School Board Reorganizes, Approves Appointments

Huntington School Board members elected trustees Xavier Palacios and Michele Kustera to serve as that body’s president and vice-president, respectively, during the group’s reorganization meeting on July 11 in the Jack Abrams STEM Magnet School auditorium.

Trustees appointed Joanne Miranda as district clerk and Kim Zellman as deputy district clerk. Jill Miranda was named district treasurer with Jeanne Dunn approved as the deputy district treasurer. The law firm of Guercio & Guercio was appointed to serve as general and labor counsels for the 2023/24 school year.

Nawrocki Smith LLP was appointed as the claims auditor. Cullen & Danowski, LLP was named the external auditor.

Trustees Bill Dwyer and Kelly Donovan and former trustee Richard McGrath, who is a CPA, were appointed to serve on the district audit committee.

Corporate Medical Consultants P.C. (John M. Colletta, MD) was appointed as the district’s chief medical officer.

Trustees also appointed members of the Committee on Pre-school Special Education (CPSE) and the Committee on Special Education. Trustee Kelly Donovan was chosen to review CPSE and CSE minutes, if needed, outside of the time frame of a regularly scheduled board meeting.

Trustees appointed Assistant Superintendent Beth McCoy to serve as the district’s Section 504 compliance officer relative to the Americans with Disabilities Act.

Trustees also appointed Mardella Edwards (J. Taylor Finley Middle School) and Patrice Boyle (Huntington High School) as building level central treasurers.

Trustees also took the following actions:

• Appointed trustees Theresa Sullivan, Thomas Galvin and Christine Biernacki as members of the district’s policy committee.

• Appointed Dignity Act coordinators and support personnel.

• Appointed Assistant Superintendents Christopher Hender, Dr. Rubie Harris and Beth McCoy as the district’s civil rights compliance officers.

• Approved a list of 152 community organizations authorized to use district facilities.

• Approved a list of employees authorized to receive mileage reimbursement for district related travel.

• Appointed Christine Doherty as the district’s purchasing agent. Assistant Superintendent Dr. Rubie Harris was appointed the deputy purchasing agent.

• Appointed Joanne Miranda as the records access and record management officer.

• Appointed more than 20 election clerks and inspectors for school district elections and referendums. Appointed Barbara Abrahamson, Helene Constantin, Jahaira Felix and Janine Johnson as members of the Board of Registration. Appointed Assistant Superintendent Christopher Hender as the chief inspector.

• Appointed Assistant Superintendent Christopher Hender as the residency hearing officer.

• Appointed Assistant Superintendent Beth McCoy as the district-wide Dignity Act coordinator.

• Appointed Gail Mahoney as the district’s liaison for homeless children and youth during the 2023/24 school year.

• Designated Marybeth Robinette as chief information officer for State Education Department reporting purposes and appointed Nancy Allard as “backup” chief information officer.

• Appointed Eastern Suffolk BOCES to provide health and safety consultant services during the 2023/24 school year.

• Designated the Huntington News, Long Island Business News, Times Beacon Record and Newsday as newspapers authorized to receive the district’s legal notices. The decision to use any or all newspapers will be determined when the ad is to be placed

• Approved the use of J.P. Morgan Chase. First National Bank of Long Island and NY Class as school district depositories for various funds.

• Readopted the district’s code of conduct.

• Designated the superintendent and the assistant superintendents for finance and management services and curriculum and instruction as those responsible for certifying all payrolls for the 2023/24 school year.

• Approved petty cash accounts for building level administrators and department directors. In all, 18 such accounts were authorized amounting to $1,750 in total.

• Approved the district’s continued participation in the national school lunch and breakfast program.

• Appointed trustee Theresa Sullivan to the district Wellness Committee.

• Appointed trustee Kelly Donovan to the district Safety Committee.

• Authorized the superintendent to apply for and sign all grant applications and reports for both state and federal grants.

• Authorized the Huntington School Board president and district clerk to execute and sign contracts for health services.

• Authorized the Huntington School Board president and district clerk to enter into tuition contracts with individuals and school districts.

• Reaffirmed the district’s purchasing and investment policies.

• Readopted all district policies.

• Established school breakfast, lunch and milk prices for the 2023/24 school year.