ALLEGANY, N.Y. — When students begin their first day of classes in the Allegany-Limestone Central School District today, they or their parents will likely notice a few changes in security.
At Tuesday’s school board meeting held in the elementary school cafeteria, Superintendent Tony Giannicchi gave a report on the status of that campus as well as the middle-high school when students return today for the 2018-19 school year.
Giannicchi said the school district now has a full-time school resource officer, Victor Arena, who will be available at both the elementary building on Maple Avenue and the middle-high school on Five Mile Road. Giannicchi said the Allegany Police Department will have a presence at the elementary school as well, and is available to the middle-high school as it usually patrols and monitors events.
“The Allegany Police Department has a substation inside the (elementary) building,” Giannicchi added. “There is a police officer at some point in this school.”
In addition to increased security with officers, the schools also have additional cameras.
“We have more cameras than you can possibly imagine,” he continued, noting numerous security cameras have been added to both campuses.
As for entering and exiting the buildings, Giannicchi said elementary students will enter the school from buses at the front entrance. All visitors will be required to enter through the front door, as well.
Students who exit the rear door from the cafeteria will now have to be escorted by staff.
“When you pick up your kids (at the rear exit) you have to have your kid walked out to you” by staff, he stated, explaining parents and guardians no longer can enter the cafeteria entrance to pick up their children.
The middle-high school will shift students to enter the campus at the front part of the building. In the past students had parked their cars in the lower parking lot and entered the back part of the building where the gymnasium and administrative offices are located.
“Now, we switched the parking lots with the staff” who will park in the lower part of the campus and enter those doors, Giannicchi remarked. “The (students) now park at the top (parking lot) and enter with the kids from the buses. There is one entry and there are people who will meet and greet them.
“Eventually, there will be a vestibule (at the front entrance) that everybody will have to go through and wait in,” he added.
The renovated front entrance of the middle-high school with upgraded security measures will be part of the $17.2 million capital project that will be implemented in the next two years and is expected to be completed sometime in 2020.
In addition to the high school’s secured vestibule, the elementary cafeteria will have a wall installed to replace the bottom section of large windows currently in place.
On a different topic, the board voted in favor of several personnel matters, including the retirement of transportation supervisor Roy Rogers, effective Oct. 31. A replacement for Rogers was not announced at the meeting.
The board also accepted the resignation of Jody Persichini from the position of food service worker, effective Aug. 16; Diana Phalon from her position as social studies teacher and from the position of varsity softball coach, effective Aug. 30.
The board appointed Dollene Christopher as a social studies teacher, grades 7-12, effective Sept. 5, with the salary paid in accordance with the salary schedule outlined in the collective bargaining agreement. The board also appointed Shawn Haseley as a social studies teacher, grade 7-12, effective Sept. 5, with the salary paid in accordance with the salary schedule outlined in the collective bargaining agreement.
Also appointed were Cynthia West to a 10-month, part-time position as food service helper; David VanEtten, to a 12-month, full-time position as cleaner; and David Pascucci to a 12-month, full-time position as cleaner.
