School Board Agenda for January 10th Meeting

1. a)  Bennetti, Jianna

2. b)  Cornwall, Troye

3. c)  Hernandez, Amanda

3. Additional Assignment – 2016-2017 School Year:

Step 1 (uncertified) Step 1A
Step 1 (uncertified)

a) Tutor/Trainer –at $40.00 per hour - maximum 8 hours/week: 1) Battista, Jennifer

4. For your information:

a) Jacqueline Ferrell will serve as an unpaid Speech Therapy Intern from January 11, 2017 – June 30, 2017 under the supervision of Lindsay Esterow.

5. Lab School Intern – 2016-2017 School Year:

a) Laidley, Kevonna Effective Date: 1/1/2017

6. Teacher Aide – 2016-2017 School Year:

High School Library Media Center

$12,000 Stipend (prorated)

Bedford Road School:
a) DiPietro, Colleen – Special Education - Step1 (uncertified) (Emp 2187)

6. RECOGNITION OF AUDIENCE

7. BUSINESS OF THE BOARD

A. RECOMMENDATION OF THE COMMITTEE ON PRE-SCHOOL SPECIAL EDUCATION

BE IT RESOLVED, that, upon the recommendation of the Superintendent of Schools and the Committee on Pre-School Special Education, the Board of Education reviews the following classifications and arranges for the following placements and/or services for cases numbered: 1816, 0616.

B. RECOMMENDATION OF THE COMMITTEE ON SPECIAL EDUCATION

BE IT RESOLVED, that, upon the recommendation of the Superintendent of Schools and the Committee on Special Education, the Board of Education reviews the following classifications and arranges for the following placements and/or services for cases numbered: 470405, 190506, 211011, 201415, 491516, 211617, 230506, 121314, 421415, 111617, 171617, 321516.

C. APPROVAL OF PROFESSIONAL SERVICES

RESOLVED, that the Board of Education approves the appointment of Westchester Institute for Human Development, for professional services, to provide Assistive Technology Loan Library – Schools of Westchester Assistive Technology Team (SWAT) for the 2016-17 school year, at a maximum of $1,000.

D. APPROVAL OF ADDITIONAL PROFESSIONAL SERVICES

RESOLVED, that the Board of Education approves the appointment of The Learning Shop, for additional professional services in the amount of $13,650 to provide tutoring for the 2016-17 school year, bringing the school year maximum to $20,150.

E. APPROVAL OF AFFILIATION AGREEMENT

BE IT RESOLVED, that the Superintendent of Schools is hereby authorized to execute an Affiliation Agreement between the Pleasantville Union Free School District and SUNY College at Plattsburgh dated December 13, 2016 for the 2016-17 school year and authorizes the Superintendent of Schools to sign said agreement.

F. ADOPTION OF 2017-18 BOARD MEETING CALENDAR

RESOLVED, that the Board of Education hereby adopts the 2017-18 Board Meeting Calendar, a copy of which shall be incorporated by reference within the minutes of this meeting.

G. DESIGNATION OF 2016 ANNUAL ORGANIZATIONAL MEETING DATE

RESOLVED, that the Board of Education hereby designates July 11, 2017 as the date of the annual organizational meeting.

H. ADOPTION OF FOUNDATION AID FORMULA RESOLUTION

WHEREAS, New York State has not lived up to its constitutional obligation and legal support for public schools as articulated via the establishment of the Foundation Aid formula. Adequate and appropriate State funding to ensure every child has access to a quality public school district is long overdue.

WHEREAS, The Formula does not address the high cost of living in this area. Our regional costs are very high in comparison to other parts of the state.

WHEREAS, The Formula uses a simplistic average called the Combined Wealth Ratio to determine need. As one expensive parcel of land, waterfront or vacation property or a lottery winner can throw off the average, the formula needs to incorporate the use of the median in order to establish the Combined Wealth Ratio.

WHEREAS, The Formula uses 16-year-old data to measure poverty and does not reflect the underreporting of poverty in our area as recently detailed in the United Way’s ALICE Project.

WHEREAS, The Formula has not adjusted for the supports and new requirements to address the needs of our recent and vulnerable immigrants. Success for these students is critical to our communities and our state, therefore the weightings in the formula assigned to our English Language Learners must be increased.

WHEREAS, The Formula has not adjusted for the ongoing commitments we have made to our students with disabilities. The State and the Federal governments must make good on their promise to our children with special needs by increasing the Foundation Formula weightings for our Students with Disabilities.

WHEREAS, The Foundation Aid Formula’s Adjusted Foundation Amount (AFA) must be based upon real, current student costs.

WHEREAS, The Foundation Aid Formula needs to include save-harmless provisions as all public schools have increasing expenditures based upon cost drivers beyond local control. No public school child should be hurt, regardless of community, under the reform of Foundation Aid.

THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED, THAT in order to provide adequate, equitable, sustainable and stable funding for our schools, it is critical that the current school financing structure be reformed. The major district cost drivers/expenditures are not controlled by local Boards of Education. They are unfunded or underfunded mandates, and are not addressed via the state’s basic Foundation Aid formula or compatible with the near zero Tax Levy Cap.

VIII. BUSINESS AFFAIRS:

A. ACCEPTANCE OF TREASURER’S REPORT

BE IT RESOLVED, that, upon the recommendation of the Assistant Superintendent for Business, the Board of Education accepts the November 2016 Treasurer’s Report. Additional reports submitted for informational purposes only.

9. NEW BUSINESS/OLD BUSINESS

10. ADJOURNMENT