Board of Education Accepts Budget Vote Results, Weighs New Committees on Technology and Hiring

The Croton-Harmon Board of Education accepted the results of the May 19 school budget vote and election at its June 4 work session, clearing the way for the new fiscal year and welcoming newly elected trustees who will take their seats at the July reorganization meeting. Board members praised the district clerk for her management of the election process. The board's motion to accept the results carried with six Yes votes. The board unanimously nominated Sheryl Brady for a two-year term as New York State School Boards Association (NYSSBA) Area 10 Director, effective January 1, 2027. The nomination authorizes the district clerk to execute any related documents. Trustees also acted on a student appeal, granting it in part and denying it in part, based on a decision dated June 4. The resolution directs the district to issue the decision to the student's parents and the superintendent.

Ad Hoc Committee on Technology

The board's most extensive discussion centered on how to structure ongoing engagement with technology policy — a topic trustees identified as urgent during a recent work session. The discussion also addressed the board's limited capacity: "This board, as we know, we already have five committees with seven people,"Read 38:30▶ one board member said. Board members laid out four options: an ad hoc committee of three or fewer trustees, a community advisory committee that could include both board members and residents, leveraging the existing district technology committee, or handling the topic through regular board meetings. Trustees raised concerns about overlap with the district's existing technology committee, which includes administrators, teachers, community members, students, and board representatives. One board member noted that the district committee's focus has shifted this year toward artificial intelligence policy, leaving broader technology questions — particularly the distinction between instructional technology and operational technology — insufficiently addressed. One trustee described a central organizing challenge: "how do you keep the people focused on what the scope is and what you can reasonably and not reasonably accomplish"Read 48:00▶.

Another trustee cautioned against repeating past experiences where community advisory committees generated expectations that could not be met, citing a school lunch committee that explored options like organic food that were never financially viable. The board ultimately reached consensus on a two-phase approach: first forming a small ad hoc board committee to conduct listening sessions with the community and gather input on what the technology landscape looks like from residents' perspectives. That committee would then recommend a scope and charge for a broader community advisory committee to take on deeper policy work. Trustees emphasized that the ad hoc committee's charge should include some flexibility beyond just the listening sessions, allowing members to do background research and consult with district staff. The board asked that a resolution establishing the committee be prepared for the June 11 meeting, though appointments would likely wait until after the reorganization meeting when new trustees join. One board member articulated a three-phase vision: careful planning of scope and structure, extensive listening and learning with the community, and then clear communication about what results — whether board policy changes or district practice adjustments — will follow. The stakes for participants were straightforward: "so what comes out of this thing? Like, will something happen,"Read 60:36▶ the trustee asked.

Ad Hoc Committee on Hiring, Retention, and Tenure

The board also reached quick consensus on forming a separate ad hoc committee to examine hiring, retention, and tenure practices. Unlike the technology discussion, this item drew broad agreement with minimal debate, building on conversations from a previous meeting. The committee's charge would involve bringing together board members and district leadership to surface questions about where hiring and tenure processes should be enshrined in board policy versus left to administrative practice. One trustee framed the work as a joint discussion: "determine what lands in policy, what lands in practices"Read 86:26▶. That distinction would shape the committee's charge. The superintendent's team indicated willingness to engage, noting that topics like succession planning and the role of community feedback in tenure considerations involve philosophical and value-based conversations that benefit from joint exploration. Trustees stressed the importance of producing clear outcomes for the community, whether through policy revisions or improved communication about existing practices. The resolution will be brought to the June 11 meeting alongside the technology committee resolution.

Donations and Personnel

The board accepted four community donations:

• $2,000 from Debi and Ed Braddick for two $1,000 Braddick Family Awards scholarships for graduating seniors who have contributed to community service
• $25,000 from the Carrie E. Tompkins Elementary School PTA toward playground equipment, supplementing a capital project that could not cover the full cost of additional apparatus
• $6,000 from the Pierre Van Cortlandt Middle School PTA to offset end-of-year celebratory events, including the eighth-grade formal dance, picnics, and yearbook signing
• $10,000 from the Croton-Harmon Education Foundation (CHEF) to fund VEX robots for the Principles of Engineering course at Croton-Harmon High School

The CET playground donation drew discussion about equipment that was installed last fall. Administrators explained that community feedback on the original playground was mixed — some found it too challenging, others not challenging enough — prompting the district to add supplemental equipment rather than modify existing structures. The new equipment will serve older elementary students, with all items rated for ages five and up due to the location's requirements. The CHEF donation, while generous, fell short of the full $21,598 requested for the VEX robotics program. Administrators said they would explore closing the $11,598 gap through the district budget and potentially modifying the classroom implementation. The board praised a new collaborative process that brought faculty directly into conversations with the education foundation's grant committee, a model both sides hope to continue. In personnel action, the board appointed Jennifer Hill as a 1.0 FTE mathematics teacher at Croton-Harmon High School with a salary of $91,744. Hill holds initial certification in mathematics for grades 7 through 12 and was appointed to a four-year probationary term running from August 26, 2026 through August 25, 2030.

Student Trustee Recognized

The board recognized its outgoing student ex-officio trustee with a parting gift and thanked her for her service, including the student perspective she brought to discussions of the high school's cell phone policy. The student trustee reflected on the experience, noting appreciation for having a voice on the cell phone policy, which was a significant issue for high school students. "I love coming here and I love providing everything I can,"Read 18:19▶ she said. She called it a "fantastic learning experience"Read 18:24▶. Board members also highlighted a successful alumni panel organized by the high school guidance department, where graduates spanning the class of 2006 through recent years spoke with juniors about their college and career experiences. Trustees noted that students came away with a sense of relief and reassurance, and some suggested opening the event to sophomores and adding an evening session for families in future years.

Capital Projects and Advocacy

A recent Appellate Division ruling restricting school districts' use of piggybacking — a procurement method that allows districts to adopt existing cooperative contracts for public works projects — has forced the district to rebid some capital projects. Administrators reported that HVAC work has already been rebid, but lighting improvements at Carrie E. Tompkins Elementary School, which had been planned through a cooperative contract with Musco, will need to go through a traditional bidding process, causing delays. The board's advocacy committee is working on NYSSBA resolutions ahead of the July 18 deadline, including potential language addressing the piggybacking ruling. Legislation has passed both houses of the state legislature to extend piggybacking for an additional year, though timing remains uncertain for the district's current projects. The board also noted completion of the Universal Pre-Kindergarten (UPK) lottery and announced that the next meeting — the final scheduled business meeting of the year — will take place Thursday, June 11 at 7 p.m. in the Croton-Harmon High School library.