[{"_1":2,"_99":-5,"_100":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,75,87],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":56,"_74":56},"mediaId",6277419,"mediaKeyId","2655127-fb721532639327c74d01e1e06223fc71","parentId",2655127,"title","Ossining UFSD board approves routine resolutions and personnel items at special meeting","audioSeconds",100,"startMs",1679000,"endMs",1779000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=2655127-fb721532639327c74d01e1e06223fc71&start=1679&end=1779","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2655127-fb721532639327c74d01e1e06223fc71/thumbnail_1679000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6277419/New-York/Ossining-UFSD-board-approves-routine-resolutions-and-personnel-items-at-special-meeting","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6277419-d654837435933184b67d9dc3fd978e8c/orig.mp4?Expires=1773787206&Signature=n1rBGoSiqPFeJgL0hB9576jbnwLCm9F9DrlJYVH2LHde~aUwXCgzrqar5mYklX4hGE4lOOzZSJZUBKI4jS9jbbH3qcCk9rOv0JxUEX7WqagDuBq0k8cI-YSyofKNzeBaQhmbO09rM2Qia3YbhOokqs6v4CYaT~L8pEPGG0M3QfmzXzGWzuAYx2d2w1iyUiR025aXK9QNF7KBrgktYW1S77uZsBLZh96RRAKEfqT8Zsn1TyxoNECcNFMdZYGiApUoQHuPNyT0DU~s0JiZoskTq-Mu-YCpD45~RY~kMaY2jdoJTm9TSSj8sM4TsxXlsQ0E~XIeB9uSCpBuOFm6wKrthA__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","","date","2025-03-14T14:14:50Z","article","At its March 12 special meeting, the Ossining Union Free School District Board of Education approved a series of routine resolutions and personnel items with little discussion.

The board voted to approve resolutions 4.1 through 4.7, which included appointing additional consultants for the 2024–25 school year; approving side-letter agreements with the Ossining Association of Administrators and Supervisors and the Ossining Teachers Association for specific employees; setting dates for the annual statutory budget hearing and district vote and elections; approving an agreement with the Westchester County Board of Elections; selecting Phoenix Graphics Inc. as the official ballot printer; and approving Ron’s Trucking Corp. to transport electronic voting machines. The motions were moved and seconded and approved by voice vote.

The board then approved 5.1 and 5.2, which authorized a cooperative agreement with Southern Westchester BOCES and accepted a donation from the North Shore Animal League for a Roosevelt/Mud Degrees program.

On personnel and staffing matters, the board approved a package of items (6.2 and 6.4 through 6.12) covering professional staff resignations; professional, civil service and support staff appointments; before- and after-school program staff appointments; APPR (annual professional performance review) accountability actions; per-diem substitute appointments; and approval of school volunteers. Most of these items were taken in a single motion and approved by voice vote.

The transcript records \"All in favor? Aye. Opposed? Abstentions.\" The meeting did not include a roll-call tally in the recorded excerpts.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","Board of Education Meeting March 13, 2025","oneSentenceSummary","The board approved multiple routine resolutions on March 12, including consultant appointments, side-letter agreements, voting logistics, cooperative agreements, donations and a package of personnel appointments and approvals.","taxTitle","OSSINING UNION FREE SCHOOL DISTRICT, School Districts, New York","taxId",38331,"location","New York","headline","shortSummary",{"_33":76,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":77,"_41":78,"_43":79,"_45":80,"_47":81,"_49":82,"_51":83,"_53":84,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":85,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":86,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":56,"_74":56},6277424,"Ossining UFSD previews budget, tax-levy calculation and capital projects; public raises concerns about AMD site tree clearing",527,1913000,2440000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2655127-fb721532639327c74d01e1e06223fc71&start=1913&end=2440","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2655127-fb721532639327c74d01e1e06223fc71/thumbnail_1913000.jpg","/articles/6277424/New-York/Ossining-UFSD-previews-budget-tax-levy-calculation-and-capital-projects-public-raises-concerns-about-AMD-site-tree-clearing","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6277424-4d37256d1cd92a5fd9b3a5691f7d2d10/orig.mp4?Expires=1773787206&Signature=IBnxTzPAh1ES-BKIMIsJ3usfgmWhFCGkiX2sxjYMzPGNAZyHGEcDUFuFY4iepFNAHbf3roZZsEfk~V0NlCShiW2kFitsIn~l~fdB-CzEtlDh~~dgqVM7t9AXq6nOw116eQu-SEzo8gAgiFrwTbRqHuBe-T60bFTy3tWHc6fH3dwVtD9Hhkr-aWdXSPL7ZhFTwlXbdUFA4oV9I6YiANwCeqfSBBC1U5Uoe-JqBO5REPQupXhFXFF7P0CiHiCATccoz6x7uOijJ32nI1sTsE8CYavzCKrCAyJy0u3q-QsAsNYKt-zxPckrqkPuVLq0gReMac3M6RHlZiMv3MXAOCuTbQ__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","At a March 12 special meeting, district staff presented a draft budget overview that emphasized the tax levy as the largest recurring revenue stream and explained exclusions used in the levy-limit calculation.

A staff presenter identified the tax cap calculation elements and said the district \"anticipate[s] that our levy limit will be\" below 2 percent; a board member later clarified the working estimate in the meeting as about 1.67 percent. The presentation named capital exclusions — including a transfer-to-capital line — that remove planned capital projects from the levy calculation so they do not push the regular tax levy higher.

The administration listed capital projects included in the transfer-to-capital line: site clearing and earthwork related to the AMD campus driveway, Brookside cafeteria and kitchen work, districtwide security camera upgrades, resurfacing the AMD track, replacing a water main at Claremont, gym window and floor repairs at the high school, bleacher repairs, masonry work and exterior painting in multiple buildings, and replacement of some rooftop units. The staff presenter said the transfer-to-capital line is the mechanism used to earmark those projects in the capital fund so funds sit in that account until work is ready to be expensed.

During the public comment period, resident Howard Fleisher said he had \"no objection\" to necessary site work but raised concerns that the AMD development plan called for clear-cutting \"15 acres of trees\" adjacent to a cemetery and wetlands. Fleisher asked whether the district planned to clear all of the land at once and what the long-term plan for cleared acreage would be.

Superintendent Mary Foxholder and staff responded that the AMD site plan is \"an iterative process\" and that the district does not intend to indiscriminately clear the property. Foxholder said the district's current plan would regrade slopes and \"leave 8 acres in the back alone,\" use recycled soil, widen rather than deepen cuts, and design a water-retention approach intended to protect wetlands and the adjacent cemetery. She said the detailed plans, engineering reports and funding layering will be presented in greater depth at the district's budget workshop on Saturday and that the board will need to approve final designs and associated spending.

Board members asked about timing and approvals. The administration noted that some capital projects — for example the Brookside cafeteria renovation — require submission and approval by the New York State Education Department before work can proceed; other projects such as gym painting may be scheduled and bid locally. The staff presentation also referenced the New York State Comptroller's reporting and Department of Labor CPI elements used in the levy-limit formula.

District officials said the capital transfer approach and the existing capital fund let the district earmark projects now so they can be executed when ready. More detailed project timelines, engineering documents and answers to specific questions (for example, responsibility for water-main work in the public right-of-way) will be presented at the upcoming budget workshop.","District staff walked the board through the tax-levy calculation and capital transfer projects, estimating the levy limit below 2%. A resident urged the board to avoid clear-cutting on the AMD site; administrators said planning will retain acreage and present detailed plans at a follow-up workshop.",{"_33":88,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":89,"_41":90,"_43":91,"_45":92,"_47":93,"_49":94,"_51":95,"_53":96,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":97,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":98,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":56,"_74":56},6277429,"Ossining UFSD appoints Aza Shikapwashia as director of STEM, effective July 1",302,235000,537000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2655127-fb721532639327c74d01e1e06223fc71&start=235&end=537","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2655127-fb721532639327c74d01e1e06223fc71/thumbnail_235000.jpg","/articles/6277429/New-York/Ossining-UFSD-appoints-Aza-Shikapwashia-as-director-of-STEM-effective-July-1","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6277429-5020244a0ccc5eaed6a333c8f49e3cc1/orig.mp4?Expires=1773787206&Signature=nTAM~Afr~I2xxlE42CnJ5yuFxKr1CLkYBEMrzoCpyQppzxEnWJ8uZSI85TNSpoaabEofMLWoNsSEAJWJ6ZYWal6IDeKWZeYhWUUrzSiYU9IWRDr0DrRdT4KW436mT5VkrAicZRvy3Y0yRsRq02NxqUI9lBrBiypYMh7l8GKv3kcbDMBGIht1N22c9xwflKMTOkMic~V8fxaWwC3Nb79OQQa3KwK8Uf6wXnrZhnm~4Gvgwn62K-Ez65dxF0WCUYmcbF2df~iTprCU0rnyvZrWgm0ie0Y3RdB7jFLRyRbU0irGj2bOuyrMsDfngL9~pbWqQwzFnpssXPNeyWQ7xPeOxA__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The Ossining Union Free School District Board of Education on March 12 approved the appointment of Aza Shikapwashia as the district's next director of STEM, effective July 1.

Don Mara, assistant superintendent for human resources, recommended Shikapwashia on behalf of the hiring committee, saying the candidate \"was absolutely outstanding in his preparation, his articulation of his vision\" and that he \"blew us away.\" The board moved the related agenda items earlier in the meeting and voted to approve them by voice vote.

Shikapwashia, who addressed the board after the vote, said he was \"very excited about this new role\" and that he looked forward \"to build[ing] on what's already a very strong foundation in science, and math and technology engineering here at Ossining High School.\" Board members and staff described him as a chemistry teacher with additional certifications who has been serving in an assistant principal role responsible for science, technology, engineering and math at the high school while the district planned a transition.

Superintendent Mary Foxholder and hiring committee members praised Shikapwashia's preparation, communication plan and collaborative approach. Foxholder said the committee reported he \"was incredibly prepared ... professional\" and that his interview \"truly blew us away.\" Shikapwashia thanked the committee and the board and said he was \"excited to hit the ground running.\"

The appointment was presented as a personnel action on the consent portion of the agenda. The board did not read an individual roll-call vote into the transcript; the motion was made, seconded and approved by voice vote.","At a March 12 special meeting the Ossining Union Free School District Board approved the appointment of Aza Shikapwashia as director of STEM effective July 1; the candidate and board members described his experience and vision for strengthening science, technology, engineering and math programs.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

Ossining UFSD board approves routine resolutions and personnel items at special meeting

Ossining UFSD previews budget, tax-levy calculation and capital projects; public raises concerns about AMD site tree clearing

Ossining UFSD appoints Aza Shikapwashia as director of STEM, effective July 1