Members of the Jericho community debated the renaming of Cantiague Elementary School to honor Henry Grishman, the district’s current superintendent, at the Feb. 11 Board of Education meeting.
In August, Grishman announced going into his 30th year at the district that it would also be his last. The Board of Education proposed a discussion to rename one of the district’s three elementary schools in his honor.
Board President Christopher Foresto said the board encourages community feedback on the proposition.
“Messages in support of doing this or messages that may not support this —that’s important information,” said Board President Christopher Foresto.
Foresto said some districts leave the renaming of facilities to the board’s discretion. He said other districts solicit public comment to make decisions regarding large facility renamings, which he said is “responsible.”
“I think anything we do of this magnitude needs to be done responsibly,” Foresto said.
The board held public comment for the proposed renaming at its last meeting.
Resident and former board trustee Gina Levy said the community has honored late and former staff members. Recently, the district renamed one of its elementary schools Ratner-Seamen Elementary School, honoring the late Jeffery Ratner, a school administrator who died in 2019.
“This building was named after Mr. Ratner for a reason,” Levy said.
Levy said creating a policy to honor late staff members is a “waste of time.” She said in the past when buildings or scholarships were created in someone’s name, it was not completed through a procedure or policy.
“There are so many other things that I know that we can focus on— better procedures and policies to put in place,” she said.
Levy said the policy would impact and delay proceedings when future community members are honored through scholarships or plaques. She said she has lived in the community for 28 years and has not seen anyone abuse their authority when it comes to honoring former staff members.
“We are Jericho. We are leaders,” Levy said. “We use things responsibly.”
Board Trustee Samuel Perlman said the proposed motion is more than a plaque. He said the district only has three elementary schools and the proposed renaming is “out of the ordinary.”
Perlman said having a procedural discussion about the renaming is “wise.” He said if the school is renamed through board majority, the motion could be reversed or changed in the future. Renaming the building through a procedure would have long-lasting effects, he said.
The renaming received support from residents, as well as former staff members, former school board trustees and Jericho High School alumni.
“Mr. Grishman has led this district to realize success in academic, emotional and social arenas,” said Barbara Bauer, a former principal at Cantiague and the former assistant superintendent of curriculum in Jericho. She said in her time working with Grishman, he treated each student and staff member with respect.
Bauer said Cantiague Elementary School is an especially fitting building to rename as three of his grandchildren started their education there as kindergarteners.
“Naming a school after any one person is surely a great honor,” Bauer said. “However, I believe—and I believe this community believes—it’s one that Mr. Grishman surely deserves.”
Daborah Lee, a former Board of Education trustee, supported the renaming and said Grishamn “deserves to be a permanent fixture” in the district.
Former Board Trustee Pam Wasserman, who is a lifelong resident and Jericho High School alum, spoke in support as well.
“I can think of no better way to honor Hank Grishman, an exception superintendent and human being,” Wasserman said.
Supporters of the renaming said Grishman has an excellent reputation, both at local and regional levels. They said Grishman improved the district and supported student growth during his 30-year tenure.
The board received emails from district alumni, some of whom attended Cantiague school, in support of the proposal.
Jericho Voice, a website that publishes articles from a group of Jericho parents, has opposed the proposed change. A Change.org petition opposing the proposal has received almost 300 signatures.
The group said the name Cantiague represents the area’s history and honors the Native American language. The website said about 6,000 Native Americans lived on Long Island in the 1600s, a number which has declined significantly since then. The building honors the region’s history and culture, Jericho Voice said.
“While the intention to honor educational leadership is understandable, this decision warrants careful consideration of its broader historical implications,” the website says.
One article on the site says the renaming is “premature,” as most institutions wait five to 10 years before renaming facilities after former employees.
The group also said the proposal “circumvents” board policy. The group said PTA Council President Aileen Gingold and Jericho Educational Foundation Director Lynn Wiseman presented the proposal at the Jan. 23 board of education meeting, and the proposition was moved to the February agenda.
The motion to move the proposal to the February meeting avoids board policy and requires Grishman to present the matter while actively employed, said Jericho Voice.
Foresto said he has attempted to contact Jericho Voice, but they have “gone to great lengths to conceal their identity.” He said the website lists him as the decision-maker on the matter, but that information is inaccurate.
Representatives from Jericho Voice said this is false. The group said its email address is available on its website, and has received no response in their attempts to contact Foresto.
The group said its members’ names are not listed to avoid retaliation from the board of education.
At the meeting, Perlman said he heard that Jill Citron, board vice president, was “soliciting emails” to be sent to the board.
“It is not false,” Citron said. “It is true, and I’m proud of that.”
Citron said she asked members of the community to submit public comments via email.
“I was soliciting public opinion, because I know the board wants public opinion,” Citron said.
Perlman said she only asked people she knew who supported the proposal to submit comments. He asked if she solicited support on the matter at the board’s previous meeting.
“This shouldn’t be a divisive issue for the community,” Perlman said. He said if the issue is divisive, it becomes the “wrong decision.”
“I’m hoping that whatever comes out of this is a unifying decision, because I don’t think the superintendent would want any part of his legacy to be some divisive issue on his way out the door,” Perlman said.
Foresto said the board will continue to listen to feedback from the community on the matter and that it will be discussed at future meetings.
“I would strongly encourage people to continue communicating with us,” Foresto said.
