News

October 29, 2009

LIU’s chief Ostrowski bows out

By Mark Guydish mguydish@timesleader.com
Education Reporter
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KINGSTON – Luzerne Intermediate Unit Executive Director Michael Ostrowski alternated between cracking his trademark corny jokes and choking back tears during a farewell at the board meeting Wednesday.

Ostrowski is retiring after 36 years in the LIU, including nearly 10 as top administrator.

“I want to express sincere thanks and gratitude to all of you,” he said. "It’s been a tough nine years, and I appreciate the effort.

“I’m grateful to my wife, Lois. She’s been a rock for me since day one,” Ostrowski said. “She even laughed at a few of my jokes.”

Ostrowski’s speech came after a brief meeting covering mostly routine business, though the board did authorize A&E Architects to draw up a “request for proposal” for repair work on a house across the street from the LIU Kingston headquarters. The house will be an administrative office annex, primarily for the agency’s growing behavioral health services program.

The board also hired Ty Yost as district consultant for technology and instruction at an annual salary of $65,000. Assistant Executive Director Hal Bloss said Yost will primarily work with the 11 school districts served by the LIU to implement a new regional network set up expressly for schools.

At the end of the meeting, Bloss announced it was Ostrowski’s last, and praised his work.

Ostrowski thanked a long list of people he said had made him “look good.”

When he came to employees who worked closely with him on some of the LIU’s toughest problems, he stopped with tears in his eyes. “Why does this happen?” he asked.

Board President Barry Williams lightened the moment by pointing to Ostrowski’s written speech and said, “Come on, Mike, you only have about 20 pages left.”

Ostrowski was named substitute executive director in 2000 when the man he eventually replaced, Kevin O’Connor, went on paid leave amid allegations of wrongdoing.

Ostrowski became executive director in May 2001. He announced his plans to retire in February, and the board agreed to promote Bloss to replace him.

“I can’t think of a better person to lead this organization,” Ostrowski said.

Ostrowski ended by reading a poem credited to the late comedienne Gilda Radner: “I wanted a perfect ending. Now, I’ve learned the hard way that some poems don’t rhyme, and some stories don’t have a clear beginning, middle and end. Life is about not knowing.”

Then he broke down one more time, his voice cracking as he added, “I hope that you know I did my best.”

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