Odessa-Montour school board 5/12/11

Meeting:  The Odessa-Montour school board met for one hour and 30 minutes, Thursday, May 12.
Attendance:  Damita Chamberlain was the only board member absent.  There were 22 members of the public in the audience.
Action:  Utica National Insurance gave the district a $500 donation for its 2011 School Safety Excellence Award.
• The board accepted cafeteria supply bids for food and equipment through GST BOCES for the 2010-11 school year.
Discussion without action:  Lisa Frost, Spanish teacher and Academic Study Hall coordinator, gave a presentation on the after school help program.  Board members had previously asked about the after school help when they were looking at the budget and costs.  She explained she has been supervising the program for 12 years.  Frost said this year 77 different students, or 27 percent of high schoolers, have attended.  She added attending the program is a requirement for getting off of the academic ineligibility list.  Frost said students can also attend for general homework help, to do group project work, or to use computers.
• Teacher Angela Cartwright asked the board again to consider recording board of education meetings and letting residents watch the videos on the school Web site.  She said it would help keep the public informed because not everyone can attend the meetings.
• Superintendent Jim Frame announced the generator would finally be online and providing power starting May 21.
• High school principal Greg Conlon recognized two students: Tyler Davenport and Matt Chapman.
• Lynda Kramer said B.C. Cate would be holding the mini-Relay for Life event again this year, June 10.  She added this is right before the Schuyler County Relay for Life event June 10 and 11.  Classes will take turns walking the track at the Charles Martin Field from 12:30 p.m. until the school day ends.
Bids/purchases over $1,000:  None.
Appointments/resignations:  The board approved the following tenure appointments: Michelle Bockelkamp, reading; Katie Holtz, science; Shelly Mumford, special education; and Betsy Westervelt, special education.
• One math teacher, one fourth grade teacher, and five teaching assistant positions will be eliminated effective July 1, 2011.  A Spanish teaching position was also changed from full-time to part-time.
Upcoming meeting:  The next school board meeting is a workshop, Thursday, May 26, at 6 p.m.