(Editor's Note: the following was adapted from a letter sent by 73 Jericho High School faculty members to the high school parents.)

We feel it is our duty as educators to inform you of a vital decision that will affect Jericho High School. The future of our principal, Gerard Cairns, is at stake and we believe the district leadership would make a terrible mistake in not granting him tenure.

At the March 17 board of education meeting Jericho High School faculty members came out en masse to show their support of Mr. Cairns. We presented a letter signed by 73 teachers (98 percent of the high school tenured faculty) to the board describing the principal's contributions toward student achievement.

The academic achievements accomplished during Mr. Cairns' time at Jericho High School include significant increases in Regents diplomas (an average of 98 percent), expanded participation and success in Advanced Placement programs (81 percent of the Class of 2004 completed AP courses and 24 percent achieved the prestigious title of AP scholar) and a bounty of accolades ranging from more than 225 winning science projects to a listing as the top high school in New York State in the Scholar/Athlete Award program. Those achievements demonstrate that Jericho High School, under Mr. Cairns' leadership, has moved from a school of excellence to one that sets new standards of what a public school can be. In other words, Mr. Cairns has achieved the most daunting of tasks: he has taken a school that is academically at the top and has made it rise even higher.

Of equal importance is the way Mr. Cairns presents students with a persuasive example of how to conduct themselves with kindness and dignity. Providing his leadership through a constant presence among the student body, he offers students his time, his interest and his genuine concern. Moreover, his special education background gives him a broader knowledge of the needs of students and offers parents a sensitivity to their perspective. Clearly, Mr. Cairns gives us a leader at Jericho High School who personifies honesty and integrity at a time when the honor of schools all over Long Island is being called into question. Finally, we feel strongly that in addition to everything else he brings to the job, Mr. Cairns also brings stability to a high school that over the past five years has been marked by constant administrative upheaval and turnover.

We know that many parents are supportive of Mr. Cairns, and we must emphasize the importance and urgency of your participation in this process. If you would like to show your support for Mr. Cairns and for the progress our high school has made during his time here, we ask that you communicate to the members of the board of education [boe@jerichoschools.org] and to School Superintendent Hank Grishman [hgrishman@jerichoschools.org] your concerns as soon as possible. In addition, we ask that you make your voices heard at the April 21 board of education meeting at 7:30 p.m.

Thank you for your time and for your commitment to making Jericho High School so successful.

Ken Darr

Michael Hartnett

Members of the Jericho High School faculty