Community Rallies in Attempt to Save Job of Popular Chappaqua Teacher

By Janine Bowen

With staff cuts looming in the Chappaqua School District’s proposed budget for 2014-15, dozens of students and parents at last week’s board of education meeting advocated that officials keep one important teacher on the payroll.

Mike DiBellis is the technology teacher at Seven Bridges Middle School as well as the wrestling coach at Horace Greeley High School. It is rumored that his position will be eliminated because of an anticipated decline in enrollment at Seven Bridges next year.

Board of Education President Jeffery Mester explained that trustees are not allowed to comment on matters regarding a specific employee.

Over 20 members of the wrestling team and several local residents spoke of the impact DiBellis has had on the community. At the Feb. 26 meeting, many referred to the teacher as a role model and father figure who has helped to shape his students’ lives.

“Coach DiBellis is the most caring and committed coach I’ve ever had,” said varsity wrestling captain Billy Marino, adding that DiBellis is just as caring in the classroom. “He’s always thinking about how he can help his athletes in any way he can, even if it isn’t wrestling related,”

Marino said that DiBellis’s technology course sparked his interest in engineering, a subject he will be studying at the United States Merchant Marine Academy after graduation in June.

Anthony Tortora, an assistant wrestling coach, said DiBellis not only connects with the wrestling team, but with students in the classroom.

“He’s able to reach students that … almost seem unreachable,” Tortora said. “Other teachers are struggling to get to that point to understand that child, but Coach DiBellis has a special gift where he really just can get the best out of every student that he deals with.”

Many parents were concerned that eliminating DiBellis’s position would be a mistake, and urged trustees to consider cuts in other areas. David Browde, who has a son on the wrestling team, said he would rather see DiBellis remain in the district as opposed to the proposed student life coordinator position planned for Horace Greeley High School.

“This is the kind of person, the kind of exemplary teacher and leader, that you need to save,” Browde said to loud applause. “So, if I have to make a choice between a student life coordinator at the high school and saving a guy who has brought such great success and great credit to the school system, I would urge you that that’s a place to look first.”

Supporters asked that if DiBellis is not needed at Seven Bridges, he could fill a position at Horace Greeley, possibly teaching the new robotics class.

Resident John Harris, who is head of the social studies department at Scarsdale High School, said if Chappaqua fails to retain DiBellis, other districts would likely add him to their staff.

“I don’t know what other cuts can be made, but I have to ask you, as leaders of this district, to … recognize the wonderful teacher that you have in Mike DiBellis,” said Harris, who hired a social studies teacher several years ago who was cut by the Chappaqua School District for budgetary reasons.

This is not the first time that students and parents have banded together to support DiBellis. Two years ago he was reduced from a full-time to part-time employee. A successful campaign helped save his benefits.

Although board members were not allowed to comment on DiBellis’s situation, Trustee Victoria Tipp explained that the board does not control which teachers are cut. State laws governing tenure dictate reductions, although Tipp explained that there is currently a lawsuit challenging these laws.