Pearl River School Board Approves New Teacher, Addresses Parking Issue

The Pearl River School District welcomed Megan Johnston as a special education teacher at the high school effective Oct. 15 during Tuesday's board of education meeting.

"She comes to us from the Middletown School District, where she taught special education for the last seven years," Pearl River Director of Human Resources and Community Services Diana Musich said. "We are happy to have her on board." 

The board of education also approved leave replacements for the fall and advisors for extra-curricular activities. The full list is included in the agenda attached to this report. 

District resident Eric Foote raised the issue of parking at Pearl River Middle School's Back to School Night Monday, which he has asked about in previous years as well. The primary concern is cars parked illegally and making it so it is difficult to drive down nearby streets, particularly if any emergency services vehicles had to get through.

"It's time for the police to get involved," Foote said. "We'll have a problem and it's going to be epic. Somebody's car will get trashed or somebody will get hurt or die because they can't get responders to the area. It's just a matter of time."

Board of Education member Tom DePrisco said the Orangetown Police would have to address the problem.

"We will have the OPD called a week before the open house (next year) to see if there is anything they can do," Pearl River Superintendent Dr. John Morgano said. "I went up Lois (Drive) and if a car had come the other way, I'd have had to back out."

"Try to fit a fire truck up that space," Foote said. "It ain't gonna happen."

Other matters addressed at Tuesday's meeting included:

• The Pearl River School District elected to participate in the New York State Public Employee and Retiree Long Term Care Insurance Plan. Morgano said participation is at no cost to the district.
• There was a first reading of board policies regarding financial management and facilities. All but one were reviews or minor revisions to existing policies. The Title I/PSEN Programs and Services policy was rescinded because the district can no longer receive the federal money it had under the policy.
• Assistant Superintendent for Curriculum and Instruction Sue Wheeler provided an update on the district's , which was added this fall as part of the new concussion management policy. She said that 554 athletes have completed the baseline testing; with one modified team remaining and that will be taken care of Wednesday. The baselines are used for comparison after an athlete suffers a concussion. It has already been used for five Pearl River athletes who suffered concussions this fall. Wheeler also said that all staff that had to complete required training have done so.
• Wheeler said that 25 high school teachers spent 140 hours on the summer working on curriculum adjustments to comply with the new state standards. For more on the adjustments that were made, read on Pearl River Patch. 
• Newly-hired was named as a member of the 2012-13 Committee on Special Education and the 504 Committee. Trust had been a special education teacher in the Clarkstown School District.