Superintendent highlights student, staff achievements; board member raises concerns about EV bus mandate and seating law
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Summary
Superintendent Dr. Rohrbeck presented student and staff recognitions, and a board member reported county-level concerns about a state requirement for one seat per student on buses and an incoming electric school-bus mandate.
Superintendent Dr. Rohrbeck opened his report by thanking veterans and highlighting student and staff accomplishments, including a junior-high student who won Ulster County's sticker-design contest and multiple athletics achievements. "First, I wanna begin by thanking all the veterans who have served our country, protecting our democracy and our freedom," Rohrbeck said as he introduced the recognitions.
The superintendent named Riker Darmanin as the Ulster County sticker-design winner, thanked junior-high students for participating in a Veterans Day breakfast and assembly attended by 25 local veterans, and noted a strong fall athletics season: girls volleyball won the league title and reached the semifinals, boys and girls soccer reached sectionals, boys golf won the Mahai (Mahal?) championship, and cross-country runners Adriana Ramos, Wren Rosen and Damien Riazzi medaled, with Damien advancing to the state championship for the first time in 25 years for the district.
Staff recognitions included Lori Fry (organizer of the junior-high veterans breakfast and assembly), business teacher Ian Cooper (recipient of the Innovations Grama and the Marsha W. Iverson Award for excellence in business education), principal Christine Greco (presenter at the administrators association conference), and Dr. Michael Catalano, named New York State Counselor of the Year.
During board remarks, Robert Toman reported on an Ulster County School Board Association meeting and urged the board to consider issues for state- and federal-level advocacy. Toman highlighted two items drawing attention: a New York State law requiring a seat for every student on the bus (he contrasted this with opt-out programs in other states) and an electric-vehicle school-bus mandate that he said is expected to come online "within the next 10 years." He said attendees discussed infrastructure, costs and practicality and that this will likely be a topic for advocacy.
Board member Carol Kelder asked that the board observe a moment of silence at the next meeting to recognize Gene Zambrella, who worked for the district for 50 years and recently died. The meeting then moved on to routine business and personnel items.