ALLEGANY, N.Y. — Allegany-Limestone school board president Joe Zimmer, who had worked with former Superintendent Dr. Karen Geelan for a number of years In the school district, had little to say Tuesday about the ousting of Geelan from her current superintendent position at the Valhalla School District.
Geelan, who had served as superintendent at Allegany-Limestone Central School District from 2011 to 2017, was suspended from her current superintendent post at the Valhalla Union Free School District during a special meeting prior to the Christmas holidays. That school district, which appointed the district’s business official to the seat as acting superintendent, gave no explanation for Geelan’s ouster. The board had declined specifying the charges against Geelan, while noting personnel issues are confidential.
The Valhalla board’s Dec. 29 meeting agenda, however, had stated Geelan will be suspended “with full pay and benefits effective this date and during the pendency of a hearing upon charges as presented to the Board.”
Geelan receives a salary of $265,200 at Valhalla, according to New York State Education Department administrator salary disclosures. She had declined comment on the issue when she was reached by an Olean Times Herald reporter last week.
Geelan left the Allegany-Limestone superintendent seat at the end of October in 2017 before taking over the superintendent position at Valhalla, a 1,400-student district in Westchester County. Currently serving as superintendent at Allegany-Limestone is Tony Giannicchi, who began in April 2018.
Prior to the Allegany-Limestone school board meeting Tuesday, Zimmer stated that he had no comment on Geelan’s suspension, but admitted the matter “was just as surprising to me as anyone else.”
A teacher, who asked that her name not be used, weighed in on the issue after the meeting.
“There is more to running a school district than keeping the budget in the black,” the teacher said in referring to Geelan’s success in keeping taxes from rising at Allegany-Limestone during her tenure. “Students matter, employees matter … “
