Board orders review after certification gap found for cheer coaches and others

Iroquois Central School District administrators told the board they found a lapse in how some sport‑specific coaching certifications were tracked, prompting steps to improve communication and oversight.

Administrators described multiple tiers of coaching requirements for certified and non‑certified staff — including CPR/AED, concussion protocol, a coaching philosophy course, and sport‑specific health‑science modules — and said the district uses the state’s Teach repository and BOCES review to confirm credentials. However, the district identified that when new requirements for cheerleading were introduced in 2024 those items appeared in a sport handbook and some coaching emails rather than in the central Teach/BOCES record, creating a blind spot.

"We ran the list through BOCES and they said it was okay, but the cheer requirements were in the handbook," an administrator said, describing how the district missed the change. The district has a practice of sending non‑certified coach lists to BOCES annually and receiving checks, but administrators acknowledged the need for clearer, centralized communication when sections or SED change requirements.

The athletic director and Carrie (athletics staff) will work with the section and BOCES to identify required certifications, establish a clearer tracking protocol and present an update at the board’s March meeting. Administrators also described operational responses to vaping incidents and safety monitoring in bathrooms, noting targeted checks, camera review and prioritizing single‑use bathrooms where possible.

There was no disciplinary action or vote; the item was informational and resulted in a follow‑up assignment to staff.