BOARD OF EDUCATION
MIDDLETOWN, NEW YORK
APRIL 26, 2005
A regular meeting of the Board of Education of the Enlarged City School District of Middletown, New York was held Thursday, April 26, 2005, at the Board of Education Office, 223 Wisner Avenue, Board President Vincent Crescenzo, presiding.
Present: Dr. Best, Mr. Estrada, Mr. Geiger, Mrs. Knapp, Mr. Perrino, Ms. Tobiassen, Mrs. Botti, Mr. Crescenzo – 8.
Absent: None.
Others Present: Kenneth Eastwood, Superintendent
Elizabeth McKean, School Business Administrator
Richard DelMoro, Director for Secondary Education
Ellen Kaplan, Director for Personnel Services
Selena Fischer, Director of Pupil Personnel & Special Services
Peter Ancona, Director for Technology Services
Thomas Scott, Superintendent of Buildings and Grounds
Mr. Crescenzo called the meeting to order at 6:00 p.m. Mr. Estrada made a motion, seconded by Mrs. Botti, to have an executive session to discuss matters regarding the employment of a particular person and for discussion regarding collective negotiations.
Public session resumed at 7:10 p.m. Mr. Crescenzo led the pledge to the flag. He asked for a moment of silence in observance of the loss of school community members Patricia Clark, Irene Gorton, Dorothy Distel, and Leon Shapiro.
Ms. Tobiassen made a motion, seconded by Dr. Best to approve the minutes of March 17, 2005.
Ayes: Best, Estrada, Geiger, Knapp, Perrino, Tobiassen, Botti, Crescenzo – 8. Noes: None. Motion was unanimously approved.
Mr. Crescenzo read a letter regarding the Charles A. Schupp III testamentary trust and the Charles A. Schupp III Scholarship Award. He extended thanks to the family of Mr. Schupp for their very generous donation.
No visitors asked to address the Board.
Mrs. Botti made a motion, seconded by Dr. Best, to approve the election of Mary Arne and Carl Onken to the Orange-Ulster Board of Cooperative Educational Services.
Ayes: Best, Estrada, Geiger, Knapp, Perrino, Tobiassen, Botti, Crescenzo – 8. Noes: None. Motion was unanimously approved.
Mr. Estrada made a motion, seconded by Mr. Perrino, to approve the Orange-Ulster BOCES Administrative Budget in the amount of $3,006,378.
Ayes: Best, Estrada, Geiger, Knapp, Perrino, Botti, Crescenzo – 7. Noes: Tobiassen - 1. Motion was declared approved.
Dr. Best left the meeting during the following presentation.
Director for Secondary Education Richard DelMoro, Twin Towers Middle School Principal Gordon Dean and Monhagen Middle School Principal Eileen Rivera-Shapiro gave a presentation on the proposed Middle School Program for 2005-2006. The program proposed will strengthen core academic subjects and increase extra help to students to improvement achievement. The program will implement a literacy program that will focus on reading, listening, writing and math literacy. The literacy program will be presented for 40 weeks in the 6th and 7th grades, and AIS through literacy in the 8th grade. To accommodate this literacy component, it is proposed that the three year program in art, music, home and careers and health be changed from the current 30 weeks to 20 weeks of instruction. The proposed curriculum with be interdisciplinary and will address all 28 learning standards.
Board Member Reports:
Mr. Perrino responded to an opinion expressed in the newspaper that said that the District lacks credibility. He noted some of the many activities that recently took place in the District including the Twin Towers Dinner Theater, the Great American Read-a-Loud at Monhagen, the visiting author program at Truman Moon, the new media center at Mechanicstown, and the clean up work done by the NJROTC at the High School. He said that these activities could not have happened without the efforts of students, staff, parents and local businesses, and all of these groups are part of our District.
Mr. Crescenzo noted the different ways the District communicates to the public, including the District’s web site newsletters and televised Board meetings.
Mrs. Botti said that our schools are also doing good things in the community with many volunteer efforts. She said that the National Honor Society is working with the American Cancer Society to promote the Relay for Life.
Mr. Geiger said that another example of the good things happening in the Middletown School District is evident at the annual Academic Awards Dinner when many of our high school students are honored.
Mrs. Knapp acknowledged the many honors won by our Fine Arts Department. She said that the chorale students recently went to Myrtle Beach to participate in a competition; the Pipers placed first and the Womens Chorale placed second.
Mr. Estrada encouraged people to attend Chorley’s Bookies & Cookies program on May 12.
Mr. Crescenzo spoke about the District’s fine athletic programs, noting that High School student Alex Reid was recently recognized as a National Indoor Track and Field Champion.
Mrs. Botti made a motion, seconded by Mr. Estrada, to approve Personnel Memorandum #30, copy attached:
Ayes: Estrada, Geiger, Knapp, Perrino, Tobiassen, Botti, Crescenzo – 7. Noes: None. Motion was unanimously approved.
Ms. Tobiassen made a motion, seconded by Mrs. Botti, to approve Personnel Memorandum #31, copy attached.
Ayes: Estrada, Geiger, Knapp, Perrino, Tobiassen, Botti, Crescenzo – 7. Noes: None. Motion was unanimously approved.
Ms. Tobiassen made a motion, seconded by Mr. Estrada, to approve the following resolution:
Be it resolved, that the services of a Probationary Teacher be terminated effective
May 28, 2005.
Ayes: Estrada, Geiger, Knapp, Perrino, Tobiassen, Botti, Crescenzo – 7. Noes: None. Motion was unanimously approved.
Superintendent-approved budget transfer #14 was presented.
Ms. McKean said that the Board has discussed reserve funds on numerous occasions during the budget planning process. She explained the purposes of reserve funds and said that there are many kinds of reserve funds, some which require voter approval to set up, some which require voter approval to spend funds, and some which can be set up by the Board of Education. Ms. McKean said that the District is currently investigating establishing reserves for tax certioraris and employee benefits.
Mrs. Botti made a motion, seconded by Mr. Estrada, to approve Special Services Memorandum #19, copy attached.
Ayes: Estrada, Geiger, Knapp, Perrino, Tobiassen, Botti, Crescenzo – 7. Noes: None. Motion was unanimously approved.
Ms. Tobiassen made a motion, seconded by Mrs. Knapp, to approve Financial Memorandum #17, copy attached.
Ayes: Estrada, Geiger, Knapp, Perrino, Tobiassen, Botti, Crescenzo – 7. Noes: None. Motion was unanimously approved.
Mr. Scott said that the groundbreaking for the Mechanicstown addition will be held on May 10.
Ms. Tobiassen made a motion, seconded by Mr. Estrada, to approve the following final payment:
Mechanicstown Electrical Contract
Harry F. Rotolo & Son $9,698.00
Ayes: Estrada, Geiger, Knapp, Perrino, Tobiassen, Botti, Crescenzo – 7. Noes: None. Motion was unanimously approved.
Ms. Tobiassen made a motion, seconded by Mrs. Knapp, to approve the following final payment:
Mechanicstown Plumbing Contract
T. M. Brennan $25,240.76
Ayes: Estrada, Geiger, Knapp, Perrino, Tobiassen, Botti, Crescenzo – 7. Noes: None. Motion was unanimously approved.
Ms. Tobiassen made a motion, seconded by Mr. Estrada, to approve the appointment of JMOA Engineering, PC, as Construction Manager for the Middletown High School Project.
Ayes: Estrada, Geiger, Knapp, Perrino, Tobiassen, Botti, Crescenzo – 7. Noes: None. Motion was unanimously approved.
Ms. Tobiassen made a motion, seconded by Mrs. Botti, approve the following resolution:
Be it resolved, that the Board of Education hereby authorizes School Business Administrator Elizabeth McKean and Superintendent of Buildings and Grounds Thomas Scott to negotiate a contract with JMOA Engineering, PC, for construction management services for the Middletown High School project.
Be it further resolved that this contract, funded from Capital Bond referendum funds, is not to exceed $796,000.
Ayes: Estrada, Geiger, Knapp, Perrino, Tobiassen, Botti, Crescenzo – 7. Noes: None. Motion was unanimously approved.
Mr. Scott said that the Mechanicstown will hold an open house celebration for the new addition on May 12.
No visitors asked to address the Board.
Roundtable:
Responding to an inquiry from Mr. Perrino, Ms. McKean said that the tax rate for the proposed 2005-2006 budget depends on municipal assessments and equalization rates. The equalization rates are not published until at least the end of June and the assessed values are not established until July 1. Dr. Eastwood said the initially proposed budget called for a tax levy increase of over 15%; however, at the direction of the Board, reductions were made in the proposed budget which resulted in a tax levy increase of 6.4%. He noted that the Board’s goal was to balance the issues of fiscal responsibility and educational integrity.
Mrs. Botti said that the draft Policy Manual prepared by Erie BOCES will be adopted at the May 18 meeting of the Board. The Superintendent will continue to work with Erie BOCES to develop new administrative regulations.
Discussion followed regarding the time at which Board meetings will be held. A trial period of starting the meetings at 7:00 p.m. has shown that this timeframe has been difficult for a number of Board members to accommodate.
Ms. Tobiassen made a motion, seconded by Mr. Estrada, to start Board of Education meetings at 6:30 p.m. if it is anticipated that the Board will require an early executive session, followed by the regular Board meeting to begin at 7:30 p.m.
Ayes: Estrada, Knapp, Perrino, Tobiassen, Botti, Crescenzo – 6. Noes: Geiger -1. Motion was declared approved.
Mr. Crescenzo reminded parents and students that scholarships must be applied for May 15.
Mr. Crescenzo also said that the 2005 vote on the school district budget will be held on May 17.
Mr. Geiger suggested a more appropriate venue for the June meeting at which teachers are given tenure. It will be determined if Twin Towers is available for the June 2 Board meeting.
At 9:45 p.m., Ms. Tobiassen made a motion, seconded by Mr. Estrada, to have an executive session to discuss the employment history of a particular person. Motion was unanimously approved.
Public session resumed at 10:20 p.m. There being no further business, the meeting was adjourned at this time.
Respectfully submitted,
Alicia E. Olsen
School District Clerk
ENLARGED CITY SCHOOL DISTRICT
OF MIDDLETOWN, NEW YORK
PUPIL PERSONNEL/SPECIAL SERVICES
MEMORANDUM #19
TO: Board of Education
FROM: Selena Fischer, Director for Pupil Personnel & Special Services
DATE: April 26, 2005
RE: Committee on Special Education/Committee on Preschool Special Education
Resolved, that the special programs and services required by the recommendations in the Pupil Personnel/Special Services Memorandum No. 19 dated April 26, 2005, shall be implemented by the Board of Education within the time period provided by law, and
Be it further resolved, that the proposed appointments set forth below to the CSE and CPSE are hereby confirmed.
1. COMMITTEE ON SPECIAL EDUCATION RECOMMENDATIONS REACHED AT THE FOLLOWING MEETING(S):
February 17, 22, 23, 24, March 2, 7, 8, 10, 15, 22, 2005
2. COMMITTEE ON PRESCHOOL RECOMMENDATIONS REACHED AT THE FOLLOWING MEETING(S):
April 11, 12, 18, 26, 2005
3. APPOINTMENTS TO COMMITTEE ON SPECIAL EDUCATION:
MEMBER NAME POSITION EFFECTIVE
4. APPOINTMENTS TO COMMITTEE ON PRESCHOOL SPECIAL EDUCATION:
MEMBER NAME POSITION EFFECTIVE
5. APPOINTMENTS OF SURROGATE PARENTS:
MEMBER NAME POSITION EFFECTIVE
ENLARGED CITY SCHOOL DISTRICT
OF MIDDLETOWN, NEW YORK
FINANCIAL MEMORANDUM #17
TO: Board of Education
FROM: Elizabeth McKean
DATE: April 26, 2005
RE: Financial Memorandum #17
1. Budget Transfer #9 Approved (attached)
2. Revenue & Expense Report approved (attached)
Resolved, that the Middletown Board of Education accepts the following reports for the month ending July 31, 2004: Treasurer’s Report and Expense Report
3. Cancellation and Refund of Taxes approved (attached)
4. Transportation Addenda for the 2004-05 School Year approved (attached)
5. Donation Accepted
Resolved, that the Middletown Board of Education accepts the donation of an auditory keyboard from the Vaillancourt family for use by a Special Education student. This device enables the user to type words which are then rendered audible at the press of a button.
6. Contract for Legal Services – General Counsel approved
Resolved, that the Middletown Board of Education approves the contract for legal services – general counsel with the firm of Donoghue, Thomas, Auslander & Drohan for the 2005-06 school year.