Batavia parents, students want music teacher back

Parents and students crowded a Batavia school board meeting Tuesday to protest the resignation of a popular Batavia High School music teacher.

Speaker after speaker asked the board not to let choral teacher Paul Marchese go. Marchese, in his second year of teaching with the district, submitted a letter of resignation, effective at the end of the school year, and told his students of his resignation this week with permission from the principal to do so.

Marchese could not be reached for comment Tuesday as to why he resigned. School board President Ronald Link said he did not know why Marchese quit. Superintendent Jack Barshinger disputed rumors that Marchese was told he would not get a letter of recommendation unless he resigned.

"We cannot ask anyone to resign, and it is not our policy to coerce anyone," he said.

Teachers union President Tony Malay also denied the rumors.

The parents and students were afraid the high school would be left without a choral teacher, but Barshinger said the district will fill the position.

In other personnel news, the board demoted the assistant director of teaching and learning, Doug Drexler, because his position is being eliminated. Drexler, the high school principal until this school year, likely will become a middle school science teacher, Barshinger said.

It also gave layoff notices to eight full-time permanent nontenured teachers, then turned around and rehired some of them: kindergarten teacher Brian Hodges, as a second-year full-time probationary teacher, and Jamie Rowe as a third-year temporary probationary fourth-grade teacher; Jessica Duco as a temporary second-year probationary social studies and psychology teacher at the high school; and Kevin Jensen as a second-year temporary probationary high school math teacher.

It rehired three others as part-time temporary teachers, at 17 percent of their full-time contracts. They teach at the high school and may receive more teaching time depending on student registration.

Two weeks ago, the union and board reached a pact that said no more than 11 full-time-equivalent certified workers would be laid off, in exchange for the teachers giving up part of their raise for next year and some insurance benefits.