Andrea McDaniel

The Board discussed the Preschool program, including funding, budget projections, and infrastructure grant applications. Various personnel actions were approved, including resignations, retirements, appointments, and tenure grants for staff. The Board awarded bids for fuel oil, gasoline, and ULSD-ULSK for the upcoming school year. Additional approvals included transportation requests, afterschool tutoring hours, a health and welfare services contract, and spring coaching appointments. The Board also conducted a first reading of several policy revisions, accepted a donation from the local Rotary Club, authorized the declaration of obsolete items for donation, and discussed pending litigation during an executive session.

The board meeting agenda includes the Superintendent's Report and the second budget presentation. Key action items involve the evaluation of the District Parent and Family Engagement Policy and the approval of new policies regarding special education and student restraint procedures. Personnel matters to be addressed include resignations, appointments, granting of tenure, and approval of coaching and advisory positions. Additionally, the board will discuss the acceptance of a donation, planning for the annual budget vote, and the awarding of several contracts, including trash removal, septic services, gymnasium floor refinishing, and portable toilet leasing. The meeting will conclude with a discussion on declaring specific equipment obsolete and an executive session concerning personnel employment matters.

The meeting included several discussion points regarding compliance and instructional time. The Superintendent reported on the 180-day and hourly requirement audits, noting a plan is in place to address potential hourly shortfalls due to weather-related delays. Operational successes were highlighted, including a successful school musical, smooth January Regents retake exams, and student achievements in various competitions. Winter Benchmark assessments are being finalized, and preparations for state assessments are underway. Public comment focused primarily on concerns regarding the notification process for the June 20, 2026, graduation date; the Superintendent indicated he would reconsider the date based on feedback. Key actions approved included the Schedule of Claims for December 2025, Budget and Revenue Status Reports as of January 31, 2026, award of the External Auditing Services bid for multiple years, approval of a tax refund, approval of budget transfers for retirement incentives and preschool costs, and the approval of various personnel actions such as resignations for retirement, new appointments, and changes in staff hours. An executive session was held to discuss proposed, pending, or current litigation.

Key discussion topics included the Superintendent's Report and the first Budget Presentation. Consent items covered the Schedule of Claims for January 2026, the Saranac Pre-School Report, and the Budget and Revenue Status Report. Action items involved accepting several employee resignations/retirements, adjusting hours for one employee retroactively, appointing several staff members including a School Bus Driver, Teacher Aide/Student Aide, and a School Lunch Monitor, approving the termination of a Bus Driver, and appointing temporary on-call emergency staff. The Board also addressed granting tenure to two teachers, awarding bids for Fuel Oil and Gasoline for the 2026-2027 school year, approving transportation requests to Parochial Schools, approving employees for Middle School tutoring, approving a contract for Health and Welfare Services with Peru Central School District, approving spring coaching appointments, approving CSE/CPSE/504 recommendations, conducting a first reading of revised/new Board policies, accepting a donation for the Middle School Supply code, and declaring a School Bus obsolete for donation to the North Country Honor Flight. Additionally, the Board resolved a clerical error regarding the effective start date for Kathy Moore's part-time MTSS director position, amending the previous resolution to reflect an effective date of July 8, 2024, instead of July 1, 2024.

Discussion items included a presentation and video regarding the upcoming budget and new building plans for CVES in Plattsburgh, Essex, and Mineville. The Superintendent addressed a received letter concerning the adoption of NYS Veterans' Tax Exemptions, requiring further information, and discussed improvements to elementary school dismissals for safety and transition. Updates were provided on the upcoming school musical, local scholarships, upcoming regents exams, the end of the second quarter, and a recent winter dance. Reports detailed successful support for families in need through the Christmas budget and giving tree efforts, along with forthcoming food for flannel donations. Business items included approval of the Saranac Pre-School Report, Budget and Revenue Status Report, and Student Activities Quarterly Report, all as of December 31, 2025. Personnel actions involved approving sports event employment, appointing temporary emergency staff, confirming several CSEA appointments including one retroactive appointment, accepting resignations (one for retirement), granting leaves of absence (unpaid and maternity), rescinding and reapplying hours for an employee, and granting tenure to two individuals. The Board also approved participation in the NYSERDA Energy Manager Program and authorized stipends for related staff work. The session concluded with an executive session to discuss litigation, followed by reconvening to open session.