HFCS PTA Recognized For Its Huge Contribution To The School
by Alex Brooks
The Hoosick Falls School Board began its June 15 meeting by giving Appreciation Plaques to the officers of the PTA. [Private]These were presented to PTA President Nicole Hathaway, Vice-President Susan Senecal, Treasurer Jonah Spivak, and Treasurer Justine Bounds to thank them for “tireless efforts and dedication” in support of student activities at the Central School.
The school was full of TV crews at this time reporting on fallout from a senior prank and its aftermath, and School Board member John Helft remarked that it was sad that there were no cameras recording honors given to the dedicated PTA officers.
A Senior prank took place at 11:30 pm on Monday June 5. Students entered the school through an unlocked door and put silly string on a security camera and various other things which the administration described as “vandalism and damage to school property.” The school administration could not confront them about it the next day because most were absent for a “Senior Skip Day.”
On Wednesday morning a meeting was held in which they were told they couldn’t walk with the class at graduation unless they completed a restorative justice program in which they apologized to students, faculty and Board of Education, did community service work on the Hoosick Falls Greenway, and wrote an essay about their actions. Some were dismissed from the National Honor Society. The students accepted the program offered, and by Monday June 19, all graduation privileges and National Honor Society status had been reinstated and the students’ relations with the faculty and the Board of Education had been restored.
Capital Project
The School Board approved a proposition to be voted on by the residents of the School District on October 17 for a Capital Project. The total amount is $19,755,973, with $1,089,000 of that to be paid by a Smart Schools Grant, and the remainder, $18,666,973 to be bonded. The vote was 6-0. John Helft said this project is the culmination of a lot of hard work, and he said, “I think it’s a great project.”
The Board accepted letters of resignation from Business teacher Leah Jachym, Community Information Officer Brian Bushner, and Dean of Students Mario Torres. Concerning Torres’ departure, Superintendent Ken Facin said he is planning a reorganization of the District’s administrative structure, which will be detailed at the reorganization meeting scheduled for Thursday, July 6 at 6 pm.
The Board accepted a bid for the Universal Pre-K Program for the 2017-18 school year from the Commission on Economic Opportunity in the amount of $58,056.
There are 38 spaces available in universal Pre-K in the Hoosick Falls District. A class of 18 is run by the School District and a class of 20 is run by CEO, both classes at the HFCS campus. The District has sometimes had to hold a lottery to determine which students would be accepted as they sometimes have more than 38 applicants for the program. [/Private]