ALLEGANY, N.Y. — A special meeting was conducted by the Allegany-Limestone Central School District board of education Tuesday in honor of five staff members who announced their retirements or resignation.

The board honored Al Bickell, who retired after 17 years with the maintenance department; Ellen Samol, who retired as an art teacher after 28 years of service; Randy Detweiler, who retired as an elementary teacher after 30 years of service; and Aileen Sirianni, who retired as an elementary teacher after 20 years of service. Also honored was School Resource Officer Dep. Devine Leacock, who will leave the school district after three years of service to work with students in Cattaraugus-Allegany BOCES program.

Detweiler told the board that they didn’t have to worry about the students in the district, thanks to the new superintendent, Anthony Giannicchi.

“I’m sure (the district) is heading to good things,” Detweiler told the board. “And with (Kim Moore) she’s done a heck of a good job as the principal of the elementary school … I think the way this school district is going to go is it will get better and better and better.”

Art teacher Samol told the board her long drives back and forth between her home in Blaisdell  and Allegany had never bothered her and she will miss the school district.

“It was one of my biggest passions, children and art,” Samol said of her teaching. “I drove 61 miles — many cars.”

For her part, Sirianni said she plans to enjoy her retirement by traveling with her husband.

Leacock, who will work as an SRO for BOCES in Olean, thanked the board for hiring him three years ago. He said that as the students and staff became accustomed to him during his first year at Allegany-Limestone, “it got better and better.”

“(The students) would give me hugs every morning,” Leacock said of the elementary children. “That’s why I’m so happy about being around the kids … my niche is as an SRO.”

Following their comments, the board honored the group with plaques, gifts and cake.

In other personnel matters, the board approved the appointment of Denise Straub as a science teacher at a salary of $44,586; and accepted the resignation of Melissa Anderson as a special education teacher.

Under business items, the board directed the superintendent to resolve a claim by the parents of a student in the district by rendering an agreement with the parents. The board also approved the transfer of up to $500,000 from the unreserved fund balance to the capital reserve for the fiscal year ending June 30.