. And let's give credit where credit is due. It was the teachers who brought this matter to the public. I personally would like to see more teachers come forward with what they know about this mess. Believe it or not, I was a volunteer coach for one of the teams and several athletes made it to sectionals. So much for the knowledge of the stipened teacher coaches.

After I was a volunteer coach for a newly formed team, we were informed that it is a Sectional Rule that the coach must be paid for their duties. A ridiculous rule, but a rule none the less. I would have done it for $1 if given the opportunity. I also transported the athletes to the venue (in my car) where the competition took place.

You should always asked to see the rule or the law they quote. I can't tell you how many times we found that there was no such rule or law. It won't change the outcome, as they do as they please, but catching them in a lie has its own satisfaction.

Ah yes, the lies. Two good ones come to mind. Tom Kelly stating that it is illegal to televise the board meetings unless they are broadcast simultaneously in all three municipalities, and our current Diane Ramos-Kelly stating that it is a mandate that Valhalla pays their own teachers $60 an hour to tutor students after school in the same subject that they teach during the day.

And Pepsi paid for the turf field, the Westhelp money could not be used for athletics, million of dollars were coming from overseas through Goodwill to fix the track, the Easter Seals lease is profitable, overstated and over funded enrollment projections. They tell some pretty tall tales many of which are found on this website. But let's not get too far off topic. What are they saying about these trophies and about the memorial garden? What is the current spin? Where is our JN reporter, Valhalla graduate Rich Leibsen? Nothing on the Happy Face blog? Would it be too much for a parent or alumnus to send a letter to the JN editor? Outside of two former teachers, Donna and the usual suspects, I am not seeing much concern. Could it be no one cares? The board and administration watch this website daily, they check the JN for stories and letters. So far, they are getting away with destroying the history and memorials of the Valhalla School district.

Once again-total disgust with VUFSD. We have gone from the disposal of library books to the disposal of trophies in just a few months. Where are the copies of Playbills from the High School Musicals that used to hang on the walls in the main lobby? Am I correct to believe that ALL items housed within public schools belong to the PUBLIC? What gives the EMPLOYEES the right to discard PUBLIC PROPERTY? I call on each parent/taxpayer/citizen to read this blog carefully as we approach the upcoming announcement of the BOE's request for another bond. When you see that precious memories are being discarded by those that do not value public property but have the nerve to ask for more funding to care for/improve that same public property they show no respect for.....well, I say "NO" to that. GET YOUR ACT TOGETHER VUFSD. Diane Ramos Kelly-we deserve an explanation, an apology, a replacement for the trophies lost/disposed of, a reprimand to the employee/administrator who approved this, and a request from you and the esteemed BOE that the public ALLOW ALL OF YOU TO REACH DEEP INTO YOUR OWN POCKETS AND REPLACE WHAT YOU HAVE DESTROYED. AFTER ALL....YOU ARE RESPONSIBLE-SO LET'S SEE ADMIN. AND BOE ROLL UP THEIR SHIRT SLEEVES CLEAN AND RESTORE A MEMORIAL GARDEN, THE TOWER AT THE FOOTBALL FIELD, THE TROPHY CASES, THE LOBBY WALLS, THE LIBRARY SHELVES, ETC. THEN CALL THE JN FOR PHOTOS BUT DO NOT ASK FOR A PENNY MORE FROM THIS COMMUNITY TO RESTORE TRADITIONS THAT YOU YOURSELVES HAVE DESTROYED!

We seem to be ignoring the 800 lb gorilla in the room here. The person who "cleansed" the trophy case of our towns collective memories was the new HS principal, Jonathon Thomas. His stated reason at PTA meeting was that it was full of nothing more than what he termed "participation awards". Apparently he catagorizes a league championship as having no more value than every other team that "participated" in that year. This man's management skills must be called into question. I have worked in the private sector for many years now but my job requires me to interact with a wide variety of governmantal agencies, including public schools. With the discarding of any school district property there is a stated procedural policy that must by law be followed. At the end of the process a motion on a BOE agenda must be approved. Along the way a detailed list of what was being discarded had to be developed. Obviously Jonathon Thomas did none of this. This is a carbon copy of the library book fiasco where he destroyed taxpayer funded property without ever following the appropriate procedures. It is also lends credance to the rumors around town that relate to the arrogant way Jonathon Thomas has spoken to people since his arrival here one year ago. The real question becomes, "Why does this man do these things?". There could be a multitude of reasons for this, here are but a few possibilities. This is a man with very minimal experience working with a school community. Did you know that he has never been a classroom teacher? He was an admissions clerk for a local college. Then a guidance counselor, and then quickly away from the nuts and bolts of working with children and into administration. Simply put does he even know that he is acting outside the prescribed boundaries that delineate his duties? Or is it that he believes that, "I am the boss and we will do things my way, because... well, because I am the boss." Or could it be, as stated in an earlier blog, because he is a frustrated adolesent who due to his small stature never made the team himself, and now he feels it's his ball and we all have to play by his rules. No matter the reason this is a man who has found himself in a job that he clearly can't manage. This is a man who is untenured and failing at discharging his duties. Dispensing with him before he does any more damage with his inability to follow procedure, adhere to policy, build a paper trail, document events, etc. is the one thing a public school can do without a great deal of fuss. We appear to have a very competant middle school principal, and high school assisstant. Let one of them do the job till a capable high school principal can be found.

This is what is wrong with Valhalla; the PTA knew this happened and did nothing, said nothing. The board knew nothing and when they were told, did nothing. It is so sad. While pushing for spending $40,000 on a high school play that runs for 3 days, the man tosses away the trophies of generations of Valhalla children. He is a disgrace, as is the board that hired him.

Let me get this straight. Mr Thomas, our High School Principal, spoke at at PTA meeting and stated that he was going to get rid of the "participation trophies". Obviously no one present at this meeting thought it was wrong because nothing was said to the community. What the hell is wrong with this entire picture. Now let me explain exactly what participation trophies are. I just got rid of over 200 of them. This trophy signifies that the individual was a part of a team that played. They were unsuccessful and people thought the kids needed something to make them feel better. I did keep over 150 League, Regional, and State Trophies. These were the one that were important. My children also have over 1000 medals and ribbons for their sucess in various sports (these were also kept albeit most in boxes). I live in a small house and managed to find room for them, although most are in boxes. I would never have thought about trashing them. They are not mine to trash. These awards envoke memories of a great part of my families lives as do the trophies that were in Valhalla High School. If the Valhalla School Board wants $40,000 for the plays that are put on, they should first justify trashing all of these awards without good cause. I personally helped to organize a team that has been a recipient of "League Championships" for the last three years and I am madder than Hell. Dr. Kelly and the board should stand up and take full responsibility for the actions of this moronic individul who made this decision. WHAT THE HELL WAS HE THINKING. The awards that my daughter earned in the NYSPHSAA Championships are not participation trophies. Being named to the All-State Team along with receiving three individual awards at the State Finals was not only participating but excelling after 15 years of hard, lengthy practice. These student athletes bring a respectful, competitive nature to Valhalla and Mr. Thomas and the Board has shown nothing but the utmost disrespect for them. You should be ashamed and embarassed!! What's the matter Mr. Thomas, you couldn't win as a child so you took your ball and went home? I apologize for the length but when I have alot to say I tend to say it.

Before I state my point, I want to first thank Coach Wylie for saving the 1997 League Championship trophy. It was a great experience and will always bring about a fantastic memory. North Salem had nothing on us that year, right coach! Anyone who has the least amount of interest in high school sports knows that trashing a Championshp Trophy is sacreligious. There is a reason that all schools have a trophy case. Very simple, it is to display the trophies. Not hard to figure out. For the Valhalla Administration to throw these awards in the trash is an insult to all that is good in High School Sports. Christ, even Al Bundy remembers his high school championship. But to be a little more serious, it would have been appropriate for former athletes/coaches to have been given the chance to rescue this memorabilia from the garbage, but that should not have even been an option. These awards had become part of the history of a small town school. It is the tradition that made Valhalla what it used to be. I am so sad for the coldness that has overtaken my former high school and even sadder for the future athletes that will not be able to enjoy their success. It is too late to repair this mistake and I am only looking for an answer as to the reason and who allowed this to happen. An takers?

4 New Administrators = Disaster for Valhalla.

Does anyone realize that we have lost almost ALL of our "in school" coaches. None of our Basketball Coaches (JV or Varsity) are from our school. None of our Varsity Football Coaches. None of our Field Hockey Coaches. Why are they all leaving along with some of our teachers?

There comes a point when the old saying "Change is Good" must be thrown away. "Change is change"....be it good or bad. The first rule of any new administrator is to begin a new position by surveying just 'what the position is' before making any CHANGES. Unfortunately-VUFSD has had TOO MANY CHANGES in key areas in the past 2 years. NOW-how to clean up the damage that has been done in the wake of these changes....that is the pertinent question. In past columns, I have stated that VUFSD needs to get back to basics-I REPEAT THAT HERE YET AGAIN. It is time for the current superintendent to LISTEN TO THE TAXPAYERS/VOTERS and begin to understand that it is the taxpayer/voter who "OWNS" the school district....NOT THE HIRED STAFF. NOT THE BOE. THE TAXPAYER. Once that is FIRMLY ESTABLISHED and Diane Ramos Kelly demonstrates that she UNDERSTANDS THE CONCEPT, then and only then can SOME of the damage that has been done begin to be repaired. The damage goes far beyond the disposal of trophies-it is much deeper. It is a lack of respect for EACH AND EVERY member of this community who has ever supported the school disrict. NO MATTER WHICH WAY YOU VOTE....YOU DESERVE TO BE LISTENED TO AND BE RESPECTED. In addition, the administrator in charge MUST take responsibility for the actions of the staff that serves under him/her. Diane Ramos Kelly owes the people of this community a heartfelt apology. She must also have the fortitude to go to the BOE ad request that the untenured administrators be REPLACED. Start anew and put a moratorium on spending and improvements until the ill will that has been created by his administraton and the one previous to it has been diminished. Ask the BOE to endorse this position and lastly, Diane Ramos Kelly, consider 'moving on'. After all the goal of being a leader is to make positive improvements so in the end you would 'leave a footprint....leave a place/position better that you found it'. Unfortunately Diane Ramos kelly the footprint you wil leave is full of mud at best!

In case you think that this disaster of a superintendent is going any place, or will be held accountable for destroying the trophies and neglecting the memorials, our Board of Education extended her contract at a special meeting on Tuesday.

On July 7, 2007, the Class of 1987 celebrated their twenty-year high school reunion. I was the coordinator of that event. As a part of our "historic journey" I arranged a tour of the high school for many of the out-of-town alumni. Many classmates brought their families on the tour. It was very disheartening to view the newly emptied trophy cabinets. I always remembered the cabinets being full of names and dates that far proceeded my exisitance at Valhalla. Some people you knew, some people your parents knew; yet, there was always something to read, something to aspire to, and something to be proud of in the trophy cases. To be fair, I did have prior knowledge of the "tossing" of the trophys; however, nothing prepared me for what I observed. What came to mind in that instant was the years of history that we now gone. Regardless if the trophies were discarded or stored, the were NOT there for the alumni or students to view. On a more personal note, one thing I did observe was that the girls track record name board was missing. I say this only because I was instrumental in obtaining this for our girls team during my junior year in high school. What I viewed during our tour was the accomplishments of the boys and not of the girls. Have we really gone backward with this movement? Aren't the achivements of all athletes instrumental for the future generations that will one day strive for excellence? For example, if one didn't know what the school record was in the girls one-minute mile, how could one ever strive to meet and/or beat it? Maybe this record was held for 30 years by the same outstanding athlete or maybe it is held by a sophomore star. Wouldn't we want to display with pride, the accomplishments of the students of the past, as well as students of the present. Isn't this the solid foundation that we use to encourage the youth of today? We need to set and display a positive an example for all students, and we must do this by the examples in our history, not the hearsay of the alumni of the past. We are Valhalla. We are the students that trained in twenty degree temperatures to bring home that trophy for all to see. We are the same students that gave up every Saturday to participate in our favorite sport, representing the Viking tradition as best we could. Maybe we came in second in the county that year. I didn't know that two out of sixty was a failure. That was our contribution to the history of Valhalla sports. Are we teaching children that only first is what counts, and that second out of sixty is not a great accomplishment? Most importantly, it was not up to "the board" to decide what can go or stay in a public school setting. The key term here is public--and we are the public--not the board or the principle. If this is really "no big deal" to the powers that be at Valhalla, then by all means, stand up and be heard. If any part of this blog is untrue, and I have somehow misrepresented the facts, please correct me publically and in writing so that I may respond to your answer. On a different note, the Class of 1987 has donated a memorial trophy in memory of our deceased classmates, Paul Fiori and Stephen Busigo. Please look with pride at the trophy that was given from the alumni of 1987. "Always in our Hearts--You are not Forgotten"!

I too heard Jonathon Thomas explain his tossing of the publicly displayed, and celebrated, awards as getting rid of participation awards. One blogger said that those preent must not have disagreed because nobody spoke up. I did not speak up and for that I apologize, however I did not agree with what he did or said. Why didn't I speak up? The answer is this, retribution. It is no secret to anyone around here, that to take an opposing point of view with Jonathon Thomas is to put a target on your back and the backs of your children. Unless you just go along with him your children will end up paying a price. Things will be done in a subtle manner so as to appear to be above board, but you can be sure that any qualitative judgements will never fall in your child's favor. Make the team, make the play, National Honor Society, Student of the Month, a 79% versus an 80% in a class, etc. etc. the list is endless when it comes to ways that he can extract his price for your "making trouble". Notice how many people were aware of the library book tossing but how nobody speaks up publicly. People now feel bullied and have been cowed into silence. It was not always this way here. I would like to see the real public (not the same six or seven people who never disagree with the administration regardless of the topic and make up every committee)) regain a voice in the operation of our schools.

I guess it didn't take long for Valhalla to find out what Pleasantville already knew. Jonathon Thomas is not very good at the job of administrator. Lets review. He had been in Pleasantville for 10 or more years as a guidance counselor then shortly as an assistant principal. The present principal is a man who had been pricipal of the Pleasantville Middle School, then principal of the High School. He is in his mid to late 50s, has had a great career there and is very near retirement. Since good leaders are so hard to find common sense tells you that if you have a good management or administrative leader you don't just let him/her slip away. If the powers that be in Pleasantville thought Jonathon Thomas was very good wouldn't they tell him to sit tight for a year or two and that he would be next in line in the heierarchy. Wouldn't they tell him "we don't want to lose you". Of course they would, and if you don't think thats how thing work in the real world you are kidding yourself. So what happened? Pleasantville let Jonathon Thomas go without so much as a whimper. They told Valhalla what a great administrator he was, and how it was our gain and their loss, how hard he was going to be to replace, and so on. Yeah right!! Thats what we all do with our prize pocessions, we give them to somebody else. If he was as good as they said they would have found a way to keep him, but instead they were happy to get rid of him. Now we are finding out why. Maybe we know somebody who needs a great administrator and we could tell them how wonderful ours is.

I would first like to apologize for my poor choice of words. I should not have said that it seems that you agreed with Mr. Thomas. I am well aware of the fear of retribution in Valhalla. It is not something new. Many of the parents in Valhalla have been put in the position of making the tough decision of speaking up or dealing with the consequences of disagreeing. It appears that this is one tradition in Valhalla that the administration has not gotten rid of. The question I have is, where do we go from here? The damage has been done and cannot be repaired. Memories cannot be replaced. It is not going to disappear or be easily forgotten. This blog has asked the administration for answers, that have yet been unanswered. For all of the people who put a rubber stamp on all of the BOE'S decision, don't you have an opinion? Do any board members have children that play sports? Where is your voice and what do you really stand for? First it is the trophies and the neglect of the memorial garden. What is next? Are the banners still hanging in the gym. Does everyone that earned one, have one hanging up? Or is the obvious true, you will only have one hanging up if you conform to the standards set by the administration and don't make waves. Have any of the memorial plaques been removed? Is the garden going to be cleaned and shown some respect? What about the pictures of the foreign exchange students who came to Valhalla? They are also part of the school's history. I want to see the outcry of former/present athletes and coaches. As of now we have only heard from 2 former athletes, 1 coach and 1 teacher. While my children were in Valhalla, there was a NYS Championship Football team, a NYS Championship Gymnast and an All-State top finisher in the NYS Bowling Championships. The community was so very proud of all of them but their school shows their pride by dumping any sign of their success. One person could not have done this damage alone. If this was possible, than Valhalla is in worse shape than anybody knows. Speak up, you may not be concerned about this decision, but who knows what or who the decision will affect.

I attended Valhalla a long,long time ago, as did many residents. My grandchildren are graduates and some still attend Valhalla and played various sports. Let me tell you, I am enraged. How dare, one person have the ability to dump the history of a school without having to answer for his actions. I find it hard to believe that he did this alone. Would he appreciate someone coming into his home and getting rid of his memories? I will definately let my voice be heard when the Board of Education asks me for something come budget time. I can't trust them not to throw it away when they get tired of it. Wake up Valhalla, this was a bad decision and one thay may come back and bite you in the rear.

I have a question that I haven't seen answered here. With a new school year starting soon, there will be various sports teams forming. With Valhalla being home to many capable athletes, the chance of winning league/sectional, etc. championships is a possibility. Has any thought been given as to where the newly won awards will be on display. It seems unjust and insulting to display them after the recent dumping and unjust to the new teams not to display them. I can only hope that the administration has given this much thought. Hopefully, much more that the original decision to empty the cases. I know of some athletes from years ago that donated their personal awards to the school to be put on display for all to see. These awards were only received by the school because of the loyalty of a student/athlete. I would like to know if Mr. Johnson and the Board of Education feel better now that they have cleansed Valhalla of any athletic success that at one time was a source of pride? To all of the former athletes that kept their individual awards at home for themselves, you made an excellent decision. Who would have thought?

Let me assure you that this is not over! There will be a time when this issue will be made VERY public. Be patient, the new school year is approaching fast! Nothing says backpedaling like being put on the spot for the media...

Don't wait for budget time, there is a $4 million bond coming this fall including replacing the track these administrators and board members destroyed six years ago. The track team has been running around in the parking lots and in the hallways for six years while our taxes have gone through the roof. They have even been bussed to Manhattan to practice at taxpayer expense. No one has been fired and the board still has the same president as six years ago, Grace Stone. If they want a new track, get rid of those responsible for destroying the track and trashing the trophies. When the bond is put up, VOTE NO! It is the only thing they understand.

Wow, I guess that everything that happened at Valhalla High School in the past is of no value. Imagine being part of a family that has thrown away all its' family pictures and record of family accomplishments. I can only believe that I was not a true family member who did this. The question is will it be fixed?

You question if this mess will be fixed. There is no way to fix what has already been done. Too much has been done to repair this mistake. You can't replace something when there is no paper record of what was thrown away. The only thing the Valhalla School Community can do is stand up and say enough is enough!! We must say enough to dumping library books, enough to letting the Memorial Garden fall to disrepair, enough to the destruction of the history and tradition of what once was a place of pride, enough with showing the lack of respect for it's athletes. The lack of a track and the tossing of awards only shows the public that the administration in Valhalla has become an entity that cannot be trusted. If a school cannot be trusted to maintain it's history and tradition, they have lost sight of an important aspect in the education of our children. The fact that there has not been a response from the Board concerning this matter has proven to me that they are trying to find a way to avoid the situation. There is no defense here. The superintendent, the entire board, the principal and the head of the phys. ed. department are all equally responsible for letting this happen and then keeping mighty quiet about it. SOMEONE SHOULD HAVE LET THE COMMUNITY KNOW WHAT WAS GOING TO HAPPEN!!!!! The more I think about it, the more I think that all athletes who had their trophies tossed in the trash should seek legal advise about the matter of the trophy dumping. It sounds like there should be something illegal about it. All taxpayers should also seek advise about the trophies and the tossed library books. After all they owned the property, not the school board!!

I am in shock. Not only about the trophies but about the responses in this blog. For the first time, I think we all agree. This was bad, very bad. It more than crossed the line of bad judgement. I don't know anyone who can stand up and say they agree with this decision. Maybe we have the ability to join ranks and insist that the royalty in Valhalla take full responsibility for this. I can dream, can't I?

Just a little bit of information. From what I was know, Susie Arth, the Sports Editor of the Junior News was contacted regarding this situation. She informed this individual that a reporter was assigned to this matter. When I learn of more, I will let you all know.

In a school district where no expense is spared for anything, it seems Valhalla can’t construct an additional trophy case or two. Maybe because additional trophy cases don’t cost enough, or involve additional employment for a board member’s relative, or a stipend for a teacher. Even without the space to showcase all trophies and plaques, don’t tell me there is no room at all to store this valuable memorabilia until it has reached a more appropriate resting place. Possibly with some of the athlete alumni who would be willing to take possession. In any event, it’s pretty clear that this district’s leadership chose the worst option.

I was surprised to learn that the high school gym is not even at the high school anymore. It is at the 3-4-5 grade Kensico School. Seems they looked built a $16 million on a 3-4-5 school they added a high school gym there instead of improving the gym at the high school. Makes you wonder why they couldn't have just moved those trophies outside of the new gym. Then again what kid wants to leave his elementary school, go to middle school and then go back to elementary school to play high school basketball. Imagine going back to Virginia Road to play a high school sport. That, and going without a track for six years and running in the hallways, what is that indoor track Valhalla style? And running in the parking lot, maybe outdoor track? I'd hate to ask where the cross country team runs.

Also contact Valhalla graduate Rich Leibson who is the reporter covering Valhalla at the Journal News. But in case you do not know, the JN is under constant pressure not to publish anything negative about the school district, since the illegal fill for fields scam, the state comptroller's audit, (one completed and the other ongoing), the illegal Westhelp partnership deal, the illegal artificial turf lease and more. It will take some effort to get them to put anything in other than letters to the editor.

Thanks for the information, I have sent an e-mail to Mr. Leibson. Let's see where it goes. I won't sit by the phone waiting for a reply. But, I do agree with what surprised parent said. For the first time all people on this blog agree. It was a huge mistake and one that cannot be pushed aside and forgotten.

Why have we not heard from someone from the Sports Booster Club about this mess? This is something that they should be very vocal about. As a group that promotes and supports the teams in Valhalla, I would think that they would be mad as Hell. Show the sports teams that you are on their side.

Just got the e-mail to Mr. Leibson returned to me. I will have to find the correct address and try again.

The administration is hyper-aware of this web site and its content. If they are right, and all the blogs here are false or misleading, why then don't they respond and explain their side of the issue? I think the answer to that is painfully obvious. If the man is not man enough to stand up and explain his actions then he simply is not man enough to lead a group of young minds on their journey to adulthood. Show him the door, and quickly!!!

rliebson@lohud.com this is Rich Liebson's correct email at the JN

Thanks John, I resent the e-mail.

A Schools past getting thrown out is what happens when you hire a Asst. Principal with hardly any teaching experience, and hardly if any Admin. experience and does things without thinking or talking to anyone. She thinks she knows it all, but obviously she knows nothing, and has much to learn, and we at Valhalla have to pay the price.

I think it was Mr. Thoma, the principal, who attended the PTA meeting and stated that he was going to get rid of the "participation trohpies".

Has anyone heard where the new athletic director stands on this issue and what he plans on doing with future awards.

From what I recall Dr. Ackerman's degree is in Holocaust studies. I don't think either the principal or assistant have teaching experience

I can't believe this! From bad to worse....one Kelly to the next! From Connors to Stone and now Sicuranzo. You have ALL succeeded in destroying any feeling of affection or pride I once had in the fact that my family attended VHS. You have taken the heart and soul out of this community and you are ALL so blindly arrogant that you won't even face the public and explain the actions of the Sup't. and Admins. that you yourselves supported and put here in Valhalla. How dare you run and hide. Step up and explain yourselves. And BTW-Mike Smith, I rescind my vote for you. Agree or not, Mr. Panetta deserves an answer to his questions-we all do.

How unfortunate it is to send a child to this totalitarian type of educational system. How can we oust this principle?

Just a little observation, Mrs. Sicuranzo, didn't your daughter play on the Varsity Softball Team in 2003. If what Coach Wylie said is correct and he has the 2003 Mount Pleasant Championship Trophy I guess you don't care what happened to the rest of the trophies. I guess as long as your daughter's accomplishments were kept, it doesn't matter how the other athletes feel about their own success being thrown in the garbage. How would you feel if this had been reversed? I don't m ean to single you out, but this is just a small observation.

The principal should be tossed, however I still don't believe that he did this alone. Nothing happens in Valhalla without the administration being totally aware. They just hide after the facts become public. They should all be ousted for shear arrogance and stupidy.

All the parents are afraid to speak up. Afraid their child will be targeted (and believe me they will be targeted). Afraid their child will lose favor, be benched, be bumped from a team in favor of a board member’s kid. We even had a superintendent walk from the board office to the baseball field and make a line up change to put a board member's kid in the line up. We have had no track for six years and not one track parent spoke up. We borrow bleachers from Kensico Little League every football season and no football parent complains. The condition of the fields, as documented on this website, has been atrocious an embarrassment to have guests see. Not one parent spoke up, no teacher spoke up, no coach spoke up. We spend $25,000 per year per student and your kids are being cheated, used and abused. Spraying water on unruly kids is nothing compared to the hosing we are all taking with annual budget increases of $2.0 million. The trophy trashing is just the latest outward sign of the complete lack of competence and accountability in this district. Call the district office, call board members at home; most are in the book. Write to the Journal News. But unless you are willing to vote no to the $4.0 million bond this fall and vote no to a couple of budgets, nothing will change. It is all about the money and as long as they continue to get every penny they ask for and no accountability is demanded, your children will continue to be the pawns in their private chess club. Someday their plaques, trophies and "participation awards" will also be tossed in the trash.

Asking Ms. Sicuranzo a legitamate question is not singling her out. However do not expect any kind of an answer. Lets not forget that this is the same woman who used her posistion on the board to have her child put on a team that they were cut from, and in doing so had no compunction that she was in essence bypassing and cheating half a dozen other children. This is someone who doesn't give a hoot about any children but her own. As far as she is concerned she got what she wanted and all that happened was some internet blogging about it. So what! Still and all I feel the focus of this blog is becoming too broad. Not that all these people, Supt. Principal, Asst. Principal, Smit, Sicuranzo, etc., don't need to be held accountable for their ineptitude, but when you try to do all things at once you end up getting nothing done. In this case I think it is crystal clear that the person who organized, directed, and is fully responsible for this abomination is the untenured Jon Thomas. Lets start with something that is eminently doable, GET RID OF HIM!!!! At least then for once someone will be held accountable for not following any of the protocols that his job demands. Where are the minutes of these discussions with his Compact Committee, where is his list of public property to be disposed of, where is his permission from the BOE to go forward. Where also are all of these things as they relate to his throwing away of the library books. Before we go hunting for the whole herd lets first bag one trophy. If the Supt and the Board are unresponsive to opinions lets then focus on the bond vote in the Fall, but lets go one step at a time. Let your voices be heard! Call or write the Supt at the board office at 316 Columbus Ave., Valhalla NY, 10595, or 683-5040. If you are uncomfortable giving your name for reasons of retribution then do not give it. Your opinion, like your vote, is private. You pay your taxes and have a right to an opinion, and a right to keep your name out of the public politics. Instead of just blogging back and forth lets see if for once we can effect a change. Write your letters, make your calls, and then lets see if the board really does not care what we the public thinks or not. If they don't then lets show them what we think in the Fall's bond vote. Its time to be heard!!!!!!!

Not taking sides here, but it's always good to get your facts straight. In response to your claim that Dr. Ackerman's degree is in Holocaust Studies, and she has no teaching experience, I quote the Voyages article welcoming her to Valhalla: "Dr. Ackerman...served in the New York City schools, as a dean of students, a social studies teacher and a Bridge Program instructor. She brings a wealth of experience to the new position, having served most recently as Dean of Students at John Jay High School in Katonah. She holds a Ph.D. in Educational Leadership, a master’s degree in Educational Administration, and a bachelor’s degree in psychology and teacher education, as well as a Certificate of Proficiency in Holocaust and Genocide Education K-12."

"Certificate of Proficiency in Holocaust and Genocide Education K-12." Just what we need in Valhalla.

I think that we are starting to stray away from what this blog is about. We are here abouth the trophy dumping. We all have opinions about the administration but let's stay on topic. We don't want to lose sight of something we all seen to agree on

To that end, I have posted email and letters to the editor links above. The JN limits letters to 250 words and so far has not published at least 2 letters on the subject.

The concern in this blog is the apparent trashing of decades of Valhalla High School's athletic history. Perhaps people with proficiency in teaching our children the importance of keeping the past alive, and not turning our backs on it, is exactly what Valhalla needs.

You can make it 3 letters that have not been published as of yet.

I did get a reply, quite quickly I must say and will get back to you. I will wait and see where it goes.

I wholeheartedly agree. Jonathon Thomas is the culprit and not one word in his own defense has been publicly shared anywhere. Not even the usual suspects of supporters and sycofants has taken up his cause, and thats really saying something. Please show the man the door.

On top of all this as far as I can determine Jonathon Thomas has led the school to the lowest regents scores in recent memory. Seems fairly obvious that we need to replace him a quickly as we can. Poor management skills and poor academic results. What is that he does well?

What a disgrace. I do hope that for once the BOE will ask for a resignation and let the rest of the staff and the community know that we are serious about people doing a substandard job. Anything short of that will just propagate more of the same types of job performance.

I also believe that a resignation is in order. The question is, who should it be? Mr. Thomas if he acted alone, Dr. Ramos Kelly if she authorized this, or the BOE for knowing and keeping quiet. This is like a house of cards and it appears that it will soon collapse. Someone is going to fall and hopefully give up the ones who knew exactly what was going on. You can almost guarantee that someone will become the fall guy. Let's hope the right person will take responsibility. As the saying goes, "What a tangled web we weave, when first we practice to deceive." It is almost becoming the mantra at Valhalla. It is time for the administration to come out of hiding and face the facts that this incident was the one that appears to have united the community and we have had enough. We will no longer settle for less than what we are entitled to.

The more I think about this the madder I become. Who gave this man the right to come into my former High School and destroy something that so many have worked so hard for. Obviously no thought was given to what the reaction of the community would be. Or did he and the BOE just care? Valhalls opened in the 1950's, just think about the years of memories that were destroyed. All by a one man who has only been there a short while. What in God's name were you thinking? Did you think that no one would notice or care? Well think again, Valhalla is a small community where history and tradition are obviously very important. I personally would like to see the responsible person liable for any cost of trying to replace all of what was lost. The task would be near to impossible. We could probably never replace the old ones, but with researching old yearbooks we might be able to replace some recent ones. That is, if he hasn't gotten rid of the yearbooks too!

just a slight correction, I should have typed: Or did he and the BOE just NOT care?

As I read all these blogs I can not help but become emotional. I am not a graduate of Valhalla but my sympathy goes out to those graduates who have lost a part of their past. I will join your crusade !

You are so right to become upset. If this man's (Jonathon Thomas)actions go unchecked now, just imagine how abusive he would become by the time your young children start school. If this is how he performs his job and treats people as an untenured employee with only one year on the job, one can only cringe at what his performance and behavior would be like once he is protected by tenure. Young parents, old parents, new residents, old residents, senior citizens, recent graduates, etc. we are all in this together. With an incredible level of arrogance one man has as in effect told us all that he couldn't care less how we feel or what we think' Again you are right, this is a crusade and we need to begin our fight for our rights by letting the Supt. know that we are here and that our opinions matter. Call her office, email her, or write her. Remain anonymous if you choose, that is also your right. You do not have to pay a price to offer an opinion and don't let anyone bully you into feeling otherwise. You paid your taxes that is all you need do in order to have an opinion. Jonathon Thomas needs to be removed so as to become the example that sets this district onto the right course. He has become the face of the problem through his own actions. Allowing him to stay is a dangerous precednt that will effectively eliminate the public from our public schools. Once again call, write, or email (683-5040, 316 Columbus Ave. Valhalla NY, dramos-kelly@valhalla.k12.ny.us, lets for once affect a change and have our voices be heard.

After looking through the "Code of Conduct" for Valhalla students and staff, it is obvious that Mr. Thomas (and who knows who else) have quite a lot to answer for. From failing to create an atmosphere of mutual respect and dignity to teaching common courtesy through example. ONE OF THE CODES FOR THE STUDENTS IS THAT SCHOOL PROPERTY SHOULD BE RESPECTED. I would consider trophies and library books school (not personal)property. If the administration cannot even follow codes of conduct issued to the students, how are they capable of leading a group of young, impressionable teenagers down the right path. This "Code of Conduct" should apply to all, from the Superintendent on down. We cannot pick and choose who should abide by it. I think that we have come to the point where resignations (maybe more than one) are in order before we hit a point that we can't recover from. Dr. Ramos Kelly and the BOE should be willing and able to make the right decision. Maybe not the right one for them personally, but the correct one. Set a new standard in Valhalla, one that shows that there is a need and room for change. Let the students see that they are entitled to more than what they are getting

Is there some way to reach out to past student/atheletes to make them all aware of this issue? Is there a data base that can be accessed and used to contact these people so they too can weigh in. I'm sure many are still in the area or still have family here who would voice an opinion. Then if they are not heard, as an earlier blogger said, these same people would refuse to support the board's bond propossal in the Fall

This blog has gotten to the point where the same sentiments are being expressed over and over again. It would have a greater impact if some people would step up and put their names on their blog. I have a letter in today’s Journal News. I would like as many people as possible to read it. Everything in it is absolutely true. I saw a gentleman I know from around town who read my letter and told me how he enjoyed reading it and that he shares my sentiments. To him I said “great, why don’t you write a letter if you feel that strongly”. The point is that if anything is going to change for the better, some other individuals are going to have to show some backbone, express their point of view to the board, and administration, and put their names to it.

I have just read this blog from beginning to end. All I can say is that I am totally disgusted! BUT-I will not openly/publicly speak out as I have been a victim of the 'slice & dice' treatment here in Valhalla and no longer choose to subject myself or my family to gossip and/or criticism. Rather-I will VOTE NO. NO QUESTIONS ASKED....for as long as I continue to live within VUFSD I WILL VOTE NO.

It would be a shame to those students going through the system if the bond for the track was voted down. I agree we must do something but would a No vote be the right answer --- Who are we hurting.. I'm the first to say the taxes are too high .. this is one I will have to think long and hard on ...

How nice it would be to be able to put my name on something I write. I too have been a victim in Valhalla. Lies, threats, harassment and personal attacks are something I no longer want to experience or wish on anyone else. Gossip I can take, but it is the down and dirty behavior of people in authority that I have to protect my family from. If you haven't been a "Valhalla Victim" you might not know just how deep it goes. It is cruel and very, very damaging. Having no children in the district, you are fortunate that you can speak publicly without fear of retribution towards your child. No child should be put in that position. It is not a matter of having the backbone to speak publicly, it is deciding what is best for your family. Although I will never sign my correct name on what I write, it will not stop me from doing all I can to warrant a change in Valhalla. I too, will vote NO on everything that the Board of Education throws at the community. I for one will never trust them or their ideals as long as I live in the district.

It has been a shame that Valhalla has not had a track for the past six years. But the time comes that hard decisions must be made. No one wants to punish the kids for the many mistakes made by the school administration. But the line has to be drawn and priorities have to be set. Where does it stop. We have no track because of a poor decision made by the prior administration. What's next, the school will need funding for new library books and trophies that the present administration deemed garbage.

I can personally understand why people don't sign their real name. The present BOE is a breeze compared to those in the past. Does anyone remember a past president standing outside of the high school and announcing himself the KING OF VALHALLA. The scary thing is, he truly believed that he was and treated all of those who didn't agree with him as his subjects. Trust me, he didn't care who he hurt during his reign. I don't believe that things have changed at all with the superior attitude of our administration and one would be foolish to put themselves in the position that I was in. We can stand together, whether silently or by our voices.

Don't let the 'strong arm' of the Sup't. and BOE force any one to believe that voting "NO" will harm the current and future VUFSD students. On the contrary-voting "No" is what it will take for the district to turn around. A new track would be 'lovely' but quite honestly 'parent of future Valhalla students' it will be a small price to pay if the construction of a track to replace the track that the previous admin. and BOE destroyed, is delayed. Don't fall into the trap set by the BOE and the "VOTE YES at all costs or you are a bad person" faction. Students will be educated-NYS guarantees that! They may not run on a track for another six years but....that is the price VUFSD is paying for previous and current incompetents! Linking the track in with a bond to give VHS a new roof-Give me a Break! Diane Ramos Kelly, Sicuranzo. et. al.-do you take us all for fools? WELL-do you? How about an answer!

The former BOE president who single handedly destroyed the High School Musical to save a role for her daughter and continued to fail miserably at 'migro-managing it' so now the annual spring production costs VUFSD over $40,000.00! That money could be better spent.

It is amazing how many people have stories to tell. But because of the chance of retribution, no one can speak publicly. And these are the people who we have entrusted to educate the children. There is more wrong in Valhalla than neglecting a memorial garden and dumping library books and trophies. There is a definate ethics problem here and has been for years.

To all who wish to remain anonymous, I hear you, and I understand. Unfortunately the majority of those who follow the district’s actions, and are concerned about having a well run school district are parents with children in school. I am an exception, but John Fitzgerald is not. He is one of the most courageous and principled men I have ever met. I cannot believe that there aren’t some senior citizens and residents whose children have graduated who can’t openly get involved. I’m concerned that some readers of this blog will automatically assume that the same people are blogging multiple times under different identities. If possibly our district officials could acknowledge that there are parents afraid to speak out, then possibly there could be a person or persons that the board would accept as credible to speak for these parents without identifying them. This would of course require a compromise, and unfortunately I personally have learned that there is little to no compromise that comes from the district. As far as getting involved anonymously I can tell you that I have many silent helpers. If anyone would care to help John and I, you can contact me directly and I promise that I would keep anything you would like confidential. I may be outspoken, but I am a man of my word.

I just want to let anyone reading or blogging here know that there is no way for me to identify bloggers. For the record, the unique vistors to the site in the month of July have surpassed the highest level for any previous month in the last three years. This topic has certainly hit a nerve or may have pushed people over the edge. Whatever the reason, I urge everyone to get involved in some way to make a change in the district. Your children are not getting a $25,000 per student education. You can blog here anonymously, report issues and inform readers. But if you intend to change things, you can not do it anonymously.

I, too, am very disturbed if trophies were thrown away. However, for the writers on this blog, I think it is only fair to point out that Mr. Thomas has been away for the duration of this blog and should be afforded the opportunity to respond once he is back in the country. I look forward to his response.

Sorry-that doesn't cut it. Jonathan Thomas has a 'boss'-Diane Ramos Kelly and in his absence she should be responding. In addition, the true 'hiring agent' aka. the BOE should be responding. After all-they are the 'ones' who got us into and continue to keep us IN THIS MESS!

That is all well and good but here are the realities. I’ve already contacted the superintendent and assistant principal about this and they refuse to give me a direct answer to direct questions regarding the trophies. They didn’t tell me that Mr. Thomas should speak to this issue. I spoke with the business administrator and he told me he can’t comment. I will tell you here and now that even if Mr.Thomas were in the country he wouldn’t address this issue on this blog. If and when a representative of the district does decide to weigh in they will go into the automatic “Valhalla Defense”. Here are some of the answers you may hear from the district. “We only threw away participation awards” (a lie), “Some of the trophies were damaged” (so what, fix them), “We didn’t have room for all of them in the trophy case” (again so what, you didn’t have to throw them away) and you may even hear them say “Some trophies had mold on them and posed a health hazard, so we had to dispose of them“. Heck you might even hear Famous Ramos pull one of her two favorite excuses out of her bag “ We were adhering to contractual obligations” or the “M” word “We were forced to throw the trophies out due to a state Mandate”.

You raise an interesting point. Jonathon Thomas has been on vacation for approx. 4 weeks now. He was also off from work for 2 weeks at Christmas, 1 week at mid- winter break, 1 week at Easter, and sundry other times throughout the year. As an administrator he is a 12 month employee, no longer a 10 month employee as is his faculty. How does a man in his 1st year of employment in a new job, that he is apparently not doing very well, get 9+ weeks vacation. And before anyone says he works durring those school breaks, please don't. I already know that he did not.

It really isn't relevant that Mr. Thomas is out of the country. When I take a vacation from my place of employment I am required to leave my responsibilities in someone else's hands. They receive all of my calls, work related e-mails and my postal mail is forwarded to them. In the event that they need to make a decision, they are intelligient enough to do that. It doesn't wait until I come back. That would be be very unprofessional and would warrant some attention from my employers. So what is the problem with Dr. Ramos Kelly or the BOE responding to our questions. The problem is the fact that they have no real reason for creating this fiasco. You can't offer a defense if there isn't one. Dr. Ramos Kelly and all of the BOE members are employed by the residents of the Valhalla District. As with any employee they are at times required to justify their actions and decisions. If they refuse or ignore that requirement, they will ultimately lose their positions. Come out of hiding and answer some questions. If you believe that you made the right decision, than try and convince us.

I have talked with a number of Valhalla residents, and it is amazing how many have no idea of what happened regarding the trophies. After the initial reaction of disbelief and anger, I let them know that if they want more information on this to come to this blog. So tell a friend, a neighbor or former student/athlete. Remember in unity their is strength.