The Croton-Harmon Board of Education met on Thursday, March 12, 2026, with six members present and Vice President Anamika Bhatnagar presiding in the absence of Board President Ana Teague. The meeting focused on recognizing student excellence and advancing several key initiatives including technology policy changes and health insurance advocacy. **Student Recognition and Scholarships** The meeting opened with recognition of Ezra Katz as the PNW BOCES Student of Distinction, an honor presented by PNW BOCES Superintendent Neil Boyle. Board Trustee Neal Haber called it "this important, meaningful honor," while Walden Principal Kathryn White praised Ezra and noted "how much she and the staff have enjoyed having Ezra at school." The board established two new scholarships for graduating seniors. The Laura Martinez Legacy Scholarship will support first or second-generation college students who demonstrate leadership and academic achievement. The Croton River Artisans Gallery Scholarship will benefit students pursuing art as a college major or AP Art students at Croton-Harmon High School. Board Vice President Anamika Bhatnagar elaborated on the Croton River Artisans Gallery, while Trustee Neal Haber noted he had recently visited an exhibition of local artists at the Croton Free Library, saying "This organization speaks to the wonderful artist community that Croton has and it's great that they're honoring students who may follow in their footsteps." **Technology Policy Shifts** Dr. Ellen Moskowitz, Director of Technology & Innovation, presented the 2026-2027 technology budget, highlighting significant policy changes. The district is implementing a continued shift toward in-school devices. The technology vision emphasizes goals including active and intentional learning, enhanced network security and data privacy, and targeted professional learning. Several board members weighed in on the technology changes. Trustee Theo Oshiro "supports leaving devices at school" and noted that "technology is having a negative impact on the environment and being a responsible district means taking care of our environment as well." Trustee Allison Samuels expressed appreciation for "as much reduction as possible with screens, especially in K-2" and wanted to explore whether teachers need more support with non-technology-based learning tools. Trustee Omar Mayyasi emphasized the need for the board to establish clear procedures and "guardrails" for technology use. Trustee Neal Haber noted that because technology changes so rapidly, "it is imperative that policies/procedures have the flexibility to deal with those changes." **Health Insurance Reserve Fund Advocacy** The board approved a resolution advocating for universal health insurance reserve fund authorization from New York State. Assistant Superintendent for Business Denise Harrington-Cohen explained that health care represents "10% of our budget, ever increasing" and that the authorization would enable districts to establish reserve funds to cover rising health insurance costs. Harrington-Cohen emphasized the proposal "has no cost impact for Albany" but provides districts leverage to manage inevitable cost increases. She noted that 10 other districts are in the approval process. Trustee Sarah Carrier noted that other self-insured districts emphasize how important such reserves are for better financial planning. The district participates in a consortium that is "essentially self-managing" for health insurance. **Community Concerns and Budget Presentations** During public comment, resident Ben Faber raised concerns about athletic department communications through ParentSquare, stating he "can't find items in PS due to overabundance of athletic department postings" and requesting consolidated notices. Don Laird questioned where it is stated that K-2 students are required to use one-on-one devices. Christine Drago, Director of Health, Wellness, Physical Education & Athletics, presented the athletics budget focusing on building stronger programs and facility upgrades. The budget includes continued emphasis on physical education electives and athletics highlights from the current year. **Donations and Personnel Actions** The board accepted numerous donations totaling over $13,500, including $4,000 from Cheryl Shulman and the Richard Albert Family Foundation for two Richard Albert scholarships, $1,000 from John Martinez and Gabriela Martinez-Amezaga for the newly established Laura Martinez Legacy Scholarship, $1,000 from the CHHS Foundation for two alumni association scholarships, and $6,260 from the Croton-Harmon Education Foundation (CHEF) for math mats at Carrie E. Tompkins Elementary School. Superintendent Stephen Walker noted the CHEF grant "supports the use of kinesthetic activities to help children learn." Additional donations included $300 from Kathleen Geradi for the Michael J. Geradi Baseball Award, $100 from Susan Aguado for the Steven "Iggy" Aguado Scholarship Fund, $200 from Suzanne and Neal Haber for the Gene Perl Memorial Award, $1,000 from the American Legion for two scholarships, and two violins from Megan Salt-Sistarenik. Neal Haber abstained from the vote on the Gene Perl Memorial Award donation, explaining the award was established in 2017 in memory of Gene Perl, a longtime board member and CHUFSD messenger. While the program it was originally tied to no longer exists, the award honors students who have persevered. The board also approved summer program appointments at Pierre Van Cortlandt Middle School, including various camps from Innovation and Creative Writing to Orchestra and "Into the Outdoors" programs running from July through August. Multiple coaching position changes were approved, including new appointments and stipend adjustments. **Committee Reports and Future Planning** Committee chairs provided updates on various initiatives. The Communications Committee discussed UPK coverage, Board of Education website updates, and an upcoming community survey. The Policy Committee is preparing policies for first reading at the April meeting, including work on AI policy. Bhatnagar announced Jodi Rieger's appointment as a parent member to the board of special education, noting it "allows parents in the community to have an advocate when they have a CSE meeting." She also highlighted the "A Women's View" student art exhibition at the Black Cow, calling it "a well-attended, multigenerational event." Student Ex Officio Filomena DeMarco was not in attendance. The board approved participation in Southern Westchester BOCES cooperative bidding for the 2026-2027 school year across 14 categories including art supplies, cafeteria equipment, and custodial supplies. The next board meeting is scheduled for March 26, 2026, a work session focused on the 2026-2027 budget.