Springs School Vice Principal Resigns

The news that Cleopatra Panagiosoulis, the Springs School vice principal, had resigned after just two years to take a job as principal of a preschool in Freeport drew criticism at Tuesday’s organizational meeting of the Springs School Board.

Chris Tucci, a contractor, stood during the public portion of the meeting to express disappointment in the school’s inability to retain Ms. Panagiosoulis, or Ms. P, as is her preference. He asked that the board acknowledge the great job she had done and comment on a replacement.

Ms. Panagiosoulis was present at the beginning of the meeting, but her departure had not been mentioned. During a 90-minute meeting hiatus, however, she told a few people and it became known.  John Finello, the school superintendent, said she was to begin her new job tomorrow.

“Freeport is a shorter commute for me and my background in education is mostly early childhood,” Ms. Panagiosoulis said in an email later. She said she welcomed the opportunity.

Board members and residents acknowledged it would be difficult to replace Ms. Panagiosoulis, who became vice principal in September 2013.

“I think it’s a real shame that we lost her,” Mr. Tucci said, noting that securing another Spanish-speaking vice principal could prove tough. Mr. Finello echoed that. However, the board did not comment.

This marks the second time the Springs School has been left scrambling for an assistant principal. Ms. Panagiosoulis arrived after Katherine Byrnes abruptly resigned following irregularities on state testing. The school picked Ms. Panagiosoulis out of a pool of 170 applicants for her fluency in Spanish and Greek and work with data.

The board was able to replace its own vice president, John Grant, who did not run for re-election, however. Barbara Dayton, a board member, was sworn in, along with Elizabeth Mendelman, president, and Mr. Finello.

A public hearing to discuss repairs for the aging Springs building had been scheduled after the organizational meeting, however, the board had not allowed enough notice and the hearing was postponed. Jeffrey Miller, a board member, outlined several fixes to be addressed, including rusting paint, resurfacing and replacing lockers, filling in wall cracks, repairing a broken surveillance camera, replanting shrubbery, and updating interior doors. The district plans to withdraw $78,717 from a reserve fund to cover the costs.   

The board also agreed, pending a review of budget allocations, to apply for a state grant of $136,814 for interactive whiteboards, Chromebooks, and iPads for fourth and fifth graders. The money allotted to the three devices added up to only $133,000, however, and Eric Casale, the principal, said he would check the figures.