North Syracuse School Board Splits on $1 Million BOCES Contract, Declares Heating Emergency at Junior High
The North Syracuse Central School District Board of Education approved a five-year, up-to-$1 million services contract with OCM BOCES over one member's abstention — the only non-unanimous vote of the night — and declared an emergency to authorize no-bid asbestos abatement and heating repairs at North Syracuse Junior High School, at its February 9, 2026 meeting.
●Board approved a contract with OCM BOCES's Regional Information Center for up to five years, not to exceed a $1,000,000.00 principal amount plus borrowing fees and yearly support charges, carried six yes to one abstention, the only non-unanimous vote of the meeting.
●Board declared an emergency under General Municipal Law §103(4) after an asbestos-containing heating line failed at North Syracuse Junior High School, authorizing no-bid emergency abatement and repair work, 7-0.
●Board abolished four Civil Service office positions (School Secretary I and Typist II titles) and created four replacement positions, largely upgraded to School Secretary II, effective retroactively to October 24, 2025, 7-0.
●Superintendent Dr. Terry Ward reported meetings with state legislators and a Board of Regents member on excluding PILOT agreements from the state tax cap calculation, citing the size of the district's Micron PILOT agreement.
●Board proclaimed February 12, 2026 as School Resource Officer and School Patrol Officer Appreciation Day, 7-0.
●Board accepted a Logiflex Volt desk valued at $3,579.20, donated by inLine and Co, for use at North Syracuse Junior High School, 7-0.
●Board acknowledged the retirements of teaching assistants Renee Merritt (26 years of service) and Jeri Williams (19 years of service).
●Board member Robert Crabtree said he wants the district to keep advocating for expanded Universal Pre-Kindergarten, noting the program currently serves approximately 250 students across multiple locations outside district buildings.
●Board approved routine Personnel A and Personnel B actions covering new hires, leave requests, a voluntary transfer, and one termination, both 7-0.
The North Syracuse Central School District Board of Education met on February 9, 2026, at the Jerome F. Melvin Administrative Office Building. Board President Michael Mirizio called the meeting to order at 5:00 p.m.
The only non-unanimous vote of the meeting came on a resolution to enter into a service contract with the Onondaga-Cortland-Madison Board of Cooperative Educational Services (OCM BOCES). The resolution authorizes the district to contract with OCM BOCES's Regional Information Center for up to five years, covering classroom technology, library automation and other instructional technology services under CoSer 562 and/or CoSer 620. The total cost over the life of the agreement is not to exceed a principal amount of $1,000,000.00, plus related borrowing fees incurred by OCM BOCES on the district's behalf, plus yearly Regional Information Center support during the contract term; the amount may be amended with the approval of both parties. The contract is subject to approval by the Commissioner of Education and is set to begin on or about March 1, 2026. Mr. Thorne made the motion and Mr. Farfaglia seconded it; the resolution carried with six yes votes, with one board member abstaining. The minutes do not identify which member abstained.
The board also declared an emergency under New York State General Municipal Law §103(4) after a heating line failure inside North Syracuse Junior High School caused a loss of heat to part of the building. Because the damaged section of the line contains asbestos, the district requires licensed asbestos abatement before the mechanical repair can proceed. The resolution, moved by Mr. Farfaglia and seconded by Ms. Sugrue, authorizes the Superintendent or his designee to procure the abatement and repair work on an expedited basis without competitive bidding, limited strictly to the work needed to stabilize the condition, restore heat, and protect the health, safety, and property of students and staff. The Superintendent must report the emergency expenditures to the board at its next regular meeting. It carried with seven yes votes.
In a separate resolution, the board abolished four Civil Service office positions — two School Secretary I positions and a Typist II position at the District Office, one School Secretary I position at the Maintenance and Operations Building, and one Typist II position at Cicero-North Syracuse High School — and created four replacement positions, largely upgraded to School Secretary II, effective October 24, 2025. The board's stated reason was efficiency following a review of job duties and necessary tasks. Ms. Sugrue made the motion, Mr. Thorne seconded, and it carried with seven yes votes.
Superintendent Dr. Terry Ward reported meeting with Senator Ryan, Assemblyman Stirpe and Assemblywoman Hunter, plus a separate meeting with Assemblyman Stirpe and other area superintendents at East Syracuse Minoa. He also met with Regent Manion, along with Associate Superintendent for Business Services Donald Keegan and Dr. Cook of OCM BOCES, to discuss PILOT agreements, saying the group continues to raise concerns about the exclusion of PILOT agreements from the state tax cap calculation, citing in particular the size of the district's Micron PILOT agreement. Ward said he has an additional meeting scheduled this week with Keegan and Dr. Rick Timbs, whom he described as highly knowledgeable about the state's property tax cap calculations, to discuss possible alternative approaches and requests related to the Micron PILOT agreement.
Board members also reported on other legislative activity: Mr. Farfaglia said he would attend Lobby Day later in the week, and Mr. Crabtree reminded members to register with District Clerk Jilian Herrera for the February 28 Legislative Breakfast. Mr. Crabtree said he wants the district to keep advocating for expanded Universal Pre-Kindergarten, noting the district's UPK program currently serves approximately 250 students across multiple locations outside district schools, and said he would like to explore expanding UPK within district buildings.
In other business, the board proclaimed February 12, 2026 as School Resource Officer and School Patrol Officer Appreciation Day; heard a presentation from Director of Technology Jason Clark on the district's recent Lego League competition, during which Mr. Hermann said he was "jealous" of the program; heard a Capital Projects update on the Lakeshore Renovation Project from Director of Facilities Matthew Erwin and Lakeshore Elementary School Principal Tina Chmielewski; accepted a Logiflex Volt desk valued at $3,579.20, donated by inLine and Co, for use at North Syracuse Junior High School; and acknowledged the retirements of teaching assistants Renee Merritt, with 26 years of service, and Jeri Williams, with 19 years of service. Student Board member Brigid Gill reported that the Principal's Cabinet's Griffin's Guardians Hoops for Hope event raised $1,412. The board also approved routine Personnel A and Personnel B actions, including new appointments, leave requests, a voluntary transfer, and one termination. All other votes recorded in the minutes carried unanimously with seven yes votes. The meeting adjourned at 6:21 p.m.
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Coverage of the Board of Education (NSCSD) meeting on 2026-02-09,
Town of Clay, NY.
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Related Board of Education (NSCSD) Meetings
North Syracuse Schools Chief Presses State Lawmakers on Micron PILOT, as Board Weighs Regionalization and Tuition Rates
●Superintendent Terry Ward reported that he and Associate Superintendent Don Keegan met with Assembly member Al Stirpe, Senator Pam Hunter, Assembly member Chris Ryan and Regent Patrick Mannion to discuss the district's financial needs and request legislative support on PILOT agreements, including challenges tied to the Micron project's PILOT that he said no other district will face.
●Ward said the district supports Micron and the opportunities it brings but that important considerations still need to be addressed and advocated for.
●Ward reported attending the Syracuse University groundbreaking, noting only two districts were invited (North Syracuse and Liverpool), and said he met with Micron about a possible AI-focused student event during Spring Break, open first to North Syracuse students.
●Board member Robert Crabtree, reporting on the OCM BOCES board, described superintendents' regionalization discussions covering districts as small as 400 K-12 students, and said North Syracuse's still-unfinished strategic plan includes staff recruitment/retention, attendance, the community schools framework and the Portrait of a Graduate initiative.
●Crabtree said BOCES and districts including North Syracuse and Baldwinsville are beginning long-range capital plans, made possible by recent voter support.
●The board received the final report of the District Utilization Study, presented by consultant Deb Ayers with Jennifer Heckthorn and John Wisniewski, and heard a presentation from Don Keegan on the Governor's budget proposal and preliminary tax cap calculation.
●The board approved revised 2024-2025 non-resident tuition rates ($7,316 full day K-6; $9,150 full day 7-12; $44,123 special education K-6; $45,957 special education 7-12), carried with eight yes votes.
●The board adopted a resolution appointing Sophie Hogan to a four-year probationary ENL Teacher term (Jan. 16, 2026 - Jan. 15, 2030) at an annual salary of $72,021.
●The board declared February 6, 2026 as School and ADAPEP Counselor Appreciation Day, acknowledged the retirements of three staff members, and approved surplus equipment disposal, Personnel A and Personnel B items, all by recorded votes.
●No comments were offered during the public comment period.
North Syracuse Board Member Says District Gave Board Too Little Information on Possible Return of BOCES SKATE Students
●Mr. Crabtree asked questions about the potential for some BOCES SKATE students to return to NSCSD and said he felt the Board had not been given sufficient information on the matter
●Mr. Keegan, Associate Superintendent for Business Services, was scheduled to present the initial 2026-27 budget draft; Mr. Ludden and Mr. Crabtree said early signs point to an on-time budget, and Mr. Farfaglia reported attending Lobby Day on February 11 and meeting with state legislative staff on the tax cap formula
●Board approved the estimated 2025-2026 non-resident tuition rates: $7,726 (Full Day K-6), $10,944 (Full Day 7-12), $50,295 (Special Education K-6), and $53,513 (Special Education 7-12)
●Board approved the 2025-2026 Non-Resident Health and Welfare Services rate at $1,047.66 per pupil, a $172.56 increase from the 2024-2025 rate
●Board granted tenure to Heather Pellegrino as Middle School Principal at Roxboro Road Middle School, effective May 16, 2026
●Erika Carter Grosso resigns her ENL Teacher position at Cicero-North Syracuse High School, effective June 30, 2026, to accept a Teacher on Special Assignment - ENL Coordinator position district wide, replacing Ariana Rosario
●Minutes of the February 9, 2026 meeting were approved 8-1, with one board member abstaining
●Susan Commisso, Food Service Helper I, retired with 18.6 years of service
●Board declared non-marketable surplus equipment for disposal and marketable surplus equipment for sale through an online auction by Auctions International
●Board declared March 2, 2026 as Athletic Trainer Appreciation Day
North Syracuse Board Hires Director of Pupil Personnel Services, Creates New $115,000 Security Post
●Hired Jennifer Stanton as Director of Pupil Personnel Services at $145,000 annually, with a probationary period of Feb. 17, 2026 through Feb. 16, 2029, replacing Julie Darmody-Latham, following a closed-door executive session on "one personnel item."
●Earlier in the same meeting, formally hired Rocco Nalli -- the consultant listed on the agenda to present results of the district's recent Special Education Audit -- as Interim Director of Pupil Personnel Services at $600 per day for actual days worked, effective Jan. 13, 2026.
●Created a new Director of Security position, hiring Kate Loveland Kehn at an annual salary of $115,000, effective Jan. 13, 2026.
●Filled two newly created Transportation Department positions: School Bus Driver Jason Davidson ($30.95 per hour) and School Bus Attendant Maria Hernandez ($23.37 per hour), both effective Dec. 16, 2025.
●Approved a SEQR resolution declaring the Board "Lead Agency" and finding a Type II action for the "Roxboro Road Middle School Acoustic Panel Installation Project" -- though the resolution's own text repeatedly refers to it as a "renovation of the greenhouse" and the "C-NS Greenhouse Renovation Project."
●Acknowledged final property tax reconciliation reports from the Cicero, Clay and Salina tax collectors and directed that uncollected taxes be forwarded to the Onondaga County Treasurer for reimbursement.
●Approved agreements with Soliant Health, LLC for related service provider services and with Access CNY for applied behavior analysis services, both effective Jan. 13, 2026; the minutes list no dollar amounts for either.
●Bids for an Auditorium Lighting & Accessories project were opened, showing BMI Supply at $127,154.41 and Sweetwater Sound at $9,553.67; the minutes record no vote or award decision following the opening.
●Approved gifts of $1,000 from Stewart's Shops for the GRMS Outdoor Recreation Project and a $200 Wegmans gift card for teacher refreshments, and acknowledged the retirement of Associate Principal Charles Yonko, effective June 30, 2026, with 19.10 years of service.
This district publishes meeting agendas but no minutes on BoardDocs; this record is built from the published agenda. Agenda items are proposals until an official record of the votes exists.
●Board voted to place two propositions on the May 19 ballot: a vehicle bonding measure not to exceed $2,525,994 for buses, vans and a mower, and an increase in the Salina Free Library annual appropriation from $524,861 to $536,933.
●That ballot resolution was the meeting's only recorded roll-call vote: seven yes, Michael Shusda abstained, and Robert Crabtree was recorded absent from the vote.
●Four board seats are up in the May 19 election, held by Michael Mirizio, Joshua Ludden, Cheryl McDonald and Michael Shusda; nominating petitions are due by April 20, 2026.
●Board retained C&S Engineers, Inc. as construction manager and King + King Architects as architect/engineer to provide "Pre-Referendum Services" for a Capital Improvement Project whose scope, schedule and budget are still "to be determined."
●Board declared itself SEQRA lead agency for the Roxboro Road Middle School Acoustic Panel Installation Project and classified it as a Type II Action requiring no further environmental review.
●After an executive session on one parental appeal, the board voted to amend the Superintendent's decision, 8 yes.
●Board approved the hire of Sean Fahey as Director of Data, Accountability and School Improvement at an annual salary of $153,203, replacing Donna Marie Norton.
●Personnel A (instructional appointments, transfers and leaves) carried with seven yes votes, one fewer than most other motions that evening.
●Board acknowledged retirements of Carol Strzelecki (School Secretary II, 17 years), Scott Wilson (Custodian II, 21 years) and Marie Tubolino (Teaching Assistant, 20 years).
●Board approved memoranda of agreement with the NSEA (dated March 4, 2026) and the NSADA (dated March 20, 2026); the minutes do not describe their contents.
North Syracuse Board Amends Superintendent's Decision Twice on Parental Appeals, Confirms Baroody as Deputy Superintendent
●Board went into executive session to review two parental appeals (with action to follow) and one personnel matter (with no action to follow), carried with eight yes votes.
●After each parental appeal review, the Board voted, each time by eight yes votes, to amend the Superintendent's decision; no details of either appeal are recorded in the minutes.
●Board approved hiring Michael Baroody, Ed.D., as Deputy Superintendent at an annual salary of $183,859 effective 7/1/26, replacing Christopher R. Leahey, who resigned effective 6/30/26.
●Baroody's move creates a vacancy in his current post; he resigns as Assistant Superintendent for Human Resources effective 6/30/26.
●Board approved hiring Miranda Magley as Associate Principal at North Syracuse Junior High School, $97,108.42 annually effective 7/1/26, replacing Charles Yonko.
●Superintendent Ward reported, citing Syracuse.com, that ELA performance at Lakeshore Road Elementary School rose 23 percentage points and that five elementary schools are now above the state average.
●Board created a new 1.0 FTE Teaching Assistant position at CNS effective 4/7/26, carried with eight yes votes.
●Board approved the 2026-2027 payroll schedule, carried with eight yes votes.
●Board acknowledged the retirements of school bus drivers Kevin Ferris and Thomas Page, each with 20 years of service.
●Board declared April 22, 2026 as Office Personnel Appreciation Day; approved Personnel A, B and C rosters and classification/placement of disabled students, all carried with eight yes votes.
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