By Dan King

Four school days into the new school year, there have been two notable absentees at Whitehall Central School.

English teacher Sue Ringer and math teacher Paul Gould have both missed the first four days of classes and a school source told the Times last week that both have had their mailboxes removed from the teachers’ mailbox area.

“They both have subs right now,” the source said. “Until March I believe. Then it will turn full time.”

On July 29 interim school superintendent Bill Scott placed two unnamed teachers on paid administrative leave as a result of the ongoing State Education Dept. investigation into Common Core testing issues in math and English at Whitehall Central School, which resulted in the seventh grade math results and eighth grade English results being invalidated. Gould was a seventh grade math teacher and Ringer an eighth grade English teacher.

Neither Gould nor Ringer could be found in the phone book, so a reporter attempted to reach them at their school email addresses. Both addresses immediately bounced back with “failure to send” notices. Although their emails have been deactivated, both are still listed on the school’s website as members of the faculty.

According to seethroughny.net, in 2014, the most recent year for data, Gould was paid $71,385 and Ringer was paid $49,575.

Scott, asked on Friday to identify the teachers placed on leave, said: “I cannot do that until I receive authorization from the school’s attorney.”

School attorney Jay Girvin has not responded to the reporter’s phone calls.

The investigation into the issues began when then-superintendent Liz Legault told the state and BOCES about potential testing issues at the school, on her way out the door to take a job in East Bridgewater, Mass. The investigation began on Scott’s first day as superintendent, and the state has still not finished its probe.

Former principal Kelly McHugh resigned earlier this year in connection with the investigation. Mark Doody has since been hired as an interim replacement.

In addition to Gould, the school’s website lists Sarah Haley, Mac Petrequin, Lynn Sheldon and Angel Tudor as math teachers. Stacey Trevelleyan is also listed as a title math teacher.

English teachers listed include Ringer, Karen Northrop, Karen Short and Dane Stutes.

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