Two days after stepping into the post of director of facilities for New Haven Public Schools (NHPS), Dennis Tondalo left that job and returned to his previous role as building manager for Conte West Hills School. NHPS spokesperson Justin Harmon confirmed that news in an email comment on Thursday . “The incumbent returned to his former position on August 27,” Harmon wrote about Tondalo. “He does not wish to comment on his decision.” The end of Tondalo’s brief tenure as NHPS director of facilities took place after the Board of Education hired him for the post on Aug. 24. His first official day on the job was Aug. 25. The district had created the director of facilities role in order to increase NHPS’ in-house facilities management and not rely as much on outside contractors. The sudden vacancy comes as NHPS has been responding to several major facilities issues throughout the district during the first two weeks of the school year. Those issues include several roof leaks at Hillhouse High School, four classrooms flooding at Lincoln Bassett School causing students to be relocated to Wexler Grant, and increased pressure from the Board of Alders Education Committee for the district to urgently address district-wide problems with broken HVAC systems, mold, and rodents. Tondalo did not respond to requests for comment by the publication time of this article. He has overseen Conte facilities for the past 15 years as building manager. When hired for the administrative position, NHPS Supt. Madeline Negrón said that Tondalo’s decades of facilities work and leadership equipped him well for being the lead for the district’s facilities department. Board of Education members Andrea Downer and Edward Joyner praised Tondalo’s past work and personal character, agreeing that he would be great for the job because of his deep commitment to the district. On Thursday, teachers union president Leslie Blatteau said the district did not directly inform her that Tondalo had left his position. “As the health and safety crisis in New Haven Public Schools continues, educators, students, union members, and families deserve to know who is at the helm,” Blatteau said. “If Mayor Elicker, Dr. Negrón, and the Board of Education are committed to transparency and collaboration, why wasn’t this personnel update shared at the recent Finance Operations committee? What is the plan to ensure there is adequate staffing to address the dozens of health and safety violations in our schools? We need answers not obfuscation.” The post New NHPS Facilities Director Leaves Role appeared first on New Haven Independent. ...read more read less