Busy Fall in SCS School Year

By David Avitabile

SCHOHARIE - The first quarter of the Schoharie school year has been a busy one.

Physical education teacher Angela Jackson updated school board members at their November meeting on the goings-on of the elementary and secondary school classes.

Among the happenings in the first few months of the school year include:

* Students in pre-kindergarten and the fifth grade made scarecrow buddies.

* Fifth graders made ecosystems and learned about composting.

* Second graders celebrated National Pumpkin Day. They also portrayed book characters.

* The students in the life skills class learned pumpkin carving skills.

* There was a homecoming class in the high school.

* Students in FCS learned sewing skills and made emoji pillows.

* Performers from grades six to 12 put on a "Cabaret and Cookies."

* Secondary school singers attended the SUNY SCC choral festival.

* Members of the Youth Building Leaders helped with the Food Pantry.

* Sixth graders learned about DEI and second graders learned about empathy.

* The district hosted the Harlem Wizards who played against staff, students, and alumni.

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In other action, board members:

* Accepted the resignation of Freeman Wainwright, full-time custodian.

* Accepted the resignation of full-time teacher aide Michelle Yager in order to accept an appointment as a non-certified substitute.

* Appointed Jean Hull as a temporary K-12 ELL teacher for half of the school day and a regular substitute for half of the school day, certified with degree, for the remainder of the school year.

* Appointed Christopher Kraft as a bus driver, Step 4 at $25.24 per hour.

* Named Christina Mickel as a full-time teacher aide at Step 1, $18,944 per year.

* Appointed Jessica Wilson as a temporary full-time teacher aide, Step 1, $18,944 per year.

* Approved a leave of absence for elementary school teacher Alicia Loucks from December 16 through May 11, 2026, using a combination of paid and unpaid leave time.

* Added the following high school club advisors: Brittany Heintz, high school testing coordinator, at a stipend of $2,500, and Braeden Beck, musical assistant.

* Added the following people to the SCS substitute list: Emily Griffith, Denise Hellijas, Jayla Smallwood, Michelle Yager, and Vincent Porfirio, all non-certified.

* Approved a field trip for the National Honor Society to Boston from April 27 to 28, to include historic sites, educational museums, and cultural experiences.

* Approved the donation of $1,000 from the Central Bridge Methodist Church to SCS for the Elementary Christmas.