Pearl River Board Approves BOCES Budget, New Policies

The Pearl River Board of Education met on a Thursday rather than its usual Tuesday, but there were few surprises in the meeting in Pirate Cove.

The meeting was moved to accommodate the annual, county-wide Rockland County Board of Cooperative Educational Services (BOCES) vote. The Pearl River Board of Education unanimously approved the $86.55 million 2011-12 Rockland BOCES budget.

The Clarkstown, East Ramapo, Haverstraw-Stony Point, Nanuet Union Free, Ramapo Central and South Orangetown Central School Districts also held their votes Thursday.

Pearl River also voted in three candidates for vacancies on BOCES -- David Grammerstorf of the Haverstraw-Stony Point Central School District, Michael Mark of the Nyack Union Free School District and Peggy Zugibe to fill an at-large position. The positions are for three-year terms.

The board also approved 14 new policies which had their second official reading Thursday, though policy 4321.9 was tabled pending further discussion with the district's lawyer due to concerns raised by board member Thomas DePrisco.

The policy addresses access to Individualized Education Programs, Individualized Education Services Programs and Services Plans, so the rights to privacy of individual students with disabilities is an issue. The policy as originally written did not include sharing that information with substitute teachers who may be dealing with those students.

After consulting with the district's lawyer, it was amended to share the information with any substitute who would be working with those students for five or more days. DePrisco, who has worked as a substitute teacher in Pearl River and other districts, argued that all substitutes to be made aware of any special needs of individual students, even if they are only in the classroom for a day.

"I think it is important to know what I should say or do or not say or do with all students in my class," DePrisco said.

Other members of the board seemed more comfortable with the policy in its current state.

"That's why it was reviewed by our lawyer," said board member Bruce Bond. "I'm not looking to micromanage this."

Board President Michael Clohessy suggested that the item be tabled.