Editor's note: Story revised as of 12:30 p.m. Dec. 21 to show Trustee Paul Haggett voted yes on appointing a teacher/teacher assistant substitute. Due to a glitch in the Zoom stream, it appeared as though Haggett was voting no. His feed froze after he had raised his hand among the yes votes.

BY ANDY GARDNER
North Country This Week

MASSENA — The Massena Central School District Board of Education narrowly passed a motion to hire a human resource assistant.

The board’s split vote took place during their Thursday, Dec. 17 meeting.

A motion to appoint Lindsey Sloan-Barkley to the position at a $49,000 pro-rated salary effective Jan. 4 passed 5-4. No votes came from trustees Amber Baines, Kristy Baker, Jodele Hammock and David LaClair.

The board usually unanimously passes their monthly personnel actions. There was no public discussion prior to the vote.

The board then unanimously voted to approve a rifle team coach, a coordinator and mentors for the Seal of Biliteracy Program, and a teacher/teaching assistant substitute. The board also okayed a bus monitor’s resignation, an elementary teacher’s leave of absence, and an elementary teacher aide’s retirement.

Next, the board voted on another teacher/teaching assistant substitute that passed 8-0-1, with Trustee Loren Fountaine abstaining.

Two support staff substitutes, a teacher/teacher assistant substitute, a temporary director of transportation services, a salary adjustment for a music teacher and tenure for a teaching assistant all passed unanimously.

Salary adjustments for the district treasurer and Community Schools program director passed 8-1, with Trustee Kevin Perretta voting no.

There was no public discussion prior to any of the personnel action votes. The board typically discusses those in executive session prior to the meeting. The New York State Open Meetings Law labels “matters leading to the appointment of a particular person” as appropriate for closed-door discussion.

Here is a list of the other personnel actions the board passed:

Christopher Sanchez, rifle coach, $4,002 salary subject to proration; Sarah Hopper, Seal of Biliteracy coordinator, $1,933 salary, subject to proration; biliteracy mentors Michael Chartrand, Julianne White, Joe Boyle, Danielle Brown, Jody LaGarry, Monica Boyea, Sheila Hawes, Janine Gardner and Ellen Hodge at $250 salaries for one mentee each, subject to proration. Christopher Sanchez was also approved as a biliteracy mentor for two mentees at $500 total, also subject to proration.

The board approved bus monitor Celena Gilman’s resignation, a leave of absence for Jefferson Elementary teacher Michelle Ellis-Porcaro effective Dec. 1 to a to-be-determined date, and Nightengale teacher aide Cathy Dishaw’s retirement, effective Dec. 21.

The teacher/teaching assistant substitute that drew a dissenting vote and an abstention was Mekayla Fountaine, effective Dec. 15 at $100 or $95 per day.

The board unanimously approved teacher/teaching assistant substitute Kelly Richards, effective Nov. 13 at $100 or $95 per day and also as a support staff sub at $12.75 per hour. Olga Bartholomeu was appointed a support staff substitute effective Dec. 7 at $12.75 per hour; Kaylynn Raso as a teacher/teaching assistant sub effective Dec. 15 at $100 or $95 per day; and Allen Rowledge was appointed director of transportation substitute through June 30 at $250 per day.

The salary adjustment that received the unanimous vote was for elementary music teacher Peter Schneider to $42,627 after completing a master’s degree. High school teaching assistant Nicole Greco unanimously received final tenure effective March 30.

The two salary adjustments that drew a dissenting vote were for District Treasurer Mallory Olson ($46,904) and Community Schools Director Kristin Collarusso-Martin ($60,324).