Mentor School Board Hosts Special Graduation

Mentor’s School Board meeting Tuesday was standing room.

The board held a special graduation ceremony for two seniors who could not make , as well as recognized its retiring district employees, including five administrators, 24 teachers and five classified employees.

Andrew Stevenson and Colton Wallace missed Saturday’s graduation ceremonies because they were competing at the state track championship.

Dressed in their caps and gowns and with Pomp and Circumstance playing in the background, the student-athletes walked up to the podium where Mentor High School Principal Joe Spiccia presented their diplomas.

The new graduates were also recognized for their track and field accomplishments. Stevenson placed eighth in the discus and Wallace placed ninth in the long jump.

The school board also recognized the retirements of five administrators, 24 teachers and five classified (support staff) employees.

“This is always a bittersweet meeting for us because with mixed emotions we recognize our retiring faculty and staff,” said Mentor School Superintendent Jacqueline Hoynes. “Collectively, the many, many year of commitment and dedication (of our faculty and staff) to students are overwhelming.”

Denny Holmes, assistant superintendent for human resources, said the combined experience of the retiring employees totals 977 years. Incidentally, Holmes is retiring as well, and so are Spiccia, Coordinator of Related Student Services and Shore Middle School Assistant Principal Tim O’Keefe, Business Operations Director Diana Zarlenga and Mentor High School Unit Principal Sally Miller.

The retiring Mentors teachers are: Gail Allcock, Dennis Bender, Rich Boldon, Cathleen Bonwell, Marsh Buckley, Ellen Burchell, Monque Cicco, Becky Dingeldein, Mike Doudican, Fana Faber, Cindy Harris, Donna Horrigan, Ness Janiak, John Kimmy, Walt Klepac, Sally Krider, June LaBant, Kathleen Lichtkoppler, Lillian Liebman, Peg McCracken, Karen Metz, Debbie Rezzolla, Rosemary Tropman and Paul Van Jura.

Retiring support staff employees are: Jim Battles, Sandy Moyer, Marlene Smith, Larry Harris and Carolyn William.  

• In other business, Mentor School Board Member Alan Mihok said he is upset about receiving anonymous emails and letters,

 “There have been emails that have been sent to the board, letters that I have received,” said Mihok. “What I can’t understand is that when people have something positive to say they are happy to say who they are and voice their approval, but when it is negative, and sometimes very degrading, it doesn’t give me the opportunity to respond as a board member.

"If you don’t have the guts to sign your name, put your email address so I can respond, please stop wasting my time. I do not know of a board member who is unwilling to research an issue to try to get to the bottom of a concern someone in the district has, but if you don’t say who you are we have no way of contacting you, no way to follow up.”

 School board members Mary Bryner and William Shaw agreed.

“I share the same comments as (Mihok). I always throw (the anonymous emails, letters) away. If you are not going to sign them, I’m not going to spend the time. If you do sign them I will certainly put forth 100 percent of effort and get back to them,” Shaw said.

• Mentor School Board President Thomas Tuttle said he decided to no longer fly the American flag on a T-Mobile cell phone tower on property.

The flag in question in January after a Mentor resident complained there was no proper lighting on the flag at night. T-Mobile is leasing the school property for $115,000 annually over the next five years to operate the tower. Tuttle said lighting concerns were brought up again by a resident so he decided to tell T-Mobile not to fly the flag.

• In other business, Mentor resident Michael Kakias spoke before the School Board to complain about the tryout process for the Mentor High School cheerleading squads. Even though their 16-year-old daughter has been on the junior varsity cheerleading squad, she did not make the varsity squad.

 “I feel that a great injustice was done to my daughter during the recent cheerleading tryouts at the high school,” said Kakaias. “The current system is flawed and I think this situation shows a classic example of what is wrong with the process.”

Before addressing the board yesterday,  Kakaias said he's been trying to resolve this issue with school administrators and coaches.

 Although Spiccia understands that Kakaias is upset about his daughter not making the varsity cheerleading squad, he said the tryout process and system treated everyone equally and fairly.

 “I think we gave an answer to the parents about their daughter not making the varsity squad, but I think it was an answer they did not want to hear,” said Spiccia.