North Syracuse Superintendent Dr. Kim Dyce Faucette responded this afternoon to the rage shown by the North Syracuse teacher's union at the school board meeting on Monday night.

Faucette says she was not expecting a statement where the union critized her for creating "an atmosphere of distrust and dismay" and "offending many, both professionally and personally."

She says she at no time was trying to offend anybody, and that disagreements like this one are a part of the board and union relationship. She stresses that they will continue to meet and work together on a solution to their current issues.

"I have regular meetings with the union and will continue to have regular meetings with the union," she says. "I believe all of our hearts are in the right place."

After the teachers took a pay freeze to help balance costs in September, Faucette understood their concerns over rumors of the administrative positions getting raises. She acknowledged that three adminstrative positions would indeed be getting pay raises because of a shift in workload at those positions.

"There needs to be clarity," she says. "It's a part of the development of the new organizational structure, it's three administrators, not the administrative ranks. I do understand all of the concerns of the teachers."

Those concerned teachers gave North Syracuse Education Association President John Kuryla a standing ovation after he finished the statement, something that the superintendent was not worried about.

"They are a united front of teachers in a union," she says. "What else would you expect?"