[{"_1":2,"_98":-5,"_99":-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",[32,75,86],{"_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",6179827,"mediaKeyId","5123061-4f7a67ba1abf8371b137b30a5ddac704","parentId",5123061,"title","Board urges use of official channels after anonymous complaint; says anonymity limits remedy","audioSeconds",342,"startMs",4626000,"endMs",4968000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=5123061-4f7a67ba1abf8371b137b30a5ddac704&start=4626&end=4968","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5123061-4f7a67ba1abf8371b137b30a5ddac704/thumbnail_4626000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6179827/New-York/Board-urges-use-of-official-channels-after-anonymous-complaint-says-anonymity-limits-remedy","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6179827-f041a680e06ae0850bee8c4e6824a366/orig.mp4?Expires=1771619030&Signature=cTlC58U7Tp72QLJW3B8v~H2jCsOkQpV5dW3BDmIH8UvlZxwXyOTqbZoZpt5qXI06w6FR6pvHbBYKgVX7trQFExJiu-PCTwVQ8zh7io4SxY8KuwNXo~hYnitd4ew0mBikVdx5VY1pYYSUdJEERWSioHSYz6jSXbPtSQLR8R4audBMUJlwDrAlPBngwR-S56auxpcRGMRe3jf6GhrTN0Ej2~oYZay8ZNIDMM76LQ7VE-7Cd0oTkNNsW4poQapQ~97tm4ocU1s0qxEqrFQp9Ri9SCvOH5yQAkY579QVuAxHoQWFiAn6ereqq3adnEQLVdS0mtXSaS2wfS-3TaNVJWSvLg__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","","date","2025-07-02T14:51:56Z","article","Board members and the superintendent said the district cannot effectively investigate or resolve concerns sent anonymously and urged residents to use official channels, including principals, district email or the board's office.

A board member raised the issue during the Board of Education discussion, saying anonymous letters with complaints about teachers, coaches or school operations are coming to trustees and to members' homes. \"When it's anonymous, there's very little we can do to help remedy the situation,\" the board member said, adding that it is difficult to know whether the issue already has been raised with school administrators and whether prior steps have been taken.

Superintendent Dr. Lisa Krueger said she understands fears of retaliation and that the district will treat concerns seriously, but noted that anonymous submissions limit the ability to investigate. She said district mail addressed to the board or an email to the district address is a more appropriate channel and allows staff to follow established complaint steps. \"If someone came to one of us or to Krueger, we can handle it,\" a board member said, urging residents to follow the chain of command when possible.

Board members said they prefer complaints sent to a district address rather than anonymous envelopes to private homes so staff can act and the district can confirm receipt. The trustees asked that residents use established channels so administrators can work to resolve issues and keep the public informed about outcomes when possible.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","BOE Meeting, July 1, 2025","oneSentenceSummary","Trustees and the superintendent said anonymous letters impede investigation and urged residents to use district email or chain of command so complaints can be addressed.","taxTitle","WEST SENECA CENTRAL SCHOOL DISTRICT, School Districts, New York","taxId",38550,"location","New York","headline","shortSummary",{"_33":76,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":77,"_41":78,"_43":79,"_45":79,"_47":80,"_49":81,"_51":82,"_53":83,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":84,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":85,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":56,"_74":56},6179831,"West Seneca board elects officers, confirms appointments and fills committee seats",0,29000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=5123061-4f7a67ba1abf8371b137b30a5ddac704&start=29&end=29","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5123061-4f7a67ba1abf8371b137b30a5ddac704/thumbnail_29000.jpg","/articles/6179831/New-York/West-Seneca-board-elects-officers-confirms-appointments-and-fills-committee-seats","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6179831-0723639f221072f113a50d41cff7155a/orig.mp4?Expires=1771619030&Signature=j-rheEoLgM1f0BIQhm5xjPbEpiHwTMn~OtZSHbZdW08J2Bh699aPDrkbg9Y1zE86SC7dVPlmyrqr9cx35e1l6qRWFFsZTEno6-TN~4l5PDT~gQZLo6Aik1MNFKG8FxAl3dIjhbmpCJMibDaE7WuNnPs2UpO5DDm3q390j~y4krPd-E5d0YY3sA~BhoPleRbeOgukvCBgzul3tO3QM0Zcdk5Ad~ea2-otIhtbAIvX74y91dx~f51LFlQe3~sSwKg057p8IMIBX2pr7wX~8SZP~~MvfwzV6x5xc0ahvUWYx3asg2gIvcQuSpi0d9HeQFOQ0EhS7BtoZXbrRSG70zsjdw__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The West Seneca Central School District Board of Education elected Edmund Beattie as board president and Marla Greenberg as vice president and completed routine reorganizational business at the district's meeting.

The board also swore in new member Zachary Armstrong and approved multiple appointments and committee assignments, including approval of the claims auditor and the consent agenda. The meeting included a mix of unanimous votes, split votes and a motion to move the Aug. 5 board meeting to Aug. 12 to avoid a local scheduling conflict.

The board approved the appointment of the district clerk and other routine organizational items by voice or roll-call votes. The vote for board president passed 7-0; the vice president election concluded with the board installing Marla Greenberg after roll-call voting. The claims auditor motion and many personnel and administrative items passed by unanimous or near-unanimous margins.

A few personnel items drew more discussion and split results. One personnel item (agenda item 14c in the packet) passed 5-2; another (14d) passed with a 5-1 tally and one abstention. The district consent agenda passed 6-0 while newly sworn-in member Zachary Armstrong briefly stepped out. Board members discussed committee membership line-by-line and filled delegate and alternate slots for the Erie County Association of School Boards, budget and finance committees, the audit committee, facilities, policy, safety, special education advisory, strategic planning and community education committees.

Board members also agreed to change the August meeting date from Aug. 5 to Aug. 12 to avoid a community event; the calendar change was approved in a 6-0 vote. The board later voted 7-0 to enter executive session to discuss a contract and the employment history of a particular person.

The reorganizational meeting included the ceremonial swearing-in of ex officio student board members and the superintendent, Dr. Lisa Krueger. Administrators recognized newly appointed personnel in attendance and announced upcoming work sessions and the first student day on Sept. 2.

No public speakers were listed for the public comment portion of the meeting.","At its reorganizational meeting the West Seneca Board elected Edmund Beattie president, Marla Greenberg vice president, swore in new member Zachary Armstrong and approved a slate of personnel and committee appointments; several items were unanimous and a few votes were split.",{"_33":87,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":88,"_41":89,"_43":90,"_45":91,"_47":92,"_49":93,"_51":94,"_53":95,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":96,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":97,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":56,"_74":56},6179835,"West Seneca outlines enforcement plan for New York's distraction-free learning law",977,838000,1815000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=5123061-4f7a67ba1abf8371b137b30a5ddac704&start=838&end=1815","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5123061-4f7a67ba1abf8371b137b30a5ddac704/thumbnail_838000.jpg","/articles/6179835/New-York/West-Seneca-outlines-enforcement-plan-for-New-Yorks-distraction-free-learning-law","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6179835-8a8ab8c805936d910b393293b48ac5d5/orig.mp4?Expires=1771619030&Signature=QLJiVQj1tznwyeweMD4Nw-K7nPOaceCBJpQyQopibdo4Vx3SnNe4Bdqr1oHChR8db2I~vUUxQCtfDOFF4O~5hzWiOmEOTk90ckln-KUmm~7FmCUMTwmm~xMQojLQw0MIsvQ5d7rBkEDXMzwWC-~z-zBnduLk4duOSk33W-tCPMO-LPHvE7agHfp-6dlzRfGUOhRtzUocXMg6fkp3Xu5P2ecU~nI-y-eReV9SOlPHZ2cShye44Veb-fHawYhELuOwXbMsnCUYjRPnYMNTV~9JeBGVbL2Ij7PFxIAtjzXoujFbakf2mWGajbsWuhgsyZ~zEwpQtFYkxG-t3ltoytgGgw__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The West Seneca Central School District plans to require students to keep personal electronic devices off and stored during the instructional day under a district policy being drafted to comply with New York's distraction-free learning law, Superintendent Dr. Lisa Krueger told the board at the reorganizational meeting.

Dr. Krueger said the law requires districts to have a policy in place by Aug. 1 and the district has published revisions to its code of conduct for a 30-day public comment period before the board may adopt the changes. \"This is otherwise known as the cell phone ban,\" she said, describing the timeline and stakeholder process that produced the recommendations.

The superintendent said a stakeholder group that included teachers, administrators, union leadership, student leaders at both high schools and families produced a consistent set of recommendations by school level. At the elementary level, the district will encourage families of pre-K through second-grade students to leave devices at home; if a device is brought to school it will be \"off and stored away for the day,\" Dr. Krueger said. Middle schools will continue the current practice of students storing devices in locked lockers. The high schools will adopt the same \"off and away for the day\" approach.

Dr. Krueger outlined a progressive-discipline sequence: a first offense will result in a verbal warning and a phone call home; a second offense will add a detention and a phone call; a third offense will add two detentions and require the parent to come to school to retrieve the device. A fourth offense would require the student to check the device into the main office daily and have it stored there for 10 weeks; a fifth offense would result in the device being held in the main office for the remainder of the school year.

The superintendent noted a privacy and cost trade-off in storage options. The stakeholder group considered lockable pouches but the group concluded the per-unit cost (roughly $25 to $35 each) would be an expense borne by taxpayers. Instead, Dr. Krueger said the district will initially use sealed envelopes signed across the seal by the student when a device must be held in the main office: \"we can put that in a sealed envelope that the student signs their name across the seal of the envelope,\" she said, to protect student privacy while storing phones.

Dr. Krueger also emphasized a legal limit on discipline: \"I have noted, and this is in the New York state law, that students cannot be suspended from school solely for the use of their cell phone,\" she said. The superintendent added that refusal to comply with staff direction to power off and store a device could constitute insubordination and be handled under separate disciplinary rules.

A board member raised practical concerns about locker use and the burden on teachers, asking whether teachers would be expected to check bags or police phones in class. The board member warned, \"teachers don't wanna be policing this; they're there to teach, not to worry about cell phones,\" and asked for a clear office procedure for storing and labeling devices to avoid mishaps.

Dr. Krueger said principals will include the policy in orientations and welcome-back communications, that the district will insert information into the district calendar and post details on the district website as required by law, and that the district has already sent one email to families with another scheduled for July 2. She said the board has scheduled a formal status check on Oct. 28 to review how the practices are working and whether adjustments are needed.

The code of conduct revisions remain open for public comment for 30 days; the board must consider public feedback before any formal adoption. Dr. Krueger said adoption of the policy will follow that comment period and additional board consideration.","Superintendent Dr. Lisa Krueger told the Board the district will require student devices to be off and stored during the school day, released a draft code of conduct for 30-day public comment and set a Oct. 28 check-in to review implementation.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

Board urges use of official channels after anonymous complaint; says anonymity limits remedy

West Seneca board elects officers, confirms appointments and fills committee seats

West Seneca outlines enforcement plan for New York's distraction-free learning law