School Board: School librarian is back; hired for part-time job

The Board of Education unanimously voted to create the position of “library media specialist” at the Shelter Island School at its November 14 meeting, retroactive to October 18.

Christina Miller, who previously held the full-time librarian position, which the board cut from its budget last spring, was re-hired part-time at a salary $58,832.32 (a full-time salary of $87,796 prorated by a factor of .67).

When Dr. Michael Hynes started as school superintendent on July 1, he rehired Ms. Miller part-time to “maximize” her abilities in a way that best fits student needs, he said in an interview this week. “It’s been great,” he said. “The board should be commended for allowing this to happen.”

Dr. Hynes said he had determined after consulting with the state Department of Education that the district was required to have a librarian. He said the district, however, had the ability to make it a part-time instead of full-time job.

“They’re the same thing,” Dr. Hynes said of Ms. Miller’s former and current title.

Among her current responsibilities, he said, is meeting with the K-8 classes once a week. She can “push in” to classrooms upon a teacher’s request, he said, and can have teachers bring classes to the library.

Dr. Hynes said that Ms. Miller had been instrumental in creating a “vision” for a new technology center in the library and in the library’s reconfiguration.

The project, to be funded by a federal technology grant, has included moving bookshelves and removing a central island to create space for students to have tables for small group discussions. Computers will be moved from the back corner of the library to near the front entrance for easy student access.

In other business at its November 14 meeting, the School Board:

• Made the following appointments: Kimberly Clark as the cheerleading coach for the 2011-2012 school year at a salary of $3,044; James Colligan as the volunteer coach for boys’ varsity and junior varsity basketball, effective November 15; Athletic Director Rick Osmer to provide adult, child, infant CPR/AED certification, healthcare provider and first aid training for the 2011-2012 school year at a rate of $30 per coach for adult, child, infant CPR/AED (defibrillator) certification, at a rate of $37 per employee for CPR/AED certification and $57 per person for healthcare provider and first aid training; second grade teacher Lynn Green as a mentor for music teacher Jessica Bosak for the 2011-2012 school year for $1,500.

Also, Heather Cusak and Melissa Pintauro were hired as additional substitute teachers for the 2011-2012 school year at $110 per day pending clearance for employment by the New York State Department of Education fingerprint initiative; and Wayne Vitale as purchasing agent, retroactive to October 11. No salary was indicated in the resolution.

• Agreed to contract for architectural services with Mosaic Associates Architects to be provided in connection with the renovations to be funded by the bond referendum approved by the voters on May 17, 2011.