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Hastings board reviews reserves, moves to rebid Hillside meal contract and accepts several routine motions
Summary
The HASTINGS‑ON‑HUDSON UNION FREE SCHOOL DISTRICT board reviewed fund‑balance projections, approved rebidding Hillside’s meal contract to offer free meals next year, accepted a BOCES substantial‑equivalency finding for Hudson Lab, and passed routine business items and policies by voice vote.
The board received a financial update from business official Marie Carballo, who reviewed the district’s fund balance, restricted reserves and the likely impact of recent restoration and insurance work at Farragut Middle School. Carballo told the board that the district anticipates a drop in fund balance and reiterated that some reserves are legally restricted for specific liabilities.
Carballo said the district will rebid the Hillside food‑service contract in order to offer universal free breakfasts and lunches at Hillside next year under a short‑term state program, while deferring broader changes at the middle and high school pending further review. She said the rebid is intended to allow Hillside families to receive free meals for the next two years while the district monitors implementation.
Assistant superintendent for curriculum Dr. Melissa Symansky summarized a BOCES local‑review of Hudson Lab, which found the private program substantially equivalent; she said a resolution accepting that finding appeared on the meeting agenda and that the district will submit documentation to State Education.
Later in the meeting the board approved multiple business items and consent agenda items by voice vote: receiving the audit report, approving placement services for CSE/CPSE, approving personnel consent items and approving minutes from a previous meeting. The board also adopted policy 56.95 (Internet‑linked devices) on its second reading and adopted the 2025‑26 District Code of Conduct.
Votes were recorded by voice — motions were moved, seconded and passed with ayes called; no roll‑call tallies were printed in the transcript for most routine items.
The board asked staff to return with implementation details on the meal contract and the Internet‑linked devices policy in advance of the August deadlines and to include opportunities for parent and faculty input.
