Fredonia targets playground upgrades | News, Sports, Jobs - Observer Today

Oct 15, 2024

OBSERVER Photo by Braden CarmenAt a recent meeting, Fredonia Superintendent Dr. Brad Zilliox detailed the District’s plans to address its main campus playground with a Capital Outlay Project this year.

Fredonia will be addressing its school playground issues sooner rather than later.

While all the attention at the Fredonia Central School District is on the major $51 million Capital Project proposal likely to be voted on this December, the District is planning a much smaller project in the $100,000 range to address accessibility and safety concerns at the main campus playground. Flooring improvements inside the building will also be included in the project.

“As of right now, our plans are to add some … rubberized surface, pathways leading to different parts of the equipment, and also increased rubberized surface underneath some of those pieces of equipment for safety,” Superintendent Dr. Brad Zilliox said. He also added several new pieces of equipment will be added, as well.

The District discussed including playground improvements in the major Capital Project proposal, but after several District residents spoke to the need to have safe and accessible playground for students to utilize, coupled with the feedback the District received from auditing the playground at both campuses, the District felt the best course of action would be to focus on upgrading the existing playground at the main campus through a Capital Outlay Project, an opportunity Districts are afforded each year by New York State for up to $100,000 of aid-eligible work.

Another reason for the District to be excited is that a new student representative will soon be joining the Fredonia Board of Education. Zilliox, Chief Officer of Curriculum and Human Resources Dr. Margie Wright, and High School Principal Darrin Paschke will be narrowing down the list of candidates in the coming days with the goal of appointing the District’s next young member on the Board at its next regular meeting.

“We are excited about that,” Zilliox said.

At its most recent Board of Education meeting, the Board approved the appointment of Kathy Wright as Assistant to the Tax Collector, effective for the 2024-2025‬‭ school year, with a one-time stipend of $925. Wright served in the same role last year, as well.

Additionally, Kitty Pencek was issued permanent status as a Food Service Helper and Kristen Christopher was issued permanent status as a Teacher Aide. Three Teaching Assistants had probationary period expiration dates set: Elizabeth DeFries on Aug. 26, 2026; Stacey Gorka on August 29, 2027; and Shawna Szukala on August 29, 2027.

Four substitutes were approved by the Board: Gino Thompson, Lindsey Meka, Laureen Meyer, and Hannah Schubring. Kim Powell was approved as a full-time Certified Extended Leave Substitute. Jill Lundin was appointed to the position of Unified Bocce Teacher Aide, retroactive to Sept. 3, 2024 through the end of the season.

The Board also approved 12 university students for fieldwork, observations, internships, and/or student teaching for the 2024-2025 school year. Students were also approved to observe Alexandra Goff’s Beginning Strings Class.

An overnight retreat for the junior varsity and varsity boys basketball teams at Camp Mission Meadows in Dewittville from Nov. 26-27 was also approved by the Board, as was the annual Black Friday Drills and Skills Clinic hosted by varsity boys basketball head coach Nick Bertrando on Nov. 29.

The next Fredonia Board of Education meeting is Thursday, Oct. 17 at 6 p.m. in the High School Library.

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