Board of Ed wraps up 2020

MILLBROOK — The final meetings of the Millbrook Central School District (MCSD) Board of Education (BOE) were still dealing with many of the problems associated with the COVID-19 pandemic: the hybrid education models, hiring extra help and the additional hours needed to do so. A number of presentations were also made regarding surveys on the district’s educational services and structural needs.

The board met on Tuesday, Dec. 1, 2020, and dealt with the consent agenda and minutes from the previous meeting. A resignation was accepted from Richard Mirabella, custodial worker, effective immediately. Jennifer Walter was appointed school monitor. Lee Jack was appointed custodial worker for a probationary period of 26 weeks.

A motion was made and approved to remove surplus books and assorted office furniture from Alden Place Elementary School. A retention and disposition schedule was approved for New York Local Government Records and adopted for use by all officers to legally dispose of valueless records after they have met the minimum retention periods and only those records will be disposed of that do not have sufficient administrative, fiscal, legal or historical value to merit retention beyond the established legal minimum periods.

A co-curricular appointment for Cathie Morton as Book Club advisor was rescinded.

On Tuesday, Dec. 15, 2020, the BOE met again; its first order of business was to approve the budget calendar. Also approved was the contract for Health Services for a total of $1,266,985.05  

Enrollment figures for the MCSD totalled 840; Dutchess Day School enrollment was reported at 148; Upton Lake Christian School reported 68 students. 

An agreement with Dutchess County was OK’d through the Department of Behavioral and Community Health for the use of the district’s buildings, grounds and equipment for mass immunization and prophylaxis.

A motion was approved to enter into an agreement with Ethan Allen Staffing to provide a registered nurse for leave replacement coverage, effective Jan. 4 through Feb. 12, with it noted that the replacement will not be paid for days not in attendance or for days that school is closed for any reason.

Appointments were made for Elizabeth Delessio-Neubauer to act as a replacement  for clerks on temporary leave. Joanne Hobson was appointed school monitor and Cynthia Rozensweig will advise mock trials. Sabrina Laurino was appointed as a science teacher for a probationary period of four years and Kerry Weller was made website manager.

Resignations were accepted for the purposes of retirement from Pamela Jones-Guida, effective Sept. 2, and Patricia Thomaseki, effective July 1, 2020.

The enrollment report was given as of Nov. 30, 2020: Elm Drive Elementary School had 170 students; Alden Place had 159 students; Millbrook Middle School had 210 students; and Millbrook High School had 297 students; for a total of 836 students. Also in the district were special education, BOCES, pre-k and parent-placed students, who amounted to 184, while there were 26 students at Cardinal Hayes along with three other students in the district.

Donations were accepted by the district from Berkshire Taconic Community Foundation for $5,000 for the purchase of various items or to pay retroactively for devices already purchased to enable internet access. A second donation was from Cardinal Hayes School, for Vicra Zuma chairs estimated at a worth of $600 was also accepted.

An executive session was held by the board; afterward the board approved its building safety plan and the meeting adjourned.