BOARD CLIPS 4-7-15
(Note: The following summary of a Pioneer Board of Education meeting is not the official minutes but has been approved by the administration.)
PROGRAMS/PRESENTATIONS
Assistant superintendent Nicholas Silvaroli presented a 2nd draft of the proposed 2015-2016 general fund budget totaling $52,477,590. Net of debt service, the year to year increase amounts to 2.66 percent. As a result of the current capital project, debt service payments will increase approximately $2.1 million, but building aid structured to cover the cost of the project will also increase by a similar offsetting amount. The tax levy would rise 1.82 percent, which is the same rate of Pioneer's property tax levy cap. He said the approval of a budget March 31 by the State Legislature resulted in Pioneer receiving about $257,000 in additional aid over initial projections. As a result, Mr. Silvaroli is recommending a net increase of 2 new special education teachers, plus one new FTE consisting of speech and/or occupational therapy; and a math
academic intervention specialist. Also the district would hire a registered nurse to replace a retiring licensed practical nurse. Finally, he said some cost savings would also be realized by scaling back the production newsletters starting in 2015-16.
Mr. Silvaroli estimated property tax rates would range from $13.28 to $13.88 (per $1,000 of full value assessment) depending on the change in taxable assessments within the district. The impact on a property tax bill for a home assessed at a full value of $100,000 (Basic STAR exemption) assuming no change in taxable assessments would be approximately $17; for seniors with the Enhanced STAR exemption, the impact on tax bills would be $9. The total tax levy under the plan is $12,273,158. Mr. Silvaroli said the budget as proposed preserves
Pioneer's current programs, meets the district's contractual obligations, supports additional needs in special education and academic support, and continues to pull back on the use of the appropriated fund balance—the district's savings account.
The board of education is scheduled to vote on the spending plan at its next regular meeting April 21. A public hearing on the budget will take place as part of the May 5 regular meeting at the middle school LGI. Polling on the budget and Board of Education election occur at the high school on May 19 from 6:30am-9pm.
Special education director Michael Lucow was asked to provide more information on the proposed addition of teachers in his department under the 2015-16 budget. He said more stringent state mandates for special education are causing districts to shift their programs to better adapt to student needs. Mr. Lucow said on top of this, the number of students identified as needing special education services has increased. The more rigorous demands of the
Common Core are also having an impact on schools' and teachers' ability to help students with learning difficulties.
DISCUSSION/WORK SESSION
Superintendent Dr. Sharon Huff welcomed the district's new School Resource Officer Benjamin Shields, who introduced himself and said he was a proud Pioneer graduate. He said he would be willing to help out with any programs, adding that he looked forward to working with students & staff through his association with the Cattaraugus County Sheriff's Department.
Dr. Huff said the district was exploring a partnership with Wyoming County Cooperative Extension with the goal of creating a Manufacturing Institute along the same lines as the Wyoming County Dairy Institute. Pioneer will also explored related grant funding opportunities and possible partnerships with community colleges.
Dr. Huff said high school math teacher Christine Ruffner would be joined by students in a presentation about her Manufacturing Math course at the May 8 breakfast of the Wyoming County Business Education Council. About 100 people are expected to be in the audience.
She said Pioneer received its latest school performance report card from the state, and the district and each of the four schools are designated as being in "good standing" with regard to NYSED accountability standards.
Mr. Silvaroli said work is nearing completion on the renovation of Arcade Elementary's 3rd floor. Administrator on special assignment Jeannene Wagner said she had recently been working on grants to enhance ag education through all grade levels. Meanwhile, she said a $500 NYSUT retiree grant would support life experience activities in the special education classroom of Marie Proudman.
Middle school principal Melissa Prorok said the 8th grade SHEILD/STEAM team was the recipient of a $2850 grant from National Grid in support of Project-Based learning. A second National Grid grant $2600 is going to the middle school's Makers Club, an after school activity, for the
purchase of supplies.
She also shared a reminder about two upcoming music department events—Thursday's 5-8 choral concert and the musical Peter Pan on May 14 & 15 at Delevan.
Arcade principal Mellisa Devitt said her school's reading challenge had more than doubled its goal of 5,000 books read by attaining 11,600. She added that students participated in the collection of sap from maple trees that had been tapped on the property.
Delevan principal Tiffany Giannicchi said morning TV announcements had expanded to 2 days to accommodate the more than 90 students volunteering to take part.
Michael Irizarry, Director of Curriculum & Instruction, said work was moving forward on providing analytical data to meet requirements of the Teaching Is The Core grant. He also heralded the arrival of a BOCES math specialist to work with staff, as well as a new AmeriCorps member to provide mentoring and support to students
Principal Mark Schultz of the High school said he would be traveling with a group of social studies teachers to Allegany-Limestone School to meet with their global studies teachers
regarding ways they've shifted their instruction and their successes in preparing students for the Regents exam. Mr. Schultz also welcomed a new clerical staffer to his office, Debbie Welch. Mr. Schultz said Springville Center for the Arts had been in contact with ag teachers to partner in its 'green roof' project at a building it was renovating for program space.
NEW BUSINESS Approved:
(8.1) the 1st reading of the following policies: – posted
Number Title
1410 Policy and Administrative Regulations
(8.2) acceptance of a donation in the amount of $7,898.94 from Arcade Elementary’s Helping Students Achieve Association for the purchase of supplies and equipment for the Arcade Wellness Room
(8.3) an authorization of the combining of the West Valley Central School District Field Hockey team with the Pioneer Central School District Field Hockey team
(8.4) the authorization of the combining of the Allegany-Limestone Central School District Track team with the Pioneer Central School District Track team
(8.5) the following tax refund:
TOWN PROPERTY
OWNER TAX YEAR ORIGINAL AMT PAID CORRECTED BILL AMT REFUND REASON Java Judith N.
Russell 2014-2015 $3,463.79 $3,062.79 $401.00 Assessor omitted STAR exemption Total
Refund $401.00
(8.6) the proposed basis of service charges of the Cattaraugus-Allegany-Erie-Wyoming Board of Cooperative Educational Services for the 2015-2016 school year
PERSONNEL
(9.1) The following resignations/retirements were approved:
Employee Position Date
Submitted
Date Effective
Notes
Arlene Strait School Nurse March 23, 2015 June 26, 2015
Retiring with 20 years of service to the District Judy Hecht Teaching Assistant March 23, 2015 June 30, 2015 Retiring with 28 years of service
to the District Leonard
Dressel Custodian March 14, 2015 March 31, 2015
Accepted Groundskeeper position
Patricia Ford Food Service Helper March 12, 2015 June 30, 2015 Beverly Hallock Food Service Helper March 9, 2015 March 9, 2015 Melissa Soderlund Teaching Assistant March 25, 2015 April 17, 2015 (9.2) The following leaves of absence were okayed:
Employee Position Date
Submitted Date Effective Louisa Holmes Teacher Aide 03/12/2015
03/12/2015-04/09/2015 Matthew Carucci Teacher 02/03/2015 03/06/2015-03/17/2015 Christina
Treichler Teacher 03/15/2015 09/01/2015-01/29/2016 (9.3) This non-instructional appointment was made:
Name Position Salary Status Effective Date Cody Benzel Custodian Provisional April 13, 2015
(9.4) These advisor appointments were approved:
Name Title
Jessica Eckel Delevan Homework/Skills Club Supervisor Substitute
Kari Leonard Arcade Homework Help Anna Healy Arcade Homework Help
(9.5) Athletic appointments for 2014-15:
Name Position
Heather Slomba Learn to Swim Program Director Debra Lutz Varsity Baseball Scorekeeper Joanne Slocum JV Baseball Scorekeeper Lisa Byers Varsity Softball Scorekeeper Karen Jablonski JV Softball Scorekeeper Barb Knight
Boys and Girls Track Scorekeeper and/or Timer Debra Lutz Amy Faust Michelle Kline Magen Maloy Lisa Byers
Debra Lutz Chaperone Jennifer Tatko Chaperone
(9.6) The substitute teacher/tutor appointments:
Name Degree Certification
Amanda Gunn BS Early Childhood Education Birth – 2nd
Grade
Julie Goodrich BS NA
Linda Gamble NA NA
(9.7) The board made the following non-instructional substitute appointments:
Name Position
Linda Gamble Substitute Teacher Aide & Substitute School Monitor
Tina DePreta Substitute Teacher Aide, Substitute School Monitor & Substitute Food Service Helper
Carey Hurlburt Substitute Food Service Helper Kristina Grizer Substitute Food Service Helper
Jason Wilkie Substitute Teacher Aide Tammy Belscher Substitute School Monitor
(9.8) The following were approved as student teachers/interns:
Name College Building
Kaelyn Pemberton Genesee Community
College High School (9.9) These volunteers were approved:
Arcade High School
Sharon Brown Rosemary Wagner Angela Madden
CSE/CPSE RECOMMENDATIONS (10.1) All were approved.
