Port Jervis board honors retirees and students, approves code changes and multiple contracts; solar field RFP issued

PORT JERVIS, N.Y. — The Port Jervis City School District Board of Education on June 17 recognized retiring staff and its top 20 graduating seniors, presented a state wrestling champion with a commemorative ring, approved amendments to the district code of conduct and passed a series of contracts and trip approvals, including a request for proposals for a district solar field.

The board opened with congratulatory remarks for retirees and students. Superintendent Dr. Bell introduced retirees and named Judy Chase as a 40‑year educator, Maria Smith with 25 years of service and Mark Trott with 34 years of service. The board also recognized the district's top 20 seniors; valedictorian Julia Elson and salutatorian Francesca Molterno were named among students headed to four‑year colleges.

The meeting included a presentation for Charlie Wiley, a Port Jervis wrestler honored after winning a New York State Girls Wrestling championship. The board and school officials presented Wiley with a state championship ring and recognized her season record and tournament placements.

On policy and district operations, the board conducted a public hearing and then approved amendments to the district code of conduct for the 2025–26 school year. District staff said most edits were grammatical; the packet and board remarks noted substantive rewritten pages on pages 15'17 and that the district reviews the code with its attorney every three years. During policy discussion the board referenced a recently passed state law on maximum school‑building temperatures (policy 5635) and completed several policy first and final readings and deletions.

Dr. Bell updated the board on facilities and energy plans, saying the district has completed approvals with Orange County and other parties and has issued a request for proposals for construction of a solar field intended to replace 100% of the district's electricity usage. The RFP was described as due back on Aug. 15; district officials said the project is intended to reduce future electricity costs and limit upward pressure on taxes. A preliminary dollar figure of about $650,000 was mentioned in discussion of potential savings and project scale.

Academic items included updates on curriculum mapping and new tools: the district is migrating curriculum maps to a platform described as TADA (noted to integrate with PowerSchool and Newsela) and will pilot AI features for secondary staff. The district is also near final stages of an MTSS (Multi-Tiered System of Supports) portal, "Unified Insights," to be launched with administrator training over the summer and additional staff training in the fall.

Administrators announced summer events and logistics for graduation: parking and traffic plans for the June 27 graduation at Chase Field were described as different than prior years to ease congestion. Summer school, CTE recognition, middle-school "stepping up" and other summer dates were provided.

Votes at a glance - Letter of engagement: Ingram Smith LLP (legal services, 2025'26) — approved. - Code of conduct: adoption of amendments (2025'26) — approved. - Consulting/grant services: Marshall & Sterling (workers' compensation consultant, 2025'26) — approved (motion moved by Mark, second Michael as recorded). - EPEX Energy purchasing resolution (2025'26) — approved (motion moved by Joe, second Jeremy as recorded). - Omni service agreement (2025'26) — approved. - Health and welfare contract: Pine Bush Central School District (2024'25) — approved. - Health and welfare contract: City School District of Middletown (2024'25) — approved (motion moved Michael, second Judy as recorded). - Port Jervis volleyball camp (Huguenot, Aug. 2025) — approved. - MHRIC Risk Operations Center agreement (2025'26) — approved. - Port Jervis Recreation Department food service contract — approved. - Tax certiorari settlement resolution — approved. - Port Jervis High School environmental service‑learning trip to Yellowstone (April 2026; Ecology Project International) — approved. - Architect contract: Land Associates, Phase 5 — approved. - High‑school ecology workshop trip to Adirondack High Peaks (Jan. 24, 2026) — approved. - Senior class trip to Disney World (Apr. 29'May 3, 2026) — approved. - Phase 1 environmental study for Joyland property — approved. - Multiple consent‑agenda items and personnel employment items (minutes, treasurer's report, resignations, summer appointments, probationary appointments, employment contracts for district leaders and support staff) — approved.

What the board did not decide or that remains to be completed - The solar field project is at the RFP stage; no construction contract was approved at this meeting. The RFP response deadline cited by staff was Aug. 15. - The code of conduct was adopted as amended; the district stated it will conduct the full three‑year attorney review cycle next year.

Speakers quoted directly in the meeting were limited to introductions and presentations; the formal vote language recorded in the minutes was standard ('All in favor? Aye. Opposed? Motion carried.").

The board adjourned following completion of the business meeting and scheduled the next board meeting and reorganization on July 8 at 7:00 p.m.