Special Meeting Minutes

 

A Special Meeting of the Board of Education of the Scotia-Glenville Central School District was held in the Cafeteria of the Middle School in said district on February 27, 2006.

 

President of the Board of Education Margaret Smith called the meeting to order at 7:04 p.m.

 

Present:      Ahnert, Bradley, Carbone, Carpenter, Conlon, Smith, Superintendent Swartz, Director of Curriculum and Instruction Kavanaugh, Business Administrator Nolie and District Clerk DeLong.  Mr. Crisafulli arrived at 7:08 p.m.

 

Absent:        none

 

 
Pledge of Allegiance

 

Hearing/Privilege of the Floor

 

Gerry Moore, 122 Jay St., spoke to the Board regarding the contract with Harris Connect for the Alumni Directory, the issue of the police search of students, TRS benefits and also an item on the agenda regarding a budget amendment.

 

RECOGNITION OF RETIRING INSTRUCTIONAL PERSONNEL:  PATRICIA BERTINO, SCIENCE TEACHER

 

Tonight we honor Patti BertinoÕs 34 years of service to Scotia-Glenville.   Patti easily spent twelve hours a day, five days a week, in the building for the bulk of her career. She was always the first staff member to arrive in the morning and was most likely the last to leave at the end of the day.

 

Patti lived Biology and nothing was more important to her than teaching the subject she loved!

 

á      Since 1978, Patti took in-service courses (22 of them to be exact) in order to keep abreast in her field.

 

á      Patti went to Cornell every summer for several years where she was a part of the Cornell Institute of Biology Teaching. There she perfected her teaching and brought very interesting things back to her students at SGHS:  DNA of people who died in the1930's, cow uteri, and high tech equipment that she borrowed from Cornell regularly during the school year.

 

Her excellence in teaching and her commitment to Biology earned her three very prestigious awards. She was the NYS Biology teacher of the Year in 2000, was named a Tandy Scholar (one of 50 in the country) in 1995, and was also a Woodrow Wilson Scholar.

 

Before the new assessments became the current SED mandate, Patti and her long time teacher partner, Carol Miner, designed a biology course that far exceeded the Regents requirements.  Our students took a rigorous biology course and produced incredible portfolios of their work.  No student who went to college and majored in Biology ever came back to SG and said that they weren't prepared for the intensity of college level science; most of them said that they were amazed at how much better prepared they were than the other students.

 

Before we built the new science wing, Patti needed to make her own display areas.  Several years ago, Patti was constantly on the quest for old white bed linens. She had staff members donating these linens so that her students could draw anatomy and biology projects on them. It was always an experience to walk into Patti's old classroom and to see larger than life posters of the male and female anatomy when students were studying the reproductive cycle!  Patti was known to never waste anything -- so it was no surprise when those same white bed linens were the curtains she used in her new classroom in the science wing until the new shades were installed!

 

Patti's love for Scotia-Glenville included years of commitment to the total school community.

 

 

Patti has always embodied the spirit of what is best about the Scotia-Glenville family. Patti made S-G her life, viewed her colleagues as her closest friends, made her students rise to her high expectations, made learning fun, and built relationships with students outside the classroom. 

 

Since 1987, Patti has been conducting workshops and presentations at the local, state, national and international level with well over 60 presentations to her credit.  She and her husband, Bud, will continue their work as presenters for the Howard Hughes Medical Institute on the national level.

 

We have been proud to have Patti Bertino on our staff and know that she will continue to influence her profession and to inspire outstanding teaching in her new venture with Bud.  Our best wishes and many thanks, Patti, as you begin your retirement.  Congratulations!

 

 

CURRICULUM REPORT:  GOAL UPDATE Ð LYNDA CASTRONOVO (SENIOR HIGH SCHOOL

PRINCIPAL) AND JOHN GENITI (SENIOR HIGH SCHOOL ASSISTANT PRINCIPAL)

 

      John Geniti, Senior High Assistant Principal, gave a curriculum report on the GOAL program.  His

      presentation included the following items:

 

á      Background of the GOAL program

á      Program Description

á      Program Evaluation

á      Strengths/Progress

á      Program Recommendations

 

The Board asked several questions of Mr. Geniti and thanked him for his report. (This report is contained as Appendix A to these minutes).

 

     

 

 

 

     

      BUDGET PRESENTATION: BUDGET-TO-BUDGET, CONTINGENT BUDGET,

SUPERINTENDENTÕS RECOMMENDED BUDGET, AND LONG RANGE PLAN PRESENTATION

 

Superintendent Swartz presented this yearÕs preliminary budget to the Board.  She explained the

Budget process and the DistrictÕs strategic goals.  She also explained that the process this year has

been different from previous years, in that all the items in the Budget are included in the Long Range

Plan.  She asked the Board to look at each piece of the Budget on an individual basis at first and then

to bring each piece together for the final Budget process.  She also explained the Carry-Forward

Budget and what the impact would be on the District if there were to be a Contingency Budget.  She

then presented her Recommended Budget to the Board which reflects an increase of 5.20%.

Joseph Kavanaugh, Director of Curriculum and Instruction, gave a presentation on the Long Range

Plan.  He explained the items in the Long Range Plan to the Board in the areas of Instruction and

Operations.  Superintendent Swartz thanked the Long Range Planning Committee for all their hard

work.  The Board asked several questions of Superintendent Swartz and Mr. Kavanaugh.

 

REQUEST FOR OVERNIGHT FIELD TRIP Ð SCOTIA-GLENVILLE SENIOR HIGH SCHOOL GIVE

(GOVERNORÕS INITIATIVE FOR VOLUNTARY EXCELLENCE) STUDENTS TO NATIONAL

SERVICE LEARNING CONFERENCE, PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA 

 

MOVED by Bradley that the Board of Education approve the request for the overnight trip of the Senior High School GIVE Students and chaperone to the National Service Learning Conference, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, from March 22-25, 2006, at no expense to the district. (This request is contained as Appendix B to these minutes).

 

ROLL CALL

AYES:  7

NOES: 0

MOTION CARRIED

 

 

MOVED by Conlon that the Board of Education approve/adopt the following items:

 
DISTRICT CELL PHONES

 

Approve the revised list of job titles requiring district owned cell phones, as submitted. (This list is contained as Appendix C to these minutes.)

 

RESOLUTION:  COOPERATIVE BID WITH SCHENECTADY COUNTY SCHOOL DISTRICTS FOR DUPLICATING PAPER,  FILTERS, TONERS, AND WASTE REMOVAL

 

Adopt the Resolution to participate with Schenectady County School Districts to bid jointly for 2006-2007 Duplicating Paper, Filters, Toners, and Waste Removal, as submitted.  (This resolution is contained as Appendix D to these minutes.)

 

RESOLUTION:  APPROPRIATE TAX CERTIORARI RESERVE FUNDS AND AMEND THE 2005-

2006 BUDGET

 

Adopt the Resolution, dated February 27, 2006, to authorize the appropriation of Tax Certiorari Reserve Funds and Amend the 2005-2006 Budget, as submitted.  (This resolution is contained as Appendix E to these minutes.)

 

ROLL CALL

AYES:  7

NOES: 0

MOTION CARRIED

 

MOVED by Carbone that the Board of Education accept/approve all the items under Communications and Routine Business.

 

COMMUNICATIONS

 

a.    Terminate the appointment of Diane Hartman as Internal Claims Auditor, with appreciation for this service to the district.

 

b.    Accept the letter of resignation of Margaret (Peggy) Haner, Teaching Assistant (Middle School), with the revised effective date of c.o.b. February 10, 2006. 

    

c.    Accept the letter of resignation of Kerry Traver, Teaching Assistant (Middle School), effective c.o.b. March 10, 2006, with appreciation for her service to the district.  (This resignation is contained as Appendix F to these minutes.)

 
ROUTINE BUSINESS

 

              a.    Staffing

 

1)  Approve the part-time appointment of Gregory Restina as Teaching Assistant (Middle School), effective February 28, 2006 through June 30, 2006, with 2005-2006 salary to be at the rate of $12.90/hour (Step 2, 3.75 hours/day). Mr. RestinaÕs Teaching Assistant Certification is in process.  This appointment is conditioned on the school districtÕs receipt of clearance for the employee from the State Education Department following a criminal history records check in accordance with the provision of Education Law ¤3035.

 

2)     Approve the part-time appointment of Kim Nash as Teacher Aide (Lincoln Elementary School), effective February 28, 2006 through June 30, 2006, with 2005-2006 salary to be at the rate of $8.10/hour (31.75 hours/week). 

 

3)     Approve the following supplemental appointment effective September 1, 2005 through June 30, 2006:

 

Scotia-Glenville/Schenectady County             James Connolly              $500

Community College Ð University in the

High School Program

 

4)   Approve the following spring coaching appointments for 2005-2006:

 

                     Baseball

                     Varsity                                John Striffler                     Step 10               $4,263

                     Junior Varsity                   Thomas Tama                Step 10               $3,410

                     Modified                            Damian Croucher           Step 5                 $2,896

                    

                    

 

                     Lacrosse

                     Girls' Varsity                     Mark Gatta                        Step 5                 $2,964

                     Girls' JV                             Adrienne Gardner           Step 2                 $1,724

                      Boys' Varsity                    Darren VanHeusen        Step 10               $4,164

                     Boys' JV                      Robert Gula                            Step 5                 $3,018

 

                     Softball

                     Varsity                               Christopher Crounse     Step 5                 $3,862

                     JV                                       Jamie Haver                    Step 4                 $2,789

                     Modified                            William Thwaits                      Step 4                 $2,614

 

                     Tennis

                     Boys Varsity               Geoffrey Olson                Step 5                 $2,694

                     Boys' Modified                  TBA                                   

 

                     Track   

                     Varsity Head Coach        James Connolly                     Step 10               $4,858

                     Boys' Varsity Assistant   Ronald Cameron            Step 5                 $3,521

                     Girls' Varsity Assistant   James Krogh                   Step 10               $3,886

                     Varsity Assistant              Norman Dion                   Step 5                 $3,300

                     Varsity Assistant              Renee Tolan                    Step 2                 $2,400

                     Modified                            Susan Gracz                    Step 5                 $3,080

                      Modified                            Andrea DiCaprio             Step 2                 $2,240

   

               5)  Approve the increase in assignment of Theresa Marocco, School Bus Driver, from 4.25 hours/day to 4.75 hours/day, effective February 28, 2006 through June 30, 2006, with no change in current hourly rate of pay.

                    

b.    Placement of Children with Disabilities             

 

Accept the Placement of Children with Disabilities as recommended by the Committee on Special Education at their meetings on 2/8, 2/9, 2/13, 2/15 and 2/17/06.

 

ROLL CALL

AYES:  7

NOES: 0

MOTION CARRIED

 

OTHER BUSINESS

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

MOVED by Carbone that the meeting adjourn to Executive Session.

 

ROLL CALL

AYES:  7

NOES: 0

MOTION CARRIED

 

The Board of Education adjourned to Executive Session at 9:19 p.m. and returned to Open Session at 9:25 p.m.

 

MOVED by Carbone that the meeting be adjourned.

 

ROLL CALL

AYES:  7

NOES: 0

MOTION CARRIED

 

The meeting adjourned at 9:25 p.m.

 

___________________________

Bobbie DeLong, District Clerk