JOHNSTOWN - Jansen Avenue Elementary School's tenured teachers and support staff wrote a letter to the Greater Johnstown School District Tuesday expressing "anxiety and trepidation" about possibly working under Warren Street Elementary School Principal Anne Christiano now that their school is closing.
The Leader-Herald obtained a copy of the letter, which is dated March 31 and was sent from Jansen's "tenured teachers and support staff" to district Superintendent Katherine A. Sullivan. Members of the district's Board of Education also were sent copies of the letter.
Unable to be reached this morning were Sullivan, who was in Albany today, and Johnstown Teachers Association Co-Presidents Kathy Zajicek and Louise Carville, who were in Buffalo on union matters.
Board President Robert Curtis acknowledged today the letter was discussed by the board during a closed-door, executive session at Thursday night's board meeting at Johnstown High School. The reason given for the session was listed by the board as to "discuss the employment history of a particular person."
"We did discuss the fact we did receive a letter," Curtis said.
But the board president was quick to note the letter was not signed and didn't have anyone's name attached to it. He said he was reluctant to discuss it for that reason.
"I'm not going to ruin a person's reputation over an unsigned letter," Curtis said.
Curtis said he doesn't "buy it" if the people who wrote the letter are fearing reprisal or retribution by not attaching their names. He said if the district receives a letter that puts a student in "harm," the district is quick to act, but not in the case of an unsigned letter that is "defaming staff."
The other nine members of the school board couldn't be reached this morning. Christiano didn't return a phone call this morning seeking comment.
Jansen Avenue Elementary School kindergarten teacher Ellen Jones today said the letter is authentic, although she was reluctant to speak about it without having first talked to a Johnstown Teachers Association union representative.
"I think the letter speaks for itself," Jones said. "It was done professionally and tactfully."
She said there have been 31 teachers and other district employees who have "opted to leave" Warren Street Elementary School over recent years because of Christiano.
Curtis said the 31 figure is a "gross exaggeration."
He said Christiano's probationary appointment is due to expire in June and her "tenured candidacy" will be discussed by the board at its April 29 meeting at JHS. Last June, the board voted 6-3 to extend the appointment to June 30, but her name was not on a list of 12 district employees granted tenure by the board last April, although she was eligible.
Jones said she personally spent 18 years at Warren Street Elementary School before she asked to relocate a couple years ago because of Christiano. She said she finally got her wish last September when she was moved to Jansen, which the board recently decided to close at the end of the school year.
The letter, in part, reads: "Our only serious and perhaps even impassible hurdle in making the move to new buildings revolves around the anxiety and trepidation we feel when we confront the possibility of working under the direction of Anne Christiano, current principal at Warren Street Elementary School. Many of us have had unpleasant encounters and disturbing conversations with Mrs. Christiano. Those of us who have not personally experienced her unpredictable nature have heard enough retellings from reputable sources to make us uneasy."
The letter indicates that Jansen teachers and support staff "can't help but wonder why teachers, aides, secretaries, nurses, and custodians too numerous to count have opted to leave their positions at Warren Street School in the short time Mrs. Christiano has served as building principal. Some of us remember interviewing Mrs. Christiano in the spring of 2004 when she applied to fill the vacancy created when former Jansen Avenue Principal Mr. Richard Tucci retired. Even at that time we felt strongly that she was not a suitable match for our school community."
Sullivan said Thursday night that she will meet Tuesday with the Jansen Avenue Elementary School Parent-Teacher Association, but Curtis said that was set up prior to the letter coming out.
Michael Anich covers Johnstown and Fulton County news. He can be reached at johnstown@leaderherald.com.