Sobs and smiles emanated from the back of the meeting hall.

GUILDERLAND — Incumbents Barbara Fraterrigo and Gloria Towle-Hilt are running again for the Guilderland School Board. They are joined by newcomer Teresa Gitto.

Colleen O’Connell is not seeking a fifth term.

The three-year terms on the nine-member board are at-large and unpaid.

All class sizes in kindergarten through fifth grade were capped at 27 students.

Administrators hope to find a way to have five regular class sections rather than four for a class of 102, after parents requested the section for a third year, according to Voorheesville Superintendent Brian Hunt.

Small class sizes affect Voorheesville's entire high school athletic program, according to Athletic Director Joseph Sapienza, as Voorheesville looks to join other districts to fill teams.

The Voorheesville Elementary School now has 46 students, or nearly 10 percent of enrollment, who are eligible for free or reduced-cost lunches.​

BERNE — The Berne-Knox-Westerlo Parent-Teacher Association will be hosting a Meet the Candidates Night on Monday, Feb. 22, at 6:30 p.m. in the secondary school library.  This is the night before the special vote, which will be held on Tuesday, Feb. 23.

Paula Dunnells, Berne

Sydney Geddes, Guilderland

The passion of high school students here describing their tech-savvy creative projects to the school board Tuesday night unfolded into the measured words of school leaders mapping a future for the school that would lead to more college credits.