Grover Cleveland High School (Buffalo, New York) Explained

Grover Cleveland High School
Caption:	Grover Cleveland High School
Streetaddress:	110 Fourteenth Street
City:	Buffalo
State:	New York
Region:	Lower West Side
Country:	United States
County:	Erie County
Zipcode:	14213
Type:	Public, Coeducational
Established:	1931
Closed:	2011
District:	Buffalo Public Schools
Schoolnumber:	202
Grades:	9-12
Campus Type:	Urban
Yearbook:	The Clevelander
Mascot:	Presidents
Colors:	Green and White

Grover Cleveland High School was a high school located in Buffalo, New York. It is named for former U.S. president and Buffalo mayor Grover Cleveland and generally housed students from Grades 9 - 12, teaching according to the Board of Regents. Currently, the school building houses The International Preparatory School.

History

Grover Cleveland High School was originally constructed in 1913 as the home to Buffalo State College,^[1] then known as Buffalo Teacher's School. In 1931, Grover Cleveland High School was formed as a school serving the Lower West Side of Buffalo. The building was renovated in 1959, where an addition was built onto the northern end of the school that contained classrooms, a swimming pool, and a new gymnasium.^[2] During the 1970s, Grover was designated as the school to serve foreign language-speaking students within the City of Buffalo.^[3] In 2007, the building began housing two schools, Grover Cleveland High School, and the International Preparatory School, a math and science magnet affiliated with the College Board. In 2010, Grover Cleveland High School was closed to new due to low graduation rates and increasing incidents of student violence and possession of weapons.^[4] The final class of seniors graduated in 2011.

From 2011 until June 2013, the building was renovated and re-opened to students at International Preparatory School and the new STAR Academy in Fall 2013.

Former principals

Previous assignment and reasons for departure listed in parentheses

• Mr. Charles A. Kennedy - 1931-1951 (Vice Principal - East High School, retired)
• Mr. John F. Devine - 1951-1962 (Vice Principal - Grover Cleveland High School, died)
• Mr. Martin B. O'Donnell - 1962-1967, 1968-1970 (Assistant Principal - Lafayette High School, named Principal of Hutchinson Central Technical High School)
• Dr. John A. Demerly [interim] - 1967-1968 (Assistant Principal - Grover Cleveland High School,^[5] returned to position)
• Mr. Daniel M. Kublitz [interim] - 1970-1971 (Assistant Principal - Grover Cleveland High School, named Assistant Principal of Bennett High School^[6])
• Mr. Ronald J. Meer - 1971-1975 (Vice Principal - Woodlawn Junior High School, named Principal of Bennett High School)
• Mr. John E. Ward - 1975-1979 (Principal - Genesee-Humboldt Junior High School, retired^[7])
• Mr. Rocco A. Lamparelli - 1979-1985 (Supervising Principal - South Buffalo Public Schools, named Acting Assistant Superintendent of Secondary Education for Buffalo Public Schools^[8])
• Mr. John H. Davis - 1985-1989 (Assistant Principal - Bennett High School, retired)
• Mr. Benjamin L. Randle, Jr. - 1989-2004 (Principal - Buffalo Alternative High School, retired^[9])
• Mr. Kevin J. Eberle - 2004-2007 (Principal - West Seneca West Senior High School,^[10] named Principal of the International Preparatory School at Grover^[11])
• Dr. Casey M. Young Welch - 2007-2010 (Acting Principal - Harriet Ross Tubman School,^[4] named Principal of Academy School 131 @ 44^[12])

Selected former assistant principals

Previous assignment and reasons for departure listed in parentheses

• Mr. Thomas J. McDonnell - 1931-1937 (Social Studies teacher - South Park High School, named Principal of Kensington High School)
• Mr. Randolph Lindeman - 1937-1939 (unknown, named Assistant Principal of Hutchinson Central Technical High School)
• Mr. John Devine - 1939-1951 (Principal - South Park Annex, named Principal of Grover Cleveland High School)
• Mr. Charles J. Monan - 1951-1954 (Teacher - South Park High School, died)
• Dr. Louis T. Gitlin - 1954-1958 (Assistant Principal - East High School, named Assistant Superintendent for Pupil Personnel Services of Buffalo Public Schools)
• Mr. Earl G. Beech - 1958-1961 (Assistant Principal - School 44, died)
• Mr. Angelo J. Gianturco - 1961-1966 (Science teacher - Grover Cleveland High School, named Principal of Kensington High School)
• Dr. John A. Demerly - 1966-1967 (Assistant Principal - South Park High School, named Acting Principal of Grover Cleveland High School)
• Mr. Daniel M. Kublitz - 1966-1970 (English teacher - Bennett High School, named Interim Principal of Grover Cleveland High School)
• Mrs. Doris H. Erickson-Gleason - 1967-1968 (Science teacher - Riverside High School, named Assistant Principal of Southside Junior High School)
• Dr. John Demerly - 1968-1969 (Interim Principal - Grover Cleveland High School, retired)
• Mr. Epifanio J. Saia - 1969-1979 (Italian teacher - Grover Cleveland High School, died)
• Mr. Daniel J. Manley [interim] - 1970-1971 (Social Studies teacher - Grover Cleveland High School, returned to teaching)
• Mr. J. Nelson Scott - 1971-1972 (Assistant Principal - East High School, named Principal of Roosevelt Elementary School)
• Mr. Daniel Manley - 1972-1985 (Social Studies teacher - Grover Cleveland High School, named Assistant Principal of McKinley Vocational High School)
• Mr. Stanley J. Wegrzynowski
• Mr. Charles L. Sodaro - 1979-1988 (Assistant Principal - Riverside High School, named Assistant Principal of Emerson Vocational High School)
• Mr. David E. Baez - 1985-1993 (Spanish teacher - Grover Cleveland High School, named Principal of Herman Badillo Bilingual Academy)
• Mr. Daniel Manley - 1988-? (Assistant Principal - McKinley Vocational High School, unknown)
• Mr. Raymond D. Perreault - 1989-1993 (English teacher - Grover Cleveland High School, named Principal of Buffalo Alternative High School^[13])
• Ms. Sharon A. Lanza - 1990-1994 (Math teacher - Grover Cleveland High School, named Assistant Principal of Lafayette High School)
• Mr. Jon G. Lyon - 1993-1997 (Assistant Principal - Kensington High School, named Principal of Emerson Vocational High School^[14])
• Dr. Eileen H. Czarnecki - 1999-2001 (Math teacher - Buffalo Public Schools, named Principal of Kensington High School^[15])
• Dr. Josephine Mayfield (Spanish teacher - Buffalo Public Schools, named Director of Foreign Languages of Buffalo Public Schools)
• Ms. Robin L. Hahn - 2000-2001 (SURR Coordinator - Grover Cleveland High School, named Assistant Principal of Leonardo da Vinci High School)
• Mr. Albert T. Ventresca - 2001-2004 (Business teacher - Grover Cleveland High School, retired)
• Ms. Kathleen A. Vitagliano - ?-2003 (English teacher - Kensington Prep, named Principal of 171 Middle School)
• Mr. Carlos J. Villarroel - 2002-2003 (Assistant Principal - Kensington High School, named Assistant Principal of Burgard Vocational High School)
• Ms. Mary A. Craig - 2003-2004 (Assistant Principal - Burgard Vocational High School, retired)
• Mrs. Naomi R. Cerre - 2004-2005 (Assistant Principal - McKinley Vocational High School, named Assistant Principal of East High School)
• Dr. Jose G. Rivera - 2004-2008 (Assistant Principal - West Hertel Academy, retired)
• Dr. Eileen Czarnecki - 2004-2005 (Principal - South Park High School, named Assistant Principal of Buffalo Academy for Visual and Performing Arts)
• Ms. Wendy L. Richards - 2005-2007 (Assistant Principal - Buffalo Academy for Visual and Performing Arts, named Principal of North Tonawanda Middle School)
• Mr. Rafael A. Mercado - 2007-2010 (Assistant Principal - Dr. Antonia Pantoja Community School of Excellence, named Assistant Principal of Academy School 131 @ 44)
• Ms. Denise McMichael-Houston - 2008-2009 (Assistant Principal - Buffalo Elementary School of Technology, named Assistant Principal of Dr. Charles R. Drew Science Magnet)

Selected former administrators

Year	Superintendent	Principal	Assistant Principal
1931-1932	Ernest Hartwell	Charlie Kennedy	Thomas McDonnell
1932-1933	Ernest Hartwell	Charlie Kennedy	Thomas McDonnell
1933-1934	Ernest Hartwell	Charlie Kennedy	Thomas McDonnell
1934-1935	Ernest Hartwell	Charlie Kennedy	Thomas McDonnell
1935-1936	Robert Pabst	Charlie Kennedy	Thomas McDonnell
1936-1937	Robert Pabst	Charlie Kennedy	Thomas McDonnell
1937-1938	Robert Pabst	Charlie Kennedy	Randy Lindeman
1938-1939	Robert Pabst	Charlie Kennedy	Randy Lindeman
1939-1940	Robert Pabst	Charlie Kennedy	John Devine
1940-1941	Robert Pabst	Charlie Kennedy	John Devine
1941-1942	Robert Pabst	Charlie Kennedy	John Devine
1942-1943	Robert Pabst	Charlie Kennedy	John Devine
1943-1944	Robert Pabst	Charlie Kennedy	John Devine
1944-1945	Robert Pabst	Charlie Kennedy	John Devine
1945-1946	Robert Pabst	Charlie Kennedy	John Devine
1946-1947	Robert Pabst	Charlie Kennedy	John Devine
1947-1948	Robert Pabst	Charlie Kennedy	John Devine
1948-1949	Robert Pabst	Charlie Kennedy	John Devine
1949-1950	Robert Pabst	Charlie Kennedy	John Devine
1950-1951	Ben Willis	Charlie Kennedy	John Devine
1951-1952	Ben Willis	John Devine	Charlie Monan
1952-1953	Ben Willis	John Devine	Charlie Monan
1953-1954	Parmer Ewing	John Devine	Charlie Monan
1954-1955	Parmer Ewing	John Devine	Lou Gitlin
1955-1956	Parmer Ewing	John Devine	Lou Gitlin
1956-1957	Parmer Ewing	John Devine	Lou Gitlin
1957-1958	Joseph Manch	John Devine	Lou Gitlin
1958-1959	Joseph Manch	John Devine	Earl Beech
1959-1960	Joseph Manch	John Devine	Earl Beech
1960-1961	Joseph Manch	John Devine	Earl Beech
1961-1962	Joseph Manch	John Devine	Angelo Gianturco
1962-1963	Joseph Manch	Marty O'Donnell	Angelo Gianturco
1963-1964	Joseph Manch	Marty O'Donnell	Angelo Gianturco
1964-1965	Joseph Manch	Marty O'Donnell	Angelo Gianturco
1965-1966	Joseph Manch	Marty O'Donnell	Angelo Gianturco
1966-1967	Joseph Manch	Marty O'Donnell	John Demerly	Dan Kublitz
1967-1968	Joseph Manch	John Demerly*	Doris Erickson	Dan Kublitz
1968-1969	Joseph Manch	Marty O'Donnell	John Demerly	Dan Kublitz
1969-1970	Joseph Manch	Marty O'Donnell	E.J. Saia	Dan Kubliz
1970-1971	Joseph Manch	Dan Kublitz*	E.J. Saia	Manley*/Scott
1971-1972	Joseph Manch	Ron Meer*	E.J. Saia	Nelson Scott
1972-1973	Joseph Manch	Ron Meer	E.J. Saia	Dan Manley
1973-1974	Joseph Manch	Ron Meer	E.J. Saia	Dan Manley
1974-1975	Joseph Manch	Ron Meer	E.J. Saia	Dan Manley
1975-1976	Gene Reville	John Ward	E.J. Saia	Dan Manley
1976-1977	Gene Reville	John Ward	E.J. Saia	Dan Manley
1977-1978	Gene Reville	John Ward	E.J. Saia	Dan Manley
1978-1979	Gene Reville	John Ward	E.J. Saia	Dan Manley
1979-1980	Gene Reville	Rocco Lamparelli	Charlie Sodaro	Dan Manley
1980-1981	Gene Reville	Rocco Lamparelli	Charlie Sodaro	Dan Manley
1981-1982	Gene Reville	Rocco Lamparelli	Charlie Sodaro	Dan Manley
1982-1983	Gene Reville	Rocco Lamparelli	Charlie Sodaro	Dan Manley
1983-1984	Gene Reville	Rocco Lamparelli	Charlie Sodaro	Dan Manley
1984-1985	Gene Reville	Rocco Lamparelli	Charlie Sodaro	Dan Manley
1985-1986	Gene Reville	John Davis	Charlie Sodaro	David Baez
1986-1987	Gene Reville	John Davis	Charlie Sodaro	David Baez
1987-1988	Gene Reville	John Davis	Charlie Sodaro	David Baez
1988-1989	Gene Reville	John Davis	Dan Manley	David Baez
1989-1990	Albert Thompson*	Ben Randle	Ray Perreault	David Baez
1990-1991	Albert Thompson	Ben Randle	Ray Perreault	David Baez	Sharon Lanza
1991-1992	Albert Thompson	Ben Randle	Ray Perreault	David Baez	Sharon Lanza
1992-1993	Albert Thompson	Ben Randle	Ray Perreault	David Baez	Sharon Lanza
1993-1994	Albert Thompson	Ben Randle	Jon Lyon	Sharon Lanza
1994-1995	Albert Thompson	Ben Randle	Jon Lyon
1995-1996	Albert Thompson	Ben Randle	Jon Lyon
1996-1997	Jim Harris	Ben Randle	Jon Lyon
1997-1998	Jim Harris	Ben Randle	Jon Lyon
1998-1999	Jim Harris	Ben Randle	Josephine Mayfield
1999-2000	Jim Harris	Ben Randle	Josephine Mayfield	Eileen Czarnecki
2000-2001	Marion Canedo	Ben Randle	Josephine Mayfield	Eileen Czarnecki
2001-2002	Marion Canedo	Ben Randle	Robin Hahn	Al Ventresca*
2002-2003	Marion Canedo	Ben Randle	Carlos Villarroel	Al Ventresca
2003-2004	Marion Canedo	Ben Randle	Mary Craig	Al Ventresca
2004-2005	Yvonne Hargrave*	Kevin Eberle	Eileen Czarnecki	Jose Rivera	Naomi Cerre
2005-2006	James Williams	Kevin Eberle	Wendy Richards	Jose Rivera	Naomi Cerre
2006-2007	James Williams	Kevin Eberle	Wendy Richards	Jose Rivera
2007-2008	James Williams	Casey Young	Rafael Mercado	Jose Rivera
2008-2009	James Williams	Casey Young	Rafael Mercado	Denise Houston
2009-2010	James Williams	Casey Young	Rafael Mercado
2010-2011	James Williams	Kevin Eberle

*Denotes interim appointment

Notable alumni

• Joel Giambra - Former Erie County, New York executive
• Altemio Sanchez - The Bike Path Rapist
• Steven Means - Defensive end in the National Football League
• Robert SanGeorge - former United Nations official,^[16] global campaigner for human rights^[17] and the environment.^[18]

Notable faculty

• Michael Masecchia – former teacher, and a identified associate of the Buffalo crime family. On August 23, 2019 FBI and HSI agents searched Grover Cleveland High School teacher Michael Masecchia’s home where they found homemade explosives, stolen firearms, and narcotics as part of an ongoing investigation into organized crime and public corruption. A criminal complaint identified Masecchia as a drug dealer who has a 20-year history of growing and distributing large amounts of marijuana.^{[19] [20] [21] [22] [23]}   On September 22, 2020 a grand jury indictment identified Masecchia as “member or associate of ‘Italian Organized Crime’” and indicated he had been described by law enforcement as “an associate and possibly a made member of the Buffalo LCN family.” At the center of the indictment is the allegation that Masecchia bribed DEA Agent Joseph Bongiovanni to block investigations into himself and others believed to be tied into the local mafia. Masecchia “was the target of several DEA investigations between 2008 and 2019 and yet was never arrested or charged while Bongiovanni was an agent.”^{[24] [25] [26]} Michael married Bart T. Mazzara’s daughter, Krista.^[27] Bart was alleged by prosecutors to be a made member of the Buffalo mob.^[28] His wife Krista's uncles are Dan and Victor Sansanese.^[29]

Notes and References

1. Hammersley, M. (1993, October 1). Concern voiced for students at Grover officials act to curb unrest outside school. The Buffalo News
2. LpciminelliInc. (2012). YouTube.com. [Video]. Retrieved 02/15/2013 from https://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedd ed&v=V7h_o5IZgUg
3. Heaney, J., & Sorenson, J. (1996, November 22). State places city high school mired in woes on probation. The Buffalo News, p. A1.
4. Web site: Archived copy . 2015-01-09 . 2015-09-23 . https://web.archive.org/web/20150923195122/http://www.buffaloschools.org/files/filesystem/Phase-In%20PS%20307%20red.pdf . dead .
5. John Demerly, retired Canisius professor. (1993, November 25). The Buffalo News, p. C10.
6. Anderson, D. (1999, March 13). Daniel M. Kublitz, principal, broadcaster. The Buffalo News, p. B8.
7. Dawson, D. (1993, August 18). 'Owego connection' links Ward, school chief Murphy. The Buffalo News
8. Hammersley, M. (1990, March 27). Cleveland educator withdraws as candidate to head buffalo schools. The Buffalo News, p. TRK.
9. Simon, P. (2004, February 3). Choosing retirement - the uncertainty of contract negotiations has teachers and administrators thinking about an early out. The Buffalo News, p. A1.
10. Simon, P. (2004, August 11). New principals take over. The Buffalo News, p. B1.
11. Simon, P. (2007, July 12). Williams fills two key posts. The Buffalo News, p. B3.
12. Pasciak, M. B. (2010, August 26). New principals, assistants win board approval for city schools. The Buffalo News, p. B5.
13. Simon, P. (1995, July 27). New principals named at 12 city schools. The Buffalo News, p. B5.
14. Jon G. Lyon, Retired Buffalo School Principal. (2011, September 28). The Buffalo News.
15. Sapong, E. D. (2001, November 23). Kensington High blames principal for woes. The Buffalo News, p. C2.
16. Web site: SanGeorge. Robert. UN official. UN International Program on the Elimination of Child Labor. ghanaweb.com. 10 March 2012.
17. News: SanGeorge. Robert. UN Campaign Manager. 10 March 2012. Mother Jones Magazine. November–December 2000.
18. News: SanGeorge. Robert. Project Director. 10 March 2012. WAMU Public Radio Washington, DC. August 5, 2009.
19. Web site: Fairbanks. Phil. Buffalo teacher accused of illegal guns, explosives and selling pot. 2020-09-17. The Buffalo News. en.
20. Web site: EDT. Shane Croucher On 8/30/19 at 6:25 AM. 2019-08-30. Teacher arrested after police find explosives, guns, and drugs in his home. 2020-09-17. Newsweek. en.
21. Web site: NY High School Teacher Faces Federal Drug, Firearms Charges. 2020-09-17. NBC New York. en-US.
22. Web site: 2019-08-30. NY high school teacher faces federal drug, firearms charges. 2020-09-17. AP NEWS.
23. Web site: 2019-08-29. Buffalo high school teacher accused of drug and explosives possession, trafficking. 2020-09-17. WKBW. en.
24. Web site: Fairbanks. Phil. Feds tie former DEA agent to drug dealer and 'Italian Organized Crime'. 2020-09-17. The Buffalo News. en.
25. Web site: 2020-06-22. Indictment links alleged drug dealer, DEA agent accused of taking bribes. 2020-09-17. WKBW. en.
26. News: Melendez. Pilar. 2020-06-28. How a New York High School Teacher With Mob Ties Allegedly Bribed a DEA Agent. en. The Daily Beast. 2020-09-17.
27. Web site: Staff. MRS. MASECCHIA. 2020-09-18. The Buffalo News. en.
28. Web site: Herbeck. Dan. RANCOR IS EVIDENT AT RACKETEERING TRIAL INSULTS FLY DURING SUMMATIONS FOR MOORE, FORMER CITIBANK OFFICIAL. 2020-09-18. The Buffalo News. en.
29. Web site: Judy SANSANESE Obituary - Buffalo, NY Buffalo News. 2020-10-05. www.legacy.com.