001To the flag of the United States of America and to the republic for it stands one nation under Godisible with liberty and justice for all. We don't have video conferencing. So, the Stillwater Board of Education would like to congratulate and recognize the varsity girls soccer team for their tremendous season um their NISPA class C section 2 state championship title. Congratulations, ladies. This is a remarkable achievement and your dedication, perseverance, and teamwork is an inspiration to all of us. Um I'm going to pass this over to Coach I. Thank you. And uh the soccer booster club is also here to present some gifts for everybody. Well, not everyone, but the team. >> Um I'll call you up first to receive your gift from the board and then from our public just standing up there. First up
002is Ali Bridget. Young did you guys help? BRO, Macy You go. dialogue. PLEASE REMOVE THAT. I'D ALSO LIKE TO CALL up my assistant coach. Our two boys can not be here. So, I do want to mention their names as well. Matthew and George. on the coaches, players, and families, thank you so much for taking the time tonight to recognize and celebrate our team and their state championship. Our championship is a month of hard work, believing in each other, resilience, and heart. What a privilege it is to have had the opportunity to coach such an amazing group of girls to state championships. Not only did these girls impact me in a positive way, they positively impacted everyone who has supported us along the way. whether they realize it or not. While creating unforgettable memories for themselves
003and our team, they also created memories for the little girls coming up through our program who look up to them and for everyone who is there with us, including the entire Still Water School and community. While finishing the season with a record of 22 and one is something to be incredibly proud of, it is the heart, hard work, belief, and resilience they showed throughout the season that define them and make them the true champions that they are. As I mentioned during my speech, these girls overcame more adversity in one weekend than mo most teams endure in an entire season. They worked together, played together, and were there for each other even during the toughest of times. I will forever be grateful here for the experiences we had and the memories we made. Thank you so
004much for your continued support of our soccer program. We are so grateful for this recognition. I'm so proud of this team and honored to share this championship with you. Thank you. Turn Ready? One, two, three. >> Thank you. Take one more. I think they might take one more so I can show the back of their >> Oh, okay. Yeah. >> So, they said to turn around, put your hood up. I don't think Nice. Now we can turn more. Well done, ladies. Good job. >> Well done, LADIES. >> SO, we're going to continue with the remainder of the meeting, but if any athletes or their families wanted to stay, you're more than welcome. But if you also wanted to head out, my feelings won't be hurt. >> Thank you. They keep the seat warm for you.
005Yeah. >> Next, we're going to be hearing from the STA for an update. Good evening. That's a hard act to follow. So, um I want to thank you again for having me um speak um representing the STA. Um we always appreciate you listening to hear the good things that we're doing. Um, I'd like to take a little bit of a different approach tonight and talk to you not so much about what's happening inside our classrooms, but what's happening outside the classrooms and the impact that we're making with students in a different way. Um, we've been talking to you a lot about, you know, come and see what we're doing in the classroom, but um, I just want to talk a little bit about, um, me as a student here. I graduated from here a long
006time ago, 1983. Um, and I went into teaching because of the teachers that impacted me. Um, one of the teachers that I had brought me to college visits that my parents didn't bring me to. My love of history and teaching fourth grade is because of my fourth grade teacher. Um, my love of reading is because of my fifth grade teacher. So, the impact that we have on students is outside of the academics that we do every day. um we have um on our TE on our teaching staff and TAs about 30% of our teaching staff actually lives in the community. So this community is really important to people. Um 19 of our staff, our teachers and TAs graduated from Stillwater. So that's I think in a small district that's pretty impactful. Um and that shows
007how much the district means to us. Um, we again certainly understand the importance of academics, but um, I'd like to just share some some different data with you. Um, outside of our academic piece, um, we we worry about the students when they go home. It doesn't just end when they leave us. Um, we continue to make donations to the students in the community. Um, we buy boots, we buy clothing, we buy snacks, um, personal hygiene items. We support families in need at Christmas time. Um we donate to um Attic Angels and other um the food pantry. Um we also really work to connect with our students and their families. Um, you know, recently, um, the the athletes, the student athletes have been honoring teachers at some of their athletic events, which I think is an
008amazing thing to say that a teacher has impacted them in a way outside potentially than their they're in their grades. Um, we write letters for students for scholarships. We get letters um from from parents with photos and emails and this is what my child's doing and you'd be proud of my child. Um, I just actually received one over the weekend myself. Um, students seek us out as their safe people. Um, we have we have some teachers, one just did this this weekend, came into school on um, our day off to um, work with students to get them prepared for a college exam that they had coming, a college level exam. Um when when we have students with um anxiety, academic um issues that they're having, we have teachers that step in and support them in
009various ways. Um talking to families outside of our day usually. Um we attend a lot of events in the evenings, PTA sponsored events. Um I can tell you just some from the elementary building. We have fracture fraction adventure night coming in February. Last year we had lunar eclipse night. Um book fairs where we get the opportunity to spend some time with the families and they can see us outside the classroom. Um the middle school um student council hosted the Halloween readaloud. I think that's happened more than one year and it's well attended by our elementary students who look up to the middle school students. Um we're invested in the students lives outside of the classroom. um the times that I've had conversations about things that were built um by Legos with with Legos over the
010weekend and what books students are reading, what park they visited, um what movie they watched, what belt they earned, um the plays and concerts that we've attended. Um I can tell you personally I've attended um soccer games and battle football games and many of us have been to the impact center and Clifton Park and Afrums ductals skate nights um and various events that are held right here in the auditorium. Um also the extra time that we spend on the things that we do outside of our normal day. um things that we do to just prepare academically for the students in our lesson plans, writing papers, inputting data, interpreting data, meeting with teams about data, um and more planning, uh meeting with about students to make sure that they have the best that they need as
011all around students, not just their academics, but also their well-being, their me mental health, and um you know, the various needs that we need to help support families in some ways. Um, so I just wanted to give you a a look at us a little bit differently outside the classroom. So I appreciate you taking the time to listen to that. And again, as always, anytime I speak, I'm inviting you to come into my classroom anytime to see what we're doing. And I know that most of us would be happy to have you walk in and out. Um, I know Mr. Mariana's been in and out a few times just popping in for a few minutes. We would love to have you come and visit us. Thank you for listening. >> Thank you. >> Uh thank
012you. We're going to start the public input um part of the agenda. Thank you to everyone for joining us tonight. Um we're about to start the public comment part of our meeting, but first a quick reminder. As a board, we believe it's essential to hear your thoughts and concerns. To make sure we have time to discuss your feedback and get input from the administration, we will not be able to respond to your comments tonight. We'll follow up with an answer at our next board meeting or via email with the appropriate staff member. Please keep in mind that it is the board's policy that we don't discuss student or personnel issues during this time. We take those concerns very seriously and we ask that you follow the proper administrative channels to resolve them. Finally, please be
013respectful of everyone. Let's make sure everyone has a chance to speak without interruption. When you speak, please state your name and address for the record. And you'll have three minutes to speak. Um the floor is open for anyone who would like to speak on agenda items. Okay. Does not look like we have any. Okay. So, we'll move on to consent agenda. Um, I need a motion to approve the consent agenda items inclusive of the board minutes of uh the 17206 board meeting, board of education meeting, and CSE recommendations. >> So move. >> Second. >> Uh, any opposed? Any questions or comments? So uh, next we have the superintendent section. All right. Um, I'll be brief. Um, in my couple years here in Still Water, one of the things that really stands out, there's plenty, but
014is the way we celebrate our veterans and, um, you know, the the flyovers, you know, two years ago, um, the gettogethers down at at elementary school. uh we really really value our veterans and you know being in education for 25 years um I was aware of NISED has a program um it's called operation recognition uh back in the day you didn't have to uh graduate from high school in order to join the armed services many of many young men and women uh joined the service uh dropping out of high school and and went to war and fought and fought for our country uh the state education department allows us to grant um high school diplomas to veterans of war. You know, most of them obviously wouldn't had uh gotten a diploma or if they had
015what the version of the GED was back then. Uh so just for the first time in my career this week, um a gentleman Thomas Mullen from veterans advocate from the Reverend Francis A. Kelly Society uh of St. Joseph's Church in Troy. I jokingly said, "I think they found me up here." Um, but reached out on behalf of one of his veterans to see if we can honor him with a Stillwater. He he was a gentleman who lived in Still Water. They we got to find some records. Didn't have to find records. We found out later. Um, but uh to to award a diploma. And lo and behold, I think from the same gentleman, we got another applicant today. um eligibility for for this um for us to be able to give them a the diploma
016is that they're a New York State resident. Uh anyone who had active ser duty service for at least one day and uh an honorable discharge um conditions of their when they left the uh the armed services. And so board, I'm asking uh in the near future um that you consider giving these gentlemen a still water um diploma at some point when we get everything together that we have to. Mr. Wager's been working hard with this with the uh school counseling department and we'll get those to you maybe by next next board meeting. Then we'll figure out a way we're going to celebrate them. probably not at um Still Water graduation in June, but uh possibly at something else like maybe awards night we talked about or even something small or research. >> Okay, thank you.
017>> Thank you. >> Okay, the next is our business administrator updates. >> Thank you. I only have two very quick updates. Uh this week, Data Automation started the $100,000 capital outlay project for camera and surveillance equipment at the middle school high school. Uh we're hopeful that they'll finish this week and the new equipment will be operational once it's commissioned and labeled properly within the IT system. And then the only other item is uh the governor's budget runs came out and it's not great news for Still Water. Uh we just had a a finance committee meeting about it, but you know, Stillwater is looking at basically a $65,000 increase in state aid next year out of a $30 million budget. Um so Joe and I, you know, superintendent and I will be working hard to minimize
018any potential impacts uh to the district and evaluating uh the budget as a whole to see how this all, you know, shakes out. We're hopeful that the legislature proposes a a nice increase for the district. May I add to that? So probably a letterw writing campaign uh an advocacy campaign will come out as I did in the past send out a letter with uh the email addresses of the legislators that are ours. Uh strongly hope that you uh joined us in that advocacy effort. So, student reme uh student board member report outs. >> Uh not much to report out. Kind of been strange weeks with midterm final week this week, but pretty much function as normal. >> Thank you. So, on to personnel. Um, I need a motion to approve the reassignment of Brady Patnod
019from a cleaner to a bus monitor effective January 22nd, 2026 per the terms and conditions of the CSEA contract. Brady has full fingerprint clearance. >> So, move second. >> Uh, any opposed? Any questions or comments? >> Motion carries. Um, I need a motion to approve the resignation of Alexis Piterell as Cook effective January 22nd, 2026. So move. >> Uh, any opposed? I'll remember one of these days. >> Uh, any questions or comments? Motion carried. I need a motion to approve the resignation of Michelle Idens as a three-hour food service helper on uh January 21st, 2026 to accept another position within the district contingent upon board approval. >> Any opposed questions or comments? Motion carries. I need a motion to approve the appointment of Michelle Idens as a five-hour food service helper effective uh January 22nd,
0202026 at a prrated salary of $14,88544. Michelle has full fingerprint clearance. >> So move second. Uh any opposed questions or comments? Motion carries. I need a motion to approve the resignation of Aaron Crosset as a lunch recess monitor effective January 21st, 2026. >> Uh, any opposed? Question or comments? Motion carries. I need a motion to appoint Aaron Crosset as a three-hour food service helper effective January 26, 2026 at a prrated salary of $8,93126. Aaron has full fingerprint clearance. >> Second. >> Any opposed? Question or comments? Motion carries. I need a motion to appoint the following spring coaches for the 2026 sports season. All coaching staff has certifications up to date. Any opposed questions or comments? Motion carries. I need a motion to appoint Carol Shabbora as a full-time bus driver effective February 2nd, 2026 at
021a salary of $21,57.50 prrated as per the CSEA agreement. Miss Shabora has full fingerprint clearance. >> Any opposed? Uh, any questions or comments? >> See another bus driver added to the roster. >> See, motion carries. >> Okay. I need a motion to appoint Sarah Manto as deputy claims auditor at a rate of $21.92 per hour effective as needed after January 21st, 2026. >> Any opposed questions or comments? Motion carries. Okay. Did I skip it? I need a motion to approve one modification to the board approved uh school calendar for 2025 2026 due to a slight change in March for professional development day to be changed from March 16th to March 20th. >> Any oppos? March 20th to March 16th. >> It was 20th >> from March 20th to March 16th. Did I get that right?
022Okay. >> Um, any post questions or comments? Motion carries. Okay. We don't have any uh committee report outs. Um, okay. Board items of interest. Anyone have anything before I speak? I'll be sorry. I'll be sending out an email just to schedule this policy committee meeting a little absent. So now it's new year and we'll get back on. There's a bunch that need to get back on. So all righty. Anyone else? Okay. So as many of you know, Mr. Kenny spoke to us last meeting about the general status of our athletic department. Um we also heard from coach Godfrey about the current status of our um potential merger options for the football program. Uh we're currently merged with Spa Catholic and there's been conversation to add Mechanicville to this merger for next year. With that said,
023at this time would any board members like to put forth a motion to add Mechanicville to our existing merger? So hearing no one moving to make that motion. Um at this time there's no business to act on by the board as it pertains to adding mechanic bill to the existing merger. That's it, right? Closing items. >> Yep. >> Any agenda items? >> Oh, you got >> Oh, I'm sorry. >> I'm sorry. I did hear um public input on non-aggenda items. >> The last meeting, uh, we was talking about this. If another school district comes into our school, are they're allowed to come into our school. Can they speak at open session? >> As of right now, yes. >> Okay. Policy committee. >> Okay. >> You 15 seconds. >> I know that's okay. Girls, if you
024just want to say your uh names and address or names and >> Yeah. Okay. >> Hello, my name is Miley and my 24. >> My name is Millian and my address is we are from our central school district. While we think our school offers great a great sports program, we think it's missing a big factor and that being a girls lacrosse team. There is a modified JV and varsity boys team for boys lacrosse, but not one team for Bills. Girls lacrosse is one of the fastest growing sports in America. It has grown over 40% from 2012 to 2022 and is still growing. We both played for Revolution Girls Lacrosse in the spring and we both enjoyed it very much. We have now aged out and can no longer play because we at the age where
025the girls start to play or try out for their school. However, we don't know if going to be given that option. We have been coming up with various ways to spread interest in that sport and have been brainstorming ways to win. The process taught me so much of teamwork, respect, and discipline. While I understand that store has previously discussed any of those team, like how the boys currently works, many of us were excited about having that opportunity, but the team never moved forward and were never worthwhile. With that being said, I'm here to respectfully ask the board to reconsider this opportunity. Boys in our district have already have already have access to lacrosse through a combined team, and we believe that the girls deserve the same chance to participate and represent our school through lacrosse.
026This is not about special treatment. This is about opportunity and fairness and being heard by students who want to be involved and proudly represent their school. Please consider all the value of Still Water Mechanical Girls Lacrosse program we bring to our athletes as well as overall athletic program to at our school. There is a strong interest across both districts and moving forward this will only increase awareness and participation. You sports deliver countless positive athletes and the community as a whole. District Diversifying and building our athletic program will only make Esta a better place and experience for athletics. I hope that the group is willing to review interest again and take steps towards giving girls the same opportunity to play lacrosse. Thank you for your time and for listening. We look forward to >> Thank you.
027Anyone else want to speak on non-aggenda items? >> Okay, then I need a motion to adjourn into executive sess session to discuss STA contract negotiations. Second. >> Any opposed? Questions or comments? Motion carries. Thank you for attending tonight everyone. All right. Yes, sir.