Sources told The Westbury Times that Westbury School District Superintendent Eudes Budhai will not have his contract renewed when it expires on June 30, 2021.
The Westbury Board of Education reportedly discussed the matter at a special meeting on July 6. As of press time, the outcome of and decisions reached at the meeting could not be learned.
Budhai could not be reached for comment and board of education President Robert Troiano did not return a phone call seeking affirmation.
Budhai was an assistant superintendent when the board decided not to renew the contract of his predecessor, Mary Lagnado, who was reportedly forced out in a March 21, 2017 special meeting. He served as interim superintendent for several months before being named chief of schools at a contentious meeting on June 13, 2017.
Critics charged that the board never followed up with a promised national search for a new superintendent. Budhai was offered a contract at the June 28, 2017 meeting, winning appointment by a 4-3 margin.
Word of the recent contract non-renewal spread among the community. A change.org page was started by resident Oscar Munguia. It includes Middle School Principal Fernando A. Agramonte. It could not be determined what action the board took on Agramonte that elicited support for him.
In the introduction to the petition urging the board to extend the tenure of the two administrators, Munguia wrote, in part:
Mr. Budhai has been loyal to to Westbury for the longest time. The district, the parents, the students know him well. We are upset that we are not being notified of the decisions put in the board, and we want to voice it to the board so they can know what we think of our current situation. Currently, he has one year left in his contract, as he could look for a new job. However, we have seen the actions he took and decisions he made that have helped the district.
In addition to this, Mr. Agramonte [has not] only shown to be helpful in the school, but in the community as well. He has shown how he can run the school, and how the students should be treated. He is well respected in the school, because he shows the students that same respect, and is even respected in the higher grades.
These two have proven themselves to be very important in our district and community, and although we have other goals, this is important as we keep the people who help us the most, and have our students be the best the could possibly be in Westbury.
As this was being posted, the page had generated 1,220 signatures in support of Budhai and Agramonte. Munguia’s goal is 1,500 names.
According to his LinkedIn profile, Budhai became the assistant superintendent for curriculum/instruction and personnel in the district in in March 2013.
He is currently earning his Doctor of Education (Ed.D.) from St. John’s University in educational leadership and administration.
He earned a Master’s of Science in educational leadership and administration from Queens College.
Also at St. John’s, Budhai received a Master of Education degree in elementary education and teaching.
