WINDHAM-ASHLAND-JEWETT CENTRAL SCHOOL
Board of Education Minutes
September 8, 2005
Teri Martin
Art Rood
Jacqueline Maier
Mag Scarey
William Haltermann
JoAnn Piazzi
A. J. Savasta
William MacGregor
Drew Shuster
Mike Ryan
John Wiktorko, Superintendent
Lee Bearsch
Marge Curran, Treasurer
Peter Lucatuorto
Felicia Senigo, Clerk
Board President, Teri Martin, called the meeting to order at 7:04 PM.
Ms. Martin led those assembled in the Pledge of Allegiance.
The Minutes of the Regular Meeting of August 11, 2005 were read and approved on motion by Jacqueline Maier and seconded by Drew Shuster.
Yes Haltermann, Maier, Martin, Savasta and Shuster.
No 0 Motion Carried
The Treasurer’s Report for July 2005 was read and approved on motion by A. J. Savasta and seconded by Drew Shuster.
Yes Haltermann, Maier, Martin, Savasta and Shuster.
No 0 Motion Carried
The Bill Schedule for September 2005 was read and approved on motion by Jacqueline Maier and seconded by William Halterman.
Yes Haltermann, Maier, Martin, Savasta and Shuster.
No 0 Motion Carried
A response to Changing Wrong to Right: A documentary History of Capital Project Planning and Design in the Windham-Ashland-Jewett Central School District by JoAnn Piazzi dated August 26, 2005 was read by Ms. Martin.
Ms. Martin reading the rules, called for public comments.
Mr. William MacGregor, Windham, NY, requested a bus list be sent to the public and asked how many Kindergarten students were in attendance this year.
The following resolution was tabled because the official closing date on the posting is September 9, 2005 leaving one more day for applicants to apply:
RESOLVED, upon the recommendation of the Superintendent, the Board appoints Tara Weiman to the position of Teacher Assistant for the 2005-06 school year, commencing September 1, 2005 through June 30, 2006, which would be the last day of employment, and BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that Ms. Weiman be paid on Step 1 of the WAJ Support Staff Collective Bargaining Agreement.
RESOLVED, upon the recommendation of the Superintendent, the Board appoints the following individuals to extracurricular positions for the 2005-06 school year as presented:
Boys Jr. Varsity Basketball Coach: Robert Prevosti
Boys Modified Basketball Coach: Joel Middleton
Varsity Baseball Coach: Jay Laveroni
Jr. Varsity Baseball Coach: Joel Middleton
Boys Modified Baseball Coach: James Adair
Tennis Coach: Jon Spear
Golf Coach: Janice Hitchcock
Alpine Ski Coach: John Valenti
Asst. Alpine Ski Coach: John Hillis
Snowboarding Co-Coaches: James Starr, Debra Valerio
Girls JV Basketball Coach: Janice Hitchcock
Girls Softball Coach: William Caswell
Girls Modified Softball Coach: Thomas Gaumont
Cheerleading Advisor: Beth Verhoeven
Wee Warriors Coordinator: James Adair
Wee Warriors Coaches: James Adair, Robert Prevosti, Janice Hitchcock
Student Council Advisor: Jay Laveroni
on motion by A. J. Savasta and seconded by Jacqueline Maier.
Yes Haltermann, Maier, Martin, Savasta and Shuster.
No 0 Motion Carried
RESOLVED, upon the recommendation of the Superintendent, the Board grants Cathleen Lashua an unpaid medical leave to commence after the expiration of all available individual sick leave and sick bank days are expended, with the expected period of absence beginning September 6, 2005 through February 1, 2006 on motion by Jacqueline Maier and seconded by A. J. Savasta.
Yes Haltermann, Maier, Martin, Savasta and Shuster.
No 0 Motion Carried
RESOLVED, upon the recommendation of the Superintendent, the Board approves Emily Blanden be added to the eligible pool of individuals available as a seasonal worker/cleaner for the 2005 Summer School program due to unforeseen workload on motion by A.J. Savasta and seconded by Jacqueline Maier.
Yes Haltermann, Maier, Martin, Savasta and Shuster.
No 0 Motion Carried
RESOLVED, upon the recommendation of the Superintendent, the Board appoints Don Rion to the position of Bus Driver for a probationary period of six months commencing September 1, 2005 and that he will be paid on Step 1 of the current WAJ Support Staff Contract on motion by Jacqueline Maier and Yes Haltermann, Maier, Martin, Savasta and Shuster.
No 0 Motion Carried
seconded by A. J. Savasta.
Yes Haltermann, Maier, Martin, Savasta and Shuster.
No 0 Motion Carried
RESOLVED, upon the recommendation of the Superintendent, the Board approves adding Kathleen Colini to the list of substitute bus drivers for the 2005-2006 School year. on motion by Jacqueline Maier and seconded by A. J. Savasta.
Yes Haltermann, Maier, Martin, Savasta and Shuster.
No 0 Motion Carried
RESOLVED, upon the recommendation of the Superintendent, the Board approves adding Jennifer Hunter to the list of substitute teachers for the 2005-06 school year on motion by Drew Shuster and seconded by A. J. Savasta.
Yes Haltermann, Maier, Martin, Savasta and Shuster.
No 0 Motion Carried
RESOLVED, upon the recommendation of the Superintendent, that the Board approves the recommendation from the Committee on Special Education for students #’s: 554P, 556, 557, 482, 555 on motion by Jacqueline Maier and seconded by A. J. Savasta.
Yes Haltermann, Maier, Martin, Savasta and Shuster.
No 0 Motion Carried
RESOLVED, upon the recommendation of the Superintendent, the Board authorizes the superintendent to sign the Sewer Connection Contract Agreement between the Windham-Ashland-Jewett Central School District and the Sewer District of the Town of Windham dated August 15, 2005 as presented on motion by A. J. Savasta and seconded by Jacqueline Maier.
William Haltermann asked if the $2,700 reimbursement was the full amount. Mr. Wiktorko responded that the full amount was for the contract plus the bid amount.
Yes Haltermann, Maier, Martin, Savasta and Shuster.
No 0 Motion Carried
Important dates were read.
The Superintendent’s report follows:
The opening of school was very smooth.
A report by Mr. Lybolt, who could not attend due to Orientation, was handed to the Board.
The Capital Project Input Committee meetings have been very productive. An additional meeting will be held on September 22, 2005.
The date for a Special Board Meeting where the Board could publicly discuss the scale and scope of the capital project was set for September 28, 2005 at 7:00 p.m.
It was agreed that an informational newsletter will be mailed to the public after the September 28, 2005 Board meeting.
Should the District use a independent professional who would use SED methodology to conduct a population study since Construction/Building Aid is based on enrollment projections and is a requirement? A lengthy discussion ensued and was brought to a conclusion with the Board asking Mr. Wiktorko to research the methodology and approximate cost.
The Municipal Sewer Hook-up is complete, some necessary change orders were ordered by the Town of Windham.
A curriculum Workshop is planned for October 19, 2005 at 5:30.
Still no Comptroller’s Audit report
A. J. Savasta was appointed as Vice President of the Greene County School Boards Association.
The State required fiscal training was discussed
A Financial Audit Committee Meeting should be held before the October Board meeting.
Extra Curricular activities ( Junior Prom) outside the school district was discussed at length concluding with the Board’s recommendation that a meeting with the parents be held to ascertain parental support before discussing this any further.
There were no additions to the Agenda. However, Drew Shuster asked if the Public Comment segment could be moved to the end of the Agenda so that the public could ask questions about resolutions that were presented.
RESOLVED, that the Board go into Executive Session at 8:07 PM on motion by Drew Shuster and seconded by A. J. Savasta for the purpose of discussing the employment history of 3 employees and leading to the possible appointment of employment, promotion, demotion, discipline, suspension, dismissal or removal of these persons and/or corporations and to discuss proposed, current and pending litigation.
The items discussed during the Executive Session will be made public as appropriate at future meetings of the Board of Education.
The Board reconvened into regular session at 9:15 PM on motion by William Haltermann, seconded by A. J. Savasta, and carried by those present.
With no further business, the meeting was adjourned at 9:20 PM on motion by William Haltermann, seconded by Drew Shuster, and carried by those present.
.
Felicia Senigo, Clerk of the Board
John Wiktorko, Clerk Pro Tem
Special Meeting
September 28, 2005
Teri Martin
Lee Bearsch (BCK)
Peter Lucatuorto
Jacqueline Maier
Bob Costello (BCK)
William MacGregor
William Haltermann
Roseanne Grof (BCK
JoAnn Piazzi
A.J. Savasta
Chuck Bastion ( Bernard Donegan )
Arthur Rood
Drew Shuster
Bill Caswell
John Wiktorko, Superintendent Mark Lybolt
Marge Curran, Treasurer Bruce Pallas
Felicia Senigo, Clerk
Board President, Teri Martin, called the meeting to order at 7:02 PM.
Ms. Martin led those assembled in the Pledge of Allegiance.
The purpose of this meeting is to continue capital project planning.
Superintendent Wiktorko began by outlining the agenda for tonight’s meeting:
Review Capital Improvement Input Committee Meeting Information
Update Financial Information, including State Building Aid
Discuss/Update Project Timeline
Engage in Priority Setting and Project Ideas using Committee and Professional Input.
4 Capital Improvement Input Committee meetings took place during August and September 2005. The meeting topics were: Transportation Loop, Parking, Security and Access, Gymnasium, Library, Classroom Spaces, Media Center/Library, the Playground, the Athletic Fields, Financial Support, Exterior/Interior/Façade and other areas of interest.
After summarizing the major points in the above areas, (see the attached notes of each meeting) the Board was asked to provide further comments and ask questions of the professionals who were present. The comments and/or questions are summarized below along with any answers in italics:
Deliveries are a problem as they block the entrance and exit routes posing a safety hazard.
o This has been noted by the architects and designated receiving areas will be planned differently. Also, appropriate delivery times can be include as part of the contract with vendors and this has already occurred in some instances.
Handicapped Parking should be located near elevators.
Should we allow for student parking spaces?
o A Board Member responded that because of the lack of space, the priorities should be Staff, Visitors and then students. Students can be given parking spaces only if it can be done without cost to the district i.e. along access roads.
Should fences be considered for security reasons? They do help control the flow. It would discourage students from walking across the grounds of neighboring properties.
o The use of fencing would have to depend on what its for. It should not be used to surround the school.
Air quality is a big problem.
o In the architect’s opinion, there will need to be a complete replacement of the mechanical and electrical systems. They may be able to salvage the boilers. The controls are a big problem because there is currently no way to control the airflow. Putting new controls in will provide energy savings and lower costs.
The 1936 façade is an issue within the community.
o Enhancing the 1936 portion of the building can be done. Regarding the subject of fencing that was raised earlier in the discussion, landscaping features can take care of some of the issues that were raised.
Can the old windows be duplicated and is there lead in the old windows?
o Yes the old windows can be duplicated. There is not a significant difference in the cost of replacing the windows and duplicating the windows. The lead issue needs to be determined. (A Board member at this point stated that there had been an issue with lead in the past and that the windows had been encapsulated.)
Is it more cost effective to remove a wing or should it be remodeled?
o A 2 story addition is a possibility although there is a roof membrane problem. If you are not going to duplicate the footprint of the first floor, then you might be better off tearing down and rebuilding.
Do we want to discuss the cafeteria, auditorium and gymnasium as separate spaces or as possible multi-use spaces?
o A cafetorium would be a large open space that served lunches during the day and could be sectioned off to have multiple uses during the same time period.
o Programming would have to be planned carefully.
o A separate auditorium is sometimes underutilized.
o There are many new designs for cafetoriums. One had a space for small groups and the other half was a gym. You can have a gym with a stage, platform setting, tiered auditorium type seating.
How are multi-use spaces aided?
o You have to allocate a portion to ½ high school, ½ elementary. They are never 100% aidable. Aid is based on the number of students. The State manipulates the numbers in such a way that you can cover non-aidable spaces. The State does give supplemental building aid. The State knows the cost allowance does not cover everything.
Does it make a difference if we convert space?
o It is more advantageous to convert space than to add space on. There are many options with pros and cons in terms of state aid. It is a very complicated issue. Ultimately, you need an effective design that meets the criteria with a cost and value that the community is going to endorse.
Is there a way to get more aid for a multi-use space?
o Yes
Does it cost more to build an auditorium than a classroom?
o Yes, 30% more.
Mr. Wiktorko called on Chuck Bastion to talk about where we are with our research regarding state aid.
o The total is 35.7% (25.7% + 10% the legislature voted on). Reconstitution of existing space also gets multiplied against the 35.7%. The rate can vary into the future. It could go up and it could go down. (Mr. Wiktorko interjected that this applies to all state aid from year to year.) Mr. Bastion is working on obtaining more clarification from the State. The aid categories that were set at the time of the vote are locked in.
What about keeping the 1956 addition and renovating it for the Media Center.
o It would provide easy access and solve the size issue.
o The Media Center should be centralized. It has a direct impact on the program. It should be open to the community for meeting space.
o If it is centralized, then the community cannot access it.
o Lee Bearsch posed the question, “Does the space within it (1956 addition) have some merit if it is used for other purposes?” We need to analyze the problems and present a couple of solutions to see if the problem has been defined. We have to work within the frame of the aid timetable.
Mr. Wiktorko asked those present what they wanted the building to look like. He wanted to know if there was any interest in approaching it differently.
How much work is there to do in the 1936 building?
o We would have to make it handicap accessible and the rest is not a significant amount.
The topic then turned to the athletic fields.
It would be nice to have the ability to have 2 events going on simultaneously in the Spring
Is there any interest to see if there is a way we can expand the fields?
o Yes
Can we get what we want without acquiring more space? It seems that if the trees were removed the fields could be reconfigured.
o The trees are going to have to come down anyway. They are at the end of their life cycle.
Is there any possibility of acquiring more land?
o We are in the process of looking at that possibility.
Is there still a possibility of sharing space with the town?
o We are still investigating that. However, we need to address what we can directly control.
The next topic was the playground.
Can we provide a space for children to ride their bicycles and skateboard. They do it anyway.
o It is better if that issue can be taken up by the town rather than the school. There are issues of liability and also vandalism. It is a constant worry.
Miscellaneous comments made were:
The music area needs to be closer to drama
Improved science labs
Technology in every classroom
Equip some spaces for distance learning
Making multiple use classroom
Wireless labs
Flexible use of spaces
What about fire suppression systems?
o It is not a requirement. However, the criteria for a building project should be safety, program, maintenance and aesthetics.
The next issue was timeline.
On June 30, 2007 the aid expires. Funds need to be encumbered by that time. Taking everything into consideration, you would have to have the referendum by January, 2006. In order to do that we would have to be ready to post the legal notices by November 1, 2005. There are elements of the process that cannot be controlled i.e. the Environmental Impact Study and SED approvals. Enrollment projections determine state aid so Mr. Bearsch needs those as soon as possible.
The next meeting was set for Tuesday, October 4, 2006. The agenda will consist of: Ideas on paper, enrollment projections, an outline of educational programs.
JoAnn Piazzi from Windham commented that the Board should consider hiring a professional to do the population study.
There being no further business, the meeting was adjourned at 9:09 PM on motion by Drew Shuster seconded by Jacqueline Maier, and carried by those present.
Felicia Senigo, Clerk of the Board
John Wiktorko, Clerk Pro Tem