School Board Rejects ‘Floating Principal’ Proposal-July 03, 1974

The concept, initially championed by Committee Member Joseph M. Pentowski, was intended to coordinate the implementation of Chapter 766, the state’s new special education law. Pentowski had previously named Robert C. Fox, the principal of the Shattuck School, as the primary candidate for the new role, citing the planned phasing out of the Shattuck and Winslow Elementary Schools as a catalyst for the administrative shuffle.

Because the Shattuck and Winslow populations were set to consolidate into the Aaron Guild Elementary School in September, the current principals—Fox and Michael C. Sansone—faced an uncertain future regarding assignments. On the motion of Member Henry W. Diggs, Fox was moved to the Callahan School and unanimously chosen as its principal, effectively replacing the current principal, Richard Talanian. When Diggs sought a recommendation from Superintendent of Schools Dr. Philip O. Coakley regarding the “floating principal” position, the superintendent offered a terse “no comment.“

The proposal for the new post faced immediate and fierce resistance. Resident Thomas DiFrancia, a District 9 town meeting member, attended the meeting with a prepared statement threatening to initiate recall procedures against any committee members who pushed for the creation of the role. DiFrancia derided the proposal as featherbedding, characterizing it as a “taxpayer-be-damned mentality on the part of certain school committee people.” Although the matter was defeated, Member Richard Joseph, who had recommended the position be tabled, noted he might revisit the idea if he became convinced it was a genuine necessity for the system. Following the defeat of the measure, DiFrancia indicated that his recall threat would not become a reality.

In a separate move involving school policy, the committee voted to delete a section of the school system’s hiring guidelines dating back to 1962, which prohibited the hiring of the spouse of any current staff member for full-time work. Dr. Coakley, who had personally recommended the policy over a decade prior, defended his original stance as an effort to prevent “inbreeding in families which is bad for a school system.” However, Committee Member Rudith M. Berkowitz argued that the school system had expanded so significantly that the fear of such practices was no longer warranted. Chairman Charles C. Saraca questioned the legality of the rule, suggesting it was discriminatory, while Member Dr. Thomas A. Couch noted that candidates would remain subject to rigorous evaluation by the superintendent regardless of their family ties.

The evening was further marked by a heated 45-minute argument initiated by Charles C. Saraca, who leveled charges of negligence regarding plumbing and gas inspections at Norwood public schools. Saraca claimed that mandatory permits for gas and plumbing work had not been required or inspected for three years. Committee Member Eugene F. Thayer admonished Saraca for “making a mountain out of a molehill,” insisting the committee lacked control over the town’s inspectional processes. Dr. Couch quipped that “Perry Mason would have enjoyed this,” and Chairman Diggs cautioned against the harsh accusations. The committee ultimately instructed Diggs to continue discussions with town officials to clarify the permitting history.

In other administrative business, Dr. Coakley reported that the Norwood school system was facing its worst wave of vandalism in six years, with nearly $8,000 in damage recorded since the close of the school year. Vandals had ripped out fencing at the Oldham School and spray-painted profanity at the Cleveland School. Dr. Coakley further warned that vandals were throwing “firebombs”—kerosene-filled bottles or cans—against school walls, noting that the fuel “scores the wall and, if it drops onto the macadam, it eats it.” The superintendent issued an urgent plea for parents to monitor their children and cooperate with the police to curb the destructive activity. The committee also formally accepted the permanent building construction committee’s documentation for Junior High North, ensuring the town remained eligible for state reimbursement, and authorized Dr. Coakley to advertise for an expanded business manager position to succeed Thomas H. MacDonald.

Archival Note: This article has been dynamically reconstructed from the original public record print archives of the Patriot Ledger