I wonder if Dr. Henkel remembers me? I remember her.
My name is Grace and I am a sophomore nursing major at Utica
College. I am also a cheerleader and
member of the Student Nursing Association and Drama Club. I am now a counselor of 6
graders at the Halfmoon Recreation day camp program.
I am speaking tonight because I don’t want another child to
experience what I did at my school under the supervision of Dr. Lisa Henkel.
It took me years of counseling to restore my self-esteem and
self-confidence. I still have
flash-backs of how I was made to feel about myself at Boght Hills School. No 6 or 7 year old special education student
should be humiliated, physically and emotionally harmed, at the direction of
their elementary school principal.
My IEP which promised
an inclusion classroom was ignored by Dr. Henkel who felt she was above any
special education program designed for a student. It was her school and things would be done
her way. The teachers that tried to help me were reprimanded and remained
silent at my CSE meetings fearing retribution.
I still have flash-backs of the numerous times I ran away from that school building. The adults called it bolting.
Their “bolting” - I called “escape”.
Escape from constant emotional and physical abuse I
experienced while a student at Boght Hills while Lisa Henkel was principal.
My last day attending Boght Hills was in May of second grade
2002. By then my mother was in a hearing
process due to numerous IEP violations.
Dr. Henkel instructed my teachers to engage me in a behavior in a locked
room and video tape it. This film Dr.
Henkel would “use” as evidence that I did not belong in her school. As my teachers incited my behavior Dr. Henkel
called the Colonie Police to respond to school with two armed police
officers. I was seven years old and weighed 60 pounds. My mother rescued me that day and I never had
to go back to that school and see Lisa Henkel again.
I urge you to listen to the parents and teachers who tell
you something is not right. Something
was very wrong in 2002 and the only way it got better was for me to leave. No child, parent or teacher should endure the
pain I did under Lisa Henkel. It’s time
to take a stand and get back your school as you know and love it. Thank you.
"Grace Pfeifer who was a student at Boght Hills School while Dr. Lisa Henkel was principal there was asked to stop speaking during the Wynantskill Union Free School District BOE meeting. Teachers Union President Matt Lutz invited Grace to speak."
Having dealt with Lisa Henkel for the past 18 months I'm beginning to wonder if she shouldn't have a mental examination. Her behavior is all over the place and she went out of her way to set up Jackie Glaz for failure. What type of individual does such things? She would routinely call teachers up to her office for seemingly innocuous reasons only to blast the teacher for bizarre reasons. We really need to find out what happened in North Colonie. Something is not right with this person.
ReplyDeletePlease just be careful in your comments on Dr. Henkel's mental status. Though I know the "charges" are definately justified, and the BOE needs to act on all that is coming forth, we don't want to face another Dr. Colleen Fennel tragedy. It took the district a long time to heal after her tragic death, and we certainly don't want history to repeat itself.
ReplyDeleteHow can so many "obvious" issues with this woman be overlooked or ignored by the BOE? In any other business, protected or not by a union, one would have lost his/her job long ago.....and how is it that this woman's past behaviors qualified her for this position? Hopefully not "placed" there by the BOE which is now or yet protecting her. How many withdrawls of students this September will it take before the BOE realizes they cannot afford Lisa Henkel? Lots of questions, no answers, just as there were no answers via the forum held on 7/11.
ReplyDeleteIs this tru:
ReplyDelete"Over the past months, not a single teacher approached a board member. The suggestion that people didn’t know how to reach us is shocking given the small size of our community and the fact that our phone numbers are all easily found in the telephone book."
http://www.wynantskillufsd.org/index.php
The WTA has attended BOE Meetings all year and have spoken out. Just read the minutes on the school website.
DeleteAs for not knowing how to reach the BOE...no one should have to search for their contact information; it should be readily available on the website.
What teacher in their right mind would jeopardize their job and solely approach the board alone? The current board has isolated themselves from the teachers as they complied with every wish and whim of the past two administrators, never giving a second thought to the well being of our hard working teachers. "Increase in administrative pay? Sure! Lay off more teachers? Sure! Create more administrative positions? Why not!"
DeletePlease remember to be civil!
ReplyDeletehttp://www.aasa.org/SchoolAdministratorArticle.aspx?id=15726
It's hard to be civil when our community is in an uproar. I only hope the next BOE, when they get elected, will learn something from this nightmare. The children AND TAXPAYERS have to suffer the outcome of whatever comes out of it. Be prepared for TAXES TO GO UP TO PAY FOR THE SUPERINTENDENT'S LEADERSHIP IF SHE STAYS
Delete?$$$$/?$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$?
This better be cleared up before long, it's embarrassing for the school and the community. I believe in the teachers as they have worked with Lisa Henkel. How difficult it must of been to go through all the things they had to put up with. These are people with degrees, they are professionals,and should be treated like professionals, but it is NOT that way in GD with the past two superintendents. They have to be the worst, Christine Hamill and Lisa Henkel. They both got their salaries increased, what a joke. The BOE should be able to see things not right with the both of these people who use their power to lie and they get away with it. The children are suffering, parents are outraged, teachers are working in a war zone. The BOE needs to do what's right. The liars are the two superintendents.
ReplyDeleteLet the BOE talk to Henkel why she did not list the Boght School where she apparently worked as a principal and did her damage there like she is doing at GD. Henkel HAS been telling twisted stories to the Board. She has them twisted around her fingers with stories that are lies, lies, and more lies. Wake up Board people ... she is not who she pretends to be. She can't be the head of GD since she is NOT a good administrator, she will cripple GD and the school. district.
ReplyDeleteShe didn't list it on her resume? How did you get a copy of that...Can you post it?
ReplyDeleteGreat and that i have a neat present: How Often Renovate House complete house renovation
ReplyDelete