Huntington School Board Notes
Huntington School Board members honored the Blue Devil marching band during a public meeting of trustees in the Jack Abrams STEM Magnet School auditorium. The band won the New York State Field Band Conference championship this fall.
The band’s championship performance on the Syracuse Carrier Dome turf field was played in its entirety for trustees and a crowd of about 300. The band received an ovation at the end of the ceremony that recognized the extraordinary efforts of the musicians, color guard and staff members, including co-directors Jason Giachetti and Brian Stellato.
A group of Flower Hill Primary School fourth graders made a multi-media presentation titled “Why We Love Flower Hill!” The youngsters took turns at the microphone and were exceptionally well-spoken. The presentation included a fast-paced video highlighting many of the educational and community service initiatives the children have been participating in.
Superintendent James W. Polansky made a short presentation on the recently passed state Smart Schools Bond Act that authorizes borrowing $2 billion. The Huntington School District is expected to receive an allocation of more than $1.4 million.
Trustees listened to a presentation by administrative intern Kerry Neira on the district’s food service program and wellness policy and future actions to consider. The presentation included a summation of surveys of students and parents about the food service program. The presentation is posted on the district’s website.
Trustees discussed district policies regarding the Audit Committee, Use of School District Intellectual Property, Testing Misconduct and Mandatory Reporting Requirements, Student Evaluation, Promotion and Placement and Supervision of Students. An administrative regulation on residency guidelines was also discussed.
Jill Sanders of Cullen and Danowski, the district’s external auditor presented the findings of the independent audit covering the 2013/14 school year. Ms. Sanders said the district is in overall fine fiscal shape. A full copy of the audit is posted on the district’s website along with audits from past years.
Trustees also discussed the 2015 budget and trustee election timeline.
Trustees also took the following actions:
• Approved a probationary appointment for speech teacher Jenna Milewski. She will be eligible for tenure on October 14, 2017.
• Approved a probationary appointment for teacher assistant Cynthia Vitulli. She will be eligible for tenure on December 22, 2017.
• Approved increased section assignments for social studies teacher Kimberly Finneran and ESL/foreign language teacher Mercedes Pena.
• Approved an increased part-time ESL teacher appointment for Nadine Araoz.
• Approved a long-term substitute art teacher appointment for Katelyn LaMay.
• Appointed adult education program instructors Devin Auricchio, Richard Gress, Anne Gunthner, Kelly Hatzmann, Chih Chuan Hsiao, Mark Kelly, Olena Kropp, Linda Kundla, Beth Laraia, Linda Leake, Chester Lukaszewski, Margaretha Maimone, Deidre Mayer, Robert Mayer, Kieran Mock, Johnnie Morales, Anna Naccarato, Michael Posner, Carlos Pumar Atay, Martha Reilly, Carmella Klein, Janeen Wasoski, Ellen Winter and Richard Wos. Instructors are paid stipends of $25 per hour.
• Appointed Nicole Cooper as an Earth science teacher in the alternative high school program. Craig McKee was authorized to serve as a substitute Earth science teacher. Alternative high school program teachers are paid stipends of $54.32 per hour.
• Appointed teacher Wendy Bonilla to the ESL Parent Academy staff. She was authorized to work up to 30 hours at a rate of pay of $49.95 per hour, which will be funded through a Title III LEP grant.
• Appointed teachers Megan Bennet, Angela Berner, Yesenia Cortes, Nancy Giorgos, Eileen Gonzalez, Vivian Joseph Doreen Karivalis, Karen Melara, Dimaris Ortega and Debra Ravo to the ESL Saturday Academy staff. They are authorized to work up to 40 hours at a rate of pay of $49.95 per hour, which will be funded through a Title III LEP grant.
• Authorized up to 70 hours of Advanced Placement exam review sessions. Teachers staffing the review will be paid $49.95 per hour.
• Authorized teachers Angela Berner and Alice Pancir to perform up to eight hours each of curriculum writing services for the district’s bridge program. They will be paid $49.95 per hour.
• Authorized up to 150 hours of June Regents and RCT review sessions. Teachers staffing the review will be paid $49.95 per hour.
• Authorized up to 50 hours of January Regents and RCT review sessions. Teacher staffing the review will be paid $49.95 per hour.
• Appointed Angela Berner (teacher) and Nancy Wilson (administrator) to the district’s Saturday Institute program staff. Ms. Berner will be paid $49.95 per hour for up to seven hours of work per week for up to 10 weeks. Ms. Wilson will be paid $200 per day for up to 12 days.
• Authorized the hiring of 35 teachers to staff the Saturday Institute. They can work up to 34 hours each at a rate of pay of $49.95 per hour.
• Authorized Angela Berner to perform up to 30 hours of curriculum writing for the Saturday Institute. She will be paid $49.95 per hour.
• Authorized Joanne Cicio, Christine Lofaro, Martha Reilly and Paula Shivers to perform up to 15 hours each of curriculum writing for the Saturday Institute. They will be paid $49.95 per hour.
• Appointed teachers Lauren Biscardi and Helen Guarino to the district’s Saturday virtual learning program staff. They were authorized to work up to 60 hours each at a rate of pay of $49.95 per hour, which is funded through a state grant.
• Appointed Bernadette Walsh and Camille DeCanio to staff the high school’s career internship program. Ms. Walsh will receive a stipend of $2,550. Ms. DeCanio will be paid $5,610.
• Approved a contract with CBIZ Valuation Group, LLC to conduct a physical valuation of the district’s buildings and contents and to compile New York State Insurance Reciprocal compliant insurance valuation reports and GASB-34 property cost accounting reports.
• Accepted the donation of a custom-made bench by Todd Sweetster of Sweetster Pools and Spa for use at Jack Abrams STEM Magnet School. The bench has an approximate value of $1,200.
• Approved a salary schedule change for Jefferson School teacher Evelyn D’Andraia, effective February 1.
• Appointed Stephen Sesterak as acting head custodian at Jack Abrams STEM Magnet School.
• Appointed Jose Rodriquez as lead night custodian at J. Taylor Finley Middle School.
• Appointed Lahmel Beard to serve as the district’s courier.
• Appointed Lori Bennett and Jeanne Dunn as 12-month senior clerk typists in the district’s human resources office.
• Approved district courier Samantha White’s retirement, effective October 18.
• Authorized Saul Baires and Caroline Rivas to provide verbal translation services during parent teacher conferences. They will be paid $35 per hour.
• Appointed Myriam Palacio and Silvia Lopez as ESL Saturday Academy teacher aides. They will work up to 40 hours each. Their stipends will be funded by a Title III LEP grant.
• Appointed Lori Bennett as an ESL Saturday Academy secretary. Her stipend will be funded by a Title III LEP grant.
• Approved a replacement district policy on Extended School Year Services and/or Programs.
• Authorized physical education teacher Marissa Bergmann to receive mileage reimbursement for her job related travel between school buildings.
• Authorized Superintendent James W. Polansky’s attendance at the annual Nassau/Suffolk Bar Assn. School Law Conference on December 8 in Hauppauge.
• Approved contracts with Apex Therapeutic Services, Brookville Center for Children’s Services, Inc., Developmental Disabilities Institute and the South Huntington UFSD.
• Authorized the addition of the following individuals to the district’s substitute employee list: Teacher aide: Debbie Harrison, Howard Quinn; Clerical: Julie Flores, Tonya Wilson; Custodian: Jeremy Coley; Food service worker: Ana Chavez DeRodezno, Sheena Jackson; Teacher: Catherine Alexander, Kerry Anderson, Kim Cotler, Michael Fabio, Jennifer Fazio, Abigail Simon, William Craig Sturges, Lauren Visbal.
• Authorized the addition of Whitman Village Housing Development Fund Corporation and That’s Entertainment, a for-profit performing arts competition company to the list of organizations permitted to use district facilities.
• Approved a contract with Vincent Tunstall of Merrick to conduct a financial aid workshop. He will be paid $600.
• Approved a contract with Heather Thorgersen of Medford to conduct a wide variety of SEARCH program workshops during the 2014/15 school year.
• Approved a bid award to NCD Communications, Inc. of Islandia for technology infrastructure fiber cabling related to the district’s technology upgrade capital project. The company will be paid $61,641.63 for the work,