Comings And Goings At HFCS

by Alex Brooks
The Hoosick Falls School Board approved tenure for 16 of its younger teachers and accepted resignations  from six senior staff at its meeting on May 18. Those receiving tenure included Science teacher Bruce Bailey, School Social Worker Lisa Budrick, Special Education teacher Lori Burdo, Elementary School teacher Amanda Clarke, English teacher David Coffey, Social Studies teacher Christian Farley, Phys. Ed. teacher Lisa Ferrannini, School Psychologist Corie Linehan, Science teachers Deborah Mabey, Anthony Malikowsky and Joshua Meyer, Elementary School teachers Mark Marquart and Jenny O’Connor, English teacher Daniel Michalak, Reading teacher Tiffany O’Brien Grant and Assistant Elementary Principal Amy Netti.
The Board accepted resignations for retirement purposes from Art teachers David Hammond and Elaine Walsh-Daley, from teaching assistants Virginia Lavin, Judith Quackenbush and Charlotte Humphrey and from Head Bus Mechanic Carl Brownell. District Superintendent Ken Facin spoke with great appreciation of the wonderful art work coming out of Mr. Hammond’s and Ms. Walsh-Daley’s Art Department, of the dedication and teaching skill of these three teaching assistants and of Brownell’s great achievement making sure that every bus that left his yard for 28 years was safe. Facin pinned corsages on each of the retiring teachers, and the meeting was suspended for a little while while everyone had some refreshments to celebrate the tenure appointments and to honor the retiring teachers.
Costa Rican Trip
The students from AP Biology and AP Environmental Science who went to Costa Rica gave a presentation to the Board about their trip. The Powerpoint® show that they had prepared could not be shown because of a computer glitch, so they improvised, which was mainly a narrative by Erin Shea with comic interjections by Peter Donohue and occasional elaborations by others of the group. Many pictures of the trip can be seen on Mrs. Mabey’s page on the school web site.
Fireworks
Superintendent Facin reported that he had received some complaints from neighbors last year about the fireworks display at graduation – because pets were terrorized by the noise and airborne debris ended up in people’s yards.  The Board wondered if quieter fireworks could be ordered and launched from a spot farther away from neighboring residences. Facin said he would talk with the neighbors and see if a mutually acceptable plan could be worked out.
Fingerprints
Superintendent Facin recommended to the Board that all volunteers who work extensively with the students give fingerprints and have a background check as all paid school staff do, to make sure they don’t have any criminal history. There was a discussion about whether minor run-ins with the law should disqualify a volunteer. Facin was adamant that the District must put the safety of the students first and cannot accept any volunteers with any criminal history. Don Skott said, “If someone had a DWI when they were 23, and now they are 38 and a wonderful parent, they should receive some consideration.”
In other business, the Board:
• accepted a bid from Clark Patterson Lee Architecture to complete the required Building Conditions Survey and 5-Year Plan Update for $13,200;
• accepted a donation of $1,470 from the Hoosick Falls Booster Club for the purchase of football jackets;
• established a one time scholarship in memory of Brian Nopper in the amount of $1,000 based on a gift from Brian’s family and friends, to be given to a senior based on musical accomplishments;
• accepted the donation of a 1996 Ford Ranger pickup truck from William Peckham, estimated value $2,000, to be used by the automotive class for instructional purposes.
Next Meeting
The next regular meeting of the School Board will be June 17, at 7 pm at the High School library. The annual organizational meeting of the School Board was scheduled for July 15 at 7 pm in the High School Cafeteria.