The Valley Central Board of Education met Monday, Feb. 10, to discuss the proposed 2025-26 budget, security measures, and district-wide updates. The meeting also included discussions on student athletics and upcoming events.

Budget Planning and Allocations
The proposed budget includes funding for athletics, operations, maintenance, technology, safety, security, and transportation. Additional details on curriculum instruction and special education will be presented at the next board meeting. Assistant Superintendent Brad Conklin noted that the budget figures are preliminary and subject to change.

The district’s athletic program includes 27 varsity, 15 junior varsity, and 13 modified sports teams. The proposed athletics budget increased from $1.05 million to $1.07 million. The operations and maintenance budget also rose slightly from $6.37 million to $6.47 million.

Christopher Mohr, director of technology, detailed the department’s role in security and instructional support. The Technology Department oversees Promethean panels and wireless access points and educates students on the ethical use of artificial intelligence. However, the department faces challenges with an increasing number of broken Chromebooks. Middle and high school students account for the most damage. The goal is to increase Chromebook availability by May. Currently, 100 loaner Chromebooks are available for middle and high school students, while elementary schools have a pool of 50. Properly handled Chromebooks last four to five years, but heavy wear leads to the disposal of nearly half the inventory between first and fifth grade.

Security Measures and Improvements
The district has implemented safety measures, including an emergency response team available from 5 a.m., school resource officers in every school, and contracted security personnel at key locations. The security budget increased slightly to $1.3 million.

Stephen Ragni, director of security and emergency preparedness, outlined the district’s three-tier security system, emphasizing the role of technology in improving safety. A new one-way in, one-way out visitor policy ensures all visitors are escorted and accounted for.

At the high school, physical altercations have decreased by 58%, along with reductions in misconduct, disrespect, inappropriate interactions, and harassment. However, insubordination has slightly increased. At the middle school, physical altercations have declined by 84%, although instances of profanity and tardiness have risen. Overall, offenses are trending downward.

Board member Fran Fox-Pizzonia inquired about after-school safety training. Ragni confirmed that school-affiliated personnel receive regular training, and external coaches and staff are also educated on safety protocols.

Commitment to Multilingual Communication
Conklin highlighted the district’s ongoing efforts to provide accessible information to families. The new ParentSquare app supports communication in multiple languages, including Spanish, Chinese, Japanese, Nepali, Russian, Portuguese, Albanian, French, Vietnamese, Arabic, Haitian Creole, Hungarian, and Norwegian.

Board of Education Election
Three board seats are up for election this year, with petitions available starting March 3.

Future of Walden School

The board received an update on the future of the Walden school building. A detailed presentation on relocation costs and the feasibility of an intermediate model will be given on March 10.

Potential Budget Additions

Board members discussed potential additions to the budget:

• Fran Fox-Pizzonia: Proposed long-term exploration of solar energy options for district buildings (not approved), bringing bus transportation in-house (not approved), and running Universal Pre-K in-house (not approved).

• Angela Tarralovoro: Proposed research into uniforms, scoreboards, a new volleyball net, and an athletic equipment inventory (approved).

• Sarah Messing: Stressed the importance of providing enough BOCES seats for students. Conklin confirmed seat availability but noted limited placement room at BOCES.

• President Joe Bond: Suggested two coaches per team level (approved), increasing audiovisual training for staff (approved), and requested new blue letters for the high school’s front entrance.

• Katie McKnight: Called for improved maintenance of athletic fields and facilities. Superintendent Evette Avila noted that a facilities study is underway.

• Diana Revoir: Proposed reinstating elementary summer enrichment programs (split vote, no final decision).
Superintendent Initiatives

• Crisis Communication Plan: Avila emphasized that Facebook should not be relied upon for updates. The district website will serve as the primary source of communication.

• Speaker System Testing: After concerns about the high school’s speaker system, administrators tested and adjusted volumes to ensure effective emergency announcements. All speakers are now functioning properly.

The next board meeting is scheduled for March 10.