In his resignation letter, Richard Como says ‘timing is right’
By Kathleen Brady Shea, Managing Editor, The Times
In his resignation letter, CASD Superintendent Richard Como said it was time to leave after 42 years in education, half of them in Coatesville.
After several days of rumors and speculation about the status of the Coatesville Area School District (CASD)’s Superintendent, Richard Como, the school board announced Thursday night that he has decided to retire, effective Sept. 2, and has resigned from the district, a news release said.
Assistant Superintendent Angelo Romaniello Jr. will assume Como’s duties on a temporary basis while the board conducts a search for a new superintendent; Romaniello has worked for CASD for nine years as an administrator at the high school campus as well as at the CASD central administration office, the release said.
Romaniello the assistant superintendent since obtaining his doctoral degree from lmmaculata University in 2010, has worked in numerous areas encompassing school district functions, “including but not limited to special education, pupil services, and curriculum and instruction,” the release said.
In his retirement letter to Board President J. Neil Campbell, which was attached to the news release, Como said: “Reflecting on my 42 years of public education, over half of which have been spent here at the Coatesviile Area School District, the time has come for me to retire.”
“Throughout the last eight years, vision and hard work have positioned the Coatesville Area School District to achieve success now and into the future. The budget has been set and curriculum changes have been implemented. In addition, staffing decisions have been finalized and executed. At this time, the process of educating students rests primarily in the hands of building level staff. The administrators and teachers have spent the summer preparing for the students they pledge to serve. Given this, I am confident and assured that the timing is right to announce my retirement, which will become effective Sept. 2.
“I would like to thank the Board of School Directors for allowing me to serve our Coatesville Area School District community. I thank our staff and teachers for their tireless work and dedication. I thank our students for inspiring us all with their commitment to success, hope for the future, and eternal optimism. I wish you all the very best,” the letter concluded.
Well Mike I guess I will find another news outlet on this subject. I am so glad that our country has reporters to “educate” the public. Please tell me why I should trust you or your paper to “educate” me on anything?
“so please, keep your comments pertaining to what we’re reporting’…..are you kidding me???? you don’t get to steer peoples opionions like that. Your job is not to pick and choose what I can comment on depending on how HOT the subject is for your paper. Do your job!
Jay,
You know, I’m really not kidding.
Aside from the legal liability, numerous inaccurate things have been claimed and alleged without foundation. And your argument is that we should just let it rip, be utterly irresponsible just because…
Well, it’s not going to happen. My job — and I’ve been doing this for a few decades — is to report the news, serve my readers and educate and inform the public. I’m pretty sure that no where in that description am I supposed to publishing knowingly false claims, rumors and speculation as you seem to demand.
Heat isn’t the issue — we never shy away from hot topics. Fairness is the issue. If that doesn’t work for you, I’m sure you can find other news outlets to serve your needs.
To Parent! I hope you don’t think the School Board is working on taking action. Those in charge helped create this mess, especially a few, both current and past. As to the latter (Past) one Board member voted on extending Como’s contract with raises, then resigned their position only to have a newly created position created by Como in the Adminstration. How does Como’s own son get hired for a position, then becomes the head of Maintaince. Nice isn’t. Where was the Board?
One way clean-up part this mess is to have ALL, full-time employees, part-time and Board members have current State and Federal background completed. If you pass OK. If you DON”T PASS-you’re terminated without benefits. Then we can investigate and follow the flow of the money. Why not. Any missing receipts, the person responsible pays or leaves. Its that simple. Any we’re at it, how many cell phones have the TAXPAYERS been billed for the past couple of years. I’ll bet you ALL might be surprised to know, not to mention laptops, OR missing laptops.
Mike,
I admire your determination to stick to facts. It doesn’t always make you popular, but it keeps you true to your profession. Shame that more journalists don’t feel as strongly about objective reporting as you. People are just eager for details, so speculation is running rampant. I don’t know why the district won’t release more information. Sort of gives the impression they’re running a cover-up, even if that isn’t the case. Certainly doesn’t help their position.
Greetings Mike,
No offense, but please take into account you are the Editor/Publisher and has done your job and from what I can see so far a well informed one at this point. We are the public with opinions and freedom of speech that have lived on the other end of rumors of and/or not fact…We have the rights to voice opinions and at the end of the day the chips will fall where they may, but it does not sound good and stifling our opinions doesn’t help you or us. If it looks like a duck and quacks like a duck its a duck. Blessings!
The fact of the matter is, people want and deserve the truth. For years the administration and board have gotten away with at the very least, questionable financial decisions. This is just the most recent in a long line of corrupt individuals running this district. So we are supposed to just take this resignation and story at face value when many of us know much much more? It is time to wake up tax payers of Coatesville. It doesn’t end with just Rich. He needed a dance partner all these years. Your elected board. So much more to come…stay tuned.
We’re suggesting that anyone take anything that has happened this week strictly as face value. What I’m cautioning against is making claims that cannot as yet be independently verified. There’s a lot of stuff out there, and while some is possibly true, some may not and innocent people may be unfairly accused. That’s what we seek to prevent.
Demand answers, you have every right to them. We’ve filed Right To Know requests — stonewalled so far — for information about Como’s contract. We are determined to get to the bottom of the matter – but we want to do it in a responsible manner.
Folks — there’s a lot of stuff going around right now and a lot of allegations floating around out there. But, we need to keep it to what we know, which is what we published. Rumors are just that — so please, keep your comments pertaining to what we’re reporting. We do think there will be more to the story, but in fairness to all involved, let’s let the story develop before jumping to conclusions or making unsubstantiated claims.
Mike, you do understand how Web 2.0 works, right?
Yes, but that doesn’t mean we publish rumor, innuendo and speculation. We deal in facts, which is why we sent a reporter to York last night to confirm the status of the Coatesville High School Football coach — rumors suggested one thing about his status (including a number of comments we did not allow to be posted) and his presence on the sideline refuted them.
This could be Web 9.0 for all I care, we still practice journalism 1.0 around here: get the facts right to the best of our ability to get them and publish them in a sober, balanced way.
I agree with Anonymous…. You just dont retire a couple of days into the new school year. He shouldve retired at the end of last school year. I think more questions need to be asked regarding this situation to see if others are involved in this situation.