Huntington School Board Notes
The Huntington School Board honored the directors and members of the Young Leaders organization, which has been active in the community through its work with several hundred teenagers at Huntington High School and other area schools. Trustees took the action near the beginning of their public meeting at Jack Abrams School this past Monday evening.
Kevin Thorbourne and Kevin Zaharios, two of the group's leaders, were on hand along with several dozen young man and woman from the organization. Mr. Thorbourne spoke briefly about what Young Leaders seeks to accomplish through its civic-minded activities and some of its future plans, including tutoring elementary school students.
The Huntington School Board presented the group with a handsome plaque, commemorating another successful year for the organization, which has assisted with several community clean-up and beautification initiatives.
Booster Club Presentation
Huntington Booster Club President Timothy Pillion made a five minute presentation about the club and how it goes about supporting the district's athletic program. In the past six years, the Huntington Booster Club has raised and donated nearly $200,000 to the district.
Mr. Pillion discussed the club's grant program, which is open to athletic teams spread across grades 7-12 and other initiatives, such as the Devil's Den, which provides equipment to student-athletes that cannot afford to purchase the items. He said the group wants to build its membership ranks and hopes to see a big turnout at its golf outing on Monday, October 8 at Indian Hills Country Club. The event will honor retired physical education teacher and coach Pete Sansiviero.
Superintendent Explains Waiver Process
Superintendent James W. Polansky made a PowerPoint presentation on the Elementary and Secondary Education Act waiver accountability process. Trustees asked various questions during the presentation concerning the district's efforts to have every student meet or exceed state academic standards. The PowerPoint presentation is available on the district's website at www.hufsd.edu.
Trustees also discussed the issue of community organizations asking for a waiver of facility use fees assessed to outside groups.
Trustees also took the following actions:
• Granted J. Taylor Finley Middle School special education teacher Krista Fee a leave of absence effective Sept. 21 through Dec. 14 (approximately).
• Approved a change order for a summer capital project that involved removing the original in-ground oil tank at Flower Hill School and replacing it with a new one. The change order allowed for a $10,000 reduction in the amount of the contract related to the project.
• Discussed and adopted a set of eight goals for the 2012/13 school year.
• Approved a part-time (.5) appointment for physical education teacher Louis Giani.
• Approved a part-time (.4) appointment for Southdown School music teacher Jessica Castaneda.
• Approved a long-term substitute teaching appointment for Pamela Jacovina (Woodhull School/music), effective Sept. 11 through June 30, 2013.
• Authorized the transfer of $15,740.69 from the Employee Benefit Accrued Liability Reserve to the district's general fund to cover the cost of a sick day allotment for retiring employee.
• Approved long-term substitute special education teaching appointments for Doreen Ellis (Sept. 11 through approximately Dec. 14 and Lisa Caporusso (Sept. 11 through Nov. 19). The two faculty members will work as special education teachers at J. Taylor Finley Middle School.
• Authorized Raffaela Montesano, Angela Berner, Donnamarie O'Shaughnessy, Kimberly Schiller and Lauren Amendola to provide professional development workshops for faculty members. Their hourly stipends will be covered by a Title IIA grant.
• Approved the Blue Devil marching band's overnight field trip to the state championships in Syracuse.
• Approved salary schedule changes for teachers Denise Reinesch, Arlette Hall Connolly and Patricia Tagliente, who completed graduate level coursework.
• Approved non-instructional appointments for Donna Cama (10-month senior clerk typist/Huntington High School), Elyssa Feliciano-Keefe (three-hour monitor/Woodhull School), Marie Nardelli (three-hour monitor/Flower Hill School) and Regina Sineno (three-hour monitor/Woodhull School).
• Authorized the addition of Melissa Conroy (clerical) and Daniel Greco (food service) to the list of approved substitute employers. Substitute clerical workers earn $10.50 per hour while substitute food service workers are paid $9 per hour.
• Approved a budget transfer from one account code to another in the amount of $1,973 to cover the purchase of document cameras for the Huntington High School social studies department.
• Authorized the addition of Devin Auricchio, Susan Nastro, Christina Troiano, Sara Winterling, Julian Watts, Filomena Ricciardi, Carlos Pumar and Michael Macolino to the district's substitute teacher list. They will be paid $90 per diem on an as-needed basis.
• Approved two consultant services contract with ProHealth to conduct baseline neurological tests and post-injury tests of Huntington student-athletes during the 2012/13 school year. ProHealth is located at 755 Park Avenue, Suite 309 in Huntington. The contracts are related to the district's new concussion policy, which was required by the state.