May 19, 2026 Board of Education Work Session (Tenure, Retirement, 20 Year Service, & National Board)

Good evening, everyone. I'd like to call to order the May 2026 work session and ceremony for tenure, retirement, twenty years of service, and National Board Certification recipients. Our first order of business is to appoint appointment of the district clerk pro tem. Recommended action be resolved with the Board of Education hereby appoints Denise, Harrington, Cohen as district clerk pro tem for the purpose of this meeting. On the question, all in favor. Aye. Opposed, abstain, motion carries. Item 1.3, approval of the agenda, recommended action be it resolved, the Board of Education hereby approves the agenda as presented.

Can you hear it? Okay. Recommended action.

Item 2.1 is the tender recognition of Maria Burke special education tenure area.

It resolved that upon the recommended action of the Superintendent of Schools Board of Education hereby grants tenure to Marissa Burke, special education tenure area effective 12/13/2025. This was previously approved on 10/09/2025.

Thanks, Ana. Good evening, We will recognize Marissa and some other folks in a moment, but I just want to say a couple of things by way of introduction. Tonight is a special night for our school district community when we have the opportunity to come together to offer our congratulations and our appreciation for some of the people who make our school such a special place for the children of our community to learn and to grow. Like many of you, Memorial Day weekend is an opportunity for my family, my siblings and I, and our parents to all get together. And whenever we do, my siblings and I always seem to fall into that same conversation about school, our favorite teachers, and our most meaningful memories. And all these years later, I still remember the confidence that my third grade teacher gave me, the way that my AP biology teacher constantly pushed me to do more than I thought I could, and the band teacher who comforted me after I made a mistake at a concert in front of a large audience. And it occurs to me tonight that for countless students in our district, the teachers we honor tonight will be those teachers. The subject of conversations around dinner tables for years to come, the ones that our Tiger students remember. Whether receiving tenure, counting twenty years of contributions to our district, celebrating retirement, or having achieved national board certification, every one of these staff members has become a part of the fabric of our school district community, and has forever changed the trajectory of our schools, our colleagues, and of countless children across this community. It is indeed true. Once a Tiger, always a Tiger. And we will begin our recognitions this evening by introducing the members of the faculty who are being recommended for,

or in the case of Marissa, previously appointed to tenure this year. It is also a beautiful full circle moment for some of us here this evening who were a part of hiring this outstanding group of educators. To have watched each of you grow, learn, and flourish over these past years and have reached this point in your careers marks a moment of joy for me and for so many others in this room and across our district. And now to share some thoughts on behalf of our faculty members who will be receiving tenure tonight, it is my pleasure to introduce a wonderful educator and leader within our system, CHHS social studies teacher and CTA president, Alan Mukherjee.

So I'm actually gonna talk about everybody.

So good evening everyone and thank you for being here to celebrate so many members in our district. As I sat writing my thoughts for tonight, I couldn't help but think about how full circle, and not to steal that from Steve, this evening truly is. We're here to honor retirees, members who have earned twenty years of service, recognize National Board Certified Educators, and excitingly celebrate members receiving tenure. Teaching is hard, it's exhilarating, it's humbling, and it's challenging. It is a profession that constantly tests us, pushes us to evolve, and reveals the incredible potential within ourselves and within our students who will be our next generation leading us one day. In our retirees, we see this legacy alive and well. Noel, Kim, Greg, Sue, Anne and Linda, it has been such an honor to learn from you, to learn alongside with you, and to grow within this profession because of you. Your years of service to this district and our membership transcends anything that can ever be measured in data points. Your impact is seen in the student who picks up a new book by an emerging author, or falls in love with a cult classic. It's seen in the student who navigates a disagreement with empathy and resolves conflict respectfully. It's seen in the student who stays after class to review a challenging concept. And for many of you, that'd be a math formula. And it's seen in a student who takes a challenging course because they finally believe in themselves and their own ability to succeed. You've built the foundation. The skills and the curiosity you've modeled have empowered the rest of us to continue building, exploring, and refining alongside our students each day. To our members celebrating twenty years of service, this tells such an important story about our district.

In each of you, we see a legacy being built. We see experienced educators deeply committed to their craft and devoted to their students. You have witnessed the ever evolving landscape of public education. And through every change, you've continued the important work, which is to encourage our students to embrace new ideas and to grow into thoughtful individuals who understand both their own aspirations and their responsibilities to the larger community. To our two members who are receiving and who have achieved national boards, you are joining many educators in our district who have continually pushed themselves to dive deeper. You've analyzed your practice, strengthened curriculum connections, and always have strived to better serve our students and your departments. On this very well earned recognition. And finally to our members who are receiving tenure. I'm so excited to celebrate this milestone with you because it's more than just a moment in one's career. It reflects years of growth and dedication to our students and to the school community. You've built classrooms where students feel seen, challenged, and supported. This signifies your place within our profession and within this district as educators who will continue to shape our school culture, to advocate on behalf of our students, and to contribute your voices and talents in meaningful ways. Congratulations. Be bold in the work ahead, and of course know how out how much our membership is happy to celebrate this moment with you tonight. Thank you.

Thank you, Alana. And now to speak on behalf of the ten year recipients from CET beginning with Marissa, it is my pleasure to introduce Carrie Bianchi and Craig Campanero.

Thank you. This is always one of my favorite nights too. And it's especially inspiring to acknowledge these teachers. These were among our first hires as we became the administrative team at CET. And so to speak about Marissa, so we met Marissa several years ago when she entered CET for the first time as a student teacher. She did her student teaching and made an impression on us that will last forever. She moved from the student teaching position into a teacher aide position. And again, we were so impressed impressed with her dedication to her students, her knowledge for instructing students, and the way that she collaborated with her colleagues. And so when we had the opportunity to hire her and bring her on board, we knew it was a step in the right direction and that we were going to hold on to her for as long as we possibly could. Marissa has made connections with her colleagues. She has become involved in every aspect of CET and is a collaborator and is passionate passionate about teaching students and really a ray of sunshine. Her smile is so bright and we're really just thrilled to have her and well deserved tenure here in Croton-Harmon.

Item 2.2, tenure

of schools, the board of education hereby grants tenure to Laney Olds elementary tenure area effective 08/30/2026.

So

when we talk about teachers in our district that are homegrown and when Steve uses the expression once a tiger, always a tiger, Laney is a product of the Croton-Harmon School Districts. And I knew from the day that I met her as a substitute teacher in our building that it was her dream to become a teacher at CET. And over the past few years, we have watched Leni grow and flourish and really become part of the fabric of our building. Her strength as a teacher, her dedication to her students, and her relationship with her colleagues really inspires all of us. She has stepped up again in so many areas at CET, has gained her voice and is really becoming such a confident, amazing member of our faculty. And we are so thrilled that you are where you are because it's where you belong. And we are just so thrilled to have this ten year celebration and recognition for you tonight.

Item 2.3, ten year recommendation, Tammy and Truesdale. Recommended action be it resolved that upon the recommendation of the Superintendent of Schools, the Board of Education hereby grants tenure to Tammy Ann Trudell, Education Tenure Area effective eightthirtytwenty twenty six. On the question.

So Tammy arrived at CET a few years ago, and from the moment she walked in the door, I'm trying to find her right now. There she is. From the moment that she walked in the door, we knew that she was a match for our building. Her level of energy, her enthusiasm, her incredibly high expectations for her students is evident in everything that they do. When you walk through her room and you see all the amazing things she's doing with her students and how she advocates for them is really a testament to her dedication to those students. They are learning, they are growing, and they are flourishing with her. Tammy has also become involved in a lot of different aspects of CET, most recently in her involvement with the Leaders of Tomorrow, where she has really been a mentor to some of our older tigers while still making an impact on our younger tigers. We are thrilled to have Tammy. We're lucky to have her. And her level of energy really is unmatched,

which

I can joke with her and say that's a little, that's a lot sometimes. But it's always, always in the best interest of students and her colleagues. And we could not be more thrilled to have her as a member of our CET faculty. See what I mean?

And now to introduce and speak on behalf of the ten year recipients from PVC, it's my pleasure to introduce Nicole Kelly.

As we have been talking tonight, we know that tenure is not just a milestone. It is a recognition that someone has proven that they belong here in Croton. And so it's with pride and excitement that we celebrate two outstanding PVC educators tonight.

Recommended action to be resolved that upon the recommendation of the Superintendent of Schools Board of Education hereby grants tenure to Jada Elder, school psychologist, tenure area, effective 08/30/2026. From

the beginning, miss Gina Elder brought with her to PVC something that cannot be taught. A genuine joy in her work and deep care for every student she serves. Miss Elder is a tremendous school psychologist who approaches each day with warmth, laughter, and thoughtfulness that sets the tone for everyone around her. Whether she is collaborating with families, working with a student through a difficult moment, or consulting with colleagues, she does so with professional excellence, and most importantly, a kind heart. Jada brings sound judgment, strong instincts, and a commitment to advocacy in all that she does. We are really lucky to have her advise our social action club and coach cheerleading here in the district. She is simply a pleasure to work with, and we are so lucky to have her. Congratulations, Gina.

All in favor? Oppose? Abstain? Motion carries.

Item 2.5, recommended action be it resolved that upon the recommendation of the Superintendent of Schools Board of Education hereby grants tenure to Cristina Santiago, music tenure area effective 08/30/2026. On the question?

It is with continued excitement that we celebrate mister Christopher Santiago's tenure tonight. If you have ever walked past or into his music classroom, you know special things happen there. Chris' energy, obviously, towards music education and life in general is boundless, and his passion is clearly contagious. What often sets him apart is the relationships he creates with students. They feel seen, valued, and inspired. And as the advisor for both our model UN and our student council, Chris works diligently to create spaces where students find their voice and develop leadership skills. Santi, as he is affectionately known through the PVC hallways, is a true team player and shares his expertise openly and joyfully. We are proud to call him our colleague. Congratulations, Chris.

All in favor?

Aye. Opposed?

Abstain? Motion carries.

And now to speak on behalf of the ten year recipients from CHHS, we welcome Doctor. Laura Diuback, Mark Maxim, and Erica.

Item 2.6, tenure recommendation Edwin Denver. Recommended action be it resolved that upon the recommendation of the Superintendent of Schools, the Board of Education hereby grants tenure to Edwin Denver, English tenure area effective 08/30/2026. On the question?

Edwin has spent the last seven years to Croton-Harmon High School as an innovator, advocate, and intellectual thought partner within our school community, always pushing us to think just a little bit more deeply. He is a talented curriculum writer who is deeply invested in meaningful engagement and exposing students to complex texts and ideas. I think the best way I can summarize what it feels like to walk into one of Edwin's classes is to say that you quickly realizing you realize that you are entering a place where thinking and discussion truly matters. He pushes students to go far beyond surface level interpretations, whether it's ninth grade connections or AP English language. Students are thinking deeply, looking at rhetorical strategies closely, and making connections to history. He incorporates a range of strategies, whether it's debates, discussion protocols, in-depth writing, synthesis activities, more, that ask students to examine text, society, history, and themselves. But most of all, Edwin demonstrates his own passion, depth of knowledge, and curiosity, which is so impactful on his students. Even if you do not love the particular text or story they are reading, you leave class with a deep appreciation for it that comes truly from Edwin's passion and expertise. Edwin is one of the pioneers of our interdisciplinary courses. He taught our first section of Connections, Map, Stories and Timelines with his social studies co teacher, Ms. Mukherjee. They expertly wove together enduring issues and developed curriculum that allowed students to explore literature through history and to allow history to come alive through literature. He is also one of our first CHHS teachers to co teach multiple interdisciplinary classes at the same time, co teaching connections as well as video production three in journalism with mister Ponti. Somehow also finding the time to help us develop our new introduction to journalism class for next year.

His passion and expertise extends outside of the classroom, whether it is several years of advising the Tiger Times and giving voice to students through journalism, or leading Tiger Tuesday sessions on punctuation to help students explore precision and language in a fun engaging way. Edwin is deeply appreciated by our colleagues, students, and is someone who will continue to push us to grow as a school. Congratulations, Edwin.

All in favor? Opposed? Abstain? Motion carries.

Item 2.7 recommendation, I'm sorry, tenure recommendation Andrew Vogel. Recommended action be resolved upon the recommendation of the Superintendent of Schools Board of Education hereby grants tenure to Andrew Vogel, mathematics tenure area effective 08/30/2026. On the question?

Andy is teacher who has demonstrated commitment, growth, care, collaboration, and depth of skill in his time so far at CHHS. From the beginning, Andy approached his work with curiosity and eagerness contribute and help the math department develop and also to contribute to the entire school. He is reflective, resilient, and willing to embrace new opportunities that will benefit our students' experiences. Andy embraced interdisciplinary team taught classes similarly to Edwin and became one of our other first teachers to implement one. Not only was he able to do this, but he did so for a class with our required regions and showed showed that he can make interdisciplinary learning a core experience for our students. He is also going to be starting our new AP business with personal finance class next year, helping expand our AP offerings and speaking to student interest and movement by the state through New York Inspires to expand student access to financial literacy curriculum. He has shown a commitment to making high level learning accessible and engaging for all students, and will be key voice in continuing development of new course sequences that will allow all of our high school students to reach calculus should they choose to do so. Beyond his classroom, Andy is someone who also finds time to advise the National Society chapter, making the Honor Society visible and important in our school, and developing student leaders who believe in the mission and embrace it. He also manages to squeeze in coaching the varsity swim team, supporting our student athletes, and helping them find success, and even guiding them in their journeys to become collegiate athletes. Andy is an educator with vision, flexibility, courage, deep content knowledge, a great sense of humor, and care for our students as learners and people. I am thrilled that he will be able to continue to impact our students for many years. Congratulations,

Andy. All

in favor? Opposed? Abstain? Motion carries.

Item two point eight, ten year recommendation Amy Melman Shaw. Recommended action be it resolved and upon recommendation of the Superintendent of Schools, the Board of Education hereby grants tenure to Amy Ianarelli Shaw, English as a second language tenure area effective 10/02/2026. On the question?

Amy represents the very best of what it means to be an educator, an advocate, and a champion for every one of To say that Amy cares deeply about her students would be an understatement. She does not simply teach, she walks beside her students every single day. She celebrates with them, she struggles alongside them, and perseveres with them through every obstacle they face. Amy understands that success is about far more than just academics. She knows that for many of her students, school is also about finding confidence, belonging, safety, and voice. Amy helps give them all of those things. She makes students and their families feel seen, heard, and valued, often at moments when they need it the most. No one is happier than Amy when a student experiences success. Whether it's a breakthrough in language acquisition, passing the English regions after just coming to The US a year prior, speaking in front of the class for the first time, or simply just participating verbally for the first time, Amy celebrates those moments with genuine joy and pride. Her students know she believes in them even before they fully believe in themselves. And when things do not go well, no one carries that more heavily than Amy. She loses sleep over her students because she is so fully invested in their success and well-being. But what makes Amy even more extraordinary is that she never stops there. She doesn't accept defeat, she never gives up. Even working with our counseling team very recently to find ways to get that final scholarship in place to ensure that a student can pay for the college they so deservedly were accepted to. That level of dedication cannot be taught. It comes from the heart, and every one of us who are lucky to be her colleagues sees this every day and knows that no student will ever not get everything they need when Amy is in their corner. Congratulations,

Amy.

All in favor? Opposed? Abstain? Motion carries.

We'll now move into item 3.1, our twenty twenty five, twenty twenty six school year twenty years of service recognition.

Twenty years. Twenty years. Twenty years is a milestone, a milestone that makes you stop, makes you think, and honestly, it deserves our deepest respect and a massive thank you. There is a a beautiful, almost baffling duality to time and education. When you are in the thick of it navigating the daily rhythms of the school year, waiting for the Friday afternoon bell, or pushing through the winter stretch, the days can feel incredibly slow. Yet, when you stand here today and look back at a span of twenty years, it feels as though you passed in the blink of an eye. To put it into perspective, think back to when this group first walked through the doors in 2006, the world looked completely different. We were all carrying around Motorola razors and Blackberries. Because the first iPhone was not a thing yet, if you wanted to watch a movie on the weekend, you were still driving down to the Blockbuster to rent a physical DVD. A little website called YouTube was brand new. High School Musical was the cultural phenomenon, and Daniel Powder's Bad Today was stuck in everyone's head. And, sadly, 2006 was also the year that scientists officially demoted Pluto to a dwarf planet. Something our teachers have had to correct in our textbooks and our minds ever since. A lot has changed since then from technology in our classrooms, to the hairstyle and yearbooks, but the one thing that has been a constant through it all is the dedication of this group of educators. While the days may have dragged at times, the years absolutely flew, but you all still are great. Over the last two decades, you have shaped lives, supported your colleagues, and built a legacy that matters. Thank you so much for twenty years of incredible service to our district.

We're going to congratulate them as I call their names one at a time. When they come up, they're going to stay on stage, go all the way over, and form a nice cluster for a one big group photo of twenty years. Starting at CT with Denise Binker Gaspari.

And Joanna Bisacademic.

And Tara Carlucci. Rila Puente. Keith Lee Walter.

At PVC, Catherine Antaviatro.

Carrie Begeny. Amanda Bernzahl. Jessica Butz.

Carolyn Pucci,

At the high school Kelly Ingraham Rieben.

And in our Transportation Department, Aileen Outhouse.

A big hand for all of them. You lined up so nicely. Take two steps to the right now.

Moving into our item 4.1, the 2,025, 2,026 retiree recognition.

Thank you, Ana. Good evening again. I think we can all agree to have made one's life work in the service of something bigger than one own one's own personal interests. To have spent years working to make schools better places for young people to learn and for colleagues to work. That is objectively and undeniably a career well spent and a legacy to be incredibly proud of. Without a doubt, this year's retirees deserve our gratitude and our appreciation. Thank you for everything, Tigers. And to introduce our retiree from CET, our carrier brain.

Alright. Well, Amory, I drew the short stick tonight. So it's me. What do I say? Where do I start? To say this is a bittersweet moment doesn't begin to describe Anne Marie or this moment. Gonna leave out the next paragraph I was gonna read. I've known Anne Marie for thirty years. I first met her when she was a member of our CETPTA. Fun fact, Anne Marie started the pizza program at CET many years ago. I didn't expect to get applause for that one. A brief time later, she joined the CET staff, first as a per diem substitute, and then as a leave replacement. In 2000, Emery was hired as a first grade teacher, and over her storied career, she spent time in second grade and fourth grade. She's a valued leader of our CTA, and can often found on the sideline or courtside supervising our student athletes. Over the span of thirty years, I've known Anne Marie not only as a colleague and as a vice president of teachers unit, but most importantly, as a trusted friend.

I didn't think this was going to be tough. Emery is one of the most intelligent people you'll ever meet. Her knowledge is vast and deep. She can have a conversation about any topic, often leaving you amazed with her random knowledge. She's widely known in her CET circles as the owner of endless and useless facts that she proudly and consistently shares with her colleagues. These facts ranging from the vanilla bean to New York State's first official symbol, the beaver, to the history and the ripe season of every fruit known to mankind. We've often we've often suggested to Ann Marie that she should sign up for Jeopardy. It was about twelve years ago when I joined the fourth grade team, and that's when I really got to know Ann Marie. All joking aside, Ann Marie, affectionately known as Serge, is someone who truly cares. She cares about her colleagues, she cares about her school, her district, but most importantly, cares about children and her students. I've seen this firsthand. When I joined the fourth grade team, immediately volunteered to be my mentor. In fact, if I remember, I think she insisted on it. What started as weekly meetings turned into daily check ins, which turned into having the greatest curriculum resource at my fingertips. Amory truly made the transition from third grade to fourth grade seamless. Amory is what I would consider a lifelong learner. Even to this day with just weeks to go before her retirement, she still searches for resources and strategies that will benefit her students. Not only does she love to learn, but she loves to teach. She was born to teach. All you need to do is enter a classroom and experience the interaction she has with her students. One day it might be dancing or singing or laughing. At the end of the day, she connects with her students like no other. She gives her students an experience that will last a lifetime. And Ann Marie, for that, I thank you. You've left a legacy here at CET, shoes that will never be filled. Although this night is not about me, I would like to thank you personally. Personally. Because of you, I have one of my greatest life achievements. I'm sure you remember this, Anne Marie. It was about ten years ago. For those of you who don't know, Anne Marie and I both share a love for Little House on the Prairie.

Many of our conversations over the years have come back to that one room schoolhouse of miss Beetle or even Laura Ingalls Wilder herself. That day, I was feeling a little courageous. I saw a chink in her armor, and I boldly challenged her to a Little House on the Prairie trivia contest. It was only moments later when Ana Maria Strattner, who would later serve as the host and officiant of the contest, asked me if I was sure I wanted to do this. Well, I instantly regretted that decision. If you know Anne Marie, you not only understand her broad knowledge base, her sharp recall, and of course, that retention of useless facts. This accompanied by her fierce competitiveness and lifelong journey of never being wrong, certainly had me quaking in my shoes. I must say, Anne Marie did impress that day. Her knowledge of Little House was deep, including when we entered the bonus round. And as a stunner, she correctly answered this question. What is miss Beatles' favorite fragrance? Emery? LemonLemonVerbita. I did not know that one. And not to steal your limelight, but my much younger brain and mind prevailed in the speed round that day. Maybe I did get the win, but maybe that day you just let a friend have that win, because after all, that's what you do every day. You think about others. On a more serious note, not only will I Marie be remembered as an amazing teacher, but also as an amazing mother, wife, and grandmother. I can recount the numerous stories about Christine and Tom as Emery constantly updated us on their voyage from childhood into adulthood, retelling countless proud mom moments. I feel like I know her husband Mike just as well, as she would always glowingly talk about him and all of his accomplishments.

I can guarantee you, we know she likes to talk a lot, but she loves you all. And even though Ann Marie is leaving her CET family, I know she's doing it for the right reasons. Being a grandma is really important. I'm also pleased to know that Ann Marie will get this time to spend with Mike and her children, and of course, little Jane. This retirement is well deserved. You've shaped the lives of thousands of children and hundreds of colleagues. We're gonna miss you, Sarge.

And now to congratulate our retiree from PVC, Nicole.

Linda, I apologize in advance. I'm not gonna tell your whole life story. Craig Craig just did that for all of us, we're good. We're good. But Linda, what you do do is you redefine what it means to once be a Tiger, always be a Tiger. And so over the years, miss First has been more than just the PVC library media specialist. She has always been a welcoming presence, a resource for both students and staff, and someone who helped foster a true love of reading, learning, and curiosity at PVC. The library has always been a place where students felt comfortable, inspired, and encouraged to explore new ideas, thanks to you. Linda has approached every interaction with patience, kindness, and dedication. She has certainly had a lasting impact on generations of students and colleagues through her commitment, professionalism, and genuine care for others. Her ability to create meaningful connections with students helps make the library not just a space in the school, but truly the heart of PVC. And as you begin this well deserved retirement, we celebrate not only your years of service, but also the countless lives you have touched along the way. And while you will certainly be missed, we are really excited for you and you beginning this new chapter filled with time for family, relaxation, travel, more reading, and all the opportunities retirement brings. So on behalf of team PVC, Linda, thank you for your dedication, warmth, and incredible difference you have made here in Croton. We wish you happiness, health, and many wonderful adventures to come. Congratulations.

And to celebrate our retirees from CHHS, Laura, Mark, and Erica.

Greg Bradlaugh. Greg sometimes shares with his colleagues and with his students that he was a career changer having started his career as an actor and decided later that a different path would be the right one for him. And there's many wonderful things that make his career choice in education the great one that it is. It's a lifestyle that allows you to be in sync with family and with colleagues and friends. You have great colleagues who are thinkers and doers who care about the world around them and the chance to give back to the community. Another is the opportunity to help the next generation grow into responsible adults. And this is something that Greg always took the most seriously as an educator. Greg always approached his job exactly like that. His subject might be math, but his job was to educate. And Greg sees his time in the classroom as a chance to help students learn about everything that it is to be a person in addition to math. Greg believes in giving back. He's never one to be locked in his classroom sitting. He sits on committees. His chopsticking skills are excellent traveling with kids to China. I can say from firsthand experience he knows how to eat soup with chopsticks.

Greg's been a leader among the faculty and a colleague and a friend that all of us are richer for. On behalf of the many students you've guided through the years and the faculty who are going to deeply miss you, congratulations Greg.

If it were a different time of day, I would start off with morning sunshine. The usual greeting of miss Susan Dunman. I had the pleasure of starting off my Croton career with Sue twenty six years ago when we both walked into new teacher orientation. From day one, Sue's enthusiasm for teaching and Croton has been evident. Sue Susan has a presence and you always know when she is nearby. Whether you hear one of her familiar sayings echoing down the hallway or her passionate insistence that students can do more than they think they can. That is one of the things that has always made Sue a standout math teacher. She never lowers the bar for her students. She always pushes them, and not because she's tough for the sake of being tough, but because she sees their ability even when they don't. If she was ever demanding when students were late or missed a collaborative period, it was because she wanted all of them to give their full effort. Of course, the students always knew that if they needed help, she would be there. It didn't matter if the student was officially on her roster or not. It didn't matter if it was during a prep period or before school. If a kid needed help with math, miss Dunman showed up again and again. She not only raised grades, but she raised confidence. Sure, some students will remember the calculus, but more will remember a teacher who cared deeply about them. Susan, thank you for bringing your full self, your big personality, and your math knowledge to this profession every day. Thank you for the countless hours, encouragement, and the laughter. Thank you for making this building a more vibrant and caring place. And on a personal note,

thank you for the morning traffic reports warning me to go another way when there was slowdowns on our shared commuting route. And for bailing me out on the evenings when I couldn't help my own son with his math homework and he said, mom, just call Sue. I appreciate your friendship. So I will end with another Sue Oh wise one, enjoy the time with your daughter, Nomi, and your many pets. Congratulations on your retirement, it is well earned, and please know that you have left your mark on CHHS.

I have the honor of getting to speak about Kim Garrett, who has been a member of our faculty for the last thirty years. She started her career at PVC in 1996 and has been at the high school since 2016, the last twenty years of her career. I did a little math here. So take a minute to step back and think about the sheer numbers of lives impacted in thirty years. In her classes alone, she has taught at least 3,500 students over the years. Good check that. And that's just the direct impact of teaching, not to mention the students she greets in the hallways, the clubs, the field trips and more. When you walk into Kim's room, no matter what class she is teaching, you walk into a space that I can only describe as serene and supportive. It could be first period, last period, halfway through the period, five minutes before the bell, and even the Friday before a vacation, but students are just always happy, calm and working. The other thing you will notice is that when there's not a class in her room, there's always another colleague working with her, or Kim is in her room talking with a student. I remember popping in once last year while Kim was working with a student during her lunch period. I apologized and said I did not want to interrupt because it looked like they were deep at work. The student looked at me and said, Don't worry, I don't even have Ms. Garrett anymore. She was just helping me with something I'm dealing with. That kind of thing is the norm here. Kim is the go to for so many of our students long after they finished her class. I also remember this January, the genuine joy we experienced when a few of our students who had been struggling in math got through the algebra regions against all odds, whether they were new to the country or just needed that last exam to get to graduation. When we got the results, the first thing I did was run upstairs to Kim, who you could see literally jumping for joy in the hallway because she was so genuinely invested in the success of our students, many of whom she put in long hours with in AIS or Regents Prep classes.

Kim is often the first stop on the math train for students as they enter high school, and she sets the foundation for how students feel about math and the important skills that allow them to be successful in higher level math as they get older. Kim has taught our Intro to Algebra and Algebra I classes for years, helping support students who had not previously taken algebra in middle school, some of whom were not always confident in math, but did not see themselves as strong math students. She created a nurturing environment that allows students to unlock their potential and feel good about themselves. This is no small task, and it comes from the kind of heart that cares deeply not just about students math, but students learning who they are and what they are capable of. One of our colleagues sums it up very well. Kim, for years this is from one of our colleagues, Ms. Lim. Kim, for years, you bravely took on the role of convincing often math resistant teenagers that math is not a villain. Somehow, through kindness, patience, and what I can only assume was magic, you won them over. You have a great gift, the ability to turn resistance into cooperation and chaos into calm. That is not just teaching, that is wizard level talent. Your students were lucky and we were lucky, and I'm still trying to figure out your secret. I'll end with a message that one of our students shared today because I think it perfectly sums up how so many students and colleagues feel about her. And I'm glad that I've read this one a few times because it gets me a little teary every time. So hopefully, we can get through this. Not only has she pulled me through thick and thin,

she restored my love for math after I lost my passion. To me, Mrs. Garrett is someone I can go to to talk to about literally anything. If I need help with any of the work, she always takes the time to explain. For the years I've spent around her, it's impressive that she hasn't gotten sick of me from the amount of times I've eaten lunch in her room with my friends, or stuck around after class to talk about my life. I can't thank her enough for being there for me, supporting me in whatever I do, and for being my teacher for the last three years. But Mrs. Garrett isn't just a teacher to me, she's so much more. And I know that my senior year is going to be heartbreaking when I won't see her on my schedule schedule one last time. Congratulations on the next chapter, and thank you for your kindness, wisdom, and unwavering support for our students.

I have had the privilege of knowing and working alongside Niall Kelleherjee for the last twenty five years. We began together as English teachers sharing Room 207, where we spent our prep periods discussing curriculum, grading papers, and reworking projects to best meet the needs of our students. I watched as she challenged and inspired thousands of students to develop their literacy skills, and she became the educator that we all deeply admire today. Noelle spent many of her childhood and teenage years living in Spain and Scotland. And consequently, she developed a depth of culture and perspective that naturally found its way into her teaching. Her knowledge of and love of history, literature, art, and current events is vast. Conversations with Niall can flow from Shakespeare to European travel to contemporary novels. And this knowledge has certainly come in handy as a faithful Croton academic challenge team participant who led the faculty to numerous victories over our student team. To say Niall is dedicated to her craft is an understatement. If there is one light still on building late in the afternoon or evening, chances are it is in her classroom. She spends countless hours planning lessons, reading essays, and giving thoughtful feedback because she believes students deserve that level of attention. Miss Schon- Leber has taught everything from ninth grade through AP English language and composition. And regardless of the level of the course, she holds her students to exceptionally high standards because she believes they are capable of meeting them. And perhaps most importantly, she makes her students feel seen. Whether through her work as co advisor of the Pride and Star Clubs, communicating with the Spanish speaking student or family when we needed a last minute translator, or by recognizing a student need in creating an American Sign Language Club.

She consistently demonstrates that schools and our society are strongest when people feel valued and included. Noelle, you are cultured, you are classy, fiercely intelligent, compassionate and unforgettable. Thank you for your years of dedication and your unwavering commitment to our students. May your next chapter be filled with exotic travels, great books, time with family and friends, and of course, of chocolate. Congratulations on your retirement.

We would also like to express our deepest appreciation and congratulations to some of our district's retirees who were not able to be here tonight. Congratulations and thank you to everything. Thank you for everything to Mohammed Agouve, Manny Beltran, and Dan Oz.

And finally, it's my great pleasure and honor to extend appreciation and gratitude to our retiring member of our administrative team, John Griffiths. I remember talking to John in November 2021 after I had been appointed by the board about the opportunity that was in front of us to do some really special work together in this special place. I knew John from some tristate visits and some regional meetings and by reputation. So I knew that he was an intelligent, thoughtful leader, and a kind human being. What I didn't know as I joined the Tigers five years ago was what a terrific thought partner, supporter, colleague, and friend he would turn out to be for me and for so many. John leads with a confidence that comes from a career having been spent making the lives of young people better. He leads with heart and mind, always thinking about how we can improve the school experience of students, and also how we can inspire the adults we work with to achieve their potential as well. He can be both soft spoken and boisterous, pensive and passionate, creative, and pragmatic. He is also invariably kind. He sees the best in people and in the work that we have had the privilege to do together. When you spend every day over the course of years sharing the same space with someone, you get a chance to see almost all facets of who they are as a person. You achieve successes together. You reflect on struggles together. You celebrate, and you mourn together. And I have had the opportunity, and that is the right word, to do all of those things with John over these past few years. And it has been an honor that I will never forget. John, we know that you are someone who will not struggle to find things to do in retirement.

We know that you will continue to contribute to making our community, our region, and our world better through your leadership, your orientation towards service, your musicianship, and your keen ability to find the best in people. Thank you for sharing your talents with our school district community over the past eight years. We look forward to seeing you often, and we will keep working to make you proud. Congratulations, and thank you for everything.

National board certification is widely considered the highest professional honor a teacher or educator can achieve. And reaching this milestone takes an incredible amount of work. The process is notoriously grueling. It requires hundreds of hours of deep reflection, analyzing student work, videotaping lessons, and passing a rigorous content knowledge exam. It's essentially a master class in self evaluation, undertaken entirely on top of the already exhausting demands of the full time schedule of an educator. By completing this journey, these two individuals have proven that, they want to reach the absolute highest standards in the nation. It brings a well deserved level of prestige to their careers, but it also elevates our entire school district. Having National Board certified teachers in our classrooms directly impacts student achievement and sets a benchmark of excellence for our entire community. To our newly certified educators, your dedication to your craft and your students is truly inspiring. Thank you for putting in the late nights and the immense effort to reach the top of your profession. Please come up for a wonderful photo opportunity. Jody Berger and Kirby Rosenbaum.

Recommended action be it resolved at the Board of Education upon the recommendation of the Superintendent of Schools hereby appoints Nicole McAluso as a 1.0 FTE science teacher, science tenure area at the Croton-Harmon High School at a salary of $76,868 MA Step three. Ms. Is appointed to a four year probationary term as a science teacher commencing on 08/26/2026, and probationary term ending on 08/25/2030 in the tenure area of science. Ms. Has initial certification in chemistry seven through 12, initial certification in biology seven through 12, and initial certification in general science seven through 12. On the question, all in favor? Aye. Opposed? Abstain? Motion carries. Item 7.1. Yeah, I'm gonna pause for everybody to leave. I apologize, congratulations to everyone.

I'm just gonna resume. Item 7.1, approval of the consent agenda. I haven't moved for it yet. Recommended action be it resolved that the Board of Education hereby approves all the items under the consent agenda. Niall moves? Second? Theo second on the question?

And I don't know if I'm on speaker because it's an amazing part of that. I guess it was. So just just so that we have an understanding of what we're approving, there's a resolution on on the agenda to approve data policy agreements through sorry. I don't have it open through the ROC, and it would just be helpful I think because there has been a lot of discussion and scrutiny of data privacy, data policies, etcetera. If we could just have an explanation for the benefit of the community as to why we do this annually, it would be great. Sorry, Ellen. This is a you question. I don't know if you wanna answer. No. It's okay. So the so the question is just on our consent agenda. And you've spoken about this before. So it it's not a it's this is within the scope of questions that you often answer for us. We have a resolution for the data policy agreement with the Rick Rock. And just for the benefit of people listening at home, if you could just explain why we go through that every year and what it covers.

Sorry. Okay. So the we are part of a larger consortium at BOCES, And they do being part of this larger consortium grants us the the benefit of having them support us in the negotiation of our data privacy agreements. And these are statewide data privacy agreements. And so the strength and kind of weight that they have. So a company wouldn't necessarily sign up for a statewide data privacy unless they were really committed to the high standards of New York State. And so for us to be a part of this is really the benefit for us.

I just have one additional item on the question with respect to item 7.7, legal services agreement with Kenan The board also uses the council of Kenan Bean oftentimes, and I just wanted to just go on the record of saying how pleased we are. I am at least as board president with their guidance, the orientation that they provide to new board members just to be in compliance with different municipal recommendations. So I wanted to just say how happy I am that we're going to continue to have a relationship with them and have them as counsel. There are no other comments. I would just say all in favor. Aye. Opposed? Abstain? Motion carries. We'll now move into our closing of the meeting with item 8.1, which is board reports. And I will turn it to advocacy.

Okay, so advocacy, I'm sorry I don't have my notes in front of me. Didn't realize what I'm doing this tonight. So we met last week and we will be working as a committee on preparing a resolution for the NYSSBA annual meeting. So that hopefully we will have before the board at our next meeting, if not on June 11. That's the main thing that we are working on right now. I'm sure I'm forgetting something else. But that is all I have for advocacy right now. Wish I did. But as yet, still nothing. We are working with extender 13 until the eighteenth.

Correct me if I'm wrong, for audit, there's been no meeting since the last meeting. Correct? For board development?

I'll just lean over and say for board development, have to schedule a meeting within the next week or so. And, yeah, so I'll get back to you guys about that. Apologies.

No further report on communications from our last meeting. Our next meeting will be June 1. Thank you.

Policy?

Policy Committee met on May 11. We continued our discussion on the policy zero zero zero zero that had been discussed at the May 7 meeting. We do not have anything to report for the June 4 meeting. We are meeting on June 5, that Friday, and I hope we'll see that we'll have a complete our discussion and have something to present. We may also have some other policies to present on June 11, we'll see.

I don't know if anyone has any liaison As

as the boards liaison to the Village Bicycle Pedestrian Committee, I was very pleased to be able to participate this weekend in CET's bike rodeo, which was an incredible community event organized by Suzanne Leslie, our CET physical education teacher with the support of Christine Draco, the grounds and facilities staff, custodial, and a number of administrators including Carrie over at CET. This was a wonderful event that started off at CHHS with a bike ride of, by my count, more than a 100 kids, parents, family members riding from CHHS over to CET to celebrate the inauguration of the Blacktop Bike Rodeo, which is a little bike path that you can travel on on your own bike or on eventually a bike that you will be able to use as part of your physical education program at CET because Ms. Leslie was awarded a grant to be able to bring these bicycles in and make them them part of her phys ed curriculum. The event was also intended as a fundraiser to help secure a beautiful bicycle shed so they all have a safe place to be stored. The event included members of the Croton Police Department, Croton EMS, who helped us along the trail. There was also there were also booths set up by boosters and the Bicycle Pedestrian Committee and our local Croton E bikes business. So kids had an opportunity to get reflectors and have their bikes safety checked and talk about helmet safety. And very importantly, Croton PD gave everyone gave all the kids in attendance a reminder of how to be safe and smart when they're riding on Croton Street. So it was a really incredible, wonderful family event. I don't know if you wanna add anything because you were there too. Know it. All

of what Anamika said, was really a great event and it was so lovely to see so many different people from our community come out to support this initiative by Ms. Leslie, which again was an incredible undertaking on her part. And yeah, looking forward to seeing the kids in their learning to ride their bikes modules in Phys Ed and CET. I think it's been great. Congratulations,

it was super, super fun.

Thank you. I have a couple of things, Dan, which are not really in the liaison, but just things that I had the pleasure to go to. First was the Hope for Heroes girls softball game on Friday evening in which the girls pulled it out against North Salem winning 11 to six with five runs in the last inning. And then I stopped by because I happened to be there to the Tall and Small Ball, which I thought was really a wonderful event where parents, the tall folk, and students, the small folk, got to dance, play outside, do arts and crafts. It was a seventies theme, Woodstock theme for probably the parents, most of whom don't remember that, but it played the part. And it was really wonderful to see hundreds of parents and hundreds of students just enjoying themselves in our facilities, in our building on that Friday night.

Does anyone else have any liaison reports?

Just building on what Niall said, a number of us were at the district wide art show previously this evening, and that was really always an amazing event and continues to be so. I'd like to bring up something under, I guess the title of polling on the board. So tonight I abstain from all tenure votes for procedural reasons. This is not a reflection of the teachers and staff for whom I have deep respect. I abstain because the Superintendent's management of the tenure process did not provide all the data I needed to make. Such an important decision in time for the meeting. I'm requesting that we put on our next meeting agenda a chance for us to discuss the tenure process as a board. Thank you.

Do we have a scheduled topic for the next work session? It's the volunteer recognition, isn't it? Yes. That's something we're going to have to consider in planning. So moving into item 8.2, adjournment of the meeting. Recommended action be resolved. The Board of Education hereby adjourns the meeting at 08:55PM. Second. On the question? All in favor? Opposed? Abstain? Motion carries. Thank you everyone. We will be meeting again on 06/04/2026 for our work session, our volunteer recognition. Thank you.