[{"_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",6218884,"mediaKeyId","3624482-ba136c6a2689fa4da1258b11ef068fa0","parentId",3624482,"title","Board opens public hearing on code of conduct, previews new bell-to-bell phone policy and other updates","audioSeconds",370,"startMs",512000,"endMs",882000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=3624482-ba136c6a2689fa4da1258b11ef068fa0&start=512&end=882","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3624482-ba136c6a2689fa4da1258b11ef068fa0/thumbnail_512000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6218884/New-York/Board-opens-public-hearing-on-code-of-conduct-previews-new-bell-to-bell-phone-policy-and-other-updates","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6218884-dc8e8acb3bee38171e00afa3355b4ec8/orig.mp4?Expires=1775369266&Signature=obug6toUD-hzxv8Utwm0P2trZjYJtgirpDMVt9tDem9PzDUPS46l8bbR7UQbazOs9kRo5VUj4NDoLQCrMTBUenGnBRrBciUdQYTKB7x-5JK5nxGrLqE9OIyZBQ5aFTt5h0Q3xqgujrNeawKjZDhJXFNngg0H-orv79dnFbmCeWtnOp1Mcu-4OJRQdlS390ixL2renKZwKDSJXpcieBIQf8g2ZlcfDOv-jjiUrIErBpptDPa1Kn0PPhCCCndr9J87pvIwvuiIYXFcHHMniWGYdDXZaGXnOMoiST20hBGe3bp-wyUguWJskppRqDLoSAo73i~Dlhmonnv4Wq~AVvKS0w__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","","date","2025-06-02T22:32:04Z","article","The Wappingers Central School District Board of Education opened a public hearing on the district’s draft code of conduct and attendance policy during its June 2 meeting, and closed the hearing later in the same session after no members of the public spoke.

Assistant Superintendent for Administration and Information Systems Darren Olking told the board the review is the district’s annual, statutorily required process and that the draft will be on the website for a 30-day public comment period. “This is, of course, our annual process where we review our upcoming school year's draft code of conduct as well as any changes made to the attendance policy, which is required by education law,” Olking said.

Olking said the district is adjusting the draft to reflect new New York State legislation that requires schools to create a separate, “bell-to-bell” cellphone policy. “What that legislation actually is doing is requiring us to create a new cell phone policy separate from the code of conduct,” he said. The code-of-conduct draft will reference the separate phone policy and that the two documents will inform one another as the final language is developed.

The draft also includes a suggested dress-code clarification to prohibit students from wearing blankets during the school day “unless at the discretion of building administration,” Olking said. He described the change as a response to instances in which blankets were worn as full-body coverings and were judged to be distracting. The draft specifies blankets remain permissible for appropriate after-school activities.

Olking said the district will add online behavior explicitly to several existing infraction categories. He told the board the draft updates will add the words “online” to existing entries such as threatening a student or threatening an employee, and will add a new infraction covering refusal to comply with in-school suspension or in-school removal: “refusal of ISS/ISR.”

On attendance, Olking said the draft aims to reflect current building-level practices and removes references to older interventions the principals reported are no longer used. He summarized that the policy will continue to describe intervention strategies to address chronic absenteeism and noted a sentence clarifying that continued attendance problems “may result in disciplinary actions at the discretion of building principal.”

The board opened the public hearing on the code of conduct and attendance policy by motion (moved by Trustee Johnson; second by Trustee Lelumia). The meeting record shows the motion passed unanimously. After the presentation and with no public comments, the board closed the public hearing and resumed the regular meeting on a motion by Keith Dodes, seconded by Peggy Kellen; that vote also was unanimous.

The district will accept public comment during the 30-day posting period; Olking said updated language on the cellphone policy and the revised infraction list will appear on the district website as the separate phone policy is finalized.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","WCSD Board of Education Meeting | 6.2.2025","oneSentenceSummary","The Wappingers Central School District Board of Education opened a public hearing on the district’s draft code of conduct and attendance policy during its June 2 meeting, and closed the hearing later in the same session after no members of the public spoke.","taxTitle","Wappingers Central School District, School Districts, New York","taxId",14383,"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},6218874,"Board approves consent agenda: personnel, club charters, conference attendance and professional learning plan",109,3547000,3656000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=3624482-ba136c6a2689fa4da1258b11ef068fa0&start=3547&end=3656","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3624482-ba136c6a2689fa4da1258b11ef068fa0/thumbnail_3547000.jpg","/articles/6218874/New-York/Board-approves-consent-agenda-personnel-club-charters-conference-attendance-and-professional-learning-plan","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6218874-0811b797771d3c47eaeacc16f9b9a096/orig.mp4?Expires=1775369266&Signature=fzXHa-r1z11E98TYTs1dRDwwQF2i93ngKcdm1-sy~lnF2ZzihcJ-COiZ6JOS8-7Z7nTrpin~NYTReg~Rlp1ojjYkpohp1BAvlusiycDMrWwO9H6HBDPjjLYFQhQVDV5lcqRSLgP3hplOPhaeAR04epF1sh23zA25QSyFShH9OnmrRu~BZNMI11OpOrT8sxgXGtkh8EtZsROENkoEaO6dhu5iS0LGTSLF6~GunbmsLlDxdJV9hbR~meuJjIlyc6Qk-CK3WepbdVFJ4Cxwn5e8wTeqGfAkivL9vehcl6U-I7wwlmM9tWrYJifNsIgsO0cFOyEyQhRZl87sHxvLmNX64Q__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The Wappingers Central School District Board of Education approved its consent agenda on June 2, clearing personnel appointments, club charters, trustee conference attendance and the district’s professional learning plan.

The board approved the personnel list contained in the consent items and the superintendent announced the appointment of Carolyn Fields as the new principal at Vassar Road Elementary School, effective this summer. The superintendent described Fields as having 11 years of elementary principal experience.

Other consent actions approved by unanimous vote included:

- A name change for the Wappingers Junior High School club from “Club Wapiti” to the “Wappingers Junior High School Civility Pride Club.” (Motion: moved by Trustee Lumion; second: Peggy Kellen; vote recorded as unanimous.)

- Approval of new first‑year club charters at Royce C. Ketchum High School (listed as Dan’s Team and LDRSHIP). (Motion: moved by Peggy Kellen; second: Virgil Capalari; unanimous vote.)

- Authorization for board members Peggy Kellen, Marie Johnson and Cheryl Miggots to register for the 2025 NYSSBA Leadership and Education event in Albany (registration fee $105 per attendee) with reimbursement for hotel, mileage, tolls, parking and meals per board policy; the district clerk was authorized to register attendees to secure hotel rooms. (Motion: moved by Trustee Lumiere; second: Marie Johnson; unanimous vote.)

- Approval of the Wappingers Central School District Professional Learning Plan (PLP), as mandated by Commissioner’s Regulations 102.2. (Motion: moved and seconded per meeting record; vote recorded as unanimous.)

Board members who made and seconded motions are recorded as stated in the meeting minutes; the transcript frequently records votes as “unanimous” without individual roll call. No discussion from the public was recorded on these items.

The board also noted a first reading of several policies and invited trustees to forward questions to Trustee Kellen before the next meeting.","The Wappingers Central School District Board of Education approved the consent agenda on June 2, including personnel actions (new principal Carolyn Fields), a junior-high club name change, new high-school club charters, trustee attendance at an August leadership event and the district professional learning plan.",{"_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},6218879,"Special education report: district sees higher classification rate since COVID; district adds staff and a school-based mental health clinic",1072,1716000,2788000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=3624482-ba136c6a2689fa4da1258b11ef068fa0&start=1716&end=2788","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3624482-ba136c6a2689fa4da1258b11ef068fa0/thumbnail_1716000.jpg","/articles/6218879/New-York/Special-education-report-district-sees-higher-classification-rate-since-COVID-district-adds-staff-and-a-school-based-mental-health-clinic","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6218879-f5765a7015053860529899ed23e8b693/orig.mp4?Expires=1775369266&Signature=R10Tsyqhz9L3wYikwv~fSQunW9GkJATtK3NdRqN87hq5Q2lngkaHxa~7PToLq4aOi7bSdS~8D2LJ0I8CWGEbJDo~lmd0msk554kys8wTnI7Q62KaNZJleFzViw0EA8qhxTndbYnGZKLbWhQ1ijTe~yE-2IeN9xaZ2tjqc3eOEM-394dLXuiqMiGdnMnDfIjBhC2-Z38j6zYkha2-aWG4tN5lGnOf9YRMbjfWjl7M7MHA1NLcXgSg4wiLkliKXJqjJD1mkSDAgFn2DtLtOUXgSrB0-G6085Su7Of1OZNFwx698dVvoq50iiKAaTl0ovMutWJ3PAEZvLjBP7hc3CT9pQ__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Richard Zip presented the 2024–25 annual special education report to the Wappingers Central School District Board of Education on June 2, saying the district is seeing an increase in classification rates since the COVID pandemic and describing program and staffing changes intended to respond to student needs.

Zip (special education presenter) told the board the district’s official classification rate for 2023–24 was 17.6 percent and that preliminary 2024–25 estimates place the rate around 18.3 percent once state data are finalized. He said the most significant drivers are “the impact of COVID, learning loss and the mental health issues” and identified increases in speech-and-language impairments and other health‑impaired (OHI) classifications as the largest contributors.

Zip described program growth across the district: most elementary schools include integrated co‑teaching (ICT) classes, several schools house self‑contained or language‑based classes, and the district plans to add self‑contained language‑based classrooms at Vassar and Brinkerhoff next year. He said those program decisions respond to annual review processes and changing student enrollment during the summer transfer window.

On cost, Zip said special education expenditures have risen over time and described the 2023–24 cost as “about $24 million.” He reiterated that rising classification numbers and inflation account for higher spending compared with earlier years.

Zip highlighted two mental-health initiatives. First, the district’s recovery mental‑health grant funded five additional student‑support staff (three school psychologists and two social workers) and contracted behavioral staff; Zip said the grant is “far exceeding its expectations so far.” Second, he said the district opened its first school‑based mental‑health clinic in February at Wappingers Junior High through a partnership with Open Doors Family Services of Westchester County; that clinic is operating with a caseload and will continue through the summer.

During questions, trustees pressed Zip on drivers of the classification increase. Zip reiterated that missed early childhood services and limited preschool therapy availability during and after the pandemic left many children entering kindergarten requiring services they otherwise might have received earlier: “If you take 50 to 100 preschool students who aren't getting the services that they need, they come into school age, well, now they're getting classified and getting services now.” He also noted overall district enrollment declines over the last 15 years magnify classification-rate percentages because the denominator (total enrollment) fell while classified counts rose.

Trustees and Zip discussed graduation and diploma pathways. Zip said the special education graduation rate remained in the mid‑70s percentage range and is above the state average; he described existing options such as Regents diplomas, the 4+1 pathway and the Career Development and Occupational Studies (CDOS) credential as continuing exit opportunities for students with disabilities.

Zip thanked the board for recent district steps to expand preschool supports in partnership with the county and for approving hires when program enrollment requires additional teachers.

No formal board action was taken on the presentation; trustees extended the meeting by 10 minutes to accommodate additional questions.","Wappingers Central School District’s special education presenter summarized a rising classification rate driven by COVID-era learning loss and mental-health impacts, described program expansions, and said the district added staff via a recovery grant and partnered with Open Doors Family Services to open a school-based clinic.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

Board opens public hearing on code of conduct, previews new bell-to-bell phone policy and other updates

Board approves consent agenda: personnel, club charters, conference attendance and professional learning plan

Special education report: district sees higher classification rate since COVID; district adds staff and a school-based mental health clinic