Board of Education
Board of Education
A Message from the BOE President
Description
Members
Goals
Agendas and Minutes
Policies
Board Wiki
Board Practices (under development)
Board Policies Subcommittee
Thank you for visiting our website and for choosing us to represent the taxpayers
of our district. The Board of Education is comprised of seven uncompensated
volunteers whose job is the oversight and guidance of the school district. Our
role is to set policy and ensure that each child receives the best quality education
that our community can afford. As all of us struggle with the manner in which
schools are funded, we continue to make the most with the dollars we do have.
Effective use of funds and efficiency are expected. Waste is not accepted or
tolerated.
As you visit the buildings in our district, notice their detail and history. We are
fortunate to have three buildings that Franklin Delano Roosevelt dedicated but
we are even more fortunate to have a community which has approved the
funding to restore and maintain them. Our Facilities Steering Forum meets
monthly to continue our facilities maintenance plan. We welcome anyone who
would like to join the group. Check out our updated facilities website at
hydeparkschools.org under the Facilities 2009-10 Information & Updates icon.
Our Superintendent Dr. Greer F. Fischer sets very high standards for all district
employees. Dedication and commitment to the success of our students is
foremost in everything we do. We encourage you to get to know your children’s
teachers and principal. Get involved with any school activities you can. The
school website contains an enormous amount of information about our district.
We welcome input, so feel free to contact us with any questions or concerns you
may have.
Here’s to a successful school experience!
Sharon Matyas
President, Hyde Park Central School District Board of Education
The Board of Education consists of seven unsalaried, uncompensated
individuals who are elected by the community for staggered three-year
terms. Under the Education Law of NYS, the Board is a corporate body
responsible for the education of students who attend the schools of
the district; for the preparation of the annual budget; for district
adherence to state law and State Education Department regulations; for
the establishment of policies; and for the adoption of regulations
concerning the conduct of the public schools. The Superintendent of
Schools, is charged with the administration of Board policies,
The Board meets regularly on the second and fourth Thursdays of each
month at 7:00 pm. All Board meetings are open to the public and
district residents are urged to attend these meetings to be better
informed about the operation of the school district. The meeting on
the second Thursday of each month, beginning in October, will be held
at one of the schools (consult the monthly calendar for these
locations or call the District Clerk at
). The meeting on the
fourth Thursday will be held at the District Offices (
11
Boice Road, Hyde Park, NY
)
unless specified differently.
The Board policy on
public participation at meetings specifies that district residents or employees may publicly address
the Board. Non-residents may do so in writing through the District
Clerk. If a speaker wishes to present materials, they should be given
to the Clerk for distribution. Written communication can be addressed
to the Board at the following address:
HPCSD Board of Education,
PO Box 2033
Hyde Park, NY 12538-8033
At times, the meetings of the Board may be held in a location which is
not easily accessible to the handicapped. If you have a question about
accessibility, please call
. If an individual cannot easily
reach the proposed room, a new location will be established at an
accessible site.
Academics
- Review our compliance with state and federal requirements, and review district academic performance.
Board Operations
- Hold a joint board / executive administrator retreat.
- Continued open discussions between all members to facilitate a harmonious atmosphere for dialog.
Budget
- Create a budget that maintains the current level of program, meets contractual agreements and holds all other expense increases as close to zero as practical. Any spending reductions should be distributed with equity.
Community
- Improve communications with the community through increased visibility and
availability at school events.
- Look for ways for community members to become more involved.
Facilities
- To update the master facilities plan so residents see progress and projects continue on a structured timeline with voter support.
- To complete the Haviland bus loop with input from the community that assures a safe area for the students and staff while maintaining the desires of the community as well.
Policy
- To make sure all policies are updated and accessible through the district’s website.
Committees meet as needed.
Board Subcommittee Members
| Subcommittee |
Members |
| Academic |
Doug Hieter
Steven Mittermaier
Timothy Liebrand |
| Audit |
Dan Duffy
Doug Hieter |
| Policy Review |
Doug Hieter
Timothy Liebrand |
| Comprehensive Health Advisory (District) |
Sharon Matyas |
| Dutchess Co. School Boards Assoc. |
Doug Hieter
John Seagren |
| Governmental Liason (Government Affairs) |
Tim Liebrand |
| Personnel |
Steven Mittermaier
John Seagren
Glenn Watson |
| Special Education |
Dan Duffy
Sharon Matyas |
| Technology |
Doug Hieter
Steven Mittermaier |
Liaisons are board members designated to focus on the issues and
perspective on the school district of a specific group of employees.
Board Liaisons to Staff
| Staff Group | Board Liaison |
|---|
| Confidential/Managerial Confidential Staff |
Timothy Liebrand |
| CSEA |
Daniel Duffy |
| HPAA |
Steven Mittermaier |
| HPTA |
Steven Mittermaier |
| HPUE |
John Seagren |
Board of Education Member Statements
The following statements are the personal opinion of the Board of Education
and do not necessarily reflect the position of the Board or the District.
Dan Duffy
Daniel M. Duffy and his wife live on Albie Drive in Hyde Park. His
eight children have all gone through the Hyde Park school system. He
has a Bachelor of Science degree in Electrical Engineering from
Manhattan College and attended graduate courses at Syracuse University
and Union College. Mr. Duffy was employed as a Design Engineer with
IBM for 32 years and as a substitute teacher in the Hyde Park Central
School District for three years. He is currently retired.
His community activities include: Hyde Park Board of Education, where
he now serving as Vice-President, former Coach for CYO basketball at
Regina Coeli Church, Hyde Park Baseball and HydePark Soccer; former
Treasurer of the Haviland PTA.
"I am seeking re-election to the Hyde Park Central School District
Board of Education, where I currently serve as Vice-President. These
past three years have been an intensive education in the operation of
a public school system. I feel that this experience, as well as that
gained while working as a substitute teacher for three years, will be
of great value to the school district as we move forward.
"Serving as both an officer in the Haviland PTA and a member of the
F.D. Roosevelt High School Building Level Team and District Technology
Committees, I have seen first hand the needs and wants of our
district. During my current term I have been a member of the Personnel
Committee, the Special Education Committee, the Technology Committee,
and the newly formed Academic Standards Committee. The Board during
this time has moved forward in defining the mission of how our
children are to be educated, in expanding the educational background
of our teachers and providing a sound budgeting process.
"I will continue to draw on my personal experience of having eight children
educated in Hyde Park. I believe that their participation in
athletics, music, student government, SES programs, and honor courses
was an integral part of their education. This broad-based education
served them well as they went on to college. I will continue to work
to assure all our students have this same opportunity for growth.
"I believe the next three years are critical to the future of our
district. The decisions made regarding the funding of increased state
mandates and the change in our facilities will shape our district for
the next decade. I want to represent your interests as these decisions
are made."
Doug Hieter
Douglas H. Hieter resides with his family at 68 Rogers Road in Hyde
Park. Currently he has one child attending elementary school and one
child in the high school. He also has two other children who have
graduated from the Hyde Park School system. Mr. Hieter graduated from
Garden City High School (Garden City, Long Island), Class of 1958 and
from Muhlenberg College (Allentown, PA) Class of 1962 with a BA in
Psychology. Mr. Hieter served in the United States Air Force from
1962-1965 as an Aircraft ground control officer IBM SAGE System with a
Medical Discharge. He has been employed by the IBM Corporation since
1966 as an Advisory Software Engineer. Positions held include: system
programming for both large and medium systems, medical, banking and
manufacturing application programming, display architecture, host
system tools, and workstation tool development/deployment.
Mr. Hieter's community activities include: Member of Board of
Directors-SpaceShip Discovery Science Center, volunteer for Dutchess
County Coalition for the Homeless: IBM volunteer as Hyde Park School
District coordinator for National Engineering Week. Member of the
Hyde Park School District Technology Committee. Member of the
Netherwood Elementary School Technology Committee. Active in the
Reformed Dutch Church of Hyde Park. Served as Deacon of the Blue
Mountain Reformed Dutch Church for 8 years. Past president of the
Nine Partners Lions Club. Pee Wee Baseball and Soccer assistant
Coach.
"I believe that a quality education is one of the most important
'gifts' we can give our children. It is the rock upon which their
future is built. These are very challenging times and the Hyde Park
School District must be ready to meet these challenges. The school
infrastructure is badly in need of upgrade and repair. Overcrowded
classrooms are the norm and not the exception. The new Regents
requirements are an additional strain on our administrators and
teachers. Budget constraints threaten valuable programs. I believe I
have both the temperament and the experience to help meet these
challenges and to insure that our children get the best education
possible. I would like to see more community involvement in the
budget process. I would like to see more partnerships with local
colleges and businesses. As a computer professional, I would like to
see technology become more integrated into the classroom
curriculum. And lastly, I would like to be an advocate for the gifted
and talented students in our district."
Tim Liebrand
"I sought election to the Hyde Park Central School District Board of Education to
change the atmosphere that currently existed. I have noticed that both the
Administration and the Board of Education that oversees them have turned a deaf ear
to the members of the community that they serve. The Board of Education appears to
work for the Administration instead of the Administration working for the Board of
Education. Both are supposed to work for us but don't.
"I am tired of the "blame game" that the reason for huge tax increases is the fault
of "Albany" but gives their administrator huge double digit raises while cutting
services for the students that they apparently forget that they serve.
"I am tired of the atmosphere where more money every year is spent outside the
classroom then inside the classroom. I am tired of being told that to save money we
must hire someone in a new position. I am tired of hearing how great we are doing
but unable to prove it in state standardized scores. I am tired of the
Administration and the Board feeling that are above the rest whether its staff
members or the public. It's time for change."
Sharon Matyas
Sharon Matyas lives on Spruce Road in Hyde Park with her family. She has one child at Hyde Park Elementary and one at Haviland Middle School. A native of New Jersey, she graduated from the Academy of St. Elizabeth and earned her Bachelor of Science in Business Administration from Bryant University in Smithfield, Rhode Island in 1990. For the last 15 years, Ms. Matyas has been the Special Events & Community Relations Manager at The Culinary Institute of America. She is involved with the Hyde Park Chamber of Commerce and the Dutchess County Regional Chamber of Commerce as well as the local sports leagues.
"I sought election to the Hyde Park Board of Education because I believe every child
deserves an equal opportunity to an exemplary and complete education. My goals are:
- To maintain and develop high-quality staff and administrators whose primary concern is the achievement and well-being of all students.
- To assist in the implementation of a strategic plan to get current facilities to a safe and acceptable level while looking ahead to the future needs of the district. To maintain an open and honest relationship with the local community so everyone understands the importance of investing in education while keeping expenses in check.
"With these thoughts and more, I look forward to serving the community and making the
Hyde Park Central School District better than its ever been."
John Seagren
"I am seeking election to the Hyde Park School Board to support the youth in our
community. My long-term experience in the district will help to move our district forward.
We need to create an educational environment for all students where they may be able
to develop to their fullest capacity.
"We must give full and fair consideration to all the many parts of our schools that
enhance the educational experience in Hyde Park. The challenge of incorporating the
arts, athletics, and music is vital to the depth of our district.
"The preservation of our buildings is yet another avenue to which we must apply our
energies. This will require a deep sense of commitment, as well as a vast array of long-
term experience. It will also require us to always remember the taxpayer in our school
community who is charged with supporting the district financially.
"While I have served our schools in the past for over twenty years, I have been a
taxpayer in Hyde Park for over forty years. I believe my years of commitment to our
district, combined with my years as a taxpayer, will help us with the balanced approach
which we will need going forward."
Glenn Watson
Glenn Watson is a graduate of North Park Elementary, Haviland Middle, FD Roosevelt,
Nasson College, Technical Career School - Associate of Applied Science
He has worked as an HVAC Tech at Port Authority of NY-NJ, Temp Control Tech at
Westchester University and is currently self employed at Watson Temp Control
Mr Watson is a USA Swimming Official.
"A school district that provides a quality education assists not only our children
but our community. I believe that a quality school district is essential in attracting
and retaining taxpayers in the area. As such we need qualified and motivated teachers
and administrators; programs which reflect changing technologies; opportunities for
students to participate in the arts and sports and safe and maintained facilities.
"At this time, the board is working on a comprehensive plan to provide the adequate
space for the growing student population which is a critical issue facing our
district. This was also a critical issue in the 1970's when the board had to make
decisions about meeting the growing needs of the district. As a graduate of the Hyde
Park Central School District during this time period, I bring a rich history and
perspective to the board.
"I sought re-election to the Hyde Park Central School District Board of Education so
that I can continue to use my experience and knowledge to assist in creating and
maintaining a district which strives for excellence."
