At its regular meeting Monday, Nov. 5, the Voorheesville Board of Education heard questions about the district’s food allergy rules and also announced the appointment of Pat Corrigan as associate principal.
During the public comment portion of the Monday, Nov. 5, meeting, a parent, who declined to be identified, brought up concerns about food restrictions in the kindergarten classes. A student’s severe food allergy has prompted school officials to restrict the kinds of food being brought in. The parent who spoke asked about the future effects the allergy restrictions will have on the school and district at large.
Recently there has been a ban on food from home in the kindergarten due to severe allergies, she said. `What is being done about this, and will it change for the whole school in the next few years?`
David Gibson, president of the board, said members were aware of the allergy situation in the kindergarten and explained why foods in the classroom were being restricted.
`Our first priority is to make sure that the students are safe. That is why things were done so quickly. They had to take action,` Gibson said. `This will probably need to be put to policy; it won’t be on a classroom basis.`
Some parents at the meeting asked how they would be able to get more information about potential policy changes.
`We will update the Web site (with the information) and it will be brought to the board and put up for public approval before it is put into full effect,` Gibson said.
After hearing the public’s comments, the board moved on to new business, much of which dealt with appointments and resignations.
The biggest of these appointments was that of Pat Corrigan to the position of associate principal for the high school. Corrigan was hired from within the district after a long process of interviews and meetings. He was chosen from among five finalists.
His appointment was officially approved at the meeting, at which point he moved from his seat in the audience to his new place among the other principals.
The next scheduled board meeting is Monday, Dec. 10, at 7:30 p.m. in the high school cafeteria.“
