by Alex Brooks
The Hoosick Falls School Board met for their regular monthly meeting on Thursday October 21, the day the building reopened after a sewer line problem had closed the building to students for two days. Board President Joe Patire and Superintendent Pat Dailey expressed their thanks to those who responded to the crisis and were able to get the sewer system operational again in just two days—including Superintendent of Buildings and Grounds Paul Baker who was in the middle of coordinating the emergency response the whole time, the Capital Project architects from Synthesis LLP who came out immediately to evaluate the problem and make recommendations on how to handle it and Pat Bakaitis, who cleared his schedule and worked two full days until the system was operational again.
School Business Administrator Emily Sanders estimated that the work done so far, including the pavement and sidewalk repair that was not done yet, would come to something under $35,000. The Board passed a resolution declaring it an emergency repair, so that it does not require voter authorization or a competitive bidding process.
She said there may be an insurance policy that will cover part of it, but if not it will be paid from the District’s Repair Reserve.
She said the sewer line/septic system may need further work, and she has not yet determined how that would be paid for. Some sewer work will probably be added to the Capital Project for next summer.
Superintendent’s Report
Superintendent Dailey said because of the way the calendar fell this year, there are only four snow days available, and the District had to use one on Tuesday because of the sewer problem (Wednesday became a remote learning day and the building was open again on Thursday). This leaves the District with three snow days for the whole winter, which could be a problem, but he hopes for the best.
Dailey said the District received a grant for 550 Chromebooks and all have arrived. The District’s IT staff is setting them up and will be giving them out to students over the next few weeks. There are now enough so that every high school student can have their own, which they will be free to take home and use 24-7.
The school IT staff have also been making sure that all students have access to the internet at home as part of the same grant. The District has provided about 20 hot spots in students’ homes where internet access was not available.
Equine Restart
Dailey said the District is restarting the equine program, which was considered very successful when it was introduced several years ago, but has been suspended for 18 months because of the pandemic. The program takes place at Higher Ground Farm on Tate Road in Hoosick, which is owned and operated by Jamie Ziehm. It has two components: equine therapy with a psychiatrist and horsemanship with Ziehm.
Tenure Granted
The Board approved tenure for three teachers: speech teacher Dorothy Argus-Tyler, Social Studies Teacher Brian Bushner and Elementary Teacher Keri Hart.
The Board approved a change in Mike Tifft’s position from Custodian to Building Technician. Dailey explained that the District has had no positions between Custodian and B&G Superintendent, although some of the custodians have significant skills in the building trades and do a good deal of skilled building maintenance and repair. By creating the new position of Building Technician, he sought to recognize those skills and describe the job more accurately.
The Board also approved an increase in pay for substitute teachers. Non-certified subs without a BA were increased from $82 to $95 per day, and non-certified subs with a BA were increased from $100 to $105 per day. A new category was also created for certified retired teachers, who will be paid $140 per day to serve as substitute teachers.
Dailey also noted that four new bus drivers have recently passed their road tests, which brings the District’s corps of bus drivers back up to the pre-pandemic number.
Capital Project
Dailey mentioned some of the projects that had been completed in the last few weeks, and said the District is still waiting for delivery of some doors, some cabinetry and a few other things to complete work planned for this past summer. These are expected in the next few weeks, and he said he hopes to have all of the projects finished by next month’s Board of Education meeting on Thursday, November 18, at 6:30 pm.