HFCS Students Petition To Include Unenrolled Students In Drama And Other Extracurriculars
The Hoosick Falls School Board meeting on October 20 began with a presentation from a group of students led by Renee St. Hilaire protesting the exclusion of Home-schooled kids from drama productions at the Central School.[private] She said the drama students were “hurt and saddened by the decision to remove them from our club.”
She said she was presenting a petition signed by 365 students asking that the decision be reversed. She said all of the students in the drama club had signed the petition. Home-schooled student Luke Youngmann also spoke, saying he was sad and confused when he was not allowed to participate as his older siblings had.
The group also showed a video made by Darrell Holovach talking about how important his participation in HFCS arts activities had been to him.
Board President Greg Laurin said it was an excellent presentation and he found it persuasive, but the Board could not act on it immediately, because they need time to consider and because one School Board member was not present and he wanted all of the Board to be involved in the decision. Laurie Gormley, a policy committee veteran, said there are legal considerations and Administrative considerations that need to be discussed and considered before the policy can be reversed.
John Helft said the intent of the Board when they passed this policy was “to protect students in our school,” but he said he finds the Students’ arguments compelling and is certainly willing to reconsider the matter.
Board President Laurin said he would try to move the issue to a conclusion quickly. He said they will hold a general dissuasion about it at the November meeting, and approve a first reading of the policy as well, so that a second reading can be held at the December meeting and a final decision made then.
Laurin said the Board would not do this for just one club – a policy will be set for all extracurricular activities. Facin noted, however, that this policy does not apply to sports. State law forbids schools from fielding athletes who do not attend the school.
Rob Allen, the faculty member who works with the Drama Club on its productions, said he supports the students in their appeal to the Board, but he had nothing to do with launching it or organizing it – that was done entirely by the students to express their own feelings on the issue.
Change Of Status
The Board accepted the resignation of Mario Torres as Assistant Principal for grades 7-12, and created the position of Dean of Students for grades 7-12 and appointed him to the position at a salary of $62,437. Superintendent Facin said Torres did not have the Certifications needed to be an Assistant Principal. Torres is taking classes to get those certifications, and the possibility of reappointing him as Assistant Principal once he is certified remains open.
Other Matters
• The Board commended chief mechanic Harold Hoffman and Transportation Supervisor Joe Steller because all 14 of the District’s buses passed the very rigorous state inspections recently.
• Superintendent Ken Facin said 270 water samples have been taken from throughout the school to be tested for lead, and they have been sent off to the lab, but results are not back yet.
• The Board approved the usual annual agreement to use the Hoosick Falls Soccer Club fields for this school year. The District pays the Soccer Club $7,800 annually for the use of the fields.
• In honor of School Board Appreciation Week, members of the school Board were given certificates and goodies to honor their service by both the Hoosick Falls Teachers Association and the school administration. Facin said the current Board is very effective and they work well together.[/private]