Huntington School Board Notes
Huntington School Board members unanimously approved retirement requests submitted by five teachers, including Laraine Schirripa, (Woodhull, math), Leslie Pond (Southdown/Jefferson, math), Georganne White (Washington/Flower Hill, librarian), Denise Smith (Woodhull, librarian) and Stephen Henry (Huntington High School, physical education). Each of the faculty members is retiring at the close of business on June 30.
Trustees approved the probationary appointment of Sarah Gill as district director of fine and performing arts, effective July 1. She will be replacing Joan R. Fretz, who is retiring following many years of service to the district.
Trustees also approved tenure recommendations for Kitty Klein-Rabinowitz (district director of guidance), Marybeth Robinette (district director of math and testing), Lauren Baglivi (guidance counselor), Victoria Lombardi (English teacher) and Gina Trigian-Molvaut (foreign language teacher).
Trustees also took the following actions:
• Granted leaves of absence to elementary classroom teachers Angela Berner and Ronald Wilson for the 2013/14 school year in order for them to serve the district in other positions. Ms. Berner will be continuing her work as the district's English language arts coordinator for grades K-6 and Mr. Wilson will continue working as a dean at Huntington High School.
• Authorized Southdown/Washington music teacher John Patrick Murphy to work as a long-term substitute through the end of the school year.
• Engaged in an assessment of the Huntington School Board's 2012/13 goals.
• Recognized the service of retiring trustees Richard McGrath and John P. Paci III.
• Appointed Jacqueline Germain to work as a three-hour monitor at Woodhull School, effective June 4.
• Rescinded the excessing of elementary classroom teachers Mark Helstrom and Carol Coffey for the 2013/14 school year.
• Granted a leave of absence to district maintenance mechanic Robert Norton through June 30.
• Accepted the resignation of Woodhull School monitor Debra Roday, effective at the close of business on May 24.
• Approved high school special education teacher Carol Emmerman to return from a leave of absence, effective September 1.
• Authorized the addition of the Emmanuel Seventh Day Adventist Church and the Good News New York Church to the list of organizations permitted to use district facilities.
• Authorized business office employees Fran Lewandowski, Robin Murray and Mary Ann Sarsfield to be reimbursed for mileage incurred in the performance of their duties.
• Authorized the addition of Christian Nursing Registry, Inc. to the list of vendors approved to provide nursing services in 2013/14.
• Awarded a request for proposals for occupational and physical therapy services in 2013/14 to Metro Therapy, Inc., Mid-Island Therapy Associates d/b/a All About Kids, New York Therapy Placement Services, Inc. and Kathy Schutzer, OTR/L.
• Certified the results of the district's May 21 election.
• Approved a joint municipal cooperative bidding resolution related to tutorial and special education services for students for 2013/14.
• Approved a bid award for computer repair services in 2013/14 to NPA Computers at a cost of $58,712.
• Approved a bid award for in-car driver education instruction to East Meadow Driving School at a cost of $325 per pupil.
• Approved budget transfers from one account code to another to cover the costs associated with transportation for the fine and performing arts department ($5,000), transportation for the Saturday Institute ($25,000), athletic department post-season expenses ($1,450) and Mathletes team participation in an awards dinner reception at the Watermill in Smithtown ($282).
• Approved a bid award for electrical services in 2013/14 to R&T Electric.
• Approved a bid award for integrated pest management in 2013/14 to Bug Fighters Etc., Inc. at a cost of $6,864.
• Approved a bid award for lumber supplies in 2013/14 to Nassau-Suffolk Lumber & Supply Corp.
• Approved a bid award for maintenance of kitchen equipment in 2013/14 to FV Sterns & Sons, Inc. as a cost of $75 per hour, including hours after the regular school day and 25 percent off the catalog price for materials.
• Approved a bid award for musical instructional equipment in 2013/14 to Bethel Music, Interstate Music, NEMC, Southwest Strings and Weiner Music.
• Approved a bid award for musical instrument repair in 2013/14 to Gil Brienes Music, Ltd. at a cost of $15,989.
• Approved a split bid award for the printing of various district newsletters in 2013/14 to Ocean Printing and Tobay Printing, Inc.
• Approved a bid award for refrigeration services in 2013/14 to CJ Martin Enterprises, Inc. at a labor cost of $68 per hour from 7 a.m. to 5 p.m. and $75 per hour for "after hours" and 15 percent off the catalog price for materials.
• Approved a special education services contract with ASCENT – A School for Individuals with Autism in Deer Park.
• Approved contracts for health and welfare services for the 2012/13 school year with the Commack and South Huntington school districts.
• Approved dozens of appointments related to the district's summer special education programs.
• Authorized teachers Kimberly Schiller, Lauren Amendola, Jennifer DiMattei, Matthew Perlongo and Vincent Tannazzo to work in the district's summer virtual learning program. They will each be paid $48.97 per hour for up to 45 hours. Trustees also authorized the hiring of up to 10 mentors at the rate of $48.97 for up to 30 hours. The stipends will be covered by a state grant.
• Authorized Talia Soto (clerical), Rita Nicchia (food service), Lonnie James (buildings and grounds), Nicolas Sesterak (buildings and grounds) and Kenneth Cofield (security) to work as substitute employees on an as-needed basis in 2012/13.
• Appointed more than two dozen fall season athletic coaches.
• Approved the transfer of funds in the amount of $52,262 from the employee benefit accrued liability reserve to the general fund to cover the costs of sick day entitlements to four employees who retired in the past year.