Michele Finlay

The meeting primarily focused on student and educator recognitions. Presentations included awards for spring sports athletes, seniors entering the workforce through vocational training, students entering military service, and recognition of the outgoing and incoming ex-officio student board members. The Board also noted upcoming plans to recognize retiring staff members.

This District-Wide Safety Plan aims to ensure the safety, health, and security of students and staff by providing a comprehensive framework for risk reduction, prevention, response, and recovery across various emergency scenarios. Key areas include violence prevention and intervention strategies, robust school security measures, and detailed emergency response protocols for incidents like acts of violence, bomb threats, and other critical events. The plan also incorporates extensive pandemic preparedness, outlining procedures for remote instruction, continuity of operations, essential employee protocols, and personal protective equipment management, alongside a dedicated workplace violence prevention policy.

The board convened a special business meeting, which included the Pledge of Allegiance and a fire code announcement. The board held an executive session for the purpose of discussing the employment or employment history of specific individuals before reconvening into open session and adjourning.

The Board of Education convened to discuss options for the 2026-2027 school year budget following the failure of the initial budget proposal. The Superintendent presented various tax levy and spending reduction scenarios, including cuts to programs, athletics, and personnel, such as LPNs and Dean of Students positions. The board facilitated public discourse regarding these proposals and deliberated on the preferred course of action to achieve required budget reductions while maintaining essential services. Ultimately, the Board adopted a property tax report card and a revised budget for an upcoming re-vote.

The meeting included recognitions of district retirees and a public hearing regarding the proposed school budget for the upcoming year, highlighting tax levy impacts and the necessity of a contingency budget if the re-vote fails. The board received a report on the draft districtwide school safety plan and discussed the scheduling of board meetings for the next school year. Furthermore, the board authorized several service agreements, accepted various donations for student funds, approved the disposal of obsolete district property, and established roles for the upcoming budget re-vote. Reports were also presented on student body activities and recent legislative updates from the Nassau-Suffolk School Boards Association.