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Board approves tenure recommendations, gifts and personnel changes; votes recorded on multiple items
Summary
During the May 12 meeting the White Plains City School District Board approved tenure recommendations for 30 teachers, accepted multiple donations and grants, and approved several personnel and position changes; votes were recorded as shown.
WHITE PLAINS ' The White Plains City School District Board of Education on May 12 approved a series of summary and individual action items including tenure recommendations for 30 teachers, the acceptance of donations and grants, administrative appointments, and several personnel- and security-related position changes.
Tenure and recognition: The board approved the superintendent's recommendation to confer tenure on 30 candidates. The board meeting included a multimedia tribute and in-person recognition of the recipients before the vote. The names read into the record and recognized by the board were: Andrea Boyko; Kaley Lugo; Louella Massam; Amanda Malloy; Caitlin Emmett; Sage Marino; Fiona Bailey; Coach Burton Jones; Joanna Pagliari; Bianca Richmond; Ifeia Shubaya; Sophie Tahada; Erin Farley; Suzanne Orton; Dana Merrill; Christina Ramirez; Christina Bartolotta; Sue Ellen Evangelista; Benjamin (Coach) Carroll; Dina Pelleguides; Kyle Sutton; Charles Torres; Shizang (or Shali) Zhang; Julia Alexander; Connery Francis; Joanna Fosco; Shali Zhang; Stephanie Kindleston; and others as read on the record (total 30 names). The full list was read aloud during the meeting and is included in the official minutes.
Vote tally for tenure and summary items 4'8: the board recorded "Aye," "Aye," and one "Abstain." The transcript does not specify which board members cast each recorded vote.
Donations and grants: The board accepted multiple donations during the summary action items, including (selected items read into the record): a $5,000 donation for the Rafaelo Pantanelli Scholarship from Oakland Trading Corp; a $3,000 donation for the Rita Varian Art Scholarship from Mr. and Mrs. Mark Varian; a $2,000 donation for the Dorothy Ann Peters Memorial Scholarship from Andrea Robinson; a $2,000 donation from Friends of White Plains baseball for varsity dugout painting; a $1,366.67 donation for an activity for rising eighth graders from White Plains Middle School PTA; a series of smaller memorial and scholarship gifts; equipment donated by the New York Rangers (floor ball sticks, balls, nets); and multiple grants from the White Plains High School Music Department Booster Association totaling $4,276.30 for band and orchestra trips.
Individual personnel and position actions: The board approved a range of administrative and personnel items with majority votes announced as "Aye." Those items included: - Increase to the inventory of positions funded through budget transfers (details in backup materials). - Approval of an extension, per the CSEA contract, of paid absence beyond 30 working days for employees injured in the line of duty (employees itemized on the agenda). - Administrative appointments including Laura Celio replacing Team McGuire and Juan Herrera replacing Will Dixon (as read on the record). - Extension of the interim assistant principal appointment for Joseph Spiro at White Plains High School from July 1, 2025, to October 2025. - Establishment of two 10-month security assistant positions. - Abolishment of one district facilities evening security supervisor (12-month) position, effective May 13.
The transcript indicates each of the individual action items passed with board members voting "Aye" when called; the meeting record did not include individual roll-call names for each yes vote in the portions of the transcript provided.
Why this matters: Tenure decisions affect staffing stability and teacher employment status; donations and grants support student scholarships, activities and trips; position changes alter district staffing and security arrangements.
Next steps and record: The board adjourned to an executive session to discuss personnel matters after the public meeting. Official minutes and the complete motion texts and itemized backup are available in the district's meeting records.
