Ossining board previews district goals, will present draft to public before vote

The Ossining Union Free School District Board of Education reviewed a draft set of district goals during a work session on Aug. 27 and directed staff to prepare a public presentation before the board considers formal adoption.

Superintendent Mary Fox Solter, who introduced the draft, told the board the goals reflect the district's priorities and a framework built around the district's four pillars. "There are challenging times, but we've got it here in Ossining," she said, adding that the district would need to be mindful of a tight state fiscal environment and may need to build a cushion to protect key programs.

Board members generally praised the draft as a strong starting point. Several said they wanted the goals posted publicly with a slide presentation that would explain the rationale and offer more time for community feedback before a vote. A member asked whether the student equity goal also covered employees; Fox Solter confirmed it was intended to address both students and the district workforce.

Members discussed board norms for presentations and Q&A, with proposals ranging from a two-question limit per member to a 15-minute question-and-answer period for each presentation. The board agreed to attempt a self-policing approach, keeping Q&A concise while allowing staff to provide longer, written responses when necessary.

No formal vote on the goals took place. The board asked staff to prepare a public-facing slide deck and suggested placing the goals on the next meeting's agenda for possible adoption after the public presentation. The superintendent offered to revise and add details where requested.

Next steps: staff will prepare a public presentation and circulating materials for board review; the board may vote on the goals at the next regular meeting or defer if members request further changes.