BOE hearing on safety, awards tenure

PINE PLAINS — Along with hosting the mandated public hearing for the district-wide safety plan and code of conduct, the Pine Plains Central School District Board of Education (BOE) awarded tenure to several district personnel at its recent virtual meeting on Wednesday, June 3.

Beginning at 7 p.m., the meeting was organized via video conference due to the COVID-19 pandemic and schools being closed statewide. 

Opening with the public hearing, Superintendent of Schools Martin Handler explained the BOE was required to hold the hearing for the safety plan and code of conduct documents, which were included in that night’s agenda. Though the code of conduct remained the same, he said it still needed to be presented at a public hearing. Following the hearing, the public will be granted 30 days to comment on both documents before both will be adopted at the BOE’s annual reorganization meeting in July.

Seeing as there were no questions from the BOE about the district’s safety plan or the code of conduct, BOE President Chip Couse presented the board with questions he received from a Stanfordville resident about the 2020-21 school district budget. One of the questions dealt with the BOE’s reaction to the teachers’ union’s decision to place signs throughout the district advocating for the community to vote “yes” on the budget. Couse replied that “there have been advocacy groups on budgets forever,” both to support and reject the budget. He also indicated that the teachers’ union has been a strong partner in improving education in Pine Plains and expressed his appreciation for its efforts.

Since questions could not be asked in person, the public was invited to submit questions to Pine Plains District Clerk Julia Tomaine via email prior to the meeting.

Under the agenda’s personnel section, the BOE appointed Christopher Boyd to a four-year probationary term as the assistant principal of Cold Spring Early Learning Center, replacing Nathaniel Zacek. With his term running from Wednesday, July 1, to June 30, 2024, Boyd will receive an annual salary of $98,000 for the 2020-21 school year. Boyd was also appointed as a data protection officer for the coming school year with a stipend of $5,000.

Kicking off the evening’s tenure appointments, the BOE awarded tenure to Director of Curriculum and Instruction Brian Timm, effective Feb. 1, 2021. Gabrielle Baker was appointed tenure in the secondary mathematics tenure area, effective Tuesday, Sept. 1, while Corinna Hengen-Burton was appointed tenure in the physical education tenure area, effective Feb. 1, 2021. Nicholas Dean was appointed tenure in the technology education tenure area while Erin Doyle was appointed tenure in the health education tenure area; both appointments will come into effect on Tuesday, Sept. 1.

Also effective Tuesday, Sept. 1, Susan Lydon, Kelly Nielsen and Melissa Michetti were awarded tenure in the teaching assistant tenure area; Jeremy Weber was awarded tenure in the physical education tenure area; and Ariana Wright was awarded tenure in the elementary education tenure area. Cacelia Wyman’s tenure in secondary foreign language will come into effect on Monday, Nov. 9.

Latest News

Welcome!

Special Subscription Offer

We’re delighted to offer you the special 50% off discount rate to The Millerton News.

Simply press the “Special Subscription Offer” button below and you will be directed to our Subscription Page.

Keep ReadingShow less
Stephen S. Myers

LAKEVILLE — Stephen S. Myers, 82, of Lakeville, (formerly of New York City, Almond, New York, Kane’ohe, Hawaii, and Fair Oaks, California) passed away peacefully at his home on Nov. 30, 2024. He is survived by his wife Elizabeth “Betsy” (Phelan), his two sons Matthew and Shepherd, two nephews and three nieces.

Stephen was born in Elmhurst, Illinois, on Oct. 29, 1942, the son of the late Elwood Mosman and Donnie Marguerite Myers. Growing up in Glen Ellyn, Illinois, Stephen struggled with dyslexia in multiple high schools, ultimately graduating from Avon Old Farms High School in Avon, Connecticut.

Keep ReadingShow less
Ella L. Clark

WEST CORNWALL — Ella L. Clark, 83, a social worker, writer, and lover of nature and the Post Office, died Nov. 7, 2024 at Vassar Brothers Hospital in Poughkeepsie, after an acute stroke. Her family was with her in her last week.

Ella was predeceased by her parents, Benjamin S. and Charlotte L. Clark, her brother, Benjamin Clark, and her sister Tib Clark. Ella is survived by her daughter, Cristina Mathews of Fort Bragg, California, and her husband Jason and son Milo, her son Alexander Mathews, of Newton, Massachusetts, and his wife Olivia and children Ariana, Damian, and Torey, her daughter Jessica Meyer, of Pacific Palisades, California, and her husband Tim and children Ione and Nikos; and her sister Charlotte de Bresson of Paris.

Keep ReadingShow less
David Graeme Townsend

SALISBURY — David Graeme Townsend was born July 23, 1930, in Mineola, New York, to Rachel Townsend (Maxtone-Graham) and Greenough Townsend. David and his older brother Antone grew up in New York City and Long Island. Some of his early life was spent in Scotland in his mother’s family home, Cultoquhey, which is near Perth in the Highlands. Here he enjoyed summers with all his Maxtone-Graham cousins. Many of these cousins would remain close with David for his entire life. One cousin, Charles Smythe, even came to America to live with David and his family during the war where Charles became like a brother to David and Antone. David went to St. George’s in Newport, Rhode Island for a while and then on to Lawrenceville in New Jersey. He finished high school at the Basil Patterson School in Edinburgh, Scotland.

Immediately after high school, David enrolled in the US Marine Corps and served two tours in the Korean War. He was always very proud of his military service. After his service David attended the Sorbonne University in Paris for two years and then the University of Madrid for one year. Even though David never finished his formal education, he always remained an avid student of history and language. In his travels his skill with foreign languages was sometimes a problem because he spoke with such a good accent that it was sometimes falsely assumed that he was fluent.

Keep ReadingShow less