Huntington School Board Notes
Huntington School Board members have approved an updated school calendar for the 2013/14 school year after several weather-related days off. Schools will now be open on Monday April 21 and Friday, May 23. Classes were originally not scheduled for either of those days.
Should there be another weather-related closing schools will also be open for classes on Monday, April 14. If there is a second additional closing a conference day for staff members will be held on Friday, June 27. It there is a third additional closing schools will be open for classes on Tuesday, April 15.
Trustees accepted a donation from the district’s Special Education PTA (SEPTA) in the amount of $5,334.90 to cover 10 mini-grant awards to teachers for various initiatives.
Trustees also accepted a donation from Arrow Electronics in the amount of $1,006.92 to cover costs associated with volunteer mentors (Arrow Electronics employees) in the Jack Abrams STEM Magnet School after-school robotics program.
Trustees also took the following actions during their public meeting on Monday, March 3:
• Granted tenure to English teacher Lauren Amendola, effective April 14.
• Accepted a donation of books from Target of Huntington Station Washington Primary School. The books are valued at $500. Target awards books to local schools through its Target Books for Schools program.
• Approved the appointment of Christina Droskoski as a long-term substitute reading teacher at Flower Hill School.
• Approved disposing of an HP laserjet FAX/printer, which is in poor condition.
• Approved non-instructional appointments for Timothy Gonyou (night custodian at Huntington High School) and Wanda Gonzalez (10-month clerk typist at J. Taylor Finley Middle School). Both appointments are effective March 4.
• Approved first readings of updated Huntington Board of Education policies related to purchasing, competitive bidding and offering; procurement of goods and services; alternative formats for instructional materials.
• Approved memorandum of agreements for new collective bargaining agreements with the district’s food service workers and nurses.
• Approved an agreement with SCOPE Education Services for a before and after-school child care program in the 2014/15 school year.
• Held public hearings on veterans’ tax exemptions recently authorized by state law.
• Appointed Shawn Anderson (varsity girls’ spring track) and Molly Burnett (assistant varsity girls’ lacrosse) as district athletic coaches.
• Approved additional work for Angela Berner related to resource preparation for the district’s K-2 Saturday Literacy Institute. She will work up to six days at $200 per day. The work is funded through a Title III grant.
• Approved additional work related to the delivery of professional development sessions for Angela Berner, Kimberly Schiller, Martha Reilly, Christine Barresi, Christine Lofaro and Joanne Cicio. They will each be paid $49.95 per hour for 14 hours of work. A Title IIA grant will cover the cost of the work.
• Approved Kathleen Aufiero and Joseph Leavy as co-coordinators of the district’s virtual Advanced Placement initiative. They will each be paid stipends of $3,667. The stipends are funded by a state grant.
• Authorized teachers Kathleen Aufiero, Deborah Beck, Lynn Corsetti-Hendricks, Terence Doran, Pearl Anna Fabela, JoAnn Ferazi, Kara Horn, Keith Mattis, John Pagano, Esmeralda Tello and Anthony Troffa to provide up to a combined total of 50 hours of Regents review sessions. They will be paid $49.95 per hour for their work.
• Authorized up to 150 hours of Regents review sessions for the June Regent exams. The teachers chosen to provide the sessions will be paid $49.95 per hour.
• Authorized up to 70 hours of Advanced Placement exam review sessions. The teachers chosen to provide the sessions will be paid $49.95 per hour.
• Approved Michael Ferreira to work as a teacher in the Finley after-school STEM program. He will be paid $49.95 per hour for up to 34 hours of work. A state grant will cover the stipend.
• Approved teachers Donna Moro and Brendan McGowan to provide up to 20 hours of work each related to aligning Common Core learning standards curriculum with New York State Education Department modules. They will be paid $49.95 per hour. A state grant will cover the cost of the work.
• Authorized teachers Kenneth Donovan (AP U.S. History) and Judith Pazienza (AP Physics I) to engage in curriculum writing. Mr. Donovan will work up to 18 hours at $49.95 per hour. Ms. Pazienza will work up to three days at $200 per day.
• Authorized Amarah Brys, Daisy Kramer and Gillian Sobocinski to work as substitute teachers on a per diem/as need basis. Substitute teachers are paid $100 per day.
• Authorized Gladys Mathurin to work as a substitute food service worker on a per diem/as needed basis. Substitute food service workers are paid $9 per hour.