[{"_1":2,"_100":-5,"_101":-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",[32,76,88],{"_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":74,"_75":74},"mediaId",6551222,"mediaKeyId","5348043-45a2728315aaeed22d1efce60c440f53","parentId",5348043,"title","Superintendent outlines first-year progress, highlights student programs and warns of staffing and grant funding risks","audioSeconds",2556,"startMs",731000,"endMs",3287000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=5348043-45a2728315aaeed22d1efce60c440f53&start=731&end=3287","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5348043-45a2728315aaeed22d1efce60c440f53/thumbnail_731000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6551222/New-York/Superintendent-outlines-first-year-progress-highlights-student-programs-and-warns-of-staffing-and-grant-funding-risks","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6551222-bb50e75d33ee8ee707a9ebe0b4775f85/orig.mp4?Expires=1771111251&Signature=MiWRNcM7i7LI7jrLpI7GuuBgEKnL8UwOCQs1kkIC5xRiOWTahsE4sN2EH1XRpO~BCjO2Nr1zuI1Ogxu7mQT-LO5ZMx0jX4uJrgNe5XaWUq0wZZQcVDWD6TCeDdF9j5kO9DkiqVbITXuecEr-T7ilwxALRxHGmfjQwglKbKjzeHVyJsDaNGu7aYKe695CjStAuj4qDzma-97ZGKHHdNsfrOBmskHE9qVT~s-b3nXY6GA-i5fsTxPP~Zpb66aGkUWfkTvGla-CBfGwkWu5Pt17kNvLJGtaHSr9Dbr7tfwz20oJQ23S25s~HzTq5TCaLg2VpwrLTS8CczBoMOzE49L5eA__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","Schenectady City School District","date","2025-07-08T16:25:00Z","article","Superintendent Dr. Cotto and district division leaders presented a broad \"first-year\" progress report to the Schenectady City School District Board of Education on July 9, reviewing curriculum changes, school redesign, student supports, personnel and financial considerations.

Major academic and program highlights
- Freshman Leadership Academy and other high-school redesigns: District leaders described the new Simon's Freshman Leadership Academy (opening next school year) and the continuation of Big Picture and early-college pathways. The Freshman Leadership Academy was presented as a strategic, centralized ninth-grade program designed to support transition and graduation outcomes.
- Curriculum and instruction: The Office of Teaching and Learning described full implementation of Ready Math (K\u0000through\u00008) and new world-language curriculum (Vista) for grades 6\u0000through\u000012. The board heard that grading-for-equity training and a district instructional walk-through tool (Bullseye) are in regular use; new visual arts curriculum adoption was reported.
- Expanded student supports: Student support services reported growth in restorative-practice specialists, attendance/engagement staff, and partnerships with behavioral health providers. The district added a substance-use counselor and increased referrals to virtual therapy platforms.
- Human resources and recruitment: HR reported active recruitment (60+ recruiting events March\u0000\u0000\u0000through June), new orientation and mentorship programs, teacher residency and other grant-funded recruitment supports, and initiatives to recruit paraprofessionals and fill vacancies. The district added a recruitment-and-retention specialist.
- Facilities and capital work: Facilities leaders reported completion and active oversight of significant capital projects, upgrades to multiple buildings and improvements to maintenance capacity; staff said they have completed thousands of work orders and overseen tens of millions in capital work tied to the district\u0000s multi-year plan.
- Communications and community engagement: Communications reported increased social-media reach, creation of a strategic-plan awareness campaign, greater use of teacher-parent two-way tools (Rooms) and an expanded multimedia capacity.

Staffing and operational challenges identified
Board members and administrators flagged several operational challenges the district plans to address:
- Staffing shortages and hiring markets: HR and administrators said critical shortage areas include math, science, CTE and foreign languages. The district has used a board-approved exception to hire uncertified teachers in short-supply areas; that flexibility has helped but gaps remain.
- Teacher and staff morale, chronic absenteeism: Administrators acknowledged morale and chronic absenteeism are persistent concerns. The district reported improvement efforts (wellness fairs, retention activities, professional-development and leadership support) but said sustained work is required. Chronic absenteeism rates remain well above ideal targets and were explicitly flagged as an area that \"must improve.\"
- School safety and weapons detection: The district implemented a weapons-detection system this year; administrators reported the system reduced weapons brought into buildings (from dozens in prior months to one incident in the period after system roll-out) but acknowledged an early-day logistical problem during rollout on a cold day that generated an outside-holding situation. The safety office reported expanded safety staffing across schools (the number of safety staff increased significantly over the past two years) and greater emphasis on communications around drills and incidents.

Program and fiscal risk: federal grant pause and afterschool funding
During the business Q&A, district finance officials said they are monitoring a federal pause on some program payments, including 21st Century Community Learning Center grant funding used for afterschool programming. Board finance staff said the district received approximate figures for 21st Century funding: last year the program supported afterschool services with a grant in the neighborhood of $845,000; the department is evaluating contingency plans if federal payments are delayed or held and said the district\u0000s current finances provide some short-term flexibility.

Next steps and follow-ups requested by the board
- Facilities to provide a districtwide inventory and timeline for achieving broader classroom air-conditioning coverage (linked to adopted heat policy).
- HR and district leadership to continue work on recruitment for shortage areas, retention and steps to address morale and chronic absenteeism.
- Finance to model potential impacts of any federal grant payment pauses and present contingency plans to preserve afterschool services where possible.

Nut graf: The superintendent's first-year presentation cataloged steady implementation of curriculum, support expansions and capital work, while also acknowledging continuing operational pressures: staff shortages in specific subject areas, staff morale and chronic absenteeism, and uncertainty over federal grant funding for afterschool programs.

Ending: Board members said they would follow up with specific, written requests to departments; several board members and staff agreed to use the summer to refine the district dashboard and present more detailed outcome data in August.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","Board of Education Meeting","oneSentenceSummary","Superintendent Dr. Cotto and department leaders presented a first-year report on July 9 that outlined curriculum adoptions, new student pathways and expanded supports, while flagging staff shortages, morale and a potential federal pause in afterschool grant payments as immediate concerns.","taxTitle","Schenectady City School District, School Districts, New York","taxId",14410,"location","New York","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":77,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":78,"_41":79,"_43":80,"_45":81,"_47":82,"_49":83,"_51":84,"_53":85,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":86,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":87,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},6551228,"Board adopts extreme-heat policy 56-34; district says it will pursue full classroom cooling",326,1452000,1778000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=5348043-45a2728315aaeed22d1efce60c440f53&start=1452&end=1778","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5348043-45a2728315aaeed22d1efce60c440f53/thumbnail_1452000.jpg","/articles/6551228/New-York/Board-adopts-extreme-heat-policy-56-34-district-says-it-will-pursue-full-classroom-cooling","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6551228-3ef87a9ee62ed7bdee72b499046c52ea/orig.mp4?Expires=1771111251&Signature=Yv3Y1nS0kDrm7qcL6sGzjiQ8nMJMRrLx8pW088zL6XRSvps3T0nE1~hGxnrW8Y416qXGBw5teWBtLoTv3WRsWuVrXkdnwxDXqx3vzLISlhoukh-1QXE5CU1EgfepNGZ1qakNBkZOh71218mvhGS0K5TIl1ZsDBhQoOHBTJuuqm~xMkvgs-qbvxeehZnWp3V5Bd~vuG4jnpXLHHpK~fvSC0lJB~QuGKEonlCho~jA4ADkpzDNprN7nY1np--CNg8ALKW2vgCxhPXgM4l2lglbZUYN9YeP2Xdv0z3Weq4-Uj~LqTJhcSsaloHu-tKw2GW6PzlbVEqTH4HUbfjUZfHhmQ__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The Schenectady City School District Board of Education adopted Policy 56-34, \"Extreme Heat Condition Days,\" at its July 9 meeting after a first reading and board discussion of cooling strategies and building conditions.

Administrators told the board the policy implements Education Law Section 409-N and sets district actions to be taken when indoor or outdoor temperatures meet thresholds identified in the policy. The policy includes an operational paragraph committing the board and district to \"proactive steps to reduce heat in school buildings and on school grounds,\" and lists potential actions the district may take when temperatures reach 82\u0000degrees Fahrenheit or higher.

Board members pressed for more data about how many rooms and buildings are currently air conditioned. Facilities and administration staff said the district has been investing in cooling units and capital projects and that districtwide surveys and in-house work have produced an inventory and a plan to reach 100% of classrooms over time. Officials said several buildings are already fully air conditioned, and that the district has purchased larger condensing units (for example, to cool the high school gym during testing) and window or through-wall units in other spaces. Some campus renovations performed under capital projects include full HVAC upgrades.

The board voted to adopt the policy following discussion and a motion; the motion carried with all members recorded in favor.

Why it matters: Education Law §409-N requires districts to adopt procedures for extreme heat days; the new policy coordinates emergency responses (half-day schedules, shaded/restricted outdoor activity) with longer-term measures (capital projects, purchases of cooling units) intended to reduce indoor heat exposure.

What the district said it will do next: district staff said they will provide the board with the districtwide air-conditioning inventory and the plan to reach full coverage; capital planning and in-house purchases will continue to target remaining spaces. The policy's measures will be used to guide responses if high-heat conditions recur this summer or next school year.

Ending: The policy takes effect immediately; staff will return with the AC inventory and proposed timeline as part of capital and operations reporting.
","The board approved Policy 56-34 on extreme-heat condition days (first reading and adoption), citing Education Law §409-N; district leaders said they have a plan to reach full classroom air-conditioning and are tracking current percentages.",{"_33":89,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":90,"_41":91,"_43":92,"_45":93,"_47":94,"_49":95,"_51":96,"_53":97,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":98,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":99,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},6551232,"Schenectady board swears in members, elects Bernice Rivera president and approves annual reorganizational business",181,21000,202000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=5348043-45a2728315aaeed22d1efce60c440f53&start=21&end=202","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5348043-45a2728315aaeed22d1efce60c440f53/thumbnail_21000.jpg","/articles/6551232/New-York/Schenectady-board-swears-in-members-elects-Bernice-Rivera-president-and-approves-annual-reorganizational-business","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6551232-156cd7b7ad10459999338cfe5d4fd308/orig.mp4?Expires=1771111251&Signature=mtui4nzLcm2VtZCtSp~TmNxaEbtbGBCJ36T06EY-wTmuccK4E0Bq11~CucvDEL9Yx2CGhEPM1F1UmnvEIIytnb--ZBOGMmKc3Pi23vALV1mS5bAnz0ZOCoXu44oORlJe7vQubsRBCRQxhPRYlj1Tt5JCLSLKu8vKHw9U9hekhOA~Cr9cpxgbfgiJdq-NQrsp4AzzTwbFmbs2SjJC9jpRTzUiVnoWE1u6B~1ZOyAX6GQVABHcJwHpP4KU~0mO~QYAloh24lDSj4Hwha6rbqmG4TXjJPg0T1z-2AI92BhLsmm8uNjZvr~hotSXYsfqLbvsFQJ67ZgmCg6McphMwbv9bg__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The Schenectady City School District Board of Education on July 9 administered oaths to newly elected members, elected officers for the 2025–26 year and approved the district's annual reorganizational items, including appointments, authorizations and routine resolutions.

The board sworn in multiple members at the start of the meeting and then opened nominations for board president. By roll call vote, Bernice Rivera was elected board president by a 6–0 tally. The board also elected its vice president for the 2025–26 year by the same margin. Both new officers were administered the oath of office during the meeting.

In the reorganizational business that followed, the board approved routine, multi-part package motions recorded in the agenda: annual appointments (agenda items 4a–4cc), annual authorizations (5a–5r), annual designations (6a–6b), miscellaneous rates and the district\u0000s standard workday resolution for reporting purposes. Each package was moved, seconded and carried by the board without recorded dissent.

Before approving the larger consent agenda the board's president noted a possible conflict of interest: one personnel stipend included in the consent agenda was for a mentoring stipend for the daughter of Board Member Jamaica Myles. The board removed that personnel item from the consent slate to consider separately. After the consent agenda passed, the mentoring stipend was taken up and approved in a separate motion; Board Member Jamaica Myles recused herself from discussion and voting on that item.

The meeting also included routine business: adoption of minutes for May 21, 2025 and a June work session, a treasurer's report filed with no questions, and other standing motions. Several items noted as included in the consent agenda were described in the superintendent\u0000s remarks (for example, a one-year Clarkson lease agreement discussed later in the meeting). No additional public comments were offered during the public comment period.

What the board approved (selected items)
- Election of Bernice Rivera as board president (roll call vote 6\u0000\u0000to\u0000\u00000). Election of vice president (6\u0000to\u00000).
- Approval: annual appointments 4a\u0000through\u00004cc.
- Approval: annual authorizations 5a\u0000through\u00005r.
- Approval: annual designations 6a\u0000and\u00006b.
- Approval: miscellaneous rates for the year.
- Approval: standard workday resolution (for retirement reporting).
- Consent agenda approved with the mentoring stipend for Board Member Myles' daughter removed for separate consideration; the removed stipend was later approved after Myles recused.

Nut graf: These routine reorganizational votes set board leadership, procedural authorities and fiscal/administrative authorizations for the coming school year. The board publicly handled a potential conflict of interest by removing a personnel stipend from the consent slate and voting on it with the interested member recused.

Context and next steps: The board will continue its regular meeting business later in July and August, including a 30-day public comment period and a public hearing on the district safety plan scheduled for August 13. The superintendent noted several items tied to the consent agenda that will be discussed in subsequent reports, including a one-year lease for the Clarkson facility and program relocations.

Ending: The meeting then moved into presentations and departmental updates (see separate coverage of the superintendent\u0000s first-year report and operations updates).","At its July reorganizational meeting the Schenectady City School District board administered oaths, elected Bernice Rivera president, approved routine annual appointments/authorizations and carried a consent agenda after removing and separately approving a personnel stipend to avoid a conflict of interest.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

Superintendent outlines first-year progress, highlights student programs and warns of staffing and grant funding risks

Board adopts extreme-heat policy 56-34; district says it will pursue full classroom cooling

Schenectady board swears in members, elects Bernice Rivera president and approves annual reorganizational business