BOE Members with Superintendent Avila.
BOE Members (left to right): Jane Samuelson, Sarah Messing, Superintendent Evette Avila, VP Katie McKnight, Pres. Joe Bond, Diana Revoir, Frances Fox-Pizzonia, Angela Terralavoro
Find the agenda and information on the next Board Meeting on our Board Docs page.
Board Meetings will be livestreamed on our YouTube channel.
PRESS RELEASE
The Regular Meeting of the Valley Central Board of Education that is
scheduled to take place on Monday, December 9, 2024 at 6:30 p.m. in the
Administration Building has been relocated to the Berea Elementary School
Cafeteria. Prior to the start of the public portion of the meeting, the Board will meet in Executive Session at 5:30 p.m. to discuss pending litigation, a student matter, and contract negotiations under the Taylor Law.
The public is cordially invited to attend or listen to and observe the public
business being discussed by the Board of Education by accessing the
District’s YouTube Channel where we will provide a livestream of the
meeting.
* * *
Next Meeting of the Board of Education
The next regular meeting of the Board of Education of the Valley Central School District will take place on Tuesday, Dec. 9, 2024, at 6:30 p.m. in the Berea Elementary School Cafeteria at 946 State Route 17K, Montgomery, New York.
Board of Education Meetings
School board meetings are held in public and conducted by the Board of Education under the legal authority of the State of New York. The meetings provide time for the board to carry out the tasks for which it is responsible. Typically, each meeting is composed of the following:
THE AGENDA
Copies of the agenda are available to the public at each meeting. The agenda outlines the order of business for each meeting. Agendas and supporting documentation are delivered to board members in advance of the meeting date to allow the board to study and review the information provided to them by the superintendent.
Public Comment
The Board of Education encourages public comment at Board meetings as a means of providing an opportunity for its constituents to express their concerns for the district. There will be a specific agenda item at each regular meeting of the Board to provide an opportunity to address the Board. There may be a specific agenda item at special meetings to provide an opportunity for the public to address the Board.
Visitors are welcome at Board meetings. It is the sincere desire of the Board that the residents and staff of the district have an awareness of decisions made by the Board and an opportunity to contribute any information pertinent to the making of such decisions.
EXECUTIVE SESSION
The Board of Education also meets in executive session. These sessions may precede or follow regular meetings. Executive sessions are closed to the public since they relate to personnel matters, labor negotiations, legal issues, and other topics defined as confidential under the Open Meeting Law of the State of New York. All official actions, however, must and do take place at public meetings.
In addition to its regular meetings, it is sometimes necessary for the board to hold executive sessions. Executive Sessions generally are for the discussion of sensitive subjects such as personnel matters and employee contract negotiations.
Valley Central District Goals
District Goals for the 2024-2025 School Year
1. Elevate Student Success and Engagement
- Provide ongoing targeted, differentiated opportunities for professional learning and collaboration to promote personalized learning experiences and differentiation for students
- Enhance the physical learning environments to promote student collaboration and discourse that meet the needs of different learners
- Regularly audit and refine our instructional practices to develop a responsive curriculum that enhances instructional technology and all learning experiences
2. Community Belonging and VC Pride
- Improve community engagement though consistent, intentional programming aimed at community building and instilling a sense of VC pride
- Create opportunities for educators, students, and families to engage in shared learning experiences through an asset-based approach
- Create and/or designate roles at the school and district level focused on increasing family and community engagement
- Build opportunities and spaces for consistent collaboration amongst staff and for focused, relevant professional learning that leverages expertise
- Expand Social Emotional Learning offerings across all grade levels and schools to account for VC Community needs
- Conduct collaborative facility walkthroughs to identify and address areas in need of improvement
3. Clear and Transparent Communication
- Develop a districtwide communication plan that outlines the standard operating procedures for internal and external communications that centers accessible and responsive communication from district departments and school buildings
- Select and implement a communication platform that supports external communications and ensure families and students are aware of events, meetings, and other important district dates
- Update the district website and school apps to ensure information is streamlined and navigation is more user-friendly
- Establish roles that support campus teams with communication and serve as a liaison between the public, school buildings, and the district
Board of Education Responsibilities
Are you interested in becoming a member of the Board of Education? Learn more at this page.
The Board of Education is a uniquely American institution. It keeps the country’s public schools flexible and responsive to the needs of their local communities. A member of a Board of Education in New York State takes on one of the most important responsibilities that can be assigned to any citizen: helping to plan the education of the community’s youth.
With schoolchildren always their ultimate focus, school board members act officially at the board table, working with other board members to serve students and accomplish the following:
The main responsibility of the Board of Education is to establish policy for the management of the school district. The superintendent of schools, who is the chief executive officer of the district, is responsible for the administration of these policies.
Running for the School Board by NYS School Boards Association.
Workshop for Prospective School Board Members – 2024
Orange County School Boards Association invites anyone interested in serving on their local school board of education to attend this workshop and learn about the roles, responsibilities, and realities of school board service.