Veteran Sharon Springs Teacher Adds Assistant Principal Role

SHARON SPRINGS — Entering her 29th year as a full-time fourth-grade teacher at Sharon Springs Central School, Stephanie Fuller has now taken on the additional role of part-time assistant principal.

The assistant principal agreement was approved by the school board at its Monday, Aug. 18 meeting, where Fuller was also introduced by Superintendent Thomas Yorke. In her new part-time role, Fuller will be assisting Yorke with various student issues like activities, discipline and others, Yorke explained. She will earn a stipend for the additional work on top of her normal teaching salary, he added.

In other actions from the Aug. 18 meeting, the board approved a capital project bond resolution in the amount of $3.73 million. The 20-year bond, which Yorke said will have no impact on taxes, will fund various energy efficiency improvements, including lighting, and also other work to include replacement of the boiler in the bus garage, bleacher improvements in the new gymnasium, repaving of sidewalks and parking lots and various other items.

Yorke said work should start sometime in the 2025-26 school year, probably in the spring. He said the construction company J.W, Danforth will be doing some of the work and also recommending other companies. Yorke explained that since the school board and voters already approved the $3.73 million monetary cap on the project, that he and Business Manager Tony DiPace will have leeway to go ahead and award bids to contractors, though the school board will be kept in the loop on every aspect of the project.

The board Monday night also awarded a $63,700 bid to Gallo Construction Corp. for a much smaller capital outlay project that will involve Gallo updating doors throughout the school to make sure they adhere to current codes.

Also approved was the official 2025-26 tax levy resolution that includes setting this school year's property tax increase at 3 percent. The 2025-26 ONC (Otsego Area) BOCES cooperative purchasing agreement for electricity and natural gas was approved.

Also approved: The 2025-26 district wide safety plan. After a brief executive session, the board came back into session and voted to approve this year's NYS Clay Target League resolution. Yorke explained that the resolution allows a team in the league to use the Sharon Springs name and mascot. Shooting events are held at an outside range and not on school grounds, he added.

A request from the Marchand Manor nursing home in Sharon Springs to use the school as an evacuation site in case of emergency was green lighted.

In personnel actions at the end of the meeting, a part-time business teacher instructional coaching agreement was approved with Barbara Handy. She recently retired from full-time employment after 42 years with the school district but is coming back to help on a part-time basis.

Meghan Fancher was granted a one-year maternity leave. A full-time equivalent elementary education teaching position recommendation for McKenzie Rivenburgh was approved. The board also approved the declination of a full-time equivalent Spanish teaching position by Fernando Albarran. Yorke explained that he initially accepted the position but then declined. Also approved was the resignation of bus driver Charles Parks.