Watervliet City School District
Watervliet, New York
Board of Education
Regular Meeting
Date: December 13, 2018
Type of Meeting: Regular Meeting
Meeting Opened: 6:05 P.M.
Where: Watervliet Jr. – Sr. High School
Board Members Present:
President Sheri Senecal
Vice President Heather Soroka
Mary Beth Whited
Steven Hoffman
Amanda Cavanaugh
Superintendent: Dr. Lori S. Caplan
Student Council Rep: Miranda Luck
The meeting was opened at 6:05 P.M., with President Sheri Senecal officiating.
Comments from the Floor
There were no comments from the floor.
Old Business
There was no old business to be discussed.
Board, Staff and Student Reports
Mind, Body and Soul – Part III Presentation: Miss Heid, Ms. Hulslander, Mrs. Lance, Ms. Williams and Mrs. Lewinter
First Reading of Revised Policies:
- Appointment and Duties of the Claims Auditor
- Duties of the Extra-classroom Activity Fund Central Treasurer and Faculty Auditor
- Duties of the School Physician/Nurse Practitioner
- Regular Board Meetings and Rules (Quorum and Parliamentary Procedure)
- Administrative Organization and Operation
- Extra-classroom Activity Fund
- Allocation of Title I, Part A Funds in the District
- Audit Committee
- Smoking/Tobacco Use
- Meal Charging and Prohibition Against Meal Shaming
- Records Management
- Student Grading Information Systems
- Drug and Alcohol Testing for School Bus Drivers and Other Safety-Sensitive Employees
- Equal Employment Opportunity
- Alcohol, Drugs and Other Substances (School Personnel)
- Certification and Qualifications
- Temporary Personnel
- Leaves of Absence
- Education of Students in Temporary Housing
Second Reading of Revised Policies:
- Extracurricular Activities Eligibility
- Wellness
- Sexual Harassment in the Workplace
Items Requiring Board Action
On a motion by Steven Hoffman, seconded by Mary Beth Whited and unanimously accepted, the Board adopted the following policies, as recommended by the Superintendent:
- Extracurricular Activities Eligibility
- Wellness
- Sexual Harassment in the Workplace
On a motion by Steven Hoffman, seconded by Mary Beth Whited and unanimously accepted, the Board approved the Board of Education Minutes for the meeting held November 8, 2018, submitted by Bernadette L. Boardman, Clerk of the Board, as recommended by the Superintendent.
On a motion by Steven Hoffman, seconded by Mary Beth Whited and unanimously accepted, the Board approved the Committee on Special Education’s recommendations for the meetings held October 30, November 6, November 7, November 9, November 19, November 27, and November 30, 2018, submitted by Janelle Yanni, CSE Chair, as recommended by the Superintendent.
On a motion by Steven Hoffman, seconded by Mary Beth Whited and unanimously accepted, the Board approved the Committee on Pre-School Special Education’s recommendations for the meetings held November 14 and November 28, 2018, submitted by Janelle Yanni, CPSE Chair, as recommended by the Superintendent.
On a motion by Steven Hoffman, seconded by Mary Beth Whited and unanimously accepted, the Board approved the Substitute Registry submitted by BOCES, as recommended by the Superintendent (packets #12, #13, #14 and #15).
On a motion by Steven Hoffman, seconded by Mary Beth Whited and unanimously accepted, the Board approved the following Treasurer’s Reports for the month of October 2018, submitted by Keith Heid, Business Manager, as recommended by the Superintendent:
- Schedule of Warrants & Payrolls
- Revenue Status Report
- Cash & Investments
- Appropriation Status Report
On a motion by Steven Hoffman, seconded by Mary Beth Whited and unanimously accepted, the Board approved the following teaching overages for the 2018 – 2019 academic school year at the Watervliet Jr. – Sr. High School, as outlined in the attached, effective November 7, 2018, as recommended by the Superintendent:
- Nick Yatrakis (+1) Math
On a motion by Heather Soroka, seconded by Steven Hoffman and unanimously accepted, the Board accepted the resignation of Loida Lewinter from the position of Principal at the Watervliet Elementary School, effective January 4, 2019, as recommended by the Superintendent.
On a motion by Steven Hoffman, seconded by Mary Beth Whited and unanimously accepted, the Board rescinded the appointment of Dennis Lane from the position of Junior Varsity Baseball Coach at the Watervliet Jr. – Sr. High School, as recommended by the Superintendent.
On a motion by Mary Beth Whited, seconded by Heather Soroka and unanimously accepted, the Board approved the appointment of Kelly Webster, certified as a Professional School Building Leader, to the position of Principal, in the tenure area of Administration, at the Watervliet Elementary School, for a probationary period beginning January 2, 2019 and ending on the current tenure track end date of July 1, 2020, at a Step 1 Principal salary per the Administrators’ Contract, as recommended by the Superintendent.
On a motion by Steven Hoffman, seconded by Mary Beth Whited and unanimously accepted, the Board approved the emergency appointment of Lori Pompey to the position of Full-Time Day Cleaner for the Watervliet City School District, effective November 19, 2018, at an hourly rate of $11.82, as recommended by the Superintendent.
On a motion by Steven Hoffman, seconded by Mary Beth Whited and unanimously accepted, the Board approved the emergency appointment of Isabella Gutierrez-Noland to the position of Part-Time Night Cleaner for the Watervliet City School District, effective November 19, 2018 at an hourly rate of $10.40, as recommended by the Superintendent.
On a motion by Steven Hoffman, seconded by Mary Beth Whited and unanimously accepted, the Board approved the emergency appointment of Anna Makovik to the position of Long-Term Substitute Math Teacher, at the Watervliet Jr. – Sr. High School, beginning December 10, 2018, at a rate of $125.00 per diem, as recommended by the Superintendent.
On a motion by Steven Hoffman, seconded by Mary Beth Whited and unanimously accepted, the Board approved the emergency appointment of Gina DiCianna to the position of Long-Term Substitute ENL Teacher, at the Watervliet Elementary School, beginning December 3 2018, at a rate of $125.00 per diem, as recommended by the Superintendent.
On a motion by Steven Hoffman, seconded by Mary Beth Whited and unanimously accepted, the Board approved the emergency appointment of Christa Faruggio to the position of Homework Help Advisor, ExTRA Grant After School Program, at the Watervliet Jr. – Sr. High School, for the 2018 – 2019 school year, at a rate as per contract, as recommended by the Superintendent.
On a motion by Steven Hoffman, seconded by Mary Beth Whited and unanimously accepted, the Board approved the John Ashley to the position of Indoor Track Coach at the Watervliet Jr. – Sr. High School, for the 2018-2019 school year, at a rate as per contract, as recommended by the Superintendent.
On a motion by Steven Hoffman, seconded by Mary Beth Whited and unanimously accepted, the Board approved the appointment of Stephanie Middleton to the position of Volunteer Varsity Basketball Cheerleading Coach at the Watervliet Jr. – Sr. High School, for the 2018-2019 school year, as recommended by the Superintendent.
On a motion by Steven Hoffman, seconded by Mary Beth Whited and unanimously accepted, the Board approved the following Student Teacher/Observer/Intern requests at the Watervliet Elementary School, as outlined below, as recommended by the Superintendent:
- Name: Sara Fandl
Role : Intern
Cooperating Teacher(s): Rebecca Cioffi
Date(s): January 22–May 2, 2019 - Name: Allison Rem
Role: Observer
Cooperating Teacher(s): Tina Shufelt
Date: December 17, 2018
On a motion by Steven Hoffman, seconded by Mary Beth Whited and unanimously accepted, the Board approved the Memorandum of Agreement with the Watervliet Teachers’ Association, effective July 1, 2018, as recommended by the Superintendent.
On a motion by Steven Hoffman, seconded by Mary Beth Whited and unanimously accepted, the Board accepted, with thanks the donation of a one-man push sled from Rob McKinley, PIT Fitness, to the Watervliet Athletic Program, as recommended by the Superintendent.
On a motion by Heather Soroka, seconded by Mary Beth Whited and unanimously accepted, the Board accepted, with thanks the donation of acrylic paint from Passono Paints to the Watervliet Elementary School Art Club, to be used for murals, as recommended by the Superintendent.
On a motion by Heather Soroka, seconded by Amanda Cavanaugh and unanimously accepted, the Board accepted, with thanks the donation of $100.00 worth of gift cards from Sonic, Latham, to the Watervliet Elementary School, to be used as prizes for perfect attendance raffles, as recommended by the Superintendent.
On a motion by Steven Hoffman, seconded by Mary Beth Whited and unanimously accepted, the Board accepted, with thanks the donation of 50 free ice cream cards from Stewarts, to the Watervliet Elementary School, to be used as prizes for perfect attendance raffles, as recommended by the Superintendent
On a motion by Mary Beth Whited, seconded by Amanda Cavanaugh and unanimously accepted, the Board accepted, with thanks the donation of the following items from The New York Capital Region Chapter of the Ninety-Nines, Inc. (International Organization of Women Pilots) to the Watervliet Elementary School, as recommended by the Superintendent:
- Aviation presentation to 3rd grade students; and
- Books to WES library.
On a motion by Steven Hoffman, seconded by Heather Soroka and unanimously accepted, the Board accepted, with thanks the donation of dictionaries from The Watervliet Elks Club to all 3rd grade students at the Watervliet Elementary School, as recommended by the Superintendent.
On a motion by Steven Hoffman, seconded by Mary Beth Whited and unanimously accepted, the Board accepted the Internal Claims Auditor Report for the month of November 2018, submitted by Michaeleen Backus, as recommended by the Superintendent.
New Business
Mrs. Senecal wished everyone happy holidays on behalf of the entire Board of Education.
Comments from the Floor
Dr. Caplan shared the following:
- North Colonie School District will be under construction this summer and has requested to run their summer school program here. We are currently discussing the possibility.
- The District recently entered into a consortium with Mohonasen and Menands school districts for a McKinney Vento Act grant.
- I recently attended the Breakfast with Santa and holiday concerts at both WES and WJSHS, as well as the City Tree Lighting.
- District staff adopted 45 children from the Watervliet Housing Authority for the holidays.
- There is a barber coming next week to provide free haircuts for students who were nominated by staff.
- The district recently applied for a grant for a play.
- The district was recently awarded a grant for a 3 year-old UPK program. We will be renting a room in Maplewood. The program will begin January 30, serving 14 students during the hours of 7:30 – 12:30.
- The Whitney Young Health Clinic has been amazing. As needed, WES students have been bused up for medical appointments.
- Thank you to Mrs. Lewinter as she moves on from her position. She has made great changes and is leaving it better than she found it.
- Congratulations to Mrs. Webster in her new position.
Miranda Luck, Student Council Representative, shared the following:
- All student photos have been distributed, along with staff and student ID’s.
- The Movember fundraiser has concluded. Winners will be announced next week.
- The Student Council holiday food drive will be moved to January, as there is a large drop-off in the number of donations received after the holidays.
Mrs. Webster shared the following:
- Thank you to Dr. Caplan and the Board of Education for the opportunity to serve as Principal of the Watervliet Elementary School.
- The school store opened today. The students really liked it!
- Bill Sheehy is working with Hannaford to provide $1,500 per month to provide food for students each week.
Adjournment
On a motion by Mary Beth Whited, seconded by Heather Soroka, and unanimously accepted, the Board adjourned the meeting at 6:51 p.m.
Respectfully submitted,
Bernadette L. Boardman
Clerk of the Board