Cohoes City School District
Board of Education Business Meeting
Cohoes, New York
February 1, 2023
Library, Cohoes Middle School, 6:00 PM
(The Board of Education may entertain a motion to enter into an executive session subject to Board approval.)
MINUTES
The Meeting was called to Order by the President, Mrs. Giller at 6:00p.m.
ROLL CALL
Present:
- Mrs. Carey
- Mr. Jackson
- Mrs. Snyder
- Mrs. Gendron
- Mrs. Paradis
- Mr. Nadeau
- Mrs. Giller
Also Present:
- Ms. Peggy O’Shea, Superintendent of Schools
- Mr. Dan Martinelli, Assistant Superintendent for Educational Services
- Mrs. Stacy Mackey, School Business Official
DISTRICT REPORTS
Budget Presentation – Preliminary Revenues – Ms. O’Shea reviewed the dates of the recent Needs Assessment and Budget Committee meetings. She thanked Mrs. Carey and Mr. Jackson for their time and dedication to the budget process.
Ms. Mackey gave the board an update of the 2023-2024 Preliminary State Aid. The exciting news for our district is the commitment to fully fund Foundation Aid. The proposal includes new set-aside requirement for high impact tutoring in reading and math for grades 3 – 8. She noted that Assembly member John McDonald will provide a State Budget update at the February 15, 2023 Board of Education meeting.
Ms. Mackey reviewed the Tax Cap Calculation estimate and advised that Pilot revenue and Capital exclusions were preliminary with final calculations presented at February 15, 2023.
Food Service Update – Ms. Mackey provided a Food Service update including the Child Nutrition Review. She also discussed the Food Services bid which will go out in the spring. Mrs. Giller asked if the district could include local farms and dairies to the bid and Ms. Mackey advised that we could include district specific requests in the bid specifications.
Superintendent Update – Ms. O’Shea thanked the five faculty members of Cohoes High School who are on the agenda to teach a 0.2 math classes. She also congratulated Mrs. Bertrand, Mrs. Briggs and Mrs. Honsinger on their retirement.
A. BOARD OF EDUCATION DISCUSSION OF AGENDA ITEMS
Mrs. Giller, on behalf of the Board, thanked Shutterfly Lifetouch for their donation and expressed their appreciation of the community support. She also congratulated Mrs. Briggs, Mrs. Bertrand and Mrs. Honsinger on their retirement. Mrs. Giller thanked them for their dedication not only to our schools, but our community. She stated, “these will be tough shoes to fill.”
B. COMMUNITY DISCUSSION OF AGENDA ITEMS – None
C. OLD BUSINESS – None
D. REPORT FROM MEMBERS OF THE BOARD OF EDUCATION
A. THAT the Board of Education accepts the Minutes of the Board of Education Meeting of January 18, 2023.
VII. RECOMMENDATIONS FROM THE SUPERINTENDENT – PERSONNEL
Instructional
A. THAT the Board of Education appoints the following individuals to the Substitute Teacher and Tutor list:
- McCarthy, KaileyEffective: January 27, 2023
- Burns, Ashley
- Cowan, Abigail
- Grey, Cecelia
Effective: February 2, 2023
B. THAT the Board of Education approve the following student teacher placements from the following school (unpaid):
The College of St. Rose
March 13 through May 10, 2023
Abigail Pauli with Megan Cherubino at Harmony Hill Elementary School
C. THAT the Board of Education accepts the resignation for retirement purposes of Donna Honsinger from her position of Mathematics Teacher (CHS).
Effective: April 30, 2023.
D. THAT the Board of Education accepts the resignation for retirement purposes of Carrie Briggs from her position of Music Teacher (ALS/HHS).
Effective: June 30, 2023.
E. THAT the Board of Education accepts the resignation for retirement purposes of Pamela Bertrand, from her position of Special Education Teacher (HHS).
Effective: June 30, 2023.
F. THAT the Board of Education accept the resignation of William J. Smith from his positions as JV Girls Basketball Coach.
Effective: January 20, 2023
G. THAT the Board of Education approve a salary increase due to additional teaching assignments for the following individual for the 2022-2023 school year:
Katherine Flynn – 0.2 FTE as per CTA contract – English to Speakers of Other Languages, HH (1.2 FTE total)
Effective: January 30, 2023
H. BE IT RESOLVED THAT the Board of Education of the Cohoes City School District appoints the following individual as a Long-Term Substitute Teaching Assistant.
Rachael Mossey
- Position: Long-Term Substitute Teaching Assistant (CHS)
- Tenure Area: Teaching Assistant
- Effective Date: February 27, 2023 through June 30, 2023
- Salary: As per the current CTA contract, BA/BS Teacher Assistant Salary Schedule (grant-funded)
I. THAT the Board of Education appoint Kerry Bottenfield to the position of JV Girls Basketball Coach for the remainder of the 2022-23 school year.
Effective: January 20, 2023
J. THAT the Board of Education rescind its action on item VII (H) of the November 16, 2022 agenda, JV Softball ONLY:
Co-Curricular Activity – Name – FTE
Softball – JV: Bill Smith, 1.0
K. THAT the Board of Education approve the unpaid leave of absence of Katharine DeChiaro for the 2023-2024 school year for the purpose of childcare.
Non-Instructional
L. THAT the Board of Education accept the resignation of Sharon Varin from her position as Cleaner (AL).
Effective: January 12, 2023
M. THAT the Board of Education accept the resignation of William J. Smith from his position as Teacher Aide (CHS).
Effective: January 20, 2023
ADDENDA
Instructional
N. THAT the Board of Education approve a salary increase due to additional teaching assignments for the following individual for the 2022-2023 school year:
- Scott Ciarlone – 0.2 FTE Math (CHS) as per CTA contract – (1.2 FTE total)
- Michelle Cipriano – 0.2 FTE Math (CHS) per CTA contract – (1.2 FTE total)
- Daniel Shepard – 0.2 FTE Math (CHS) per CTA contract – (1.2 FTE total)
- Carolyn Santoro – 0.2 FTE Math (CHS) per CTA contract – (1.2 FTE total)
- Michael Wilt – 0.2 FTE Math (CHS) per CTA contract – (1.2 FTE total)
Effective: January 30, 2023
ADDENDA
Non-Instructional
O. THAT the Board of Education accept the resignation of Andrea Cavallaro from her position as Senior Typist. (CHS).
Effective: January 27, 2023
P. THAT the Board of Education appoints Mayra Thomas to the position of 0.8 FTE Parent Liaison (grant funded).
Effective: February 6, 2023
DESIGNATION OF CONSENT AGENDA: THAT the Board of Education adopts the following resolutions of the February 1, 2023 Agenda:
VI (A), VII (A-P) and X (A)
- Moved by: Mrs. Carey
- Second by: Mrs. Gendron
- All voted “Aye”
- Motion carried 7-0
VIII. RECOMMENDATIONS FROM THE SUPERINTENDENT – BUSINESS/FINANCE
IX. FINANCIAL REPORTS (Recommended by the Superintendent)
A. I recommend that the following reports be accepted by the Board of Education:
- Warrants-N/A
- Budget Transfers-N/A
- Budget Status Report – N/A
- Revenue Status Report – N/A
- Bank Reconciliation Report- N/A
- Internal Claims Audit Report- N/A
X. INFORMATION AND CONSIDERATION
A. THAT the Board of Education accepts the donation in the amount of $925.13 from Shutterfly Lifetouch to be used for the Cohoes Middle School PBIS program.
XI. COMMENTS FROM BOARD OF EDUCATION MEMBERS
Mrs. Giller thanked Rebecca LaForest for her hard work with the Cohoes Middle School and Cohoes High School Career Fairs and her dedication to the students’ district wide.
XII. QUESTIONS AND STATEMENTS FROM AUDIENCE – None
XIII. BOARD POLICY REVIEW – None
XIV. DATES FOR FUTURE MEETINGS
- February 15, 2023, Library, CMS at 6 PM
- March 1, 2023, Library, CMS at 6 PMMOTION: To enter into Executive session at 6:32 pm to discuss matters leading to the appointment, employment, promotion, demotion, discipline, suspension, dismissal or removal of a particular person or corporation; to discuss the evaluation of Superintendent O’Shea and to discuss a legal matter.
- Moved by: Mrs. Snyder
- Second by: Mrs. Gendron
- All voted “Aye”
- Motion carried 7-0
XV. ADJOURNMENT
MOTION: To adjourn at 8:16 pm
- Moved by: Mrs. Gendron
- Second by: Mrs. Carey
- All voted “Aye”
- Motion carried 7-0
___________________________
District Clerk
(The February 1, 2023 meeting of the Cohoes City School District Board of
Education can be viewed in its entirety on our website)