April 22, 2026 - Board Brief

On Wednesday evening, the Board of Education unanimously voted to approve the appointment of Ms. Genieve (Gen) Holder as the new Assistant Superintendent of Pupil Personnel Services, effective July 1, 2026. 🎉 Ms. Holder was selected through a highly competitive search process with over 60 applicants, reflecting a strong and highly experienced candidate pool. She brings a strong record as a special education teacher and top administrator, with a deep commitment to supporting students and strengthening district-wide systems. 📚

Kevin Sawyer of Triton Construction, Matthew Milnamow of LAN Associates, and Robert Kernan of The LA Group presented a Bond Update 🏗️ outlining progress across all three propositions, including upcoming construction timelines for masonry work and athletic fields, continued design development for the Farragut Complex addition, and confirmation that projects are currently trending on budget 📊. The primary focus was Proposition Three – the full renovation of the Burke Estate athletic complex.

Due to time constraints, Dr. McKersie did not present his Superintendent’s Report during the meeting; however, it has been entered into the public record. The report highlights engaging learning experiences across the District, including second-grade plant science at Hillside, a hands-on study of static electricity at Farragut Middle School, and the Varsity Baseball team’s spring training trip. It also features the AP Art Show and the sold-out performances of Grease at Hastings High School. We encourage you to take a moment to explore these highlights and more. 🌱🎭

Dr. Szymanski shared updates from the District Technology Committee, 📱 which reviewed the 2025 Parent Technology Survey and identified concerns around screen time, distraction, device dependency, and the impact of technology and AI on learning. The committee developed three long-term goals focused on instructional technology use to amplify learning, exploring responsible AI use, and strengthening home-school collaboration around healthy device habits; these are included in the State Technology Plan submitted for approval. She also provided a mathematics update 📊 on professional learning with Dr. Anchala Sobrin on standards, curriculum articulation, accelerated pathways, and revised placement practices using multiple measures, with family communications about placement expedited to May. K–12 Curriculum Synopses are now available on the Hastings-on-Hudson UFSD website.

And finally, the big vote of the evening was the unanimous adoption of the 2026–27 Operating and Instructional Budget, 📊🎉 the result of months of thoughtful Board review, discussion, and collaboration. A sincere thank you to all who helped bring this work to completion, especially Maureen Caraballo and the Business Office for ensuring a balanced and responsible budget. Next stop: the Village of Hastings budget vote on May 19. 🗳️ For more information on the Budget Vote please visit our dedicated webpage.

🗓️ The next Board of Education meeting is scheduled for Tuesday, May 5, 2026 at 6:00 p.m. in the Hillside Multi-Purpose Room and will open with a Public Hearing on the Budget. 📊

🎥 Missed the meeting? Watch the full recording, including all presentations and discussions HERE.