Huntington School Board Notes
The establishment of a relief point at Jack Abrams Intermediate School for police shift changes in Huntington Station is inching closer to reality. During their meeting Monday night, trustees were updated on the initiative, which is aimed at improving security in the neighborhood surrounding the school.
“Since the last board meeting the district has entered into a contract for the installation of video cameras and door access at Jack Abrams School,” Assistant Superintendent David H. Grackin told Huntington School Board members. “These units will be used to provide security for the Suffolk County Police, the police officers’ vehicles, as well as, enabling the officers to enter the building when necessary. It is anticipated that this project will be completed by mid-January.”
At the meeting, trustees approved six long-term substitute teachers to cover the assignments of regular employees. The leave replacements include Margaret Dukoff (reading/Jefferson School), Marissa Bergmann (classroom/Woodhull School), Julie Wright (art/Huntington High School), Linda Kohan (social work/high school), Katherine Hicks (special education/Jack Abrams School) and Denise Fields (social work/high school).
Trustees also took the following actions:
• Granted tenure to Southdown School teacher assistants Melissa Sarducci and Meghan Woods, effective Feb. 1, 2010.
• Approved dozens of teachers and aides to work in after school elementary grade level support programs for English language arts and math. Teachers will be paid $47.07 per hour. Aides will be paid at varying rates. The program will run from Jan. 6 to April 22, 2010.
• Authorized Jefferson School teacher Jennie Higgins and Woodhull School reading teacher Karen Swanson to return from child care leaves of absence.
• Granted child care leaves of absence to Woodhull School special education teacher Kelly Trites (Jan. 25 – June 30, 2010) and high school special education teacher Patricia Anson (Nov. 9 – Jan. 29, 2010).
• Accepted the resignation of Flower Hill School aide Donald Burch, effective Dec. 18.
• Approved the hiring of full-time bilingual program aides Carol Palacio and Elina Mendoza. They will work at Washington School and be paid $12.59 per hour.
• Authorized high school student Jenna Wallshein to work as a lab assistant at the rate of $7.25 per hour.
• Approved Gilda Suriano as the lead food service worker at Washington School.
• Approved a series of budget transfers from one account to another to cover the costs associated with Mad Science workshops ($1,200), SMART Board installations ($6,000), principal supplies at Jack Abrams School ($1,178.69), supplies for special education life skills program ($500), special education computer software ($1,250), protocols for special education testing ($450), computer software and supplies for new 6:1:2 special education class at J. Taylor Finley Middle School ($500), computer replacements in the Office of Human Resources ($3,000).
• Approved a consultant services contract with the Hofstra University School of Education, Health & Human Services in the amount of $5,000 for 17.5 hours of professional development workshops on Neurodevelopmental Constructs, Developing Differentiated Assessments, Universal Design for Learning: Making Differentiated Instruction Work and Problem Solving through Root Cause Analysis.
• Awarded a bid for the purchase of a steam generator for the food service program to Bar Boy Products, Inc. in the amount of $9,749. Seven vendors were mailed bids and five responded.
• Awarded a bid for Garaventa Genesis Stage Lift to Handi-Lift, Inc. in the amount of $15,995. Two vendors were mailed bids and one responded.
• Approved a contract change order in the amount of $3,772 related to a capital project at Woodhull Intermediate School. The change covers the costs associated with a new fire alarm dialer ($2,509) and two additional motion detectors and programming for two rooms ($1,263). The contractor is Roland’s Electric, Inc. of Deer Park.
• Approved a contract change order in the amount of $1,800 related to a capital project at Flower Hill Primary School. The change covers the cost associated with installing the control system for the new public address system in the custodian’s office and a remote PA system rack in the main office. The change will allow for more floor space in the main office. The contractor is Locust Valley Electric of Glen Cove.
• Authorized the execution of a special education services contract with the Oyster Bay-East Norwich Central School District.
• Trustees approved a resolution providing for the universal availability of all employees to participate in a 403(b) plan.
• Approved a change in assignment for Joanne Grofik from clerk typist to senior clerk typist, effective Dec. 8.
• Appointed J. Taylor Finley Middle School advisors Frank Battista (wind ensemble), Deborah Kim (honor string ensemble), Josephine Rosado (show choir) and Christopher Scarnato (jazz ensemble).
• Authorized science teacher Joseph Cohen to work in the alternative high school program. He will be paid at the rate of $51.19 per hour.
• Approved the addition of teachers Lauren Ausubel, Michael Board, Amanda Brown, Kelli-Ann Connors, Christopher Grote and Nancy Walton; teacher aides Ava Miranda, Michael Gedacht, Karen Bruechert, Dawn Coleman, Leslie Cook, Lauren DiGoia, Christopher Orbi and Bianka Brito; clerical workers Leslie Cook, Dawn Coleman, Ava Miranda and Karen Bruechert, security guard Michael Gedacht and custodian Thomas Calderaro to the list of authorized substitute employees.
• Appointed Woodhull School advisors Todd Hiscox (art club, drama director), Amanda Smimkin (assistant drama director), Martha Ironman (newspaper), Christine Barresi (student government) and Martha Reilly (student government).
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