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Haldane Hires New Principal for Middle and High Schools
District Receives "flawless" State Audit Report
by Mike Turton
 | | Haldane's new Middle and High School Principal, Brian Alm |
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Seek and you will find. Haldane School District sought the "best fit" possible in looking for a new principal for the middle school and high school. By all accounts they found that fit among the more than seventy applicants who were considered. At its November 6, 2007 meeting, the Haldane School Board approved hiring Mr. Brian Alm as principal. Alm replaces Andy Irvin who resigned in September. Alm is certainly well qualified for the job. He is currently working on completing his dissertation, the final step before earning his doctorate in education from Columbia University. He holds a Master of Arts degree in Teaching from Fordham University and a Bachelor of Arts in History and Sociology from SUNY Binghamton. He is permanently certified in New York State in the areas of School Administration and Supervision, School District Administrator and Social Studies. Alm has served as Assistant Principal at Pearl River High School since September of 2001. He taught history and served as Athletic Director at the Beacon School in New York City from 1996 to 2001.
Board Trustee Makaria Gallagher served on the interview committee that also included students, support staff, administration, teachers and community members. In describing the committee's interviews with Alm, Gallagher stated, "We sat there with our mouths open. We were thrilled with his talent, intelligence and honesty. He was more than what we had hoped for in every category." Alm begins his duties as principal on November 26, 2007. His contract runs through November, 2010 and includes an annual salary of $120,000 pro-rated for 2007-2008 since he will begin part-way through the school year.
The Haldane School District recently underwent an audit by the Office of the New York State Comptroller. In the words of the report, such audits are routinely carried out statewide "to help district officials manage their districts effectively" and to "to provide accountability for tax dollars spent to support district operations." The report covered the period July, 2005 through April, 2007 and examined such areas as financial oversight, cash receipts and disbursements, purchasing and payroll and personal services. The report found that controls were adequate in all areas. Audits typically also focus on one area, in Haldane's case it was "internal controls over cash." According to Superintendent Mark Villanti, the report showed Haldane's financial operations to be "flawless."
At the Board meeting discussion continued regarding the possibility of restoring French as part of the high school curriculum. Concern was raised by parents earlier this year over canceling the French program due to low enrollment. Haldane has had an unofficial policy requiring at least ten students in any course and only five or six had signed up for French. There were suggestions that as many as fifteen students who were undecided regarding their language option were automatically put into Spanish, eliminating any possibility of the French program achieving the required double-figure enrollment. At last week's meeting Superintendent Villanti clarified that only three students had been in the undecided category. Villanti went on to say that he doesn't see this as the end of the French program. "I'm optimistic " he said. "It isn't resolved fully but there is a tentative commitment for a French program in cooperation with Garrison School District" he said. "If anything I'd like to think we could expand our language program. If we have the budget we should look at languages at a younger age. But the timing may not be right economically now" Villanti concluded. Board president Dave Merandy echoed Villanti's statement about teaching languages to younger students. "I'd put my money in the elementary school - not the high school" he said. Merandy also questioned whether French is the "way to go" in language curriculum. "Should we continue to go with French?" he asked. "It seems there are more important languages in the world" he added.
The Board also approved hiring a number of coaches including: Kenny Haskins, girl's varsity basketball; Garth Merandy, varsity wrestling; Phil Keating, winter track and Ryan McConville, modified basketball. Merged applications with Garrison School District were also approved for modified baseball, lacrosse and softball.
The Board accepted a grant of $16,000 from the Haldane School Foundation for the purchase of new playground equipment. A donation of $6272.38 was also accepted from the Haldane PTA including $3,000 from an anonymous donor. PTA funds are earmarked for new concrete outside the cafeteria and to support the playground account. President Dave Merandy praised both organizations for their generosity and support of school activities.
The Haldane School Board will meet next on November 20 for a workshop.
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