Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Board Votes Personnel Contracts topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Hamilton Central board approves multiple tenured hires, ratifies teachers’ contract and sets 2025–26 organizational meeting date
Summary
The board approved a slate of tenured teacher appointments, accepted donations, authorized a lease with the village recreation commission, ratified a collective bargaining agreement with the Hamilton Teachers Association (effective July 1, 2025–June 30, 2029), and adopted a resolution setting the district’s 2025–26 organizational meeting for July 15, 2025.
The Hamilton Central School District Board of Education moved through its consent agenda and then approved several formal actions by voice vote, including multiple tenured teaching appointments, a lease for summer recreation use and ratification of a multi‑year teachers’ contract.
The board approved appointments effective July 1 for McKenna LaSalle (tenured elementary teacher), Michael Jones (tenured social studies teacher), Tanya Valicourt (tenured science teacher), Jessica Ace (tenured reading teacher) and Timis Wayland (tenured art teacher). Each appointment was described by the Chair as contingent on successful completion of the applicable probationary period and the principal and superintendent’s recommendation. Colleagues congratulated the newly tenured teachers after each motion passed.
The board also accepted monetary donations and moved to increase the budget accordingly, with the Chair and members thanking community donors.
On district governance, the board adopted a resolution that, citing Education Law Section 1707 and district policy, set the district’s 2025–26 annual organizational meeting for Tuesday, July 15, 2025, using the board’s authority to set the meeting within the first 15 days of July.
The board authorized the superintendent to execute a superseding employment contract with Superintendent William Dowsland; discussion of particulars was deferred to executive session.
Most materially for district labor relations, the board ratified and approved a tentative collective bargaining agreement with the Hamilton Teachers Association. The transcript records the board’s correction of contract dates and adoption of the agreement effective July 1, 2025, through June 30, 2029, and authorization for the superintendent to execute the final agreement on the district’s behalf. The Chair thanked both negotiating teams for working together on the agreement.
The board also approved a lease to the Village of Hamilton Recreation Commission for summer 2025 use (conditional on stated contingencies), and approved recommendations from the Committees on Special Education and preschool services (with discussion of individual cases to occur in executive session). Finally, the board moved to adjourn to executive session to discuss employment history of particular persons; members noted there would be no vote following executive session.
Votes at a glance (voice votes unless noted): approved — agenda; minutes of April 16 and the May 13 budget hearing; consent agenda items 3.1–4.1; McKenna LaSalle appointment; Michael Jones appointment; Tanya Valicourt appointment; Jessica Ace appointment; Timis Wayland appointment; acceptance of donations; lease to the Village of Hamilton Recreation Commission; resolution setting organizational meeting date (July 15, 2025); authorization for superintendent contract execution (details to executive session); ratification of the HTA collective bargaining agreement (07/01/2025–06/30/2029); nomination/award approval for Jennifer Jones; motion to adjourn to executive session.
The board scheduled follow up actions and asked administration to bring contract documents and policy details into executive session as needed.
