March 24, 2021 Board of Education Minutes - Cohoes City School District

Board of Education Business Meeting

Cohoes, New York
March 24, 2021, 6:00 PM
Live Streamed per Governor’s Executive Order 202.96

(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 6:03 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

II. DISTRICT REPORTS

BUDGET UPDATES
Central Office – BOCES – General Overview – Peggy O’Shea & Stacy Mackey

III. BOARD OF EDUCATION DISCUSSION OF AGENDA ITEMS

The Board extended their appreciation to the volunteer advisors listed on the agenda.

IV. COMMUNITY DISCUSSION OF AGENDA ITEMS

V. OLD BUSINESS

VI. REPORT FROM MEMBERS OF THE BOARD OF EDUCATION

THAT the Board of Education accepts the Minutes of the Board of Education Meeting of March 10, 2021.
THAT the Board of Education accepts the Minutes of the Committee on Special Education for the following dates: 12/7/20, 1/15/20, 1/21/21, 1/22/21, 2/9/21, 2/12/21, 2/24/21, 2/25/21, 2/26/21, 3/1/21, 3/3/21, 3/4/21, 3/5/21, 3/8/21, 3/10/21, 3/11/21 and 3/15/21.
THAT the Board of Education approves the 2020-21 Communicable Disease/ Pandemic Continuity of Operations Plan.
THAT the Board of Education approves the following fully depreciated items (aged, damaged/non-working) as surplus to be removed from the fixed asset inventory for disposal.
- Office Furniture: Table, Tag No. 0302
- Office Furniture: Table, Tag No. 0311
- Office Furniture: Lobby Chair, Tag No. 04050
- Office Furniture: Lobby Chair, Tag No. 04056
- Office Furniture: Sofa, Tag No. 04053
- Office Furniture: Sofa, Tag No. 04057

VII. RECOMMENDATIONS FROM THE SUPERINTENDENT – PERSONNEL

INSTRUCTIONAL

THAT the Board of Education grants tenure to the following individual in the subject area listed:
Ms. Katharine Bouchard (Harmony Hill School) – Elementary
Effective: March 29, 2021
THAT the Board of Education approves a salary increase due to additional teaching assignments for the following individuals for the 2020-2021 school year:
Heather Bradt – 0.1 FTE as per CTA contract – Mathematics
Keith Fischer – 0.1 FTE as per CTA contract – Social Studies
Drake Galarneau – 0.2 FTE as per CTA contract – English
Effective: March 15, 2021 through June 30, 2021
THAT the Board of Education appoints the following individuals to the advisor positions listed below for the remainder of the 2020-2021 school year:
Effective: March 25, 2021
- CO-CURRICULAR ACTIVITY: Student Leadership Team (HH) UNPAID
  - Name: Sharon Laughlin
  - FTE: 0.0
- CO-CURRICULAR ACTIVITY: Student Council (AL) UNPAID
  - Name: Kimberly Fitzpatrick
  - FTE: 0.0
- CO-CURRICULAR ACTIVITY: Student Council (VS) UNPAID
  - Name: Amanda Dorr
  - FTE: 0.0
- CO-CURRICULAR ACTIVITY: Robotics (CMS) UNPAID
  - Name: Colleen Duff
  - FTE: 0.0
- CO-CURRICULAR ACTIVITY: Technology Club (CMS) UNPAID
  - Name: Rebecca LaForest
  - FTE: 0.0
- CO-CURRICULAR ACTIVITY: Yearbook (CHS) UNPAID
  - Name: Vanessa Shanahan
  - FTE: 0.0
- CO-CURRICULAR ACTIVITY: Journalism (CHS) UNPAID
  - Name: Marybeth Galarneau
  - FTE: 0.0
- CO-CURRICULAR ACTIVITY: Foreign Language (CHS) UNPAID
  - Name: Amy Frost, Sandra Sheeley
  - FTE: 0.0
THAT the Board of Education approves the following student teacher placement from the following school (unpaid):
THE COLLEGE OF ST. ROSE
March 15 – May 5, 2021
Bryel Weinlein with Marissa Villasenor at Van Schaick Grade School

NON-INSTRUCTIONAL
THAT the Board of Education amends Item VII (B) of the March 10, 2021 Minutes to read as follows:
THAT the Board of Education accepts the resignation of Melissa Parker from her position of full-time Teacher Aide.
Effective: March 12, 2021
THAT the Board of Education approves the Agreement by and between the Cohoes City School District and the CSEA Local 1000, AFSCME, AFL-CIO Cohoes School District Unit, dated March 18, 2021 for the period of time from February 22, 2021 through May 7, 2021.
BE IT RESOLVED THAT the Board of Education of the Cohoes City School District hereby provisionally appoints Jeffrey Rosekrans to the position of Custodian subject to the rules of the Cohoes Civil Service Commission on an emergency conditional basis, in accordance with the Civil Service Rules, such appointment is a temporary appointment.
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED THAT this appointment is made on an emergency conditional basis and subject to both a statement from Mr. Rosekrans regarding criminal conviction(s) or pending criminal charges and the receipt of criminal background clearance from the Commissioner of Education. Mr. Rosekrans’ continued employment is specifically contingent upon the District’s receipt of notice from the Commissioner of Education that he is fully cleared for employment.

Jeffrey Rosekrans
Position ………………………………………………….. 1.0 FTE Custodian (PROVISIONAL)
Effective Date ……………………………………………………………………………. April 5, 2021
Salary ……………………………………………………………………………….. per CSEA contract
Reason ……………………………………………………………………… Replaces Kevin Langlais
BE IT RESOLVED THAT the Board of Education of the Cohoes City School District hereby appoints Victoria DeChiaro to the position of Part-Time Teacher Aide subject to the rules of the Cohoes Civil Service Commission on an emergency conditional basis, in accordance with the Civil Service Rules, such appointment is a temporary appointment.
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED THAT this appointment is made on an emergency conditional basis and subject to both a statement from Ms. DeChiaro regarding criminal conviction(s) or pending criminal charges and the receipt of criminal background clearance from the Commissioner of Education. Her continued employment is specifically contingent upon the District’s receipt of notice from the Commissioner of Education that she is fully cleared for employment.

Victoria DeChiaro
Position ………………………………………………………………………. Part-Time Teacher Aide
Effective Date ………………………………………… March 17, 2021 through June 30, 2021
Salary …………………………………………………………………………………….. $12.50 per hour
Reason ……………………………………………………………………………………… Open position

ADDENDA
THAT the Board of Education accepts the resignation of Karen Ward from her position of full-time LPN.
Effective: April 1, 2021
THAT the Board of Education approves the Agreement by and between the Cohoes City School District and the CSEA Local 1000, AFSCME, AFL-CIO Cohoes School District Unit, dated March 23, 2021 amending Article V, Section 2 of the July 1, 2017 through June 30, 2022 Agreement.

VIII. RECOMMENDATIONS FROM THE SUPERINTENDENT – BUSINESS/FINANCE

IX. FINANCIAL REPORTS (Recommended by the Superintendent)

I recommend that the following reports be accepted by the Board of Education:
- Warrants – February 2021
- Budget Transfer – February 2021
- Budget Status Report – February 2021
- Bank Reconciliation Report – February 2021
- Extracurricular Activity Report – February 2021
- Internal Claims Audit Report – July – December 2020

BOARD ACTION ON CONSENT AGENDA

MOTION: THAT the Board of Education adopts the following resolutions of the March 24, 2021 Agenda:
VI (A-D); VII (A-J) 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

XII. QUESTIONS AND STATEMENTS FROM AUDIENCE

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

XIII. BOARD POLICY REVIEW

XIV. DATES FOR FUTURE MEETINGS

April 14, 2021, Live Streamed at 6:00 p.m.
April 21, 2021, Live Streamed at 6:00 p.m.

MOTION: THAT the Board of Education enters into Executive Session at 7:26 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: Mrs. Giller
Seconded by: Mrs. Carey
All voted “Aye”
Motion carried 7-0

EXECUTIVE SESSION: TIME: 7:27 PM