Minutes of July 14, 2025, Board of Education Reorganization Meeting

Members Present

Dr. Archer
Mr. Babikian
Mr. Baxter
Mrs. Cortese
Mrs. DeForest (attended remotely)
Mrs. James Murad
Dr. Lei
Mr. Zoghby
Mr. Ghanim (Student board member)

Members Absent

Mrs. Scott

Administration Present

Dr. Woodcock, Superintendent
Mr. Bartlett, Business Administrator
Mr. Franz, Assistant Superintendent

Administration Absent

Mr. Reyes, Assistant Superintendent

There were no others in attendance.

Mr. Bartlett called the Reorganization meeting to order at 7:00 p.m. in the Board Room of the District Office and via Zoom.

Oath of Office for School District Clerk

Mr. Bartlett read and signed the Oath of Office for the School District Clerk.

Nominations and Election of Board Officers

Mr. Bartlett explained the process to be used to nominate and elect the Board President and Vice President.

President of the Board of Education

Mr. Bartlett called for nominations for President of the Board of Education. The following

candidates were nominated: Dr. Archer, Mrs. Cortese and Mrs. DeForest.

Mrs. James Murad moved and Mr. Baxter seconded the motion to close the nomination window and to open discussion for the candidates for the position of the President of Board of Education.

Dr. Archer humbly accepted the nomination.  Mrs. DeForest thanked the board for the nomination but graciously declined due to family commitments.

Dr. Archer moved and Mrs. Cortese seconded the motion to close discussion and vote for the position of President of the Board of Education.

Mr. Bartlett announced the vote for Dr. Archer and by a show of hands, she received a majority of the vote.  Dr. Archer was elected the President of the Board of Education.

Dr. Archer read and signed the Oath of Office for the President of the Board of Education.

Vice President of the Board of Education

Mr. Bartlett called for nominations for Vice President of the Board of Education. The following candidates were nominated: Mrs. Cortese, Mrs. DeForest. And Mr. Babikian.  

Mrs. Cortese moved and Mr. Baxter seconded the motion to close the nomination window and to open discussion for the candidates for the position of the Vice President of Board of Education.

Mr. Babikian thanked the board for the nomination but respectfully declined.  Both Mrs. Cortese and Mrs. DeForest thanked the board for their nomination and accepted.

Mrs. Cortese moved and Mr. Babikian seconded the motion to close discussion and vote for the position of Vice President of the Board of Education.

Mr. Bartlett announced the vote for Mrs. Cortese and by a show of hands, she received a majority of the vote.  Mrs. Cortese was elected the Vice President of the Board of Education.

Mrs. Cortese read and signed the Oath of Office for the Vice President of the Board of Education.

Dr. Archer assumed the role of the President of the Board of Education.

Oath of Office for Board Members

The newly elected board members, Dr. Archer, Mrs. DeForest and Dr. Lei read and signed their Oath of Office.  Newly elected student board member, Sabah Ghanim read and signed his Oath of Office.

Oath of Office for Superintendent

Dr. Woodcock read and signed the Oath of Office for Superintendent of Schools.

Appointment of District Officers for the 2025-2026 School Year

Mr. Zoghby moved and Mr. Baxter seconded the motion to accept the appointment of the following District officers for the 2025-2026 school year. 

Clerk of the Board, Brian Bartlett

Acting Clerk of the Board*, Darcy Woodcock

District Treasurer, Hongling He

Deputy Treasurer, Patricia Kibby

Internal Claims Auditor, Lisa Howe, Stipend: $3,500.00

*To serve when the District Clerk is unavailable

Motion carried (8-0-0).

Appointments to the Committee on Preschool Special Education and the Committee on Special Education for 2025-2026 School Year

Mrs. James Murad moved and Mrs. Cortese seconded the motion to accept the following appointments to the Committee on Preschool Special Education and Committee on Special Education for the 2025-2026 school year.

Appointments to the Committee on Preschool Education:

 Chairperson: Tracey Menapace

Alternate:  Krista Martin

Alternate: Karen Koch

Parent Reps:  Bonnie Ladew, Dominique Ricciardelli

County Reps:  Benjamin Carkey, Laura Perkioniemi

Psychologists:

Alternate: Kelly Beaudoin

Alternate: Amy Harmon

Alternate: Elaine Howe

Alternate: Megan Keukelaar

Alternate: Courtney Lehman

Alternate: Kadie Leonard

Alternate: Beth MacKenzie

Special Education Teachers:   

Alternate: Meg Ames

Alternate: Christina Baker

Alternate: Erin Brauner

Alternate: Marissa Coir

Alternate: Michelle McNeil

Alternate: Megan Murray

Alternate: Allison Vedder

Speech Therapists:  

Alternate: Elizabeth Carl  

Alternate: Kelsey Froass

Alternate: Cheryl Hoosock

Alternate: Kat Woodrick

Physical Therapist:   Julianne Frechette, Katelyn Varga                                          

Occupational Therapist:  Claudia Cavotta, Tiffany Kelly, Maria Todeschini

General Education Teacher:  IDEA specifies that at least one general education teacher of the child be included.  The Special Education Department established procedures to ensure the necessary participation.

Appointments to the Committee on Special Education 2025-2026

Chairperson: Tracey Menapace

Alternate: Krista Martin

Alternate: Kelly Beaudoin

Alternate: Megan Keukelaar

Alternate: Beth MacKenzie

Alternate: Karen Koch

Alternate: Danielle Manzone

Alternate: Kara Azria

Alternate: Courtney Lehman

Parent Reps:  Bonnie Ladew, Dominique Ricciardelli

Psychologists:

Alternate: Kelly Beaudoin

Alternate: Amy Harmon

Alternate: Elaine Howe

Alternate: Megan Keukelaar

Alternate: Courtney Lehman

Alternate: Kadie Leonard

Alternate: Beth MacKenzie

Special Education Teachers:

Alternate: Lindsey Alexander

Alternate: Meg Ames

Alternate: Gianna Arcuri

Alternate: Kara Azria

Alternate: Jamie Bailey

Alternate: Christina Baker

Alternate: Allison Barnes

Alternate: Carrie Bojlevski

Alternate: Erin Brauner

Alternate: Nicole Christian

Alternate: Marissa Coir

Alternate: Christie D’Imperio

Alternate: Dan Felser

Alternate: Kristina Jordan

Alternate: Abigail Lannon

Alternate: Sophie Leo

Alternate: Jeff Loan

Alternate: Hannah Lucas

Alternate: Danielle Manzone

Alternate: Michelle McNeil

Alternate: Michael Melfi

Alternate: Megan Murray

Alternate: Erin Nowicki

Alternate: Dan Rossiter

Alternate: Amanda Royce

Alternate: Katie Rybinski

Alternate: Allison Vedder

Alternate: Kyle Voyer

Alternate: Lisa Ward

Alternate: Alex Way

Alternate: Susan Young

General Education Teacher: IDEA specifies that at least one general education teacher of the child be included.  The Special Education Department established procedures to ensure the necessary participation.

Speech Therapists:

Alternate: Elizabeth Carl

Alternate: Kelsey Froass

Alternate: Cheryl Hoosock

Alternate: Kat Woodrick

Physical Therapist:   Julianne Frechette. Katelyn Varga

Occupational Therapist: Claudia Cavotta, Tiffany Kelly, Maria Todeschini

Motion carried (8-0-0).

Other Appointments

Mr. Baxter moved, and Dr. Lei seconded the motion to accept the following other appointments:

School Physicians–Dr. Digant Nanavati, WellNow Urgent Care, Dr. Todd Battaglia

Syracuse Orthopedic Specialists (volunteer), Kevin Lake, Physician’s Assistant, Syracuse Orthopedic Specialists (volunteer)

School Architects – Ashley McGraw Architects, D.P.C.

School Attorney – the firm of Bond, Schoeneck, and King, PLLC

Census Enumerator – Brian Bartlett

Central Treasurer – extra classroom activity account – Hayley Nies

Independent Auditor – Grossman St. Amour, CPAs, PLLC
Records Access Officer – Brian Bartlett

Asst. Records Access Officer – Renee Palladino

Records Management Officer – Brian Bartlett

Asbestos Designee – Jason Crawford

Purchasing Agent – Brian Bartlett

Acting Purchasing Agent – Darcy Woodcock

Title IX coordinator – Nate Franz

Data Protection Officer – Peter Reyes

504/ADA coordinator – Tracey Menapace

Cooperative Health Insurance Fund of CNY Designee – Brian Bartlett

Cooperative Health Insurance Fund of CNY Alternate – Darcy Woodcock

OCM Workers’ Compensation Consortium Designee –   Brian Bartlett

OCM Worker’s Compensation Consortium Alternate – Darcy Woodcock

Dignity for All Students Coordinators:  Greg Lawson, Maria DeJesus, Kristin Butler, Kerri McKee, Mia Woolery, Andy Eldridge, Nicholas Bentley, Victoria Lee, Marcy Baker, Ashley Carducci

Motion carried. (8-0-0)

Impartial Hearing Officer Motion

Mr. Baxter moved and Mrs. Cortese seconded the motion to accept the following Impartial Hearing Officer Resolution for the 2025-2026 school year:

Resolved that in order to meet the Jamesville-DeWitt Board of Education responsibility to establish and maintain the school district list of impartial hearing officers, the Jamesville-DeWitt Central School District will use the district specific list as maintained by the New York State Education Department’s Impartial Hearing Reporting System (IHRS).

Motion carried (8-0-0).

Designations

Dr. Lei moved, and Mrs. Cortese seconded the motion to accept the following Designations for the 2025-2026 school year:

Official bank depositories:  J.P. Morgan Chase Bank, NYSCLASS

Official Newspaper: Syracuse Newspapers, Eagle News Bulletin

Motion carried. (8-0-0)

Authorizations and Bonding

Mr. Baxter moved, and Mrs. Cortese seconded the motion to accept the Authorizations for the 2025-2026 school year as follows:

To certify payrolls: Brian Bartlett Business Administrator, Darcy Woodcock Superintendent

To approve attendance at conferences, conventions and workshops: Darcy Woodcock, Superintendent

To establish petty cash funds:

High School: Greg Lawson, $200.00

Middle School: Thomas A. Eldridge, $200.00

Jamesville Elementary: Marcy Baker, $200.00

Moses DeWitt: Victoria Lee, $200.00

Tecumseh Elementary: Ashley Carducci, $200.00

Pupil Personnel Services: Tracey Menapace, $200.00

District Office: District Treasurer, Hongling He, $400.00

Teacher Center: Jill Christian-Lynch, $300.00

Designation of authorized signature on checks: Darcy  Woodcock, Brian Bartlett, Hongling He

To approve budget transfers: Darcy  Woodcock Brian Bartlett

To approve for grants in aid: Darcy Woodock

To sign all continuing agreements: President, Board of Education

To sign in the absence of Board President: Vice President, Board of Education

Motion carried. (8-0-0)

Bondings

Mrs. James Murad moved, and Mr. Babikian seconded the motion to accept the following bonding for the 2025-2026 school year:

Position and Minimum:

District Clerk: $400,000.00

District Treasurer: $1,000,000.00

Deputy Treasurer: $1,000,000.00

District Tax Collector: $1,000,000.00

Central Treasurer, extra classroom: $100,000.00

Internal Claims Auditor: $400,000.00

All persons and positions required by law or regulation to be bonded: $100,000.00.

Motion carried (8-0-0).

Other Items

Mr. Baxter moved, and Mrs. James Murad seconded the motion to accept the following other items for the 2025-2026 school year: 

Readoption of all policies and code of ethics in effect during previous year

Readoption of Records Retention Schedule for New York Local Government Records (LGS-1) as the school district’s “subject matter list” under NY Public School Officers Law Section 89(3)(c)

Current rate of mileage reimbursement as set by Internal Revenue Service

Rate per page for duplicating: Freedom of Information Act $.25

Motion carried (8-0-0).

At 7:18 p.m. Mr. Zoghby moved, and Mr. Baxter seconded the motion to adjourn the Reorganization Meeting and resume the regular meeting.

Motion carried (8-0-0).

Respectfully submitted,

Brian Bartlett
Clerk of the Board

BOARD APPROVED: August 4, 2025