Teacher, TA Tenure Awards

The Clarkstown Board of Education votes tonight on awarding tenure to 21 members of its teaching staff. The probationary period for 13 of the 14 teachers ends on August 31 and tenure would go into effect on the next day of employment. One teacher’s probation period ends on April 5. 

The teachers, their subjects and schools are:

• Danielle Bovelle-Jackson, Foreign Languages, Link Elementary School
• Deidre Conover, Science, Clarkstown South High School
• Stacy DeMasi, Mathematics, Felix Festa Middle School
• Brian Donaldson, Health, Felix Festa
• Christopher Dwyer, Social Studies, Clarkstown South
• Jennifer Grundstein, Psychologist, Link Elementary
• Joseph Harley, Special Education, Clarkstown North High School
• Jessica Hoey, Science, Clarkstown North
• Jacqueline LeBlanc Special Education, Clarkstown South
• Mary Patella, Mathematics, Clarkstown North
• Lindsay Popilskis, Psychologist, Birchwood School
• Danielle Raskin, Special Education, Clarkstown South
• Dara Ritter, Psychologist, New City Elementary School
• Cheryl Weitzner, Special Education, Clarkstown North

The probationary periods of the seven teaching assistants (TAs) end on different dates throughout the next 11 months. Their tenure will also start on the first day of employment after tenure ends. The TAs, their schools and end dates of probation are:

• Maureen Alden, New City, 8/31/13
• Rebecca Barclay, Felix Festa, 10/11/13
• Ellen Gorman, West Nyack Elementary School, 1/6/14
• Jeremy Login, Clarkstown South, 9/30/13
• Laura Riccoboni, Felix Festa, 10/28/13
• Stephanie Turselli, Strawtown Elementary School, 11/25/13
• Randy Wald, New City, 8/31/13 

Board members will also vote on a resolution to transfer $64,000 for the purchase and installation of 16 Smart Boards in elementary classrooms. The money would be taken from the undesignated fund balance and put into the current school year’s budget. The Smart Boards are designated for the Congers, West Nyack, Little Tor, Lakewood, Link, Strawtown, Laurel Plains and Bardonia schools.  Trustees will vote on rescheduling the May 1 board meeting to May 9 and to include a budget hearing on the 2013-2014 spending plan.

Additionally, trustees will vote on a tax certiorari settlement of $59,440.40 with C&M 345 North Main Street LLC. The property tax refund applies to 2008 through 2010 and for 2012 for property with two offices buildings that share a common roof. The property owner initially sought a property tax assessment reduction of 60 percent for each year. 

The settlement reduces the 2008 assessment of $1,365,800 by 18.5 percent to $1,113,100. The 2009 assessment decreases from $1,365,800 to $1,126,800, a reduction of 17.5 percent. For 2010, the assessment drops by 22.5 percent from $1,365,800 to $1,072,200 and in 2011 by 15.8 percent from $1,365,800 to $1,150,000.  The settlement allows the district to pay in two equal installments by November 15, 2013.

The board meeting begins at 8 p.m.