Board of Education Goals 2023-2024

“Inspiring A Standard of Excellence For All Students”

Finance and Facilities

Conduct a District wide facilities update to determine areas of improvement and financing options to create a world class learning environment.

Academics

Determine how student growth and achievement data will be identified, collected, utilized, and analyzed to enhance students’ K-12 educational experience.

Climate/Communications

Strengthen the sense of belonging and trust through the use of the climate and communications survey data and the strategic implementation of recommendations.

Access Committee Agendas & Minutes

Audit/Finance

Focus: To oversee and report to the Board on the annual independent audit of the District’s records. The committee shall recommend the selection of the independent and internal auditors and continue on through the review of significant internal and external audit findings.  

Board of Education Members: Will Treves (Chair), Jackie De Angelis, Sid Burke

Administrator/Staff Representatives: Jim Hricay, Assistant Superintendent for Business, Dr. Cheryl H. Champ, Superintendent of Schools

Community Members: Maria Tiso, Kelly Ulto, Todd Toaso

Authentic Learning/Curriculum

Focus: Explore, study and implement the action steps of this goal area in the District’s Strategic Plan. Specifically, the committee will be looking at ways to advance relevant and authentic experiences for all students, and exploring how the District’s use of time and space can better support these efforts.

Board of Education Members: Jackie De Angelis (Chair), Natalie Marrero, Annemarie Garcia

Administrator/Staff Representatives: Dr. Alice Bowman, Assistant Superintendent for Teaching & Learning, Traci Holtz, Assistant Superintendent for Pupil Personnel Services, Dr. Tom Callahan, Director of Math & Science, Mark Berkowitz, PMHS Principal, Dr. Trisha Nugent Fitzgerald, Hutchinson School Principal, Dr. Maria Thompson, Director of Humanities, John Sebalos, Director of Technology

Community Members: Annie Balestra, Amy Sparano, Leah Tahbaz, Brandon Dammerman

Advocacy and Community Engagement

Focus: Evaluate and improve two-way communication with the community and advocate for the educational interests of our students and Public Education at both the state and local levels.

Board of Education Members: Natalie Marrero (Chair), Will Treves

Administrator/Staff Representatives: Dr. Cheryl H. Champ, Superintendent of Schools, Alex Wolff, Public Information Officer, Jeannine Carr, Prospect Hill Principal

Community Members: Alexandria Pace Kress, Lynda Banfield, Kim Melloy, Diane Davis Otter, Stephanie Courtien Royce, Kate Pringle, Liza Schaefer

Cultural Competence/ Diversity

Focus: The Cultural Competence Committee will review  and provide feedback on the district’s progress on the strategic plan goal area of Cultural Competence. Committee members will serve as ambassadors to the community regarding the ongoing work of Cultural Competence.

Board of Education Members: Ian Rowe, Jackie De Angelis, Annemarie Garcia

Administrator/Staff Representatives: Dr. Cheryl H. Champ, Superintendent of Schools (Chair), Dr. Steven Garcia, Executive Director for Human Resources & Leadership, Dr. Alice Bowman, Assistant Superintendent for Teaching & Learning, Rachael Garcia, Colonial School Principal, Jeannine Carr, Prospect Hill Principal

Community Members: Nandini Anandu, Shakira Kennedy, Steve Pitamber, Rafael Muniz, Liselle Sahkrani, Kim Espinoza

Facilities

Focus: The Facilities Committee will oversee both short and long term facilities planning and maintenance and will assist in oversight of completion of the 2018 Capital Projects. This committee will make recommendations to the Board as needed.

Board of Education Members: Dr. Michael Owen-Michaane (Chair), Natalie Marrero, Sid Burke

Administrator/Staff Representatives: Dr. Cheryl H. Champ, Superintendent of Schools, Jim Hricay, Assistant Superintendent for Business, John Condon, Director of Facilities 

Community Members: Robert Gimigliano, Mike Star, Danielle DeVito Ganpat

Policy and Governance Monitoring

Focus: Update, review and recommend required and identified optional policies and regulations on an on-going basis utilizing resources from the Erie 1  BOCES service and advice of counsel

Board of Education Members: Dr. Michael Owen-Michaane (Chair), Ian Rowe, Sid Burke

Administrator/Staff Representatives: Dr. Cheryl H. Champ, Superintendent of Schools, Jim Hricay, Assistant Superintendent for Business, Dr. Steven Garcia, Executive Director for HR & Leadership, Traci Holtz, Assistant Superintendent for Pupil Personnel Services, Dr. Alice Bowman, Assistant Superintendent for Teaching & Learning 

Safety

Focus: Assess and improve the security of our buildings and ensure that our students and staff are safe in and around the school facilities.

Board of Education Members: Will Treves (Chair), Jackie De Angelis

Administrator/Staff Representatives: Dr. Cheryl H. Champ, Superintendent of Schools, Jim Hricay, Assistant Superintendent for Business, Traci Holtz, Assistant Superintendent for Pupil Personnel Services, John Condon, Director of Facilities, Dr. Trisha Nugent Fitzgerald, Hutchinson School Principal, Lynn Sabia, Middle School Principal.

Community Members: John Hynes, Kamy English, Adam Mattina, Kelly Crotty, Joseph Viterello

Wellness

Focus: Works as an oversight committee to maintain and/ or implement new programs and strategies through a perspective of best practices for the social and emotional wellness of our students K-12. This committee will be looking at ways to advance the district’s efforts to support the whole child.

Board of Education Members: Natalie Marrero, Annemarie Garcia

Administrator/Staff Representatives: Traci Holtz, Assistant Superintendent for Pupil Personnel Services (Chair), Jim Hricay, Assistant Superintendent for Business, Joe Toombs, Director of Physical Education, Health & Athletics, Dr. Lauren Ribeiro, Supervisor of Special Education K-5/ CPSE Chairperson, Farid Johnson, Siwanoy School Principal, Greg Lau, Supervisor of Special Education 6-12, Gene Farrell, Director of Counseling

Community Members: Laura Caruso, Marcos Rollan, Ashley Mills, Abby Balafas, Dr. Wendy Nash Moyal, Tracy Naden

Board Governance and Meetings

The Board will publish an annual document describing its communication protocols and governance practices

The Board will publish an annual document describing its goals for the District.

The Board will set clear goals for itself and the Superintendent, and the Board and Superintendent will set clear goals for the Pelham Public Schools. 

The Board will employ systems-based thinking to improve student achievement and community engagement with a focus on policy making, long-term strategic planning, and public relations.

The Board will collaborate with the Superintendent on a mutually agreed upon Superintendent Evaluation process.

The Board will review its behavior by yearly self-evaluation and by addressing itself to any individual problems such as poor meeting attendance or breaches in confidentiality. 

Board members should make an effort to pose questions that they have to any of the Central Office Administrators in advance of the Board meeting. When such questions are posed via email, Board members should copy the Superintendent and President. When posed verbally, the Superintendent and President should be notified. Board members may also use the shared Google Doc to pose meeting questions.

The Board President will decide how consent agenda items will be taken at the meeting in advance. 

The Board President will manage Public Comment at meetings. 

Board members may access the District Clerk as a resource to obtain information. 

Communication with Superintendent of Schools 

The Board President is the primary contact between the Board and the Superintendent of Schools. The Superintendent shall maintain regular communication with the Board President on matters of importance. 

The Superintendent will maintain regular communication with all members of the Board on matters related to the District. The Superintendent will provide the Board with a detailed update on items of importance via the Weekly Update. Board members will be responsible for reading the update and contacting the Superintendent with any questions. 

The Superintendent will use email as a tool to provide information to the full Board of Education.

The Superintendent will immediately inform the Board of major issues pertaining to student matters (medical emergencies, arrests, significant altercations, etc.). This may be done by email, text, or phone. 

Any Board Member may contact the Superintendent at any time regarding issues or questions.

Emails regarding Board business should be copied to the Board President. Replies from the Superintendent should also include a copy to the Board President. 

The Superintendent and Board President will meet on a regular basis to plan Board meeting agendas and items for discussion with the full Board of Education. 

Agenda Setting meetings will be held with the Superintendent, President, Vice President, and an  additional Trustee on a rotating basis prior to all meetings for the purpose of clarifying questions and information as needed so that efficient discussion and decision-making can occur at the meeting. Board Members should communicate questions to the Superintendent or President prior to agenda setting meetings to facilitate timely responses from Administration. Board members may also submit questions prior to agenda setting on the shared Google Doc. Board members may suggest agenda items via the President prior to agenda setting.

Communication among Board Members 

Communication should flow from the Board President to Members and vice versa.

All pertinent issues brought to individual Board members from community members should be raised with the Board President. 

Relevant emails of concern should be forwarded to the Board President. 

The Board President will be responsible for communicating and sharing information to the full Board. 

Board members will refrain from detailed group discussion about any Board business or decision making via email. 

Communication with Central Administration  

All Assistant Superintendents will provide a brief update on their work, especially as it relates to District Goals, that will be sent to the Board in the weekly packet prior to Board meetings with all corresponding supporting materials. All issues should be referenced and explained so that the issue could be put into its proper context relative to the District Goals.

Central Office administrators will have a responsibility to include all supporting information from District Committee meetings to the full Board (e.g. agendas, minutes, presentations, etc.)

All items for Board action will be presented to the Board the week prior to the meeting whenever  practicable.

Board members may call or email an Assistant Superintendent to ask clarifying questions.  Board members will use their judgment when contacting Central Office Administrators. The  Superintendent and Board President should be notified when such calls are placed or copied when inquiries are made via email. 

Questions regarding process or more substantial issues (i.e. beyond clarifying question) should be brought to the Superintendent with a copy to the Board President for follow-up. 

All communication with Principals and other Building Level Administrators will go through the  Superintendent.