BCS Board Meeting – Fare Thee Well

by Thaddeus Flint
Tuesday was the final monthly meeting for three of the Berlin School District’s Board members, and, true to form, it began on a sour note when John Nash, Bev Stewart and Alan Webster Jr. failed to show up even though they were to be recognized for their service.
[private]It’s a tradition at June Board meetings to honor not only retiring teachers and staff members but also any Board members who were voted off the Board or who decided to end their terms without running for re-election. Board members try to get along for a few minutes as thank-yous, sometimes appearing rather forced,  are bestowed upon the departing members and small trinkets of appreciation are distributed in honor of years of unpaid service to the community.
Fond Farewells
The speeches made in recognition of employees retiring, on the other hand, are truly heartfelt. This year the District honored Music Teacher Jean Kirsch, Special Education Teacher Don Johnson, Monitor Joyce Maxfield, Coach Rick Ingraham, Teacher’s Assistant Becky Neaton and three bus drivers, Tom Henry, Mike Centanni and Pam Denno, for their years of service in the Berlin District.
“We are losing a tremendous number of talented individuals,” said District Superintendent of Schools Dr. Stephen Young. “Those talents will be missed.”
Young sat amongst the three empty seats and the name plaques of Nash, Stewart and Webster Jr. The celebration was partly for them. “Unfortunately they are not here,” said Young, “they, too, will be missed. And now let’s have cake.” Nobody present really seemed to be missing the missing Board Members, and if they did it was short lived as most then got up and had cake and punch.
What would have been the last vote on the Capital Bond Authorization, a vote that has continually failed to pass because it fails to achieve a two-thirds super majority of Board members, was instead cancelled since without the three missing Board members, who always vote no, it would have been impossible to achieve a super majority, which wouldn’t have happened anyway.
The $6 million dollar Capital Project has been scaled back, at least until enough Board members can be found to vote for the Bond Authorization. Work will begin on replacing windows only at the Berlin Elementary School “Within the next couple of weeks,” said Young. That facility will be closed for most of the summer as the work takes place. Completion of the windows project is expected before the September school season begins. In the meantime all summer education will take place at the Middle School/High School in Cherry Plain.
A greater use of the high school by the public is also envisioned by the Board. “The school should be a community hub,” said Board President Jim Willis. Board Members Gina Goodermote and Frank Zwack agreed.
Goodermote pointed out that money already had been spent on facilities that were intended for both students and the public. “We have exercise equipment nobody is using,” she said in regard to the exercise room that sits mostly empty once the school day is over.
“We should encourage getting students and the public in the facility after hours,” said Zwack.
How that will be handled and just who can use it is still under discussion. Board Member Katie Fiske wanted to make sure the liability of the District was limited in case of accidents or other incidents. It was decided to wait for the three new Board members, Elizabeth Miller, Jeff Paine and Rachel Finney to take their seats in July before any decisions will be made.
Board Supported Drug Check
A May 31 check of all students for drugs at the High School/Middle School by Rensselaer County Sheriff’s deputies, and their dogs, was done with support of the current Board. High School Principal Dr. Cathy Allain explained that an increase in the drug checks were done after Board Members Zwack and Willis had asked “could we do more.”
While the U.S. Supreme Court has ruled that the use of drug sniffing dogs for inspecting personal belongings is not a “search” under the Fourth Amendment, since being sniffed by a dog is not an intrusive way to find illegal items, the way the latest check was conducted might however be perceived as intrusive.
A letter sent home with students stated, “As the students exited their buses they were asked to line up, place their belongings on the ground and the dogs examined the bags to see if there were any drugs present.”
“I am not really sure I am buying that you can line up a bunch of high school kids and have a dog sniff all of their stuff while they stand there,” wrote civil rights attorney Bob Keach, who was provided with a copy of the letter by the New York Civil Liberties Union.
Parents, however, seemed to have accepted the search as just another day at school. “I didn’t get a single phone call,” said Allain, who pointed out that the check was carefully planned and observed by staff. “We didn’t observe any students afraid.”
No drugs were found, and the Deputies and their dogs apparently went off to another district in the County to try again. “I don’t think we have a huge drug problem,” observed Allain.
Time Capsule Opening
Residents who remember more innocent school days, like those during the Cold War, will have a chance to see some of those memories again this Saturday, June 22. A ceremony will take place at the former Grafton Elementary School at 10 am to remove and preserve a student time capsule, assuming it can be found in all the grass that now resembles a small hay field.
Everyone is also invited to the graduation ceremony for the 2013 Senior Class, which will be held Friday at 7 pm at the High School.[/private]