Kravetsky Granted Tenure, Submits June 2011 Tentative Resignation

Board of Education finalizes deal giving one more year to finalize popular teacher's status in district.

Matt Kravetsky will remain with the Westfield school system for at least one more year under an agreement formalized by the Board of Education Tuesday night. The BOE formally signed off on an agreement, which will formally award Kravetsky tenure once school starts on Sept. 2, but also accepted Kravetsky's resignation effective June 30, 2011. The plan, part of a settlement reached between the BOE and the elementary school teacher, will allow the district another year to review him before deciding whether or not to retain him permanently. "This is the culmination of the efforts between the Board of Education and Mr. Kravetsky to arrive at a mutually agreeable method for Mr. Kravetsky to have another year of teaching in Westfield," BOE …

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Kravetsky Hearing Moved to Lincoln School

Larger venue sought to accommodate crowds.

Next week's special Board of Education meeting to consider the appeal of terminated Tamaques teacher Matt Kravetsky is being moved to Lincoln School to accommodate the larger than anticipated crowds, Patch has learned. The move has been sought by Kravetsky and his supporters to handle what is expected to be over a hundred parents and teachers gathered to show their support. Kravetsky is contesting the decision by Tamaques Principal Michael Cullen to not renew his contract and grant him tenure after teaching for four years in Westfield. The hearing is scheduled for 7 p.m. on July 7. Kravetsky's case has been gaining public support with over 300 parents signing an online petition in favor of him and over 300 residents friending the "Save …

Kravetsky Meets With Union Rep, Supporters Prep for Hearing

Facebook page grows tenfold in week.

Terminated Tamaques teacher Matt Kravetsky has started consultations with a state union representative, as supporters have continued to encourage attendance at next week's Donaldson hearing. Kravetsky supporters posted a message on the "Save Matthew Kravetsky" Facebook page noting that he met with a Union County based field representative of the New Jersey Education Association on Monday morning. The meeting was to help plan strategy for the July 7 hearing date. The message said that Kravetsky is confident of his chances at the rare hearing, which has not occurred in Westfield in two decades. Kravetsky is a third grade teacher at Tamaques School who was informed in late April that principal Michael Cullen had decided to not award him …

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Kravetsky Supporters Set Up Facebook Site

Page in support of terminated Tamaques teacher.

Supporters of terminated Tamaques School teacher Matt Kravetsky have formed a Facebook page in support of his retention. The page, which was created on Monday, contains information advocating for Kravetsky's retention. It is unclear who created the page, which is a normal Facebook page in the name of Matthew Kravetsky, but the creator indicated on the page that it is not Kravetsky. Kravetsky does not appear as one of the Facebook friends of the Kravetsky supporter page. "Please know that this page has been created for Matt not by Matt," the creator wrote on the page's wall under the name of the fictional Kravetsky. "This is a public forum for supporters to find out what is going on and to help one another. We are a community. We have tried…

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Kravetsky Supporters Question Dolan About Evaluations

Past evaluations show positive reviews about terminated Tamaques teacher.

Supporters of terminated Tamaques teacher Matt Kravetsky questioned school officials on Tuesday evening regarding a string of positive evaluations they say the teacher has received in his first three years on the job. The evaluations, which Patch has obtained, point to positive ratings of the third grade teacher by Tamaques Principal Michael Cullen. Kravetsky was informed in April by Cullen that he would not be retained by the school district heading into the next school year and will not be granted tenure. Kravetsky is contesting the decision and the Board of Education is scheduled to hold a hearing on the case on July 7. "I have read every year and there is not one negative comment," Kravetsky supporter Amy Norton said to the BOE. Norton…

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Kravetsky Advocacy Continues at BOE Meeting

Cullen supporter addresses the board forllowed.

The debate over terminated Tamaques School teacher Matt Kravetsky centered on parents questioning the Board of Education's judgement Tuesday evening, as a supporter of the school's principal addressed the board for the first time. Kravetsky is currently battling the decision by Tamaques Principal Michael Cullen, and affirmed by Schools Superintendent Margaret Dolan, to not renew Kravetsky's contract and grant him tenure. The popular third grade teacher has garnered the support from many parents and teachers in the school, with several dozen waiting till past 10 p.m. for the board to turn its attention to the Kravetsky issue. Kravetsky supporters addressing the board, centered their arguments on the popular third grade teacher's abilities, …

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