Huntington School Board Notes
Huntington School Board members have approved retirement requests submitted by Southdown Primary School Principal Michelle Marino (effective at the close of business on June 30) and Huntington High School teachers Kim Cotler (close of business June 30) and Marguerite Montefusco (close of business September 23), nurse Martha Ironman (close of business June 30), teacher aide Linda Kehn (close of business January 17) and custodian Rocco Munno (close of business January 29). Trustees took the action during a public meeting in the Jack Abrams STEM Magnet School auditorium on January 27.
Trustees approved two new courses for Huntington High School students. AP Physics 1 will be offered in the 2014/15 school year. Chinese I will be offered in the 2015/16 school year if district finances, staffing and course enrollment allows for it. Both courses will be offered to students in eleventh and twelfth grades. The two courses were previously approved by the district’s Educational Development Committee, which includes teachers and administrators.
Trustees also took the following actions:
• Authorized teacher Susan Curtin to be reimbursed for her district related travel between buildings.
• Approved post-season pay for athletic coaches Kathleen Wright, Marissa Bergmann, Steven Muller, James Byrnes, James McCabe, Ronald Wilson, Timothy Madden, John Pagano, Jason Suarez, John Walsh, Vincent Tannazzo, Christopher Helmke, Margaret McConnell, Jamie Fishlow, Shawn Anderson and Debra Cheskes.
• Authorized Amy Malone, Julia Carson, Michelle Audia and Rebecca Rofield to work as substitute teachers during the 2013/14 school year.
• Authorized Emilio Moreno (custodian), Erminia Smith (clerical), Linda Kehn (clerical) and Alicia Gutierrez (food service) to work as substitute employees.
• Approved additional work for nurses Martha Ironman, Christine Renzulli and Katherine Kunze-Khokhar related to sports physicals and re-qualifications.
• Approved additional work for nurses Connie DeGrassi and Marlene McKenna and secretaries Clara Krapf, Margaret Florio and Maryanne Omara related to kindergarten registration.
• Authorized teacher Matthew Bilello to provide up to 32 hours of professional development as a “Reconstructive & Resilience Challenge” demonstration teacher. His $49.95 per hour stipend will be covered by a STLE #2 grant.
• Approved a child care related leave of absence for music teacher Nicole Lynch for the 2014/15 school year.
• Approved a leave of absence for Raffaela Montesano from her chairperson of science and instructional technology, 7-12 position through approximately June 30. She is current serving as interim principal of Jack Abrams STEM Magnet School.
• Appointed Regina Askerberg as a teacher assistant at Woodhull Intermediate School, effective February 17.
• Approved long-term substitute teacher assignments for Christina Droskoski (Flower Hill/reading), Maria Lorandini (Huntington High School/foreign language) and Annie Bastien (Southdown/general classroom).
• Authorized changes in assignment for Scott Doxey (acting head custodian of Jack Abrams STEM Magnet School), Daniel Pacheco (lead custodian at J. Taylor Finley Middle School), David Ehlers (Huntington High School maintenance mechanic II) and Rosemary Fleming (athletic department senior clerk typist).
• Authorized teachers Brian Reynolds and Vincent Tannazzo to work in the Finley Middle School STEM after-school program. They will be paid $49.95 for up to 34 hours of work each. The program is funded through a STEM school improvement grant.
• Appointed Michael Fabio (crew, assistant coach), Natalee Schaeffer (Finley girls’ lacrosse-white, assistant coach), Eliasib Acosta (boys’ varsity spring track, assistant coach), Elena Albanese (girls’ varsity lacrosse, assistant coach) and William Harris (Finley baseball, head coach) as athletic coaches for the spring season.
• Approved non-instructional appointments for Finley Middle School food service worker Jacqueline Apelsinov, Huntington High School security guard Fabrice Esther and Woodhull School monitor Linda Bender.
• Approved a revised policy regarding the duties of the school district treasurer.
• Tabled for further study and information a resolution related to veteran tax exemptions.
• Approved SEQRA (State Environmental Quality Review Act) resolutions related to capital improvement projects at Huntington High School, J. Taylor Finley Middle School, Jack Abrams STEM Magnet School, Jefferson Primary School and Woodhull Intermediate School.
• Authorized the Huntington High School crew team to travel overnight to the New York State championships in Saratoga on May 9-11 and to the Stotesbury Cup Regatta in Philadelphia on May 15-17.
• Approved a consultant services contract with Jacquelyn Nealon, Ed.D. of Wantagh for a financial aid workshop. She will be paid $600.
• Approved a consultant services contract with John Robertson of East Moriches for work related to the district’s student transportation program. He will be paid $10,000.
• Approved budget transfers related to copy machine expenses for the Huntington High School library ($1,500), Finley Middle School server package ($1,500), professional association membership ($79.95) and payment for retirement, sick and vacation pay ($20,000) as per audit requirements.
• Approved a consultant services contract with Lynn Stock of Centerport for professional development workshops related to “Strategies that Increase Student Engagement & Achievement.” She will be paid $300 per workshop.