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Odyssey of the Mind teams celebrated; board grants tenure to multiple staff
Summary
District coaches and students presented Odyssey of the Mind work and teams that advanced to state competitions; the board also approved tenure for a group of staff and recognized retirements and hall‑of‑fame inductees.
The Port Jervis City School District board recognized Odyssey of the Mind teams and coaches for recent competitive successes and community projects, and approved tenure for a slate of staff members.
Program coordinators described Odyssey of the Mind as a multi‑component competition that develops creativity, teamwork and problem‑solving. “OM brings the classroom to life as students apply what they learn and combine it with their interests and passions to solve unique open‑ended problems,” a coordinator said while outlining the program’s long‑term, style and spontaneous components. Participants conducted a short on‑the‑spot demonstration to illustrate the spontaneous portion of the competition.
Audrey Nosi, an East Maine coach who introduced her team, said her squad placed first at regionals and advanced to the state tournament. “We were the only team to place first in Port from Port Jervis,” Nosi said, and she described the team’s Odyssey Angel community project to collect donations and make toys for a local animal shelter.
High school coach Lisber described engineering elements of the division’s train‑vehicle long‑term solution, including battery motors, magnet couplings and a carabiner mechanism the students devised to connect cars. He said the team placed third in the long‑term category at states and emphasized the program’s hands‑on, cross‑disciplinary learning.
Separately, the board approved tenure for the following district employees as read into the record: Abby Antelch; Michael Citrorani; Christine Early; JJ Gas; Monique Gordon; Britney Langitz; Suela Maru; Evan Mullen; Mackenzie Mueller; Olivia Neritech; Shane Olen; Anthony Rizzo; Nancy Lee Sorenson; Aaron Weed; and Jordan (last name not specified in the record). The board offered congratulations and invited honorees to remain for refreshments.
Superintendent Dr. John Bell also announced the district’s 2026 alumni Hall of Fame inductees and praised the recent high‑school production of Shrek. The meeting included recognition of retirees and reminders of upcoming student testing and events.
What’s next: The district will advance teams that qualified to state competition and continue recruiting coaches to support program growth; tenure appointments take effect per district policy.
