The Huntington UFSD Board of Education is ready to lead in the 2021/22 school year, which officially got underway on July 1.
Trustees re-elected Christine Biernacki to serve as the board’s president and Xavier Palacios to continue as vice president. The seven member panel also includes trustees Kelly Donovan, Bill Dwyer, Thomas Galvin, Michele Kustera and Theresa Sullivan.
The members of the Huntington School Board are elected by the residents of the community to manage and oversee all aspects of the district’s educational program, personnel, properties and financial affairs.
Trustees serve three year terms without any form of compensation. Members helped develop an annual budget and submit the proposal to voters for approval. They appoint administrators to conduct the day-to-day affairs of the district; faculty to provide instruction and support staff to ensure the smooth operation of the school system.
State education law grants school board members the authority to enact the policies and regulations they feel are necessary to fulfill their responsibilities and to provide students with the education they are legally entitled to and deserve.
The school board’s oversight responsibilities include the admission of students, instruction, discipline, grading, classification of special education students, appointing and managing all employees, entering into contracts, purchasing, leasing, maintenance of buildings, property, equipment and supplies and every other area of district operations.
School board members meet regularly in executive session to discuss personnel and legal matters and in public to receive reports from officials, discuss policies and attend to the district’s financial and educational affairs. An agenda is published prior public meetings and residents are provided an opportunity to address trustees. Detailed minutes of each meeting are kept by the district clerk.
The school board is entrusted with the ultimate responsibility for the proper education of all young people within the district who are enrolled in the public school system and in safeguarding the financial and material resources provided by residents through the years.