By Darrell Halen
 

Only seven months after becoming school superintendent in Windham and Pelham, Frank Bass has applied to serve as Manchester’s next superintendent of schools.

His move has prompted Al Letizio Jr., the chairman of the Windham School Board, to accuse two of his colleagues, Barbara Coish and Beverly Donovan, of creating a hostile work environment for Bass and said the pair should resign.

“I would rather see those two School Board members step down than see Dr. Bass leave,” Letizio said Sunday.

He claims the women have made negative statements about Bass in the community, have questioned his truthfulness and have interfered with the chain of command at the school district office. Coish has been the most outspoken in her criticism of Bass, Letizio said.

“These types of things are unacceptable,” he said. “They don’t go on at other School Boards in the area.”

Letizio said that after Bass purchased a $995 desk chair last year, they waited to criticize him at a meeting of the SAU 28 School Board, made up of the School Board members from both towns, when the press was in the room. They could have addressed the issue directly and privately with Bass in his office, he said.

“Windham has not had a better person than Frank Bass,” Letizio said. “He’s the right person to have at this time, and in Pelham, also.”

Each district is at a critical time – Windham is building a high school and Pelham school officials hope to get a new high school built in their town.

Bass acknowledged that he applied for the Manchester job.

“It was an opportunity I couldn’t pass up,” he said. “I was approached by a number of people in the Manchester area.”

Prior to coming to SAU 28, which includes the Pelham and Windham school districts, Bass spent five years in Manchester as assistant superintendent for secondary education. Earlier in his career, he spent seven years teaching at Memorial High School in the city.

Asked if he had applied for the superintendent’s job because of tensions in his current job, Bass replied that the Manchester position was an opportunity he couldn’t let pass by.

“Nothing may come of it, you never know,” he said.

On Tuesday, Coish and Donovan, whose terms expire in March 2009, said that Letizio had not spoken to them about resigning.

“I will not resign,” Coish said. “I will continue to serve on the School Board, and if Dr. Bass chooses to remain at SAU 28, I will be happy to work with him.”

Donovan said she doesn’t plan to step down either.

“I have worked for many years for the good of the students and taxpayers of this district, and I plan to continue to do so,” she said.

School Board members have had differences over the past year, but members can respectfully agree and disagree over issues, Donovan said.

“Our discussions should be focused on our students’ well-being while keeping the expectations of our taxpayers in mind,” she added.

Bass is one of 22 applicants for the Manchester post, according to David Scannell of the Manchester School District. The candidate hired would begin working July 1.

Scannell said the job’s advertisement didn’t include a salary range but that officials have said it would be $135,000 to $155,000.

Bass, who currently earns $115,000, said he did not apply for financial reasons.

On Thursday, Feb. 7, the Windham and Pelham school boards will hold a joint meeting.

“Basically, I want to get a feel for what’s going on,” said Bruce Couture, chairman of the Pelham School Board. “We’re going to try to straighten it out so we won’t be searching for a new superintendent.”

Couture said he supports Bass and wants him to remain on the job.

“Our board has been very happy with what he’s done,” Couture said. “He’s done a lot of positive things.”