Watervliet City School District > Board of Education > Meeting Schedule, Agendas and Minutes > Board of Education Regular Meeting December 10, 2019

Board of Education Regular Meeting December 10, 2019

Watervliet City School District
Watervliet, New York 12189

Board of Education Regular Meeting

December 10, 2019
6:00 P.M.
Watervliet Jr. – Sr. High School

AGENDA

I. Call to Order: President Sheri Senecal

II. Board Members
President Sheri Senecal
Vice President Heather Soroka
Mary Beth Whited
Steven Hoffman
Amanda Cavanaugh

Superintendent Dr. Lori S. Caplan

III. Public Comment

In accordance with Board Policy Number 2310, the privilege of speaking from the floor will be extended to any person in attendance. Persons desiring to speak shall be required to give their name and address and will be limited to three (3) minutes for their presentation. The time allowed each speaker may be adjusted by the chair. The speaker’s privilege may also be terminated by the chair if found to be out of order.

IV. Old Business

V. Administrative Reports/Presentations

  • Restorative Practices Presentation: Kelly Webster, Maria DeNovio, Ryan Groat
  • First Reading of Revised Policies:
    Student Voter Registration and Pre-Registration

VI. Student Council Report

VII. Board Discussion

VIII. General

1. Resolved that the Board approve the Board of Education Minutes for the meeting held November 7, 2019, submitted by Bernadette L. Boardman, Clerk of the Board, as recommended by the Superintendent.

2. Resolved that the Board approve the Committee on Pre-School Special Education’s recommendations for the meeting held November 13, 2019, submitted by Janelle Yanni, CSE Chair, as recommended by the Superintendent.

3. Resolved that the Board approve the Committee on Special Education’s recommendations for the meetings held October 28, November 19, November 21, November 22, and December 3, 2019, submitted by Janelle Yanni, CSE Chair, as recommended by the Superintendent.

4. Resolved that the Board approve the Education Law 2-d Opt-In, allowing the Watervliet City School District to become a party to the agreement between and Erie 1 BOCES and Google, LLC, as outlined in the attached, as recommended by the Superintendent.

5. Resolved that the Board approve the Substitute Registry submitted by BOCES, as recommended by the Superintendent (packets #3 through #6 and #8).

6. Resolved that the Board approve the following resolution, as recommended by the Superintendent:

WHEREAS, the Board of Education of the Watervliet City School District (“Board”) is considering to undertake a project consisting of various replacements, repairs, renovations, and/or reconstruction to the District’s existing High School and Elementary school buildings, including interior, exterior, building envelope, and site improvement work (“the Project”); and

WHEREAS, the Board wishes to fully comply with its obligations under the State Environmental Quality Review Act (“SEQRA”) and the regulations thereunder with respect to the proposed action; and

WHEREAS, the Board has carefully considered the nature and scope of the proposed action; and

WHEREAS, upon review of the foregoing, the Board makes the following determinations:

1) The proposed action involves various replacements, repairs, renovations, and/or reconstruction to the District’s existing High School and Elementary school buildings, including interior, exterior, building envelope, and site improvement work.

2) The proposed project represents maintenance or repair involving no substantial changes in an existing structure or facility within the meaning of 6 NYCRR § 617.5(c)(1); and/or the replacement, rehabilitation or reconstruction of a structure of facility, in kind, within the meaning of 6 NYCRR § 617.5(c)(2); and/or a routine activity of an educational institution, including expansion of existing facilities by less than 10,000 square feet of gross floor area, within the meaning of 6 NYCRR § 617.5(c)(10).

3) The proposed action will in no case have a significant adverse impact based on the environment based on the criteria contained in 6 NYCRR § 617.7(c), and is not otherwise a Type I action as defined by 6 NYCRR § 617.4.

4) The proposed action is a Type II action within the meaning of 6 NYCRR 617.5 and is therefore not subject to review under SEQRA and the regulations thereunder.

NOW THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED, that the Board finds and concludes that the proposed action is a Type II action within the meaning of 6 NYCRR 617.5 and therefore is not subject to review under SEQRA and the regulations thereunder.

7. Resolved that the Board adopt the following resolution, as recommended by the Superintendent:

A RESOLUTION SPECIFYING THE NECESSITY FOR A CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT PROGRAM IN AND FOR THE CITY SCHOOL DISTRICT OF THE CITY OF WATERVLIET, ALBANY COUNTY, NEW YORK.

WHEREAS, it is the judgment of the Board of Education of the City School District of the City of Watervliet, Albany County, New York, that the needs of said School District require the reconstruction and construction of improvements to school buildings, including equipment, furnishings, machinery and apparatus, as well as site improvements and incidental costs related thereto, at a maximum estimated cost of $10,000,000; and

WHEREAS, subdivision 3 of Section 2512 of the Education Law requires that whenever in the judgment of such Board of Education a building, facility or site should be constructed or reconstructed, such Board shall prepare a resolution specifying in detail the necessity therefor and estimating the amount of funds necessary for such purpose;

NOW, THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED, by the Board of Education of the City School District of the City of Watervliet, Albany County, New York, as follows:

Section 1. It is hereby determined that the improvements referred to in the preambles hereof and further specified herein is necessary to enhance educational opportunities and to protect the health, safety and welfare of students and staff.

Section 2. It is hereby estimated that the amount of funds necessary for the aforesaid purposes is $10,000,000.

Section 3. This resolution shall take effect immediately.

8. Resolved that the Board adopt the following resolution, as recommended by the Superintendent:

A RESOLUTION AUTHORIZING THE ISSUANCE OF $10,000,000 SERIAL BONDS OF THE CITY SCHOOL DISTRICT OF THE CITY OF WATERVLIET, ALBANY COUNTY, NEW YORK, TO PAY THE COST OF A SCHOOL DISTRICT CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT PROGRAM IN AND FOR SAID SCHOOL DISTRICT.

WHEREAS, this bond resolution is adopted subject to approval at a Special School District Meeting and bond referendum to be held on February 4, 2020; and

WHEREAS, all other conditions precedent to the financing of the capital project hereinafter described, have been performed; and

WHEREAS, it is therefore now desired to authorize the financing thereof;

NOW THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED, by the Board of Education of the City School District of the City of Watervliet, Albany County, New York, as follows:

Section 1. The class of objects or purposes to be financed pursuant to this bond resolution include the reconstruction and construction of improvements to school buildings, including equipment, furnishings, machinery and apparatus, as well as site improvements and incidental costs related thereto, at a maximum estimated cost of $10,000,000, which is hereby authorized.

Section 2. The plan for the financing of such maximum estimated cost is by the issuance of $10,000,000 bonds of said School District hereby authorized to be issued therefor pursuant to the provisions of the Local Finance Law; and the faith and credit of said City School District of the City of Watervliet, Albany County, New York, are hereby pledged for the payment of said bonds and the interest thereon.

Section 3. It is hereby determined that the period of probable usefulness of the aforesaid class of objects or purposes is thirty years, pursuant to subdivision 97 of paragraph a of Section 11.00 of the Local Finance Law.

Section 4. Subject to the provisions of the Local Finance Law, the power to authorize the issuance of and to sell bond anticipation notes in anticipation of the issuance and sale of the serial bonds herein authorized, including renewals of such notes, is hereby delegated to the President of the Board of Education, the chief fiscal officer. Such notes shall be of such terms, form and contents, and shall be sold in such manner, as may be prescribed by said President of the Board of Education, consistent with the provisions of the Local Finance Law.

Section 5. Such bonds shall be in fully registered form and shall be signed in the name of the City School District of the City of Watervliet, Albany County, New York, by the manual or facsimile signature of its President of the Board of Education, and a facsimile of its corporate seal shall be imprinted or impressed thereon and may be attested by the manual or facsimile signature of its School District Clerk.

Section 6. The powers and duties of advertising such bonds for sale, conducting the sale and awarding the bonds, are hereby delegated to the President of the Board of Education, who shall advertise such bonds for sale, conduct the sale, and award the bonds in such manner as he or she shall deem best for the interests of said School District, provided, however, that in the exercise of these delegated powers, he or she shall comply fully with the provisions of the Local Finance Law and any order or rule of the State Comptroller applicable to the sale of municipal bonds.

Section 7. All other matters, except as provided herein relating to such bonds, including determining whether to issue such serial bonds having substantially level or declining annual debt service and all matters related thereto, prescribing whether manual or facsimile signatures shall appear on said bonds, prescribing the method for the recording of ownership of said bonds, appointing the fiscal agent or agents for said bonds, providing for the printing and delivery of said bonds (and if said bonds are to be executed in the name of the School District by the facsimile signature of the President of the Board of Education, providing for the manual countersignature of a fiscal agent or of a designated official of the School District), the date, denominations, maturities and interest payment dates, place or places of payment, and also including the consolidation with other issues, shall be determined by the President of the Board of Education. Such bonds shall contain substantially the recital of validity clause provided for in section 52.00 of the Local Finance Law and shall otherwise be in such form and contain such recitals in addition to those required by section 52.00 of the Local Finance Law, as the President of the Board of Education shall determine.

Section 8. This resolution shall constitute a statement of official intent for purposes of Treasury Regulations Section 1.150 2. Other than as specified in this resolution, no monies are, or are reasonably expected to be, reserved, allocated on a long term basis, or otherwise set aside with respect to the permanent funding of the object or purpose described herein.

Section 9. The validity of such bonds and bond anticipation notes may be contested only if:

  1. Such obligations are authorized for an object or purpose for which said School District is not authorized to expend money, or
  2. The provisions of law which should be complied with at the date of publication of this resolution are not substantially complied with, and an action, suit or proceeding contesting such validity is commenced within twenty days after the date of such publication, or
  3. Such obligations are authorized in violation of the provisions of the Constitution.

Section 10. Upon this resolution taking effect upon the approval of the qualified voters of the School District, the same shall be published in summary in the official newspaper(s) of said School District, together with a notice of the School District Clerk in substantially the form provided in Section 81.00 of the Local Finance Law.

Section 11. This resolution is adopted subject to approval at the Special District Meeting and bond referendum of said School District to be held on February 4, 2020, and a proposition for such approval shall be submitted at such Special District Meeting and bond referendum as shall be determined by a further resolution to be adopted by this Board of Education.

9. Resolved that the Board adopt the following resolution, as recommended by the Superintendent

A RESOLUTION PROVIDING FOR THE HOLDING OF A SPECIAL SCHOOL DISTRICT MEETING AND BOND REFERENDUM IN AND FOR THE CITY SCHOOL DISTRICT OF THE CITY OF WATERVLIET, ALBANY COUNTY, NEW YORK, AND PROVIDING FOR REGISTRATION AND OTHER MATTERS IN CONNECTION THEREWITH.

WHEREAS, the Board of Education of the City School District of the City of Watervliet, Albany County, New York, has heretofore at this meeting duly adopted a bond resolution which will take effect only after its approval at a Special School District Meeting and bond referendum; and

WHEREAS, it is now desired to provide for the calling of such Special School District Meeting and bond referendum, the submission of a proposition for the approval of said bond resolution, and for other matters in connection with said Special School District Meeting and bond referendum;

NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED, by the Board of Education of the City School District of the City of Watervliet, Albany County, New York, as follows:

Section 1. A Special School District Meeting and bond referendum in and for the City School District of the City of Watervliet, Albany County, New York, shall be held on February 4, 2020, at the polling places attached as Exhibit A, and the polls shall be kept open for voting between the hours of 11:00 o’clock A.M. and 8:00 o’clock P.M., Prevailing Time, on said date. The proposition hereinafter set forth in the notice of said Special School District Meeting and bond referendum shall be submitted thereat.

Section 2. The date for personal registration of voters for such Special School District Meeting and bond referendum shall be January 8, 2020 and January 21, 2020. The place where such Board of Registration shall meet shall be at Watervliet Jr. – Sr. High School, in Watervliet, New York, and the hours of registration shall be between 8:30 o’clock A.M. and 12:30 o’clock P.M., Prevailing Time, on said date.

Section 3. Voting at said Special School District Meeting and bond referendum shall be conducted by the use of voting machines.

Section 4. The District Clerk of said School District is hereby authorized and directed to cause a notice of said Special District Meeting and bond referendum, to be published in The Troy Record, a newspaper having a general circulation in said School District, such publications to be made so that such notice shall appear in said newspaper at least four times during the seven weeks preceding such Special School District Meeting and bond referendum, the first publication to be at least forty-five days before said Special School District Meeting and bond referendum and to give such other notice as may be deemed desirable. The Notice of Special School District Meeting and bond referendum shall be in substantially the form attached hereto as Exhibit A.

Section 5. This resolution shall take effect immediately.

10. Resolved that the Board accept the resignation of Alex Rivera from the position of Hall Monitor, at the Watervliet Jr. – Sr. High School, effective November 13, 2019, as recommended by the Superintendent.

11. Resolved that the Board accept the resignation of Alyssa Palladino from the position of Lunch Monitor, at the Watervliet Elementary School, effective November 15, 2019, as recommended by the Superintendent.

12. Resolved that the Board accept the resignation of Theresa Pelton from the position of ExTRA Program Homework Help Teacher, at the Watervliet Jr. – Sr. High School, effective December 18, 2019, as recommended by the Superintendent.

13. Resolved that the Board approve the emergency probationary appointment of Daniela Santiago to the position of Cafeteria Worker, at the Watervliet Elementary School, for a probationary period beginning December 2, 2019 and ending December 2, 2020, at an hourly rate of $11.10, as recommended by the Superintendent.

14. Resolved that, upon the recommendation of the Superintendent, the Board approve the appointment of Thomas Rizzo to the position of Long-Term Substitute Earth Science Teacher, at the Watervliet Jr. – Sr. High School, beginning January 6, 2020, at a rate of $125.00 per diem, as recommended by the Superintendent.

15. Resolved that the Board approve the emergency appointment of Shelley Palkovic to the position of ExTRA Program Homework Help Teacher, at the Watervliet Jr. – Sr. High School, effective December 5, 2019 and continuing through the 2019 – 2020 school year, at a rate per contract, as recommended by the Superintendent.

16. Resolved that the Board approve the appointment of Christopher Curtis to the position of ExTRA Program Study Tables/Homework Help Teacher, at the Watervliet Jr. – Sr. High School, effective December 10, 2019 and continuing through the 2019 – 2020 school year, at a rate per contract, as recommended by the Superintendent

17. Resolved that the Board award the status of tenure to Catherine Choi, in the area of Guidance, effective January, 2019, as recommended by the Superintendent.

18. Resolved that the Board approve the facilitation of small group sessions and collection of data for a research study entitled Brothers as Allies: Testing the Efficacy of a Strengths-based Curriculum to Reduce Risk for Future Sexual Violence Perpetration among Middle School Boys, as outlined in the attached, as recommended by the Superintendent.

19. Resolved that the Board approve the request for the following individuals to serve as Student Interns/Facilitators for the Brothers as Allies study at the Watervliet Jr. – Sr. High School, as outlined in the attached, as recommended by the Superintendent:

Name/Role

  • Cavanaugh Quick, Facilitator
  • Jerry Ford, Jr. Facilitator
  • Sharisse Carter Data Collection
  • Elizabeth Rialdi Data Collection
  • Uwaoma Okwu-uwa Data Collection
  • Victoria Baum Data Collection

20. Resolved that the Board approve the home schooling request of LaGena Burks for her child, Za’Kyi Burks, Grade 1, for the 2019–2020 school year, as recommended by the Superintendent.

21. Resolved that the Board accept, with thanks the donation of 20 hand-knitted hats from Madilyn Ficalora, to be given to students in need at the Watervliet Elementary School, as recommended by the Superintendent.

22. Resolved that the Board accept, with thanks the donation of various school supplies from Heather Jonker, to be given to students in need at the Watervliet Elementary School, as recommended by the Superintendent.

23. Resolved that the Board accept, with thanks the donation of 30 Thanksgiving baskets from CAPCom, to be given to families in need at the Watervliet Elementary School, as recommended by the Superintendent.

24. Resolved that the Board accept the Internal Claims Auditor Report for the months of October and November 2019, submitted by Roni O’Brien, as recommended by the Superintendent.

IX. New Business

X. Administrators’ Comments

XI. Superintendent’s Report

XII. Adjournment

EXHIBIT A
NOTICE OF SPECIAL SCHOOL DISTRICT MEETING AND BOND REFERENDUM, PERSONAL REGISTRATION AND AVAILABILITY OF ABSENTEE BALLOTS

City School District of the City of Watervliet, Albany County, New York
PLEASE TAKE NOTICE that a Special School District Meeting and bond referendum of the City School District of the City of Watervliet, Albany County, New York, will be held on February 4, 2020, at which the polls will be kept open between the hours of 11:00 o’clock A.M. and 8:00 o’clock P.M., Prevailing Time, for the purpose of voting by voting machine upon the following proposition for approval of a bond resolution:

PROPOSITION
Shall the bond resolution adopted by the Board of Education of the City School District of the City of Watervliet, New York, on December 10, 2019, authorizing a school district capital improvement program, consisting of the reconstruction and construction of improvements to school buildings, including site improvement, equipment, furnishings, machinery and apparatus, at a maximum estimated cost of $10,000,000, authorizing the issuance of $10,000,000 serial bonds of said School District to pay the cost thereof; providing that the sum of $10,000,000, or so much thereof as may be necessary, shall be raised by the levy of a tax upon the taxable real property of such School District and collected in annual installments as provided by Section 416 of the Education Law; providing that, in anticipation of said tax, obligations of the School District shall be issued in excess of the Constitutional debt limit; pledging the faith and credit of said School District for the payment of the principal of and interest on said bonds; determining that the period of probable usefulness thereof and maximum maturity of the serial bonds therefor is thirty years; delegating the power to authorize and sell bond anticipation notes and to fix the details of and to sell serial bonds; containing an estoppel clause and providing for the publication of an estoppel notice, be approved?

NOTICE IS HEREBY FURTHER GIVEN that the Proposition may appear on the ballot labels of the voting machines used at such Special School District Meeting and bond referendum in the following abbreviated form due to space constraints on the machines:

PROPOSITION
Shall the December 10, 2019 bond resolution authorizing the issuance of $10,000,000 bonds in excess of the Constitutional debt limit to pay the cost of the reconstruction and construction of improvements to school buildings, including site work and incidental costs, at a maximum estimated cost of $10,000,000 (30 year maximum maturity); providing for a tax levy therefor in annual installments; pledging the District’s faith and credit for debt service; delegating power with respect to bonds and notes; and providing for an estoppel procedure, be approved?

A copy of the full text of the bond resolution referred to in said proposition will be posted at each polling place and is on file in the office of the School District Clerk, 1245 Hillside Drive, in Watervliet, New York.

NOTICE IS FURTHER GIVEN that the Board of Registration of the School District shall meet from 8:30 A.M. (Prevailing Time) until 12:30 P.M. (Prevailing Time), on January 8 and January 21, 2020 at the District Clerk’s Office, 1245 Hillside Drive, Watervliet, New York, for the purpose of preparing the School Election District registers for said Special School District Meeting and bond referendum, at which time any person shall be entitled to have his/her name placed upon such registers, provided that at such meeting of the Board of Registration, he/she is known or proved to the satisfaction of such Board of Registration to be then or thereafter entitled to vote at said Special School District Meeting and bond referendum. No person shall be entitled to vote whose name does not appear upon the register of the School Election District in which he/she claims to be entitled to vote. At such hours and place, any person who is not currently registered under permanent personal registration on the lists of registered voters furnished by the Albany County Board of Elections, or has not previously registered to vote at any School District elections, must, in order to be entitled to vote at said Special School District Meeting and bond referendum to be held on February 4, 2020, present himself or herself personally for registration.

NOTICE IS HEREBY FURTHER GIVEN that applications for absentee ballots may be applied for at the Office of the School District Clerk, located at 1245 Hillside Drive, in Watervliet, New York or downloaded from the School District’s website. Applications for absentee ballots must be received by the School District Clerk on or prior to 5:00 P.M., Prevailing Time, on January 28, 2020 the date seven days prior to the Special School District Meeting and bond referendum, if the ballot is to be mailed to the voter, or on or prior to 5:00 P.M., Prevailing Time, on February 3, 2020, if the ballot is to be personally obtained by the voter. Completed absentee ballots must be received by the School District Clerk not later than 4:00 P.M., Prevailing Time, on February 4, 2020 the date of the Special School District Meeting and bond referendum. A list of all persons to whom absentee ballots shall have been issued will be available in the Office of the School District Clerk on each of the five days prior to the day of the Special School District Meeting and bond referendum, except Saturday and Sunday, February 1 and 2, 2020, and any qualified voter may challenge the acceptance of the absentee voter’s ballot of any person on such list, by making his or her challenge and the reasons therefor known to the Inspector of Election before the close of the polls.

Voting at said Special School District Meeting and bond referendum will be by the use of voting machines at the following voting sites:

  • District 1 – Elks Club, 4th Avenue & 5th Street Election (Ward I & Mannsville)
  • District 2 – Watervliet Elementary School, 10th Ave. & 25th St. Election (Wards II, III & IV)

BOARD OF EDUCATION  ENLARGED CITY SCHOOL DISTRICT OF THE CITY OF WATERVLIET, NEW YORK

By: Bernadette L. Boardman, Clerk of the Board
Dated: December 10, 2019
Publish: December 19, 2019
January 3, 2020
January 17, 2020
January 31, 2020