Editor's note: A quote from Meghan Fitzgerald was added to this article to clarify that she would be putting her family first, before any consideration of returning to the field of education.

The possibility of program cuts, school consolidation and reduced staffing has created visible unease among district parents, who recently have stepped up to defend the status quo operations in the Union Free School's District's elementary schools—a status quo that was achieved largely by two widely respected administrators who will leave at the end of this school year. 

Both Morse and John Paulding Schools' principals Meghan Fitzgerald and Marilyn Mercado-Belvin are set to step down his summer, allowing for a much smoother transition process if Superintendent Howard Smith's building consolidation proposal is adopted by the school board.

"If consolidation happens, Tappan Hill principal Michele Milliam will become principal of John Paulding and the district will have to hire only one new person as principal of Morse," Mercado-Belvin said.

Despite the obvious convenience of this arrangement, Mercado-Belvin stressed that she is retiring after 11 years as principal of John Paulding for personal reasons only, and her decision was completely independent of budgetary issues.

"I certainly didn't have any pressure put on me by the school board or administration; I'm leaving now to spend more time with my family," she said.

Fitzgerald, though principal of Morse for only two years, also cites family as the driving force behind her decision to leave.  She is pregnant, due to have her first child in August.

"I'm both excited and torn about my decision to leave Morse," Fitzgerald said. "But ultimately I knew I would under-serve either the school or my family if I stayed, so I know I'm making the right choice."

Fitzgerald and Mercado-Belvin are both proudest of implementing unique character-building systems — "The Morse Code" and "High Five" — in each of their school buildings.

"High Five stresses five values we strive to instill in all of our children," Mercado-Belvin said. "Now we're working on empathy, which I believe is the most important. It's a tough concept for six-year-olds to grasp, but we're able to convey the meaning by awarding certificates to kids for displaying specific acts of empathy."

"The Morse Code" functions in a similar manner, and Fitzgerald is confident she has introduced a model that has been effective.

"The kids are definitely more polite as a result of this initiative," she said.  

Both Mercado-Belvin and Fitzgerald are believe their models will continue to function even after they have gone.

"I was careful to play the role of facilitator rather than leader from the start," Fitzgerald said. "I shared ownership with the staff, and now I believe they will be able to keep the momentum going."

Although Mercado-Belvin and Fitzgerald trust High Five and The Morse Code will meld effectively in the event that closing Tappan Hill puts first and second-graders into the same building, the two administrators disagree on whether consolidation is truly in the best interest of the district.

"Dr. Smith's plan makes the most sense from my perspective because the plan will save the district from having to hire two new principals," Fitzgerald said. "And I don't think it is a good idea to keep both schools open with only one principal.  As a parent, I would feel more comfortable knowing that my child was in a building with a full-time administrator."

Mercado-Belvin, however, does not believe sharing one principal between two schools is necessarily a bad idea.

"Many districts have one principal for two buildings, and while it may be difficult, it is not impossible," she said.  "It is hard for me to imagine that one school might be closed—and particularly difficult knowing that it's a decision that will greatly affect my staff but not me."

In the event the consolidation proposal is approved, both principals have promised to do everything they can to make the transition process as efficient and painless as possible. 

"Marilyn [Mercado-Belvin] and I are already working together to create a plan if it does go forward," Fitzgerald said. "We'll be ready to swing into action immediately."

Neither Fitzgerald nor Mercado-Belvin intend to leave education indefinitely, and both have specific goals for the future.

"I want to give myself the fall to be with the baby," Fitzgerald said. "But after that I will definitely think about going back into school administration or consulting." 

Fitzgerald later added that she would likely be out of education for some time before she begins to consider another career.

"I want to give myself time ot start a family," she said.

Fitzgerald, who started her career in business, said despite the salary reduction, her heart is in education.

"As a business woman, I would come home every night feeling a bit empty inside," she said. "I knew I had to be with kids."

Mercado-Belvin looks forward to spending more time with her husband, who is also a retired teacher, and investing more time in teacher-development and the Make-a-Wish Foundation.

"At one point I had one child in a coma and one undergoing chemotherapy," Mercado-Belvin said. "They are both doing well now, but the experience definitely made me re-prioritize my values and place my family ahead of all else."

But she is not leaving without misgivings. 

"What I will miss most about John Paulding are the hugs," she said. "Every day I walk through the halls, and there is a child who comes up and gives me a hug.  That puts my whole career into perspective."