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For All-Star starters, it’s Sale and Cueto

WILKES-BARRE &#8212; The divisive moment happened 18 months ago, but still may explain why relations between the Wilkes-Barre Area School Board and the Save Our Schools group remain prickly despite overtures of collaboration from SOS.In January 2015, the board formed two task forces: An internal committee of district employees, and an external committee of residents not affiliated with the district. They were to study the issues with three aging high schools and recommend solutions.Before the external committee even met, former school board member Dr. Mark Schiowitz wrote a letter to the newly announced members outlining what he felt would be the best option in dealing with the high schools. The letter became a bone of contention from the start, and remains one today.During a Monday meeting of district officials and the Times Leader Opinion Board, school board President Joe Caffrey was asked about efforts to gain public confidence in the plan to merge Meyers and Coughlin high schools.As he has in the past, Caffrey praised the two committees for their work and conceded that, when it came to the internal task force, he had initially erred in not letting them convey their recommendations &#8212; consolidating schools at the Meyers site, not at the Coughlin site as approved by the board &#8212; to the public.&#8220;The internal task force made a recommendation and I have acknowledged at a public meeting that I did not manage that well,&#8221; Caffrey said.But his reaction was markedly more measured regarding the external task force.&#8220;The external task force,&#8221; he paused. &#8220;I want to say this delicately.&#8221;Pressed, Caffrey conceded the letter from Schiowitz to the task force seemed &#8220;an attempt to send it in a certain direction before there were meetings. The board wasn&#8217;t comfortable with that, but nonetheless, I let it proceed.&#8221;The letter was problematic on two fronts. Schiowitz had served a year on the board, finishing the term of Teresa McGuire after she resigned in December 2010. He had also applied to serve on the external task force but was not appointed.&#8220;He was not selected because we made the decision not to put any former employees or officials on the external task force,&#8221; Caffrey said Monday.That decision in January 2015 prompted board member Christine Katsock to call the appointments to the external task force &#8220;politics as usual.&#8221; She argued the board set some disqualifications after applications had been received, and that any restrictions should have been made at the outset.Schiowitz&#8217; wife helped form SOS, and he has been one of the most consistently outspoken people questioning the consolidation plan and process at school board meetings, as have several former members of the internal and external task force committees.Schiowitz argues his research both while on the board and since shows that students in smaller schools tend to do better. He proposes one new small high school near the site of the Solomon/Plains education complex, sale of the Coughlin property, and gradual renovation of Meyers and GAR Memorial.In a written statement Monday night, Schiowitz noted he had offered to serve on the task force via an essay outlining his plan, and that he sent the proposal to the external task force members &#8220;early on&#8221; because he is &#8220;a strong proponent of public education&#8221; and had attended city schools.&#8220;There was certainly no impropriety,&#8221; Schiowitz wrote.Getting over such old misgivings matters because SOS has increasingly stressed it wants to work with the school board in resolving problems faced by the district. At the Jun2 28 board meeting, several SOS members made passionate appeals urging board member to meet with SOS representatives. Some board members have expressed reluctance because of past criticism from SOS supporters.&#8220;I&#8217;ll meet,&#8221; board Vice President Denise Thomas replied at one point. &#8220;But it won&#8217;t be a fiasco, I won&#8217;t tolerate it.&#8221;Contacted Tuesday, SOS President Richard Holodick said several school board members, including Thomas, have agreed to meet, but nothing has been finalized.<div class="metaInfo"><bylineMeta>By Mark Guydishmguydish@www.timesleader.com</bylineMeta></div><div class="metaInfo"><shirttailMeta>Reach Mark Guydish at 570-991-6112 or on Twitter @TLMarkGuydish</shirttailMeta></div>

W-B Area, Save Our Schools struggle with old wounds