February 24, 2021 Board of Education Minutes

Board of Education Business Meeting

Cohoes, New York
February 24, 2021, 6:00 PM
Live Streamed per Governor’s Executive Order 202.93

(The Board of Education may entertain a motion to enter into an executive session subject to Board approval.)

Minutes

I. The Meeting was called to order at 5:30 p.m. by Board President, Mr. Nolin.

ROLL CALL

Present:

• Mrs. Giller
• Mr. Pascale
• Mr. Jackson
• Mrs. Dion
• Mrs. Carey
• Mr. Annely
• Mr. Nolin

Also Present:

• Ms. Peggy O’Shea, Interim Superintendent of Schools
• Mrs. Stacy Mackey, School Business Official

MOTION: THAT the Board of Education enters into Executive Session at 5:30 p.m. to discuss matters leading to the appointment, employment, promotion, demotion, discipline, suspension, dismissal or removal of a particular person or corporation.

Moved by: Mr. Nolin
Seconded by: Mrs. Giller
All voted “Aye”
Motion carried 7-0

EXECUTIVE SESSION: TIME: 5:31 PM

Present:

• Mrs. Giller
• Mr. Pascale
• Mr. Jackson
• Mrs. Dion
• Mrs. Carey
• Mr. Annely
• Mr. Nolin

Also Present:

• Ms. Peggy O’Shea, Interim Superintendent of Schools
• Mrs. Stacy Mackey, School Business Official

DISCUSSION

MOTION: To adjourn Executive Session and re-enter Open Session at 5:59 p.m.

Moved by: Mrs. Giller
Seconded by: Mr. Nolin
All voted “Aye”
Motion carried 7-0

ROLL CALL

Present:

• Mrs. Giller
• Mr. Pascale
• Mr. Jackson
• Mrs. Dion
• Mrs. Carey
• Mr. Annely
• Mr. Nolin

Also Present:

• Ms. Peggy O’Shea, Interim Superintendent of Schools
• Mrs. Stacy Mackey, School Business Official

II. DISTRICT REPORTS

BUDGET UPDATES

1. NYS Budget by Assemblymember John McDonald III
2. IT by Sylvi Joseph, Director
3. Building & Grounds by James Stapleton, Director
4. Special Education by Erin Hill, Director and Karen Ronesi, Assistant Director
5. Fall 2 High Risk Sports by Jeff Huneau, Athletic Director
6. Communicable Disease-Pandemic Continuity of Operations Plan by Ms. O’Shea

III. BOARD OF EDUCATION DISCUSSION OF AGENDA ITEMS

The Board thanked all the volunteer coaches listed on the agenda for Fall II Sports and the CTA for approving the MOU on tonight’s agenda for allowing bargaining members to volunteer to advise approved extracurricular activities.

IV. COMMUNITY DISCUSSION OF AGENDA ITEMS

E-mails from the community were read aloud and discussed.

V. OLD BUSINESS

VI. REPORT FROM MEMBERS OF THE BOARD OF EDUCATION

1. THAT the Board of Education accepts the Minutes of the Board of Education Meetings of February 8, 2021 and February 10, 2021.
2. THAT the Board of Education accepts the Minutes of the Committee on Special Education for the following dates: 12/15/20, 01/05/21, 01/06/21, 01/07/21, 01/12/21, 01/14/21, 01/21/21, 01/22/21, 02/04/21, 02/05/21, 02/09/21 and 02/11/21.
3. THAT the Board of Education appoints the following individuals as Election Inspectors and/or Substitutes for the May 18, 2021 School Board Election and Budget Vote to be compensated in the amount of $100 each:
   • Badger, Christine
   • Jones, James
   • Bronakowski, Carol
   • McCrea, John
   • Brown, Pamela
   • Morgans, Iverna
   • Defruscio, Mark
   • Murray, Sandra
   • Dominy, Cathy
   • Pompey, Carol
   • Donovan, Kathleen
   • Sanders, Debra
   • Farrigan, Sheila
   • Scattergood, Marilyn
   • Flavin, Lori
   • Sibilia, Patricia
   • Frainier, Michelle
   • Sponable, Carol
   • Hawk, Michele
   • Tallman, Donna
   • Ivery, Catherine
4. THAT the Board of Education adopts the following policies:
   • 0000 Mission Statement & Vision
   • 0200 Commitments & Beliefs

VII. RECOMMENDATIONS FROM THE SUPERINTENDENT – PERSONNEL

INSTRUCTIONAL

1. THAT the Board of Education creates the following position:
   0.6 FTE English (CMS)
   Effective: February 24, 2021
2. BE IT RESOLVED that the Board of Education of the Cohoes City School District hereby reinstates John Dundon from the seniority/recall list, pursuant to Education Law §3013, to a 1.0 FTE position in the English tenure area, effective February 22, 2021.
3. BE IT RESOLVED THAT the Board of Education of the Cohoes City School District appoints the following individual to the Long-Term Substitute Teacher list on an emergency conditional basis.

   BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED THAT this appointment is made on an emergency conditional basis and subject to both a statement from the individual regarding criminal conviction(s) or pending criminal charges and the receipt of criminal background clearance from the Commissioner of Education. The individual’s continued employment is specifically contingent upon the District’s receipt of notice from the Commissioner of Education that she is fully cleared for employment.

   Rachel Abbatiello
   Position ………………………………………………………….. Long-Term Substitute Teacher
   Tenure Area ……………………………………………………………………….Special Education
   Effective Date ……………………………………….. March 1, 2021 through May 14, 2021
   Salary ……………………………………………………….. Step 1 of the current CTA contract
   Reason… ……………………………………………………………….. Replaces Amanda Barrett

4. BE IT RESOLVED THAT the Board of Education of the Cohoes City School District hereby appoints the following individual to the Cleaner Substitute list, subject to the rules of the Cohoes Civil Service Commission on an emergency conditional basis in accordance with the Civil Service Rules such appointments are a temporary appointment.
   Ryan Nolan
   Effective: February 22, 2021

   ADDENDUM

5. WHEREAS, the Governor of New York authorized interscholastic high-risk sports to begin on February 1, 2021 at the discretion of county public health departments.

   WHEREAS, the Albany County Department of Health has authorized interscholastic high-risk sports to resume under certain circumstances including the creation of sport-specific preparedness plans for each high-risk sport which are approved by the district’s school physician/medical director, obtaining informed consent from parents/guardians, medical clearance from the student-athlete’s healthcare provider and approval by district boards of education for each high-risk sport.

   WHEREAS, the Albany County Department of Health also identified community COVID-19 metrics that must be met in order for interscholastic high-risk sports to resume including a seven-day rolling average percent positivity rate in the county must be at or below 4% and hospital bed capacity must be above 15% in the capital region.

   WHEREAS, the Cohoes City School District obtains both informed consent from parents and student-athlete medical clearance with its Family ID registration program.

   WHEREAS, the Interim Superintendent of Schools, in coordination with the Athletic Director, created sport-specific preparedness plans for each high-risk sport that has been reviewed by the School Physician.

   WHEREAS, the School Physician, Dr. DiTursi, at this time has approved the sport-specific preparedness plans for Varsity Football and Girls Varsity and Junior Varsity Volleyball.

   WHEREAS, the Board of Education believes that interscholastic sports are an important component of a student’s experience.

   NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED, that the Board of Education of the Cohoes City School District, upon recommendation of the Interim Superintendent of Schools, hereby authorizes the resumption of Varsity Football once the community COVID-19 metrics established by the Albany County Department of Health are met.

   BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that the Board of Education of the Cohoes City School District, upon recommendation of the Interim Superintendent of Schools, hereby authorizes the resumption of Girls Varsity and Junior Varsity Volleyball once the community COVID-19 metrics established by the Albany County Department of Health are met.

6. THAT the Board of Education appoints the following individuals to the coaching positions listed below for the 2020-2021 school year, contingent upon acceptable program enrollment:
   • CO-CURRICULAR ACTIVITY: Football, Varsity Head – UNPAID
     • Name: Nick Foglia
     • FTE: 0.0
   • CO-CURRICULAR ACTIVITY: Soccer, Girls Varsity Head – UNPAID
     • Name: Keith Fischer
     • FTE: 0.0
   • CO-CURRICULAR ACTIVITY: Soccer, Girls JV Head – UNPAID
     • Name: Larry Brown
     • FTE: 0.0
   • CO-CURRICULAR ACTIVITY: Soccer, Boys Varsity Head – UNPAID
     • Name: Nick Izzo
     • FTE: 0.0
   • CO-CURRICULAR ACTIVITY: Soccer, Boys JV Head – UNPAID
     • Name: Ed Krajewski
     • FTE: 0.0
   • CO-CURRICULAR ACTIVITY: Cross Country, Varsity Head – UNPAID
     • Name: Kiera Hovey
     • FTE: 0.0
7. THAT the Board of Education approves the Memorandum of Understanding by and between the Cohoes City School District and the Cohoes Teachers’ Association dated February 22, 2021 due to the COVID-19 pandemic and provisions therein pertaining to extracurricular assignments.

VIII. RECOMMENDATIONS FROM THE SUPERINTENDENT – BUSINESS/FINANCE

IX. FINANCIAL REPORTS (Recommended by the Superintendent)

1. I recommend that the following reports be accepted by the Board of Education:
   • Warrants – January 2021
   • Budget Transfer – January 2021
   • Budget Status Report – January 2021
   • Bank Reconciliation Report – January 2021
   • Extracurricular Activity Report – December 2020 & January 2021
   • Internal Claims Audit Report – N/A

BOARD ACTION ON CONSENT AGENDA

MOTION: THAT the Board of Education adopts the following resolutions of the February 24, 2021 Agenda:
VI (A-D); VII (A-G) and IX (A)

Moved by: Mr. Pascale
Seconded by: Mrs. Dion
All voted “Aye”
Motion carried 7-0

X. INFORMATION AND CONSIDERATION

XI. COMMENTS FROM BOARD OF EDUCATION MEMBERS

E-mails from the community were read aloud and discussed.

XII. QUESTIONS AND STATEMENTS FROM AUDIENCE

XIII. BOARD POLICY REVIEW

• Second Reading
  • 0000 Mission Statement & Vision
  • 0200 Commitments & Beliefs

XIV. DATES FOR FUTURE MEETINGS

• March 10, 2021, Live Streamed at 6:00 p.m.
• March 24, 2021, Live Streamed at 6:00 p.m.

XV. ADJOURNMENT

MOTION: To adjourn at 7:55 p.m.

Moved by: Mrs. Giller
Seconded by: Mrs. Dion
All voted “Aye”
Motion carried 7-0