Hornell City School District > March 29, 2023

March 29, 2023

President Clark opened the meeting at 5:15 PM and led the Board/Public in the Pledge of Allegiance.

ROLL CALL:

PRESENT: Christopher Clark, Joseph Liberto, Meghann Khork, James Marino, Uzma Mehr, Kerry Davis

ABSENT: None

RESOLVED: BY: DAVIS/KHORK that, the agenda be approved as amended above.
CARRIED – 6 AYES – ALL

PUBLIC COMMENT

None

RECOMMENDED ACTIONS

PRESENTATIONS:

Student Government – Proposed Handbook Changes: Members of the HCSD HS Student Government presented the Board with a proposal to change the “hat” policy for the next school year. They presented the results of a recent survey they conducted with students, faculty and staff pertaining to the proposed changes. The Board thanked them for the time and effort they put into their proposal and indicated that they would take it into consideration when reviewing the policies for the new school year.

Food Service / Childhood Nutrition – Ad Hoc Committee: Superintendent Palotti shared with the Board information discussed in recent meetings of an ad hoc on improving food options offered in our cafeterias. The committee consists of members of the student body, administration and a Board member. Meetings will be ongoing.

Final Draft of 2023/24 Budget – Superintendent Palotti, together with School Business Official Patrick Flaitz shared an updated slide presentation with the Board with the final proposal of a balance budget to be approved by the Board for submission to a vote by the public on May 16, 2023. The presentation also highlighted plans for the future financial stability of the District.

REPORTS:

Construction Report: Andy Billotte’s (Welliver) presented the Board with an update on the current projects underway as well as the status of upcoming projects.

CELEBRATING SUCCESS:

  • Sean Gaffney, North Hornell Principal shared:
    • Lindsey Wilson organized our March Madness Book Challenge which is going on as we speak- The two finalists are: Do Not Open this Book by Andy Lee vs The Pout-Pout Fish by Deborah Diesen. We started with 16 books, and classes could vote on which book they wanted to move on to the next round. The kids have loved talking about the books they liked.
    • We had 4 kids that had Red Raider tickets pulled with their names and got to have lunch in my office. Always a fun time to listen and talk to the kids.
    • The weather turning warmer has allowed the kids to enjoy the playgrounds again
    • I would like to thank all of our substitutes for coming and working with our staff and students. We appreciate what they do for our building.
    • Thank you to the Speech department for working with our 1st-grade classes doing screenings
    • Teachers were busy with report card testing
    • We have had many people come into pick up registration packets for next school year; we are close to having 50% of our available spots filled in 4PK.
  • Dr. Julie Smith, Intermediate School Principal shared:
    • 4th grade attended a field trip to the Clemens Center to see a performance of Harriet Tubman and the Underground Railroad. Thank you to Jen Carretto and Liz Willsey for making all the arrangements.
    • Last week, we held a family event in collaboration with the Family Resource Center. The focus was on building Resilience in families. We also had a lot of agencies available to help connect families to support services. We had a great turn-out, with 72 families in attendance. Thank you to Tawnya and Tonya from the FRC and Katie Clark and Cassie Tyler for organizing the logistics!
    • We’ve continued with fantastic professional development for teachers this month. I specifically want to acknowledge the hard work that is being done in 5th grade, preparing for the 5th grade Science Assessment that will be implemented next year, with required labs. These teachers are being very proactive in preparing for this. They are working with our STEM coordinator, Charity Spencer.
    • Marking Period 2 is complete. We finished our assessments and see some continued growth of our students from below grade level to on or above grade level.
    • This Friday, we are looking forward to our MP2 assembly. We are trying to give the consistent message to parents and students that attendance in school every day matters, so planning our assemblies on the half days has been strategic in getting students to want to attend on those days.
  • Kate Wall, High School Assistant Principal shared:
  • The first week of March, we celebrated National Social Worker’s week, thank you Nicole Carey and Tracie Graham for all you do at HHS.
  • Varsity Girls Basketball-bringing the school’s first Section V title home to Hornell.
    • Congratulations to Maddie Moore on being named the Section V tournament MVP.
  • March 10th and 11th: Spring Musical Godspell: Thank you Mark Smith, cast and crew, and all the volunteers who made this event possible.
  • On March 21st, we held our first NHS in person induction ceremony since 2019. This year there were 26 inductees. These students were honored and celebrated with a delicious meal put on by Tracie McCarthy and other cafeteria staff, followed by the induction ceremony. That evening, Hornell Fire Chief Frank Brozowski was the honored speaker and spoke in front of inductees and
    families.

    • Thank you, Mike DeGaetano and Stepahnie Hurley(co-advisors for their support) and Tracie McCarthy and the cafeteria staff for all their hard work to provide the meal for the event.
  • On March 16th, our Senior High Band shared the stage at the Glazer Performing Arts Center at Nazareth College with the Canandaigua Academy Wind Ensemble. Dr. Jared Chase led both the ensembles in several selections. Prior to this performance, the band welcomed Dr. Jared Chase and Greg Kane (director of the Canandaigua Academy Wind Ensemble) at the rehearsals here at HHS.
  • March 16th: Junior High Band performance.
    • Choir trip to NYC: members of the high school choral ensembles traveled to NYC to compete at the World Strides on Stage Competition, we could not be more proud of how these students performed:

    • Senior High: Gold 1st place
    • Chamber choir: Gold 1st place
    • Treble Choir: Gold 1st place
    • Jazz Choir: Gold
    • The received the Sweepstakes Award for Best Choral Program
    • Receiving a festival of Gold Invitation to Carnegie Hall for Senior high choir, treble choir, and chamber choir
    • The Maestro Award for Outstanding Solo was given to Jasmine Jarbec, and Joseph Shick
    • The Adjudicator award for best overall in the Chamber Choir category.
      Congratulations to our student vocalists, Mr. VanLuewen, and all those who have supported the
      program.
  • BOCES students of the month: Sophia Harwood (New Visions Health Exploration), Karlie Parker (Cosmetology), and Riley Shull (CISCO Networking Academy)

SUPERINTENDENT ’S REPORT:

Superintendent Palotti shared information with the Board pertaining to options for future SROservices. We currently have two and a half shared between three buildings. Two fulltime through the Hornell Police Department and one half-time through the Steuben County Sheriff’s Department (shared with Arkport).

  • Everyone agreed that ideally it would be best to have three full-time to have one at each school building every day, all day. Ways to achieve this were discussed including whether or not the County could provide someone full-time, whether or not the HPD could provide another full-time officer and a third option was to contract through North Hornell Police Department to provide the SRO for the North Hornell School – they have proposed having a
    retired State Police Officer to fill this new position offering jurisdiction in the area of the school that the HPD does not have.
  • After a discussion of the above options it was noted that all although we are very satisfied with the SROs currently in place through the other agencies, the Board as a whole indicated they would be interested in looking further into the possibility of teaming up with the North Hornell PD to provide full-time coverage in the North Hornell School.

ROUTINE ITEMS

RESOLVED: BY: DAVIS/MEHR that, upon the recommendation of Superintendent Palotti to approves/accepts the following Consent Agenda items:

  • Approval of the minutes from the meeting of March 1, 2023.
  • Acceptance of the Student Activities Report of February 28, 2023.
  • Acceptance of the Appropriations Report of February 28, 2023.
  • Acceptance of the General Fund Budget Transfer Report of February 28, 2023.
  • Acceptance of the Treasurer’s Report of February 28, 2023.
  • Acceptance of the Revenue Report of February 28, 2023.
  • Acceptance of the Federal Funds Budget Transfer Report of February 28, 2023.
  • Acceptance of the Warrant Reports of February 28, 2023.
  • The Board has no objections to the recommendations of the Committee on Special Education and approves the authorization of funds to implement the special education programs and services consistent with such recommendations for the CSE meetings of March 1, 2, 7, 8, 9, 15, 16, 22, 23 and 27, 2023, the CPSE meetings of February 28, 2023 and March 7, 8 and 9, 2023 and the 504 meetings of March 1, 2, 8, 15, 22 and 28, 2023.

CARRIED – 6 AYES – ALL

OLD BUSINESS

NONE

NEW BUSINESS

POLICY/PROCEDURE

RESOLVED: BY: DAVIS/KHORK that, upon the recommendation of Superintendent Palotti, the Board approves the name
change of the Gay Straight Alliance to Genders and Sexuality Alliance.
CARRIED – 6 AYES – ALL

RESOLVED: BY: DAVIS/KHORK that, upon the recommendation of Superintendent Palotti, the Board authorizes Patrick Flaitz to dispose of the following miscellaneous items:

  • Items on list dated March 9, 2023
  • Items on list dated March 10, 2023
  • Items on list dated March 20, 2023
  • Items on list dated March 23, 2023
  • 1- Promethean Board – Asset tag # A00497645

CARRIED – 6 AYES – ALL

RESOLVED: BY: DAVIS/KHORK that, upon the recommendation of Superintendent Palotti, the Board accepts the following
books donated to the North Hornell Library in Memory of Sheryl Badeau:

  • Blue Bison Needs a Haircut by Scott Rothman – Donated by Michelle Lovell
  • Busy Betty by Reese Witherspoon – Donated by Patty Libordi
  • Oh, The Places You Will Go! by Dr. Seuss – Donated by Christopher Libordi &
    Carla (Libordi) Cline
  • No, Snowball by Isabella Kung – Donated by Julie Prunoske,
  • Sallie Bee Writes a Thank You Note by Courtney Sheinmel & Susan Verde – Donated by Linda Gleason, Sue Shull & Kathy Panter
  • My Fade is Fresh by Shauntay Grant, Goodnight, Sister by Katherine
  • Schwarzenegger Pratt, It’s Only One! by Tracey Corderoy & Tony Neal, Scaredy Bath by Zoe Foster Blake, The Umbrella by Jan Brett – Donated by Bonnie Smith
  • Waiting for Wings by Lois Ehlert, The Snowy Nap by Jan Brett – Donated by Lori (Smith) Corrigan
  • A Chef’s Tail in 13 Bites by Nikki Nakayama – Donated by Joanne Schiller
  • Tiptoe Tiger by Jane Clark – Donated by Barb Kramer
  • Little Blue Truck by Alice Schertle, Exploring Dinosaurs – Donated by Patti Clancy
  • All Are Neighbors by Alexandra Penfold & Suzanne Kaufman – Donated by Paula Glover
  • Fox in Socks by Dr. Seuss – Donated by Sue VanDerlinden
    Ladybug Girl by David Soman & Jacky Davis – Donated by Sue Cheryl Slatt
  • Ladybug Girl and Bingo, Ladybug Girl and the Rescue Dogs, Ladybug Girl at the Beach, Ladybug Girl and the Bumblebee Boy The Little Mouse, the Red Ripe Strawberry & the Big Hungry Bear by Don & Audrey Wood – Donated by Teri Mauro

    CARRIED – 6 AYES – ALL

FINANCE

RESOLVED: BY: DAVIS/KHORK that, upon the recommendation of Superintendent Palotti, the Board approves the Independent Contractor Agreement with Jacqueline Day to provide AIS services for the St. Ann’s Academy, effective September 1, 2022 through August 31, 2023.
CARRIED – 6 AYES – ALL

RESOLVED: BY: DAVIS/KHORK that, upon the recommendation of Superintendent Palotti, the Board approves the agreement with Foundation Design PC to do site boring inspections for the 2022
Capital Improvement Project.
CARRIED – 6 AYES – ALL

RESOLVED: BY: DAVIS/KHORK Whereas, on or about September 8, 2021, the Board passed a resolution authorizing litigation against JUUL LABS, INC.; and Whereas, the parties have reached a settlement of this litigation in the amount of $28,257.00 (less disbursements and fees). Now therefore be it resolved, that the Board approves the settlement of the JUUL LABS, INC. litigation in the amount of $28,257.00 (less disbursements and fees) and authorizes the Superintendent to execute any settlement documents on behalf of the Board.
CARRIED – 6 AYES – ALL

RESOLVED: BY: DAVIS/KHORK that, upon the recommendation of Superintendent Palotti, the Board approves the contract with Dr. Richard Ciccone, MD. for services pursuant to Section 913 of the NYS Education Law.
CARRIED – 6 AYES – ALL

RESOLVED: BY: DAVIS/KHORK that, upon the recommendation of Superintendent Palotti, the Board approves the 2023 Voting Machine Contract with the Steuben County Board of Elections.
CARRIED – 6 AYES – ALL

RESOLVED: BY: DAVIS/KHORK that, upon the recommendation of Superintendent Palotti, the Board approves the 2023-2024 school budget in the amount of $41,093,309.
CARRIED – 6 AYES – ALL

PERSONNEL

RESOLVED: BY: DAVIS/KHORK Motion to group agenda items IV. E. 3. a. through p. together for one action.
CARRIED – 6 AYES – ALL

RESOLVED: BY: DAVIS/KHORK that, upon the recommendation of Superintendent Palotti, the Board:

  • approves the termination of Jennifer Martin as Food Service Helper effective March 1, 2023;
  • approves the changing Melinda Gates appointment as LPN from 7 hours per day to 7.75 hours per day effective March 8, 2023;
  • accepts the resignation of Jessica Acor as Teacher Aide, effective March 18, 2023;
  • accepts the resignation of Jamie Morris as Teacher Aide, effective March 15, 2023;
  • accepts the resignation of Melinda Gates as LPN, effective at the end of the day on April 14, 2023;
  • approves the request of Habakka Feenaughty for an unpaid leave of absence from her position as Food Service Helper for the period of March 21, 2023 through April 10, 2023;
  • approves the permanent appointment of Timothy Miller as Cleaner, effective January 16, 2023;
  • approves the following additions to the Spring Coaching Assignments for the 2023 season, (pending proper certifications and clearances) with stipends as defined in the HEA Contract – Appointments are effective March 1, 2023.
    • Baseball: Mike Bassage Modified Head Coach
    • Softballl: Kara Capozza Modified Head Coach
    • Spring Faculty Manager: Jill Brown
    • Volunteer:
      • Aubrey Wilkins Track
      • Emily Wagner Softball
      • Rebecca Clifford Track
  • approves the appointment of Keala Briggs as a Student Lifeguard;
  • approves the following appointments for the Intermediate School After School
    • Program: Jennifer Carretto – Substitute (effective March 6, 2023)
    • Keelia Hamden – Substitute (effective March 13, 2023)
    • Mickey Carretto – Substitute (effective March 21, 2023)
  • approves request for an unpaid leave of absence of Kristen Gostomski for the term of April 12 11, 2023 through June 23, 2023. In addition, the Board also accepts the resignation of Kristen from her position as 2nd Grade Chair effective March 15, 2023;
  • approves the appointment of Jolynne Burritt as 2nd Grade Chair effective March 16, 2023 through the end of the 2022/23 school year;
  • accepts the resignation of Christopher vanLeeuven as Intermediate School Select Choir advisor and approve the appointment of Dawn Hopper as Intermediate School Select Choir advisor effective March 1, 2023;
  • approves the appointment of Robert Scherzer as a Regular Assigned Substitute
    effective March 7, 2023;
  • accepts the resignation for the purpose of retirement Penelope Smith as Elementary
    Teacher effective on June 30, 2023. (22 years of service);
  • approves the following changes to the substitute roster and other assignments, pending successful fingerprint clearance through the New York State Education Department and approval through DMV and or Civil Service if applicable:
    • Substitute Additions:
      • Jesseca Acor – (Effective 3/18/23) Teacher Aide, Uncertified Teacher
      • David Byrnes -Teacher Aide Shannon Gilbert – Certified Teacher
      • Zach Haynes – (Effective 3/16/23) Teacher Aide,
      • Typist, Laborer, Food Service Helper, Uncertified Teacher
      • Jamie Morris – Teacher Aide
      • Aubre Robinson – Teacher Aide
      • Rebecca Rose – Bus Attendant
      • Diane Sinclair – Laborer, Food Service Helper
      • Aubrey Wilkins – Teacher Aide, Typist, Food Service Helper
  • Remove:
    • Vincent Capluzzi – Typist, Teacher Aide, Laborer, Bus Attendant
    • September Carpenter – Food Service Helper, Laborer
    • Joan Flaitz – Typist, Teacher Aide, Laborer, Bus Driver, Bus Attendant, Food Service Helper

CARRIED – 6 AYES – ALL

Discussion:

Informational:

The next Regular Board of Education Meeting will be held on Wednesday, April 19, 2023 at 5:15 PM in the High School Library.

RESOLVED: BY: CLARK/MEHR that, at 6:27 PM the Board move to Executive Session to discuss a matter pertaining to particular personnel.
CARRIED – 6 AYES – ALL

RESOLVED: BY: DAVIS/MARINO that, at 7:35 PM the Board move return to Regular Session and the meeting be adjourned.
CARRIED – 6 AYES – ALL

Respectfully submitted,
Carol Eaton, District Clerk