The Gateway School District board this week rebuked one of its members, saying she on multiple occasions had shared confidential information discussed during executive sessions and represented the board and district administration on various community matters without first discussing it with her colleagues.
Board members each read a portion of two resolutions during a meeting Tuesday night condemning Valerie Warning’s “interference and inter-meddling with the day-to-day operations of the district.”
According to the resolution that several members jointly read into the record, the board condemned reports that Ms. Warning entered school buildings, classrooms and food lockers without providing notice or receiving the permission of the superintendent or building principals, “exercised control over employees,” and “leaked” information regarding contract negotiations.
Member Jack Bova said he initially opposed the method of addressing the issue until he saw her make comments at a Monroeville council meeting — as a representative of the board and the district — talking about how the district could do better to honor first-responders and the military. He called it a “lovely” sentiment, but said Ms. Warning made those comments and wanted to create a plan without first discussing it with the district administration or other school board members.
“I wish there had been a better way to do this, but I think our hand was forced,” Mr. Bova said.
Ms. Warning has served on the board since 2015 and chairs the board’s curriculum and technology committee. She could not immediately be reached for comment Wednesday.
“I apologize,” she said during brief remarks to the rest of the board during the meeting and before she excused herself and walked out. “At this time, I will rescind my invitation to the first-responders and to the military and I appreciate everything you do. I didn’t realize it was going to cause this much, and personally there’s other things I’m dealing with right now and I apologize for embarrassing the district.”
Board President Mary Beth Cirucci apologized for “putting her on the spot.”
“All of your colleagues want you to change some of these behaviors,” she said. “We know you have good intentions and we have tried to speak with you about some of these numerous things, not just that one incident. We just want commitment from you that you hear us and that you will try to change some of those things. That’s all.”
Member George Lapcevich said he hadn’t seen the resolutions or heard about them until the meeting.
“I work side-by-side with Valerie, I know sometimes me and her get our foot in our mouth,” he said. “But I know one thing about Valerie Warning, she has a heart of gold, she would not hurt anybody out there and she’s for the district.”
Board member Rick McIntyre said he questioned her methods, not her good intentions.
“If you’re speaking on behalf of the board of the district, it’s something you have to come to us about,” he said. “I know she is for the district and for the kids, as we’ve heard. The reality is, though, that her actions have cost us significant money in contract negotiations and have come frightfully close to fairly extensive lawsuits in a number of instances.”
“This is uncomfortable for all of us, because we do care about Mrs. Warning,” Ms. Cirucci said. “But as I tried to explain, we need to be able to act in the best interests of the district.”
Also during the meeting, the board accepted the resignation of member Jesse Kalkstein and appointed Dawn Neilly, who had previously served on the board. She will fill the seat until a special election is held in November.
Elizabeth Behrman: Lbehrman@post-gazette.com, 412-263-1590 or @Ebehrman on Twitter.
First Published: July 24, 2019, 8:40 p.m.
