March 13, 2024 minutes

Date: March 13, 2024

Kind of Meeting: Regular

Place: Herkimer Middle-High School District Library

Members Present: Brian Crandall, Diann Fischer, Michele Gilbert, Joseph Lamanna, Robert Mihevc, Scott Petucci, Aleksander Verenich

Members Absent: None

Others Present: Kathleen Carney, Superintendent, Chad Hess, Gina McKernan, Zachary Abbe, Maria Lindsay, Nicole Crandall, Renee Vogt, Cristi Paragi, Michelle Ploss, Correne Holmes, Various Staff and Various Students

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President Crandall called the meeting to order at 6 p.m. and the Pledge of Allegiance was said.

President Crandall stated:

“The Board of Education welcomes public comments and community input at our meetings. However, we caution speakers that we are not authorized to engage in conversations pertaining to individual students, faculty, staff, or administrators. Topics of this nature may only be discussed during the Executive Session and must be coordinated with the Superintendent prior to a Board meeting. We ask that the public comments are no more than five minutes.”

Public Comment:

None

Approval of the Agenda:

Ms. Fischer moved, and Mr. Petucci seconded a motion to formally approve the consent agenda as submitted. All voted in favor; motion carried 7:0

Board Recognition:

The Board recognized the Herkimer High School students that were chosen to have their artwork displayed for Youth Art Month. Herkimer students had their artwork on display at the board meeting. Ms. Paragi announced the 2023-2024 winter scholar athletes. They were given a certificate along with a pin.

Approval of the Minutes:

Mr. Lamanna moved, and Mr. Petucci seconded a motion to formally approve the Board of Education regular meeting minutes from Wednesday, February 14, 2024. All voted in favor; motion carried 7:0 (Material filed in the supplemental file dated 3-13-24)

Approval of Financial Reports:

Upon the recommendation of Superintendent Carney, on a motion made by Ms. Fischer, seconded by Mr. Lamanna, the Board approved the following financial reports:

• Treasurer’s Report – February 2024
• General Warrant – February 2024
• Internal Claims Auditors Exception Report– February 2024
• Extracurricular Summary Report – February 2024
• Budget Transfer under $5,000

On a motion made by Mr. Lamanna, seconded by Ms. Gilbert, the Board approved the following financial report:

• Budget Transfer over $5,000

All voted in favor; motion carried 7-0 (Material filed in the supplemental file dated 3-13-24)

Appointment of Election Workers

Ms. Fischer moved, and Mr. Lamanna, seconded the following Board appointments:

Name: Robert Nasypany
Title: Coordinator
Hours: 12:00 – 8:00 p.m.
Rate of Pay: $39.60

Name: Franca Wandell
Title: Chief Inspector/Chairperson
Hours: 12:00 – 8:00 p.m.
Rate of Pay: $17.50

Name: Elena Scalise
Title: Inspector
Hours: 12:00 – 4:00 p.m.
Rate of Pay: $17.50

Name: Louise Carney
Title: Inspector
Hours: 12:00 – 4:00 p.m.
Rate of Pay: $17.50

Name: Maria Mackenzie
Title: Inspector
Hours: 4:00 – 8:00 p.m.
Rate of Pay: $17.50

Name: Susan Steele
Title: Inspector
Hours: 4:00 – 8:00 p.m.
Rate of Pay: $36.17

All voted in favor; motion carried 7:0 (Materials filed in the supplemental filed dated 3-13-24)

Ms. Fischer moved, and Mr. Petucci seconded the following Board resolution:

“BE IT RESOLVED, Herkimer CSD has the need for an independent contractor to perform speech language therapy services set forth herein and enters into such an agreement with Speech-Language Therapy of Central New York, LLC, and

WHEREAS, it is the Districts desire to enter into this agreement from September 1, 2024 thru June 30, 2025; per terms and conditions of the agreement.”

All voted in favor; motion carried 7:0 (Materials filed in the supplemental filed dated 3-13-24)

Superintendent Updates:

• Superintendent Carney and Business Manager Hess did a presentation on the 2024-2025 Budget
• Superintendent Carney acknowledged the scholar athletes and the national art youth
• Honor program sent 4 to BOCES
• April 8 = Solar Eclipse
• Musical March 21, 22, 23
• March 15th Safety drill

Administrative Reports:

Ms. Vogt, Mr. Abbe and Ms. Lindsay reports were reviewed with the BOE. Discussions followed.

CSE/CPSE Program/Placement Recommendations:

Upon the recommendation of Superintendent Carney, on a motion made by Ms. Fischer, seconded by Mr. Lamanna, the BOE approved the Sub-Committee on Special Education and the Committee on Preschool Special Education program/placement recommendations as presented.

All voted in favor; motion carried 7:0 (Material filed in the supplemental file dated 3-13-24)

STAFFING RECOMMENDATIONS:

Upon the recommendation of Superintendent Carney, on a motion by Ms. Fischer, seconded by Ms. Gilbert, the BOE approved the following personnel actions as presented. All voted in favor; motion carried 7:0 (Material filed in the supplemental file dated 3-13-24)

Teaching Appointments:

NAME: Kozma, Krista
TENURE AREA(s): Physical Education
DATE OF COMMENCEMENT OF PROBATIONARY SERVICE IN EACH TENURE AREA: March 18, 2024
EXPIRATION DATE OF PROBATIONARY APPOINTMENT: March 17, 2027
To the extent required by the applicable provisions of Education Law Section 2509, 2573, 3213 and 3014, in order to be granted tenure, the classroom teacher or building principal shall have received composite or overall annual professional performance review ratings pursuant to Education Law 3012-d of either effective or highly effective in at least two (2) of the three (3) preceding years. If the classroom teacher or building principal receives an ineffective composite or overall rating in the final year of the probationary period, he or she shall not be eligible for tenure at that time. For purposes of this subdivision, classroom teacher and building principal mean a classroom teacher or building principal as such terms are defined in Sections 30-2.2 and 30-3.2 of the Part.
Effective: March 18, 2024
SALARY: Step 10 2021-2025 Herkimer Faculty Association Contract

NAME: Gayhart, Shannon
TENURE AREA(s): Students with Disabilities (7-12)
DATE OF COMMENCEMENT OF PROBATIONARY SERVICE IN EACH TENURE AREA: August 29, 2024
EXPIRATION DATE OF PROBATIONARY APPOINTMENT: August 28, 2028
To the extent required by the applicable provisions of Education Law Section 2509, 2573, 3213 and 3014, in order to be granted tenure, the classroom teacher or building principal shall have received composite or overall annual professional performance review ratings pursuant to Education Law 3012-d of either effective or highly effective in at least three (3) of the four (4) preceding years. If the classroom teacher or building principal receives an ineffective composite or overall rating in the final year of the probationary period, he or she shall not be eligible for tenure at that time. For purposes of this subdivision, classroom teacher and building principal mean a classroom teacher or building principal as such terms are defined in Sections 30-2.2 and 30-3.2 of the Part.
Effective: August 29, 2024
SALARY: Step 6 2021-2025 Herkimer Faculty Association Contract

NAME: Schneider, Christen
TENURE AREA(s): Students with Disabilities (7-12)
DATE OF COMMENCEMENT OF PROBATIONARY SERVICE IN EACH TENURE AREA: March 14, 2024
EXPIRATION DATE OF PROBATIONARY APPOINTMENT: March 13, 2028
To the extent required by the applicable provisions of Education Law Section 2509, 2573, 3213 and 3014, in order to be granted tenure, the classroom teacher or building principal shall have received composite or overall annual professional performance review ratings pursuant to Education Law 3012-d of either effective or highly effective in at least three (3) of the four (4) preceding years. If the classroom teacher or building principal receives an ineffective composite or overall rating in the final year of the probationary period, he or she shall not be eligible for tenure at that time. For purposes of this subdivision, classroom teacher and building principal mean a classroom teacher or building principal as such terms are defined in Sections 30-2.2 and 30-3.2 of the Part.
Effective: March 14, 2024
SALARY: Step 9 2021-2025 Herkimer Faculty Association Contract

Short Term Substitute:

Name: Feane, Halle
Position: 6th Grade Science
Location: Jr/Sr High School
Effective Date: On/About April 22, 2024 – June 30, 2024
Salary: Annual Payment Guidelines for Substitute

Name: Lyga, Ellen
Position: 6th Grade Social Studies
Location: Jr/Sr High School
Effective Date: On/About April 22, 2024 – June 30, 2024
Salary: Annual Payment Guidelines for Substitute

Substitute:

Name: Jacobs, Mason
Location: District Wide
Effective Date: March 14, 2024 – June 30, 2024
Salary: Annual Payment Guidelines for Substitute

Coaching Recommendation:
2023-2024 Spring Interscholastic Coaching Appointment*:
Name: Palmer, Jordan
Appointment: Boys Varsity Tennis
Salary: $2,300

*Conditioned upon a sufficient number of schools participating to merit a season with sufficient student participation to field a team

2023-2024 Spring Interscholastic Unpaid Coaching Appointments:

Couchman, Brett – Varsity Track Assistant Coach
Watkins, Matthew – Baseball Assistant Coach

Board of Education:

President Crandall discussed the BOCES annual Meeting/Board of Education Nominations and also the HCSD BOE Award. Next BOE meeting is scheduled for Wednesday, April 17, 2024.

On a motion made by Ms. Gilbert, seconded by Ms. Fischer, the BOE entered Executive Session at 7:37 for the purpose of legal and personnel issues. The Board may take action in public session after the Executive Session ends and the Board returns to public session. All voted in favor; motion carried 7:0

Executive Session:

The Board moved into Executive Session at 7:45 p.m.
The Board exited Executive Session at 8:45 p.m.

Adjournment:

On a motion made by Ms. Gilbert, and seconded by Mr. Lamanna, the BOE adjourned the public meeting at 8:47 p.m. All voted in favor 7:0

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Gina A. McKernan
District Clerk