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Board approves student and transportation handbooks for 2025–26 school year
Summary
MSD Steuben County trustees approved elementary, middle and high school handbooks and the transportation and Montessori Early Learning Center handbooks, with changes to PTO and program details.
The MSD Steuben County Board of School Trustees voted 7–0 on May 20 to approve updated student handbooks for elementary, middle and high school for the 2025–26 school year, and to adopt changes to the district’s transportation and Montessori Early Learning Center (ELC) handbooks.
Administrators told the board the packet included highlighted recommended changes and strike‑throughs showing removals. “Part of that is we won't do a first and second read just because we have to get them to the printers,” one administrator said, asking the board to approve the handbooks as presented. The board approved the handbooks by roll call.
The transportation handbook change consolidates three previously designated weather‑related days into the transportation staff’s PTO bank, giving transportation employees six PTO days total to use “whenever they want,” an administrator said. The presenter explained that if employees exhaust PTO and the district has an elearning or weather day, those employees would be expected to report to work.
The ELC (Montessori Early Learning Center) handbook clarifies program options, primary age ranges, hours of operation and enrollment procedures for families choosing to enroll at the center. Board members also received a first reading of a 2025–26 classified employee handbook; that document would move benefit accrual dates for annual employees from Aug. 1 to July 1 to align with contract start dates and the presenters said any July 2025 days already planned for current staff would be grandfathered for the 2024–25 year.
All handbook votes recorded during the meeting were unanimous, 7–0. Board members did not amend the proposed language during the meeting and were directed to contact administrators with individual questions.
Administrators noted that many handbook updates were legal or technical adjustments to keep policies “up to date,” and printed copies were needed for distribution to families and staff before the school year.
