Chappaqua Central School District
Minutes May 6, 2020
OFFICIAL MINUTES
CHAPPAQUA CENTRAL SCHOOL DISTRICT
BOARD OF EDUCATION
Wednesday, May 6, 2020, 6:00 PM
Horace Greeley High School - Academic Commons
Presiding Officer: Jane Kimmel Shepardson
Pledge of Allegiance: Holly McCall
Present: Board of Education (all via Zoom Videoconference)
Jane Kimmel Shepardson, President
Holly McCall, Vice President
Hilary Grasso
Warren Messner
Victoria Tipp
Staff Members: (all via Zoom Videoconference)
Christine Ackerman, Superintendent of Schools
John Chow, Assistant Superintendent for Business
Adam Pease, Assistant Superintendent for Curriculum
Liisa Elsner, District Clerk
Motioned by Jane Kimmel Shepardson to convene the public meeting at 6:32 pm. Seconded by Victoria Tipp. Motion carried 5-0.
Motioned by Hilary Grasso to adjourn into Executive Session to discuss the employment history of a particular persons, litigation, contract negotiations and to receive advice from counsel at 6:33 pm. Seconded by Holly McCall. Motion carried 5-0.
Motioned by Victoria Tipp to reconvene the public meeting at 7:49 pm. Seconded by Holly McCall. Motion carried 5-0.
1. Information Business Affairs
1.1 President’s Report – President Shepardson gave her report noting the following:
- Hoping that everyone is staying safe and healthy and following social distancing guidelines
- Noting that this week is Teacher Appreciation Week and thanking teachers for their hard work and leadership during this difficult time.
- The difficult news that the Governor has now decreed that schools will remain closed for the duration of the 2019-20 school year.
- The 2020 Annual Budget Vote and Election will be held on June 9 by absentee ballot only. Encouraging the community to vote.
1.1.1 BE IT RESOLVED, that the Board of Education approves the Westchester Putnam School Boards Association (WPSBA) Proposed 2020-21 Budget and Nominating Committee Slate, and authorizes the Board President to sign the WPSBA Annual Meeting Ballot.
Motioned by Victoria Tipp to approve Item 1.1.1 as stated above. Seconded by Jane Kimmel Shepardson. Motion carried 5-0. Ms. Tipp spoke briefly about the work of WPSBA. Warren Messner, on behalf of the Board, thanked Ms. Tipp for her dedicated service to the WPSBA and, by extension, the different districts it serves.
1.1.2 WHEREAS, Governor Andrew M. Cuomo issued Executive Order No. 202-26 on May 1, 2020 declaring that the Annual District Meeting for Budget Vote and School Board Elections shall be adjourned to June 9, 2020, held remotely, by absentee ballot only, and setting guidelines therefor.
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that Resolution No. 1.1.1, adopted by the Board of Education on May 8, 2019, setting the date of the Annual District Meeting, shall be amended to change the date of the 2020 Annual District Meeting; and authorizing the Annual District Meeting (Annual School Election/Budget Vote) for the Chappaqua Central School District, for the 2019-2020 school year, to be adjourned from Tuesday, May 19, 2020, to Tuesday, June 9, 2020, to be held remotely, by absentee ballot only, and with voting hours ending at 5:00 PM, the time when the Absentee ballots must be received by the District Clerk; and,
THEREFORE BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that this resolution shall take effect immediately.
Motioned by Jane Kimmel Shepardson to approve Item 1.1.2 as stated above. Seconded by Victoria Tipp. After discussion Ms. Kimmel Shepardson rescinded her motion. Seconded by Victoria Tipp. Motion carried 5-0.
Motioned by Jane Kimmel Shepardson to approve Item 1.1.2 as amended. Seconded by Hilary Grasso. Motion carried 5-0.
1.2 Superintendent’s Report – Dr. Ackerman gave her community update noting the following:
- Sharing student photos of their “essential items.”
- Teacher Appreciation Week, Principal’s Day and Nurse Appreciation Week. She thanked all for their continued hard work and leadership.
- The Budget Vote date has been confirmed for June 9, by absentee ballot.
- Kindergarten “Registration” week has been going well with forms online for parents to complete and submit, thanks to Josh Block and the building secretaries.
1.2.1 RFP – Special Education Program Review – Dr. Pease and Kristie Evers gave an overview of the Request for Proposal regarding the Special Education Program Review. Dr. Sinanis gave an update on the search for the new Assistant Superintendent for Pupil Personnel Services.
Presentations: Chappaqua Library 2020-21 Budget Presentation - Pam Thornton, Director of the Chappaqua Library presented the 2020-21 Budget and answered questions from the Board about the budget and the roof situation.
2. Committee Reports
Policy Committee - a new policy on Student Data Privacy and Security had its first reading and will be reviewed again by the committee and presented to the Board again at the next meeting.
Public Comment Period:
We welcome public comments, and in respect for each other's time, we ask that you limit your comments to three minutes. Board members may be contacted via email or phone. After the public comment period has been completed, Board members may have a discussion among themselves regarding comments presented.
3. Approvals & Ratifications
3.1 BE IT RESOLVED, that the Board of Education accepts the minutes of the April 29, 2020 Special Board Meeting.
Motioned by Jane Kimmel Shepardson to accept Item 3.1 as stated above. Seconded by Victoria Tipp. Motion carried 5-0.
3.2 Policy #5086 – Data Privacy and Security – 1st Reading
4. Recommended Action: Personnel
4.1 Instructional
4.2 Non-Instructional
5. Recommended Action: Other
Use of the Consent Agenda permits the Board of Education to make more effective use of its time by adopting a single motion to cover those relatively routine matters, which are included. Any member of the Board who wishes to discuss individually a particular piece of business on the Consent Agenda may so indicate and that item will be considered and voted on separately, thus preserving the right of all Board members to be heard on any issue. It is recommended that the Board of Education approve the following Consent agenda as submitted by the Superintendent of Schools.
5.1 CSE Summaries (2019-20 School Year) reported to the Board on May 6, 2020.
5.2 CSE Summaries (2020-21 School Year) reported to the Board on May 6, 2020.
5.3 NOTICE OF ANNUAL PUBLIC HEARING ON BUDGET, ANNUAL MEETING, SCHOOL DISTRICT ELECTION, LIBRARY ELECTION AND VOTE
NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that the Board of Education of the Chappaqua Central School District, Westchester County, New York will hold a Public Hearing on the Budget at the Academic Commons at the Horace Greeley High School, Chappaqua, New York, by videoconference on Wednesday, May 27, 2020 at 7:00 pm for the purpose of presenting the budget document for the 2020-21 school year.
NOTICE IS FURTHER GIVEN that a copy of the statement of the amount of money which will be required for School District purposes during the 2020-21 school year (the Budget), exclusive of public moneys, may be obtained by any resident of the District effective May 15, 2020, on the District website. A Real Property Tax Exemption Report prepared in accordance with Section 495 of the Real Property Tax Law will be annexed to any budget of which it will form a part; and shall be posted on on the District’s website.
NOTICE IS FURTHER GIVEN that the Annual District Meeting, Election of Members of the Board of Education and Library Trustees and Vote on the School District and Library budgets, will be held on Tuesday, June 9, 2020, exclusively using absentee ballots until 5:00 p.m., prevailing time, to vote:
- To elect two (2) members to the Board of Education, 3-year terms, commencing July 1, 2020 and expiring on June 30, 2023.
- To vote upon the appropriation of the necessary funds to meet the estimated expenditures for School District purposes for the 2020-2021 School year (the Budget).
- To vote upon the appropriation of the necessary funds for the 2020-2021 fiscal year of the Chappaqua Central School District Public Library (the Library Budget).
- To elect one (1) member to the Board of Trustees of the Chappaqua Central School District Public Library, five-year term, commencing July 1, 2020 and expiring June 30, 2025.
- To vote on any other proposition legally proposed.
NOTICE IS FURTHER GIVEN that in light of the COVID-19 pandemic and the resulting closure of school buildings, and in an effort to maintain health and safety, the District Clerk will not be registering voters of the District. If a voter has registered to vote with the School District and has voted at an annual or special school district meeting within the last four calendar years, (after January 1, 2016) s/he is eligible to vote at this Election and Vote. If a voter is currently registered to vote with the Westchester County Board of Elections, s/he is also eligible to vote in this Election and Vote. All other persons who wish to vote must register to vote with the Westchester County Board of Elections by mail or online through the New York State Department of Motor Vehicles website at https://dmv.ny.gov/more-info/electronic-voter-registration-application.
Any person possessing all of the following qualifications may register to vote:
- Is a citizen of the United States; and
- Is eighteen years of age or older; and
- Has resided in the School District for a period of thirty days immediately
- Preceding the day of the Election and Vote.
NOTICE IS FURTHER GIVEN that absentee ballots will be sent to all known registered District voters. Absentee ballots must be received by the District Clerk by no later than 5:00 p.m., prevailing time, on June 9, 2020.
NOTICE IS FURTHER GIVEN that Military Voters may apply to register as a qualified voter of the District and/or apply for a military ballot by contacting the District Clerk at Telephone (914) 238-7200, Ext. 1002, or email: LiElsner@ccsd.ws, to receive an application to register as a qualified voter of the District and/or to receive a ballot for the Annual Meeting on June 9, 2020. The Military Voter may indicate their preference for receiving the registration application by mail, by facsimile or email. The application to register and/or for a ballot must be received by the District Clerk no later than 5:00 P.M. on May 14, 2020. Military ballots will be mailed or otherwise distributed no later than 25 days before the election. Military ballots must be received by the District Clerk 5:00 P.M. on election day and show a cancellation mark of the U.S postal service or a foreign country’s postal service, or show a dated endorsement of receipt by another agency of the U.S. government or be signed and dated by the military voter and one witness thereof, with a date which is ascertained to be not later than the day before the election. A list of all persons to whom military ballots shall have been issued will be available to qualified voters of the District, upon request, until the day of the Annual School District Election and Vote.
AND BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that the School District Clerk is hereby authorized to amend the Notice of the Public Hearing on the Budget and Annual Meeting, Election and Vote, from time to time, as in her discretion, such amendment may be required.
AND BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that the School District Clerk shall cause the Notice set forth above to be published two (2) times within the four (4) weeks preceding the Annual Meeting, Election and Vote, the first such notice to be published at least 28 days prior to the Election and Vote, in accordance with Section 2004 of the Education Law.
BOARD OF EDUCATION
CHAPPAQUA CENTRAL SCHOOL DISTRICT
WESTCHESTER COUNTY, NEW YORK
by: Liisa K. Elsner, District Clerk
Dated: May 6, 2020
To be published: May 12, 2020 & June 2, 2020
5.4 BE IT RESOLVED, that the Board of Education approves an Agreement for Health & Welfare Services with The Rye City School District for 1 student at a rate of $1,309.29 per student, effective September 1, 2019 to June 30, 2020 and authorizes the Board President, Superintendent and District Clerk to execute this Agreement.
5.5 BE IT RESOLVED, that the Board of Education hereby ratifies the provisions of the Memorandum of Agreement (“MOA”) executed by the negotiating teams for the District and the Chappaqua Administrators' Association dated May 6, 2020, and agrees to a three-year successor agreement to their 2017-20 Collectively Negotiated Agreement, effective July 1, 2020 and terminating on June 30, 2023, and authorizes the expenditure of those moneys necessary to implement the provisions of the 2020-23 CAA Collectively Negotiated Agreement between the District and the Chappaqua Administrators’ Association. A copy of the MOA shall be incorporated by reference within the minutes of this meeting.
Motioned by Holly McCall to approve Items 5.1 through 5.5 as stated above. Seconded by Hilary Grasso. Motion carried 5-0.
6. Facilities
7. Financials
7.1 BE IT RESOLVED, that the Board of Education acknowledges receipt of the Revenue Status Report for March 2020.
Motioned by Holly McCall to acknowledge receipt of Item 7.1 as stated above. Seconded by Hilary Grasso. Motion carried 5-0.
8. Notice of Future Meetings
Wednesday, May 20, 2020, 7:30 pm
Tenured Teacher Recognition
Horace Greeley High School – Academic Commons
Wednesday, May 27, 2020, 7:00 pm
Budget Hearing
Horace Greeley High School – Academic Commons
9. Adjournment
Motioned by Warren Messner to adjourn the meeting at 9:14 pm. Seconded by Holly McCall. Motion carried 5-0.
Respectfully submitted,
Liisa Elsner
District Clerk / Secretary to the Superintendent
/lke