EXCLUSIVE: Examiner Inquiry Reveals Nearly 300K Confidential Superintendent Settlement in Pleasantville

By Abby Luby and Adam Stone

The Pleasantville Board of Education quietly agreed to pay Superintendent Dr. Tina DeSa nearly $300,000 in taxpayer funds to step down from her post one year early, under the terms of a confidential settlement obtained by The Examiner through a Freedom of Information Law (FOIL) request.

Although the resignation was announced at a June 3 board meeting, the financial terms of the deal were not disclosed publicly. 

At the June 3 board meeting, the agenda vaguely referenced an “Addendum Agreement” to DeSa’s June 30, 2021 contract. But unlike other attachments, it wasn’t posted online. 

The agreement, finalized in May, only came to light following the FOIL records request filed with the district. Although the public document still does not appear on the district’s online agenda, it is now publicly available on The Examiner News website here.

Some key elements of the full-year salary deal include:

• Nearly $46,000 in cash for unused vacation days, to be paid by the end of this week

• Continued health, dental, vision, and life insurance coverage through mid-2026

• A half-million-dollar life insurance policy maintained by the district through the 2025–26 school year

• Strict confidentiality clauses barring discussion of the settlement terms

• Prohibitions on board members offering any verbal references for DeSa

The exit package also includes a $7,500 non-elective employer contribution to DeSa’s 403(b) retirement account.  

‘Unless Required by FOIL’

Despite the sizable payout, the board has not publicly cited any job performance failures to justify the deal. But multiple sources familiar with the situation describe a relationship between the superintendent and trustees that had become deeply strained — reportedly driven more by personality conflicts and criticism of DeSa’s general leadership style than by any specific misconduct.

The pact asserts that “neither the employee nor the District shall communicate, make known, or divulge to any non-party to this Agreement the terms of this Agreement or any other information relating to this Agreement, unless required by FOIL or other law to do so,” except under limited circumstances. (Exceptions include purposes such as consulting an attorney, accountant, or medical professional.)

The agreement also bars individual school board members from offering personal references for DeSa, stating: “No verbal discourse beyond logistical information about where to send a reference letter shall occur between any person seeking a recommendation and a trustee.”

Board members are only permitted to share a letter of reference maintained by the district’s legal counsel. 

Some sources criticized the restrictive language as more typical of corporate severance deals than what the public might expect from a school district, where transparency is valued. However, others familiar with school-district operations said such provisions are not unusual in negotiated separations.

The agreement was executed by district counsel David S. Shaw, Esq., of Shaw, Perelson, May & Lambert, LLP — a Valhalla-based firm with decades of experience representing numerous school districts throughout the Hudson Valley.

Shaw did not respond to The Examiner’s request for comment by press time.

The clause could serve to protect DeSa from negative characterizations that might complicate future job prospects. And it may also shield the district from further inquiry or inconsistent messaging about the reasons for her departure — effectively limiting scrutiny in both directions.

Furthermore, the agreement prohibits both the district and DeSa from making any statements that “defame, disparage or harm the integrity, reputation, or goodwill of the other party.” It also includes sweeping legal waivers protecting the district from virtually all potential employment-related claims.

“The Employee hereby waives, releases and forever discharges the District…from all debts, obligations…[including] claims for alleged discrimination based upon age, race, color, sex, sexual orientation, marital status, religion, national origin, handicap, disability, or retaliation of any kind,” reads a portion of the clause. 

District Response

Ahead of publication, The Examiner sent the district a series of questions seeking clarity on the rationale for DeSa’s departure, whether job performance concerns played a role, and why the May agreement was not disclosed until after the June 3 meeting. 

The inquiry also asked whether the public document would be posted to the June 3 agenda and invited any broader comments the board might wish to share about the early end to DeSa’s contract.

A district spokesperson responded Tuesday morning with a prepared statement, highlighting the board’s recent appointment of Dr. Eric Lutinski, a veteran of the Rye Neck Union Free School District, as interim superintendent.

“Pursuant to the agreement, by and between the Pleasantville Union Free School [District] and Dr. Tina DeSa, the Board of Education cannot respond to the specific questions you have submitted regarding any information related to the agreement,” reads the statement. “The Board is only able to respond to your question about whether it would like to make a more general statement, and appreciates the opportunity.”

The statement continues: “We take enormous pride in the Pleasantville schools and are focused on supporting a strong leadership transition. We are very confident in Dr. Lutinski’s ability to partner with us and lead our faculty and staff as we continue the important work ahead for our schools, students, and greater community. There will be opportunities for all those who have an interest in our schools to meet with Dr. Lutinski in the coming months, and the Board also consistently welcomes community engagement. We look forward to seeing and hearing from you.”

DeSa did not respond to The Examiner’s interview request.

The Sounds of Silence 

With no public explanation provided, uncertainty has sparked local speculation.

Some critics accuse DeSa of lacking the political instincts necessary to build relationships and bridge divides. She was also criticized for her handling of a $13 million facilities bond, which sought funding for athletic field upgrades, turf, lights, and bathroom improvements, and was ultimately rejected by voters last December.

But others argue that her leadership was constrained by micromanagers on the board, including resisting her efforts to conduct more community outreach in advance of the bond vote. 

One local insider pointed to what they viewed as a telling example of blurred lines between board oversight and administrative boundaries: trustees reportedly pressed DeSa for details about staff medical leave, even after being informed that such information was legally protected and not accessible.

Sources also noted that DeSa was simply not as popular as previous Pleasantville superintendents. 

She faced criticism from both sides of the failed bond debate — a divide often viewed as reflecting deeper tensions between sports and non-sports parents in the community. 

Yet, even some of her critics agree that any leadership change involving public funds deserves a clear public explanation. The silence, they say, only undermines trust.

District observers also point to what may have been a deeper community culture clash underlying the fissures: For decades, Pleasantville was led by just two superintendents with deep local roots—Dr. Donald Antonecchia, who served until 2009, followed by longtime district administrator Dr. Mary Fox-Alter, who led the district through 2021.

DeSa succeeded Fox-Alter as superintendent in January 2022, following a brief stint as deputy superintendent beginning in November 2021. She previously served as assistant superintendent in the Arlington Central School District in Dutchess County.

‘Very Productive’

The veteran educator did receive a contract extension from Pleasantville in June 2022, stretching her term through June 30, 2026. In fact, just six months after she started as superintendent, a former board voted to give her a raise, a significant vote of confidence.

“We wanted to compensate her for going above and beyond her duties,” former board member Angela Vella recalled in an interview with The Examiner. “She was dealing with the whole Covid-mask issue while starting to implement the strategic plan and negotiating at least three contracts within her first two to three months as superintendent.”

Vella, along with then board President Shane McGaffey, Vice President Jill Grossman, Board Trustee Emily Rubin Persons, voted in favor of a raise for DeSa. Trustee Michael Busch cast the only dissenting vote. 

At its annual organizational meeting last week, the board voted to appoint Busch — the only trustee who opposed DeSa’s 2022 raise — as president for the 2025–26 school year. Erin Ballard was named vice president. 

In the wake of the leadership transition, the board also signaled a possible recalibration of internal dynamics, announcing plans to “review the Protocols for Board of Education/Superintendent: Roles and Responsibilities ahead of the next meeting to allow for a focused and meaningful discussion,” according to a district email sent Monday, July 7.

But Grossman, in her interview with The Examiner, stressed that DeSa fulfilled all of her professional responsibilities. 

“Dr. DeSa accomplished a lot and met all her goals,” Grossman said. “Her first two years were very productive.”

She noted that although the COVID-19 pandemic created many obstacles, DeSa persevered. 

“She got us through COVID while working on special education and advancing security visitor protocols,” Grossman remarked. “She did a great job. She was a good leader.” 

Vella agreed. 

“We were impressed with her background,” she said. “When she started as superintendent she not only handled what was expected of her, she found other things that needed to be put in place.”

Another success for DeSa was in developing a hiring process, according to Vella. 

“She also streamlined other processes to be more efficient,” Vella observed. “She had fresh eyes and brought a great perspective to the district to move us in the right direction.”

Notably, DeSa’s supporters emphasized how her approach is student-oriented. 

“We saw that if it wasn’t good for the kids, she wasn’t going to go for it,” Vella commented. “That speaks a lot to her character.”

She also said losing DeSa’s skill-set will prove to be “a big loss for the school district and for Pleasantville.” 

Regarding the privacy language in the agreement, Vella said that such wording is standard.

“That is typical boilerplate for a contract of that nature,” she observed. 

‘Future Endeavors’

Just two days after DeSa’s resignation was made public the board released a statement saying Lutinski would start as interim superintendent on July 1. Lutinski had announced his retirement as superintendent of the Rye Neck Union Free School District in December, 2024, a position he held for about four years. 

It’s unclear whether there has been any communication between DeSa and Lutinski; districts often coordinate closely between incoming and outgoing school chiefs to ensure smooth transitions.

As for school board officials, their only formal comment came in a June 3 statement announcing DeSa’s resignation and pledging a smooth transition and inclusive search for her successor.

“We want to express our gratitude to Dr. DeSa for her service,” reads a portion of the statement, “and wish her success in her future endeavors.”