GUILDERLAND — The dominant discussion at last Tuesday’s school board meeting was debating ways to streamline meetings.

Richard Wiesz, who was elected president last month, had made some suggestions that were largely rejected by the other board members.
Board member Barbara Fraterrigo said she had a "visceral response" to the recommendation that motions should be presented the Thursday before a board meeting.
"This would restrict the free speech of your fellow board members," she said.
"Let’s be less restrictive," said Vice President John Dornbush.
"I’m trying to have us...effectively communicate," said Weisz. "I will tweak that so it’s more suggestive and less restrictive."

Weisz also wants board members to develop goals, outside of the budget process, in order to direct the staff and administration. He wanted each board member to come up with a list of goals before the next meeting, and then discuss them as a group, collectively proposing two or three a year.
"At least then, the board would be going ahead of the budget process," said Wiesz.
"I really like the idea of setting up some goals," said board member Denise Eisele. "It provides a cohesive focus for the group."
Board member Thomas Nachod called the idea "somewhat redundant," citing the citizens’ budget review committee and the goal-setting priorities committee.
"I’m not sure it’s even the role of the board to have its own priorities," he said.

Dornbush said he supports the board taking a more active role in moving the district forward.
"I’d like people to think more broadly," he said. "Let’s just get some ideas flowing, get some momentum going."
Dornbush called it "a matter of opening a door where we haven’t been before."

Wiesz said the district’s anti-bullying initiative and the healthy choices for foods were shared visions.
"We have limited resources," he said. "We really need to define [our] targets."

Other business

In other business at its August meeting, the board:

— Discussed part-time appointments in closed session before returning to open session to pass them unanimously.

Board member Peter Golden had asked for the closed-session discussion.

Weisz pointed out that the state’s Open Meetings Law requires policy discussions be in open session.

Weisz then said that he understood part-time employees who work 40 hours or more a week qualify for health-insurance benefits, so two part-time workers would cost more than one full-time worker.

Susan Tangorre, human resources director, responded that the effort is always made to hire full-time workers but sometimes, with different scheduling in the elementary, middle, and high schools, that isn’t always possible. She also said that hiring is based primarily on student needs;

— Learned that the school lunch program, for the last fiscal year, operated at a loss. Expenses totaled $1.3 million, with $7,816.60 spent over the income; that money will come out of the district’s fund balance, said Sanders.
Sanders said he was not happy about the loss. He attributed it to two "unusual" circumstances — a large number of work-related injuries, costing about $20,000 in workmen’s compensation, and several expensive repairs, of a cooler and a walk-in freezer, totaling about $30,000;

— Agreed to hire Top Form, Inc., based in Rensselaer, for athletic trainer services for three years, beginning on Aug. 1. Top Form, one of two vendors who responded to a request for proposals, will be paid $26,500 the first year; $27,250 the second year; and $28,750 the third year.
The trainers are state-certified, said Sanders, and they "help cut down on injuries" with preventative conditioning programs. They also evaluate injuries and refer injured athletes to medical professionals.
Board member Denise Eisele asked, "Isn’t that something the coaches should be doing""
"This speaks to proper conditioning and care for athletes," said Sanders. He also said if, for example, a player were hurt on the football field, "We can’t take the coach out of the game."
Superintendent Gregory Aidala said athletic trainers are "a great help to the athletes themselves."
Board member Barbara Fraterrigo complimented Wayne Bertrand, the athletic director, on hiring trainers from "an outside source" and suggested doing so with other jobs, such as for occupational therapists, which, she said, would save the district on health-insurance costs;

— Approved spending $22,161.02 on musical instruments from funds included in the 2006-07 budget.
Board Vice President John Dornbush said the district has an excellent music program and this was "putting our money where our mouth is";
— Approved an agreement with the American Red Cross of Northeastern New York to permit "to the extent of its ability" use of school property, grounds, and equipment or mass care shelters or service centers in case of emergency.

Eisele asked if the district’s disaster plan would supersede the Red Cross.
"We give first priority to our students and their safety," said Aidala;

— Discussed creating a fraud and abuse hotline.
Weisz said it could cost $2,000 a year and might "create an atmosphere of suspicion."

Fraterrigo said such hotlines have become a standard business practice. She suggested it not be handled by the district’s auditor.
"Most fraud is caught by tip line or by accident," said Golden. "It’s really more whistle-blower protection...It’s not people informing on each other."
Dornbush said that $2,000 is a "microscopic" part of the district budget and would be worth it "to assure the public we didn’t get any calls at the end of the year";

— Heard from Superintendent Gregory Aidala that the district expects 45 new teachers this school year — 16 at the high school, 16 at the middle school, and 13 at the elementary schools.

Seventeen of them are long-term substitutes, and 28 are probationary teachers, he said.
This is a "larger than usual amount," he said.
As Aidala went over staff and student events that will open the school year, he called it "a time of excitement and enthusiasm";

— Heard congratulations from Assistant Superintendent for Instruction Nancy Andress for student athletes and coaches whose teams were recognized as overall winners of the Suburban Council Sportsmanship award or the 2005-06 season.

Coach Pete Wachtel’s boys’ track and field team won both the 2005 spring award and the 2005-06 winter award.

Coach Gary Chatnik’s girls’ lacrosse team and Coach Dick Usher’s girls’ track and field team each came in third place.

Coach Doug LaValley’s baseball team and Coach Sean McConaghy’s boys’ lacrosse team both came in fourth place;

— Accepted from Jane Sgambellone the donation of a French horn to be used at Lynnwood Elementary School;

— Heard from Eisele that, for security reasons, board members should have identification badges when they visit district schools, just as the staff members do.

Aidala said such badges are being made up; and
— Met in executive session to discuss, according to the agenda, a "Student Issue" and the "School Resource Officer program."

The program stations two Guilderland Police officers in the schools — one at the high school and one at the middle school.

Aidala told The Enterprise afterwards that the board was actually discussing a specific person in executive session, as the law allows, rather than the program. He said there was no dissatisfaction with the program.