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(071)
MINUTES
BOARD OF EDUCATION
Regular Meeting – September 23, 2003
Riverhead High School Auditorium
PRESENT: Vice President, Mrs. Nancy G. Gassert; Mrs. Kathleen
Berezny; Mrs. Lori H. Montefusco; and, Mrs. Marypat Takacs.
ABSENT: Mr. Timothy S. Griffing and Mr. Timothy Hubbard.
LATE: Mrs. Mary Ellen Harkin.
ALSO PRESENT: Mr. George L. Duffy III, Ms. Carol Perkins,
Mrs. Margaret Staib, Mr. Joseph Ogeka and Deborah DeCuevas,
Esq.
Vice President, Mrs. Gassert, opened the meeting at 6:40 p.m.
with the pledge of allegiance to the flag.
A motion was made by Mrs. Berezny, seconded by Mrs. Montefusco,
to recess to executive session to discuss personnel.
Yes 4 No 0
Motion Carried
.
The Board of Education recessed to executive session at 6:41
p.m.
Mrs. Harkin arrived at 6:44 p.m.
A motion was made by Mrs. Gassert, seconded by Mrs. Takacs,
to return to open session.
Yes 5 No 0
Motion Carried.
The Board of Education returned to open session at 7:38 p.m.
A brief recess followed.
The meeting resumed at 7:45 p.m.
There were about 75 other people in attendance.
ALSO PRESENT: Mrs. Barbara O’Kula and Christopher Powers,
Esq.
Pledge of AllegianceRecess to
Executive Session
Return to
Open Sessio
(072)
Minutes
Board of Education
September 23, 2003
Page 2
On behalf of the Board of Education, Mrs. Harkin thanked staff
and students for their efforts in preparation for homecoming
and offered congratulations to the football team effort for
their victory win.
A motion was made by Mrs. Gassert, seconded by Mrs. Takacs,
to
approve the minutes of the following meeting:
Regular Meeting – August 26, 2003
Yes 5 No 0
Motion Carried.
Mr. Donald Pearce of Miller Lilly & Pearce, LLP, Certified
Public Accountants, presented the audit report and financial
statements of the Riverhead Central School District for the
year ended June 30, 2003.
The Superintendent commented on the following:
-congratulations on the tremendous success of the football
team at Homecoming and overall team effort by staff, students
and parents
-“thank you” to Don Pearce, Carol Perkins and
Gail Yeager for their efforts to maintain the sound financial
condition of the district
-began discussion on the district’s space needs at the
High School and condition of the Pulaski Street school built
in the 1930’s that is now showing signs of age. Architects
are currently assessing the building and will provide a report
on the repairs needed. A more detailed report will be forthcoming
on the enrollment projections which, at the High School, already
surpass the projected 2005 enrollment numbers. In order to
maintain the growing needs of the children and the services
we are required to provide, a long-range plan to meet long-term
growth is being discussed. The need for more increased state
aid and the small percentage of building aid ratio (29%) we
receive are being addressed with Senator LaValle.
Statistics indicate that by 2009, almost 1800 students will
be in the High School and, as it stands, is not equipped to
handle a population of that magnitude.
Mrs. Harkin reminded the public of a New York State Bar Association
forum on September 30 to discuss fiscal equity. The high court
of New York State has directed that reform of the existing
state aid formula must be reconfigured by July 2004.
Approval of Minutes
-Approved
2002/03 Auditors Report
and Financial Statements
-Don Pearce
Opportunity for
Superintendent
Opportunity for
Board Members
(073)
Minutes
Board of Education
September 23, 2003
Page 3
Anyone interested in expressing their views and the adverse
effect of the current formula to the Riverhead Central School
District, can email her at geohark@yahoo.com.
A community member requested that the public be availed of
more visual information when the auditors report is presented.
She also questioned if monies for recent raises were taken
from the former position of the Plant Facilities Administrator.
Mr. Duffy stated that no money has been taken from that particular
code.
Additional comments heard from the audience are:
-request not to assign the new Assistant Superintendent to
any capacity that requires decisions involving students,
-request to address decision to deny students at the Alternative
School attendance at the Pep Rally. Mr. Duffy stated that
all students will be included in all activities in the future
and that transportation home for students was the concern
at that time. This situation will not reoccur in the future.
-congratulations to the school district for doing well on
the NYS Report Card. Noted discrepancy on the SED website
on the Riverhead Charter School report card for 2001/02 citing
20 students in 4th grade test performance results in English,
Science and Math but only 14 students tested. A meeting by
Mr. Duffy with the Charter School Unit in Albany to discuss
the Riverhead Central School District, the Riverhead Charter
School and other issues is scheduled.
-status of police presence in our schools. Mr. Duffy stated
that the issue no longer exists as a letter has been written
to Chief Hegermiller of the Riverhead Police Department informing
him of the district’s decision not to use School Resource
Officers.
-definition/discussion of the Drug & Alcohol Policy in
effect on
April 14, 2000 and suggestion that an outreach program for
students who participated on that field trip to Great Adventure
be established.
-existence of any official report on the circumstances of
April 14, 2000 involving Robert Pace. Mr. Powers stated that
the matter was litigated in a court of Suffolk County –
the matter resulted in a full investigation – the school
district in and of itself did not conduct a report –
the matter was represented by legal counsel and signed by
the insurance carrier, recommendations were made and the matter
settled. A Freedom of Information request can be filed for
public access of the documents.
Community Comments
(074)
Minutes
Board of Education
September 23, 2003
Page 4
A motion was made by Mrs. Gassert, seconded by Mrs. Berezny,
to approve the following resolution:
RESOLVED, that the Board of Education of the Riverhead Central
School District declares as surplus the following old/outdated
equipment at the Middle School and authorizes the appropriate
disposal of such:
Date Products Printer #02923
Large Printer for SASI System #103220
IBM Monitor #177133
Dell Monitor #001221
Yes 5 No 0
Motion Carried.
A motion was made by Mrs. Takacs, seconded by Mrs. Montefusco,
to approve the following resolution:
RESOLVED, that the Board of Education of the Riverhead Central
School District approves the following Health Services Contract
for the 2002/03 school year:
South Huntington Union Free School District; seven (7) students
at a total cost of $2,691.57 ($384.51 per pupil)
Yes 5 No 0
Motion Carried.
A motion was made by Mrs. Gassert, seconded by Mrs. Montefusco,
to approve the following resolution:
RESOLVED, that on the recommendation of the Superintendent
of Schools, the Professional Personnel recommendations be
approved per Supplemental File Personnel Report and are subject
to Board Policy #9310:
Emergency 20-Day Conditional Appointment
Brenda Tuttle – Library Media Specialist, Phillips Avenue
Elementary School, effective 9/24/03-6/30/04.
Surplus Equipment
-Approved
Health Services
Contract
-Approved
Professional
Personnel
Recommendations
-Approved
(075)
Minutes
Board of Education
September 23, 2003
Page 5
Extension of Emergency 20-Day Conditional Appointments
Donna Maloupis – Speech/Language Pathologist, Aquebogue
Elementary School, effective 10/11/03-10/30/03.
Roger De Los Santos – Substitute Foreign Language
Teacher/Spanish, High School, effective 10/11/03-10/30/03.
Change in Status
Tara Candela – To: Appointment-Psychologist, effective
9/1/03.
Renee Pastor – To: Appointment-English Teacher, effective
9/1/03.
Appointments
-High School Advisors
Suzanne Conlin – Library Club, effective 9/24/03.
Robert Jester – Science Club, effective 9/24/03.
-Middle School Advisors
Jay Lebowitz – Art Club, effective 9/24/03.
Frank Yolango – Chamber Orchestra, effective 9/24/03.
Richard Gebhardt – Chess Club, effective 9/24/03.
Jay Lebowitz – Display Club, effective 9/24/03.
Theresa Hubbard – Memory Book, effective 9/24/03.
Jennifer Bay – National Junior Honor Society, effective
9/24/03.
Darren Dunn – Journalism Club, effective 9/24/03.
Darren Dunn – Peer Mediation, effective 9/24/03.
Nicole Nappi – Show Choir, effective 9/24/03.
-Pulaski Street School Advisors
Keith Maguire – 6th Grade Chorus, effective 9/24/03.
Keith Maguire – 5th Grade Chorus, effective 9/24/03.
-4th Grade Chorus
Johann Montero – Aquebogue School, effective 9/24/03.
Keith Maguire – Riley Avenue Elementary School, effective
9/24/03.
Appointments
Jacek Niedzwiecki – Substitute Teacher, effective 9/24/03.
Theresa Puleo – Substitute Teacher, effective 9/24/03.
Yes 5 No 0
Motion Carried
(076)
Minutes
Board of Education
September 23, 2003
Page 6
A motion was made by Mrs. Gassert, seconded by Mrs. Montefusco,
to approve the following resolution:
RESOLVED, that on the recommendation of the Superintendent
of Schools, the Civil Service Personnel recommendations be
approved per Supplemental File Personnel Report and are subject
to Board Policy #9310:
Extension of Emergency 20-Day Condition (Contract) Appointments
Jennifer Crosby – Special Education Aide, effective
10/11/03-
10/30/03.
Terrell Brown – Special Education Aide, effective 10/11/03-
10/30/03.
Change in Hours
Karen Nolan-Schutt – School Bus Driver, To: 6 hours
per day,
effective 9/29/03.
Appointments
Suzanne Velys – Substitute School Bus Driver, effective
9/24/03.
Kevin Pertillar – Substitute Guard, effective 9/24/03.
Request for Unpaid Leave of Absence
Sheryl McCormick – School Bus Driver, effective 9/20/03-10/19/03.
Michael Slovensky – School Bus Driver, effective 9/26/03
&
11/5,6,7,10/03.
Yes 5 No 0
Motion Carried.
A member of the audience requested a poll of the Board on
their beliefs of the right/wrong decision made on April 14,
2000 not to allow student, Rob Pace, on the return bus home.
Mr. Powers cautioned the Board against doing so as the matter
has been concluded and the civil suit settled.
Another community member questioned the necessity of the presence
of legal counsel at every Board meeting. Mrs. Harkin stated
that counsel is typically present at Board meetings which
are business meetings that present an opportunity to solicit
comments from the public but not debate issues.
Civil Service
Personnel
Recommendations
-Approved
Community
Comments
(077)
Minutes
Board of Education
September 23, 2003
Page 7
Mrs. Montefusco stated that she had expressed opposition to
this practice at budget time.
Some other comments from the community included:
-question as whether the Board convened after the meeting
held on September 9. Mr. Duffy stated that no meeting was
held.
-need for clarification on the letter of no trespass written
by Mr. Duffy to an individual. Legal counsel informed the
public that the Superintendent has the inherent authority
to address behavior/acts and set parameters as permitted in
the Code of Conduct.
-request for copy of law pertaining to public property
-request for the Board to come forth in discussion of the
tragic incident of April 14, 2000 and plea for responsibility
to provide a safe environment for our children
On behalf of the Board of Education, Mrs. Harkin expressed
sincere remorse to the entire family of Rob Pace for their
loss.
A motion was made by Mrs. Gassert, seconded by Mrs. Takacs,
to adjourn the meeting.
Yes 5 No 0
Motion Carried.
The meeting adjourned at 8:55 p.m.
Respectfully submitted,
Barbara J. O’Kula
District Clerk
Adjournment
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