The evening of 2024-10-08 was a meeting of the Honeoye Falls-Lima Board of Education (BoE).
Multiple people applauded all the amazing Fall Weekend activities. If you didn’t get a chance to enjoy them, hopefully you can find the time next year.
The Student Board Representative shared on fall weekend as well, but what stood out to me was a comment he made on the value of allowing students to have cellphones in school. He offered examples where being able to communicate with the larger world can help students remain calm and comfortable. Fair enough, this is a valid point. But I’ll offer the counter of school being a good place to learn how to cope with uncertainty and the unknown. Because life is filled with both of those, whether you have a phone or not.
The NYSSBA Annual Convention is upcoming, so the Board went over their stance on a variety of proposed resolutions. As amusing as it would have been for Caralyn to have gone rogue at the convention, doing her due diligence this way is prudent. Plus, it gave some insight into how the Board values certain topics. Not directly, but from the way they declined to support multiple ‘proposed resolutions’, I suspect this Board is pro-gender confusion. Mind you, not completely sure. Both because they didn’t directly say, but also because the resolutions weren’t written the clearest. Unfortunately, I suspect I am right.
There was a report on the Summer Professional Development, with a focus on return on investment. Reasonably enough, as the training cost ~$190k. The scores shared at the last meeting were used as one data point justifying this expense. It does make a degree of logic. If effort is spent improving teachers skills, that should show up in student results.
After that, was an update on Lima Primary. Lots of good stuff going on, as would be expected. What stood out most to me was the group that has finished their LETRS training. Hopefully this will have benefit on reading results.
Ironically enough, one comment on the Habits of Mind had me thinking back to the student’s report and his cellphone comment. Does ‘Managing Impulsivity‘ come into play with cellphone usage?
Without discussion, the Board approved the resignation of the High School Principal, Mr Roth. While the resignation was mentioned in their action, I only know who it was because I read the resolution. Said resolution appears to appointing him ‘Principal of Special Projects’ until July 2026. I would have liked some discussion, as that position was not one I was aware of. In all fairness, it was getting late, and they still had an executive session to get to.
And those are my Observations From Audience Land for the October 08, 2024 meeting of the Honeoye Falls-Lima Board of Education.
Agenda’s and similar information can be found at HFL’s BoardDocs page. While a recording is also available.