WPCNR PRESS BOX. By John F. Bailey. November 16, 2004: Mario Scarano, Athletic Director for White Plains Schools for the last six years, who was forced to retire this year by the Board of Education this year due to conflicts in philosophy with Board of Education members, will be honored at a Retirement Dinner Thursday evening, November 18 at the Davenport Club in his hometown of New Rochelle. For reservations call 632-7800. Dr. Laura Boehlert, Assistant Superintendent for Human Resources, reports a new Athletic Director is expected to be appointed in December.
So Long, Mr. Scarano. Mario Scarano, in an old familiar scene. No longer the man who was always there in the White Plains High School Athletic Office. Photo, WPCNR News Archive.
Mr. Scarano introduced Fall Winter and Spring Sports Dinners to honor White Plains Athletes, brought a full-time Trainer to the high school athletic program, installed a weight room and training facility, an obstacle course on campus, enhanced the softball, soccer and baseball fields at the high school, pioneered women's sports, and presided over an athletic program which won 87% of their competions last year.
Nick Panaro, Interim Athletic Director. Photo, WPCNR Sports Archive.
Mr. Scarano has been replaced on an interim basis by Nick Panaro as Interim Athletic Director. Dr. Lenora Boehlert, Assistant Superintendent of Human Resources for the School District reports to WPCNR that six candidates for the Athletic Director position and six candidates for the Coordinator of Health position will be presented to the full committee in charge of selecting Mr. Scarano's successor, within the next two weeks. She said she expected to name a new Athletic Director, and a new Coordinator of Health by the beginning of December.
Sad End to the Scarano Scenario
The "Scarano Scenario" resulting in Mr. Scanaro's untimely departure (just before the start of the athletic year) had its routes in Mr. Scarano's desiring to split the position of Athletic Director and Coordinator of Health Programs, and was aggravated by a conflict with a member of the Board of Education involving their child. That member had pushed Mr. Scarano to restore their child to an athletic team when that child was cut. Mr. Scarano refused to do so, making an enemy.
That matter came to a head when Mr. Scarano suggested this year, for the second year in a row that the Board of Education split the position.
Mr. Scarano proposed last year and again in January to the Board of Education that his Athletic Director & Coordinator of Health position be split into two positions because he felt it was too much for one person to handle.
If the position had been split, Mr. Scarano, would have stayed on as Athletic Director. However, the Board of Education delayed the decision to divide the duties of the job, citing passing of the School Budget as an excuse (though White Plains passes the school budget every year by a better than 3 to 1 margin). This left Mr. Scarano no choice but to retire, he felt.
The Split Delayed.
Mr. Scarano advised Mr. Connors in early July he would retire and submitted his papers officially (Mr. Connors had held the papers for about six months, pending the Board of Education decision on splitting the position).
The day after Mr. Scarano officially told Mr. Connors to submit his papers, the Board of Education voted to split the position.
Sorry, You Can't Come Back.
When Mr. Scarano told Mr. Connors he wanted to come back now that the Board had decided to plit away the Athletic Director position, the Board of Education declined to take action to reinstate him in the position as he wished. They denied taking a vote on his coming back, but by not allowing him to come back they were, in effect, firing him. As Mr. Scarano told WPCNR, "they decided to go in a different direction."
Persons familiar with the situation say Mr. Scarano had made enemies of certain members of the Board of Education and parents who were out to get him for not submitting to their requests involving the treatment of their children by certain team coaches.
