Ravena-Coeymans-Selkirk board swears in superintendent and student ex officio, elects officers at July 9 reorganizational meeting

Superintendent Craig Chandler was sworn into office and the board installed its first-ever student ex officio member, Owen, at the Ravena-Coeymans-Selkirk Central School District organizational meeting on July 9, 2025, the board said. The board also elected a school board president, Mike, and vice president Ed Badename and approved a slate of organizational appointments and designations.

The changes set leadership and administrative designations for the coming year for the district, which the board and attendees said is routine but important to ensure continuity in district operations. The board voted by voice to approve nominations and slate motions covering multiple officer appointments, school treasurers and other designations.

Craig Chandler took the oath of office for superintendent at the start of the organizational meeting. The board then administered swearing-in to newly elected board members and to Owen as student ex officio.

Nominations for board leadership followed. A board member nominated Mike for board president; the board voted by voice and the motion carried. Jackie nominated Ed Badename for vice president; that motion also passed by voice vote. The board then administered oaths for the offices.

Under agenda item 4.1 the board moved and approved one motion covering items 1–5 (appointment of officers under 4.1). Under item 5.1 the board considered a consolidated motion covering 60 designation items; that motion carried after a brief question from a board member about item 55, described in the agenda as the district's "crime coverage policy" for designated positions. A board member asked what that coverage is; a meeting participant explained it is an insurance policy the district may open for employees who handle money daily so the district can seek recovery from the insurer if funds are stolen. The agenda listed the collector of taxes with a limit of $4,000,000 as an example of covered positions.

The board approved two consent items under 6.1 after a motion from Matt and a second from Dan. Board members noted that several personnel and appointment items also appear on the district's regular meeting agenda and discussed whether duplicative entries were necessary; the group agreed to proceed and to review the practice.

The meeting concluded with a brief recess to allow attendees to meet the new superintendent and a motion to adjourn, which passed by voice vote.

Discussion versus decisions

Discussion at the reorganizational meeting was limited and procedural. Substantive debate concerned only whether certain appointments needed to appear on both the reorganization and regular meeting agendas and a clarification about the district's crime-coverage policy for positions handling funds. The board took formal action by voice vote on officer elections, oaths and the consolidated appointment/designation motions; those motions passed. Staff were not given additional investigatory directions during the organizational meeting beyond routine administration and follow-up to review agenda placement.

What was not specified

The board voted by voice; no roll-call tallies were recorded in the meeting record excerpt. The transcript did not provide full surnames for some participants identified only by a first name (for example, Mike) and did not list dollar amounts for the full set of 60 designation items beyond the example of $4,000,000 for the collector of taxes. The meeting did not produce new policy text or budget appropriations during the reorganization portion recorded in the transcript.

Note: All quotations and attributions in this article come from participants identified in the meeting transcript.