Marsha Reding, a district resident and parent, expressed her belief at the S-GI Board of Education meeting on Oct. 20 that children are at risk because parents’ backgrounds are not checked before they become volunteers. “My concern is the safety and welfare of the students,” said Reding. “I question whether these volunteer parents are being checked as well as the current employees who are.” She also wanted to know how often background checks are performed on administrators and to what depth.

In response, Superintendent Vicki Wright said that background checks of interviewees are always made and that the district calls at least two or three previous employers. “We always ask for placement files from the school or university and we go through those very diligently,” she said. “We also do fingerprinting which we have to do and if someone should come back uncleared, then we do a further check to find out what did that arrest entail and what happened.”

As for background checks on volunteers, Wright reminded Reding that she had asked the same question before and said, “We do not do background checks on parents. Usually parents who volunteered to chaperone are the parents of a student who is attending that particular function and the parents are known within the community.” She also said that schools would be very hard pressed if they had to do fingerprinting and background checks on all the parents who volunteer. As an example, Wright said that there are volunteers for all kinds of events such as a breakfast given in honor of a teacher, a birthday party in a classroom or a holiday party. Thus there may be hundreds of people who would have to be checked and “it would make it impossible to be able to use volunteers to the degree that schools rely on our volunteers,” she said.

President Michael Connors said that it is important to remember that volunteers are never completely responsible for the children and that it is paid faculty who are held accountable. “There are always a certain number of faculty chaperones present,” he said. “These are coordinators who are usually teachers.”

Connors also noted that background checks are extremely costly.

In other matters:

• The Board congratulated Mila Casey on tenure in the elementary tenure area effective Nov. 27, 2009. “I find Mila to be a dedicated, happy, knowledgeable elementary teacher whose ability shows not only her love of teaching but her ability to inspire children, to motivate them and to make things interesting for students,” said the superintendent. “It is with great confidence and full support that I recommend Mila Casey for tenure in this district.”

• The Board approved fundraising activity requests as follows: HS Future Business Leaders of America-sponsored coffee and gift basket sales, movie day(s), Senior Citizens Prom and school store, Colden PTA-sponsored sale of Sparkle and Shine, Niagara Chocolates, Book Fairs and Golf Tournament.

• The business administrator referred the Board to a letter received from Transportation Supervisor Jay Peplin recommending that the District declare the portion of Zoar Valley Road from Groth Road to Foster Road to the district boundary as impassable because these roads have continued to deteriorate and the recent flood has exacerbated the situation. It was noted that there are no students in this area at this time. Peplin also recommended that monitoring continue from the portion of Zoar Valley Road from Hammond Hill and Groth Roads which is experiencing deterioration. There is one affected family in this area that will need to be notified if the district cannot safely continue to enter this area.

• The Board approved the independent auditor’s report for the fiscal year ending June 30, 2009.

• Wright gave an overview and update on the district’s curriculum mapping and differentiated instruction program saying that administrative training is on schedule. Theresa Gray of BOCES will be meeting with administrators for one session per month to facilitate training in the basics and strategies of differentiated instruction.

• The Board approved the following personnel actions: Leaves of absence: Racquel Bursee (October 10 to October 22, 2009); Gretchen Heichberger (commencing February 2 to 12, 2010); and Marilyn McCann (commencing November 4, 2009). Non-teaching appointments: Timothy Ulinger, cleaner (permanent); Jeanne Schweickert, cleaner (substitute); Darlene Manfre, school monitor (substitute); clerk typist; Tammy Riter, bus aide (probationary); Paula Baker bus aide (probationary); Laurie King, bus driver (probationary); Francine Barsalou, cleaner (substitute); and Jacqueline Coleman, teacher aide and school monitor (substitute). Substitute teacher appointments: Lauren Tellgren, childhood special education; Rebecca Knierim, physical education; Linda Schooley, Pre-K-6.

• The Board also approved the athletic appointment and contract of Archie Bradley as substitute athletic coordinator effective Oct. 13, 2009 with a salary of $1,500 per full week worked for the duration of the contract. No employee benefits will be provided.

• A Journal representative asked if the district had yet been able to consider the Journal’s request on Sept. 15 that microphones be reinstated for board meetings. Wright said had been discussed and that she would look into this and expressed thanks for the reminder.

• A community forum will be held at 6.30 p.m. on Thursday, Nov. 12 at the Concord Town Hall (upstairs) on Franklin Street in Springville.

The next meeting of the Board of Education will be at 7 p.m. on Tuesday, Nov. 3 at the Colden Elementary School, 8263 Boston-Colden Road in Colden.