Board of Education

2023-2024 Board members with flag: Jane Samuelson, Sarah Messing, Superintendent Evette Avila, VP Katie McKnight, Pres. Joseph Bond, Diana Revoir, Fran Fox-Pizzonia, Angela Terralavoro
20230724_191640 (1)

BOE Members with Superintendent Avila. 
BOE Members: (l. to r.)Jane Samuelson, Sarah Messing,  Superintendent Evette Avila, VP Katie McKnight, Pres. Joe Bond, Diana Revoir, Frances Fox-Pizzonia  Angela Terralavoro

Valley Central Board of Education Seeks Applications

The Valley Central School District Board of Education invites District resident non-employee applications for two (2) openings on the District’s Audit Committee.

The Committee members collectively should possess the expertise and experience in accounting, auditing, financial reporting and school district finances needed to understand and evaluate the school district’s financial statements, the external audit of those statements and the district’s internal audit activities. Accordingly, the Audit Committee's members should:

  • Possess the requisite skills and experience necessary to understand technical and complex financial
    reporting issues.
  • Have the ability to communicate with, and offer advice and assistance to, public finance officers and auditors.
  • Be knowledgeable about internal controls, financial statement audits and management/operational audits.

Candidates may not be related to anyone working for or contracted with the District. Interviews will take place in the evening during the last half of June. Interested candidates should submit the following by 3:00 p.m. Friday, May 10, 2024: a letter of interest indicating why you want to become a member of the
Committee; why you should be selected; and a biographical sketch or resume.

Interested parties may request an information sheet from Brad Conklin, Deputy District Clerk, which broadly outlines the duties and time commitments the Board anticipates for Committee members. Mr. Conklin can be reached at 845-457-2400, ext. 18122.

Mail or submit the information required to Mr. Brad Conklin, Deputy District Clerk, Valley Central School District, 944 State Route 17K, Montgomery, New York 12549.

Valley Central District Goals

The Valley Central School District Board of Education is the official policy-making body of the school district.  Board of Education decisions affect the education of our children and the well-being of our community. 

The Valley Central District Goals adopted by the Board of Education are:  

  • To increase student achievement
  • To attract and retain a knowledgeable and dedicated staff
  • To serve as the cornerstone of the community
  • To maintain and improve facilities in order to support the previous goals listed.

BOE Meeting Agenda are found here. 

Board of Education Responsibilities

Are you interested in becoming a member of the Board of Education? Learn more at this page.

The Board of Education is a uniquely American institution. It keeps the country’s public schools flexible and responsive to the needs of their local communities. A member of a Board of Education in New York State takes on one of the most important responsibilities that can be assigned to any citizen: helping to plan the education of the community’s youth.

With schoolchildren always their ultimate focus, school board members act officially at the board table, working with other board members to serve students and accomplish the following:

The main responsibility of the Board of Education is to establish policy for the management of the school district. The superintendent of schools, who is the chief executive officer of the district, is responsible for the administration of these policies.

Running for the School Board by NYS School Boards Association

Workshop for Prospective School Board Members- 2024
Orange County School Boards Association invites anyone interested in serving on their local school board of education to attend this workshop and learn about the roles, responsibilities, and realities of school board service.

Board of Education Meetings

Click here to find information regarding the next Board of Education meeting

School board meetings are held in public and conducted by the Board of Education under the legal authority of the State of New York. The meetings provide time for the board to carry out the tasks for which it is responsible. Typically, each meeting is composed of the following:

THE AGENDA

Copies of the agenda are available to the public at each meeting. The agenda outlines the order of business for each meeting. Agendas and supporting documentation are delivered to board members in advance of the meeting date to allow the board to study and review the information provided to them by the superintendent.

Public Comment

The Board of Education encourages public comment at Board meetings as a means of providing an opportunity for its constituents to express their concerns for the district.  There will be a specific agenda item at each regular meeting of the Board to provide an opportunity to address the Board.  There may be a specific agenda item at special meetings to provide an opportunity for the public to address the Board.

Visitors are welcome at Board meetings. It is the sincere desire of the Board that the residents and staff of the district have an awareness of decisions made by the Board and an opportunity to contribute any information pertinent to the making of such decisions.

EXECUTIVE SESSION

The Board of Education also meets in executive session. These sessions may precede or follow regular meetings. Executive sessions are closed to the public since they relate to personnel matters, labor negotiations, legal issues, and other topics defined as confidential under the Open Meeting Law of the State of New York. All official actions, however, must and do take place at public meetings.

In addition to its regular meetings, it is sometimes necessary for the board to hold executive sessions. Executive Sessions generally are for the discussion of sensitive subjects such as personnel matters and employee contract negotiations. 


Next Meeting of the Board of Education

The Regular Meeting of the Board of Education that was scheduled to take place on Monday, March 18, 2024 at 6:30 p.m. has been rescheduled for Monday, March 18, 2024 at 7:00 p.m. in the Administration Building. Prior to the start of the Regular Meeting, the Board will meet in a Board Retreat
at 5:00 p.m., which will not be open to the public.

The public is cordially invited to attend or listen to and observe the public business being discussed by the Board of Education by accessing the District’s YouTube Channel where we will provide a live stream of the regularly scheduled meetings. Please note: Specially scheduled meetings may not be streamed on our Youtube channel.

The agenda for the regularly scheduled meeting is generally posted the Friday before the meeting.  The supporting documents are also posted at least 24 hours before the meeting.  

AGENDA

Board of Education
Regular Meeting
Monday, March 18, 2024
Administration Building
7:00 p.m.

I. CALL TO ORDER

II. PLEDGE TO FLAG

STUDENT PRESENTATION
Montgomery Elementary School

III. CORRESPONDENCE

IV. COMMENDATIONS

V. PROPOSED CONSENT AGENDA

CONSIDERATION OF MINUTES

A. Regular Board Meeting Minutes dated 3/4/24

FINANCIAL REPORT

A. Acceptance of Treasurer’s Report for February
B. Acceptance of Expenditure Budget Status Report for February
C. Acceptance of Revenue Budget Status Report for February
D. Acceptance of Record of Claims for February
E. Acceptance of Extraclassroom Report for February
F. Acceptance of Cafeteria Report for February
G. Acceptance of Investment Report for February
H. Acceptance of Budget Transfer Report for February
I. Acceptance of Internal Claims Auditor Report for January
J. Acceptance of Internal Claims Auditor Report for February

RECOMMENDATIONS OF CSE/CPSE
FOR APPROVAL

A. Approval of Side Agreement between Valley Central School District
and the Valley Central Nutritional Staff Association
B. Approval of District Facilities Five Year Plan
C. Acceptance of Donation:
Valley Central Middle School – Gemeinhardt Flute
Alison Roper – Community Member
D. Overnight Trip Request:
Montgomery Elementary School – Odyssey of the Mind
E. Adoption of Resolution:
Appointment of Hearing Officer and Suspension of Employee 2024-1

SUPERINTENDENT’S RECOMMENDATIONS

A. Acceptance of Resignations:

Noninstructional

Name Position/Building Effective Date

1. Brenda Melendez 1:1 Paraprofessional/BES March 18, 2024
2. Diane Kirk Paraprofessional/MS March 18, 2024
3. Odelia Pacheco-Abreu Food Service Helper/HS March 18, 2024
4. Shane Perrello Grounds Worker/B&G March 8, 2024
5. Patricia Duffy Typist/HS March 4, 2024
6. Richard Post, Jr. Custodial Worker/HS July 29, 2024
(Correction from 1/22/24 Board Agenda)

B. Approval of Leave of Absence:

Name Position/Building Effective Date

1. Dena McGuiness Paraprofessional (School Monitor)/MS Intermittent Leave/March 1, 2024 thru TBD

C. Approval of Appointments:

Instructional Annual Appointments

Name Position/Building Schedule/Step Effective Dates

1. Kelly Green Certified Substitute Teacher/District $115.00 per day 2023 – 2024 School Year
2. Mason Davis Non-Certified Substitute Teachers/ District $110.00 per day 2023 – 2024 School Year
3. Amanda Healy Non-Certified Substitute Teachers/ District $110.00 per day 2023 – 2024 School Year

Noninstructional

Name Position/Building Schedule/Step Effective Dates

1. Wendi Bean
(New Position) Registered Nurse/District Elementary RN MA/Step 3 April 8, 2024
2. Juan Arevalo Santamaria
(Resignation Rep.) Food Service Helper/HS Nutritional (FSH)/ Step 5 March 19, 2024
3. Odelia Pacheco-Abreu
(Transfer Rep.) Paraprofessional/HS SRP(Para)/Step 4 March 19, 2024
4. Deanna Wild
(Resignation Rep.) Food Service Helper/MS Nutritional (FSH)/ Step 2 March 19, 2024
5. Brenda Melendez
(Resignation Rep.) Paraprofessional/MS SRP(Para)/Step 3 March 19, 2024
6. Diane Kirk
(Resignation Rep.) 1:2 Paraprofessional/ HCS SRP (Para)/Step 3 March 19, 2024
7. Shari Diaz
(Resignation Rep.) Custodial Worker/BES CSEA (Custodial Worker)/Step 1 March 19, 2024

Noninstructional Annual Appointments

Name Position/Building Schedule/Step Effective Dates

1. Nancy Brucato Substitute Food Service Helper/District $15.30 per hour 2023 – 2024 School Year
2. Zachary Addington Substitute Custodial Worker/District $15.00 per hour 2023 – 2024 School Year

Cocurricular Appointments

Name Position/Building Schedule/Step Effective Dates

1. Andrew Maher Events Personnel/Athletic Department $60.00 per event/Home $70.00 per event/Away 2023 – 2024 School Year
2. Hussain Hasan Events Personnel/ Athletic Department $60.00 per event/Home $70.00 per event/Away 2023 – 2024 School Year
3. Ibrahim Hassou Events Personnel/Athletic Department $60.00 per event/Home $70.00 per event/Away 2023 – 2024 School Year
4. Steven Altman Non-Paid Baseball Coach/Athletic Department N/A Spring 2024
5. Gianna Delcastello Student Lifeguard/Athletic Department $15.00 per hour 2023 – 2024 School Year

VI. REPORTS

A. Student Representatives
B. Superintendent of Schools
C. Assistant Superintendent for Curriculum & Instruction
D. Assistant Superintendent for Human Resources
E. School Business Official
F. OCSBA Delegates Meeting – March 6, 2024
G. Health & Safety Committee – March 12, 2024
H. Technology Planning Committee – March 14, 2024
I. Diversity, Equity & Inclusion Committee – March 14, 2024
J. Community Participation

VII. PUBLIC COMMENT

VIII. OLD BUSINESS

A. 2024-2025 Budget Presentation:
Superintendent’s Proposed Budget
B. Capital Project 2024 Presentation
C. Second and Final Reading of:
1. Policy 4327 – Homebound Instruction (New)

IX. NEW BUSINESS

A. Adoption of Resolution:
Capital Project as a Type II Action under SEQRA
B. Adoption of Resolution:
Special Proposition for Capital Project
C. Establishment of 2024 Annual Meeting Procedures
1. Annual District Election and Budget Vote and
Public Hearing Resolution
2. Appointment of Permanent Chairperson, Assistant Clerk and
Inspectors of Election Resolution
D. Adoption of BOCES Cooperative Purchasing Resolution

X. ADJOURNMENT

SUPPORTING DOCUMENTS 3.18.2024 PDF