Board approves certificated and classified personnel reports; district hires speech teacher and adds classroom aides

The Niagara Falls City School District Board of Education approved certificated and classified personnel reports that included probationary appointments, resignations and multiple new hires.

Maria, the district personnel administrator, told the board the probationary appointments marked with stars resulted from consultation with principals and a review of evaluations. She said the certificated report also included additions of per diem and Schedule B–G assignments and some regular substitute appointments.

Maria said the district hired a speech teacher who is a resident of the city and noted that earlier concerns about staffing in world languages and speech have eased with the hire. She described two recent resignations: one staffer who accepted a promotion at another district and one who left to pursue an instrumental-music teaching position that the district’s existing structure could not provide.

On the classified side, Maria said the district has been “hiring furiously,” particularly for assistant childcare associates and special-education classroom associates as student enrollments and needs change. Promotions within maintenance and other department assignments were also listed on the classified report.

Maria described the district’s move-in/address policy for newly hired staff: employees hired must provide a change of address within six months or request a hardship waiver; Mr. Lohrey reviews hardship requests and the board may grant a six-month extension in qualified cases. She said the district did not lose a majority of new hires at the end of the six-month period this year.

The board approved both the certificated (agenda item 406) and classified (agenda item 407) personnel reports by roll call during the meeting.

The board will continue to monitor staffing needs as the year progresses and as additional students enroll.