New Assistant Superintendent Opens Up with SEPTA

by Liz Paras

(November 1, 2007) On October 23, Dr. Anthony Minotti, the new assistant superintendent for student support services in the Mamaroneck school district, talked about his background, his philosophies, and the collaborative areas of focus for the next three years. Close to seventy people attended this program organized by SEPTA, the Special Education Parent Teacher Association of Larchmont-Mamaroneck, at the Hommocks Library.

Dr. Minotti discussed the wide range of experiences which have prepared him for his current position as head of special education, counseling and health services

He shared that he has a child who is learning disabled, so he has sat on the other side of the table and understands what parents of children with special needs go through. He said “this gives me the passion and the desire to help children like him.”

He worked in the Connecticut public schools system for 37 years, starting as a special education teacher for elementary and high school, and then moving on to administrative positions. He was the supervisor of special education in Greenwich and Danbury, the director of pupil personnel and special services in Trumbull, and for the past seven years, the assistant superintendent for the Trumbull, Connecticut school district. He holds a doctorate degree from Teachers’ College at Columbia University.

Dr. Minotti indicated he is a strong believer in partnerships, consultation, and collaboration. “I like to bring a lot of people around the table because I know we can bring change by having conversations,” he said. He also said he believes in inclusiveness: all children need to be a part of the school community. He stressed the importance of creativity and imagination and that the district can look at doing things differently. For example, he mentioned that his staff is looking at different delivery models of speech therapy to see if the district can use its staff in a more effective and efficient manner.

Based on the dialogue that Dr. Minotti has already had with staff and parents, he has come up with several ambitious areas of focus for 2007 to 2010. Number one on the list is to hire a consultant who will conduct a study of special education within the district to identify both accomplishments and areas of need. In the next two weeks, consultants will survey staff and parents, focusing on Kindergarten through 12th grade inclusion practices, CSE student identification, out of district placements, and budget expenditures from the previous five years. A report will be presented to the Board of Education at its January 15 session, which will help with the budget planning process.

Other areas of focus include the guidance counseling department and health services.

After his presentation, Dr. Minotti opened the floor for a far-ranging question period in which parents asked about the particular needs of their children or the larger issues in special education. Dr. Minotti took the opportunity to educate the group on the broader questions and directed individuals to appropriate resources for their specific issues.

Nancy Levine, one of the two SEPTA representatives for Central School, said "I am impressed at Dr. Minotti's ability to answer questions candidly and comprehensively."

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