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Superintendent reports falling roster numbers, construction progress and an unfolding approach to classroom AI
Summary
Superintendent Angelina told the board that participation in some traditional sports has declined, described construction milestones (boilers, turf, generator) and said the district will pursue staff development and measured policy work on AI; the board approved a set of personnel and special-education recommendations and several routine motions.
Superintendent Angelina provided the board with a multi-part update that covered athletics, facilities work, staffing and the district pproach to artificial intelligence in classrooms.
On athletics, the superintendent said some traditional sports are seeing lower participation. "One of the things that is circling circulating amongst our community in a worrisome way is just the number of students that are participating in some of our interscholastic athletics," she said, and then read roster counts: modified football 15 (a merged sport with Hoosick Falls), JV/varsity football 18, JV/varsity soccer about 30'3, modified volleyball 15 and a notably larger varsity golf enrollment. She said some sports are merging with neighboring districts and that ad-hoc committee work on recruitment and partnerships would be helpful.
The superintendent described multiple construction updates: crews fired up new boilers for both school buildings; artificial turf installation is underway at the athletic field with crews stitching and connecting drainage; the main office nears completion pending final electrical and HVAC work; the elementary roof work is substantially done aside from edging and flashing; and the new generator at the elementary site is expected to be finished in about 20 days, with a backup plan in case of an interim emergency.
She also reported that contractors uncovered an unexpected buried structure at the Route 2 soccer field that appears to be a prior wastewater/septic-related feature. The district will perform soil and water testing and then decide whether to remove, crush-and-fill, or leave the feature in place; she said the finding should not delay other work.
On staffing, the superintendent said the district has difficulty filling a part-time special education position and is considering converting the three-quarter role to full time to increase the candidate pool. "We may have to take our part-time position...and make it full time and see if we get anybody else," she said.
On AI, the superintendent framed the discussion as preparatory and not immediate policy action. She presented examples of emerging roles in the AI economy ("prompt engineers," AI ethicists, systems builders) and said the district will prioritize professional development so staff can teach both the benefits and risks to students. "We—ertainly want to make sure everybody knows more about that," she said, and emphasized the district is not rushing adoption of a formal policy.
Public commenters asked questions about AI in the classroom during the public-comment period. "What are, like, the worries and the negatives of having AI in the classroom?" asked Ally Locksmith, who signed up for public comment. A student asked whether AI instruction would teach proper use and fact-checking; the superintendent said the district intends to teach students how to use AI as a tool and to equip adults with training so they can convey pros and cons.
Board action and routine motions: the board approved routine minutes, accepted the external audit summary, adopted a SEQR note and a resolution to replace district signage with incidental improvements, approved recommended special-education contracts and multiple personnel appointments (sections 8.1'8), and accepted financial reports covering year-close months. Most approvals were taken by voice vote with the chair announcing "Ayes have it." The board also agreed to schedule an ad-hoc athletics meeting.
Why it matters: Declining participation in key sports can reshape program offerings and inter-district mergers; unanticipated construction finds require environmental testing before work continues; and the board pproach to AI — training staff and students while delaying a formal policy vote — frames how the district will introduce these tools in classrooms.
Next steps: staff will post the special-education openings, schedule the ad-hoc athletics meeting, complete testing on the field finding, finish the generator installation, and continue AI-related professional development and policy work.
