Kingston City School District

The meeting transitioned from executive session back to public session. A resolution was approved authorizing the president to sign an agreement with the Honeywell Law Firm, PLLC, to serve as special counsel, effective December 8th, 2025. The board subsequently approved the minutes from the November 19th meeting with modifications due to a member's absence during the executive session vote. The Superintendent reported included a detailed presentation from the principal of Crosby Elementary School regarding student demographics, progress on step goals for improving literacy skills (utilizing CKLA and addressing vocabulary/phonics) and basic fact fluency, ongoing professional development activities, and the structure of school task teams focusing on math, literacy, behavior (PBIS), belonging (SEAL), and attendance. Data review covered I Ready diagnostics, showing cohort growth in ELA and modest growth in Math proficiency, and New York State assessment data for a specific cohort, highlighting positive growth trends despite identified areas for continued focus like vocabulary and basic math facts. The Director of Safety and Prevention provided an update on the School Resource Officer (SRO) program, detailing its history, mission to enhance safety and foster trust, the rigorous selection and training required for SROs, and clarifying that SROs are distinct from security guards, monitors, administrators, or teachers, operating specifically within the educational context.

This document outlines the Superintendent's goals for the 2025-2026 academic year, focusing on monitoring major educational initiatives (I-Ready, CKLA, Edu-Climber), reporting on communication audit progress, exploring school attendance zone redistricting, providing updates on a district-wide capital project, and presenting a balanced budget to the Board of Education.

This document outlines the Kingston City School District's goals for 2025-2026. Key strategic areas include supporting district educational plans, promoting equity, diversity, inclusion, and belonging, fostering Board of Education development, ensuring fiscal responsibility, enhancing communication and community relations, and advancing sustainability initiatives to address the climate crisis.

The meeting resumed following an executive session, confirmed by a role call of all present members. The board approved the minutes from the November 5th meeting. Public comment included concerns regarding the protection of immigrant families, the need for clear policy concerning federal agents on school grounds, and an allegation of abuse involving a principal. The Superintendent's report included a presentation from the principal of Chambers School detailing school demographics, including being a Title One school with 30% multilingual learners and 20% special education students. The principal highlighted community-focused initiatives such as a nature trail and alignment with the Portrait of a Graduate framework, and discussed academic goals related to math fluency (using RA grant information) and reading improvement via the Science of Reading, alongside data from the I Ready program. The principal also described a personal system implemented to track student progress using a physical wall display.

The meeting included discussions on various topics, such as an external audit report, which highlighted the district's financial position and compliance with regulations. The board also reviewed the district-wide safety plan, with a focus on incorporating a cardiac emergency response plan in all building-level plans, as necessitated by Desa's Law. This included identifying AED locations, trained staff, and emergency protocols.