Neither the outgoing nor incoming president was at Batavia City School board’s reorganizational meeting Thursday, but the remaining board members voted to put John Marucci in the role.
He was sworn in via Zoom. Marucci was the board vice president, having served three years, and had previously said that he “thoroughly enjoyed serving the students, parents and staff of the BCSD.”
Marucci, a resident of Batavia for five years with one son in the school system, is an active coach for the Batavia Bulldawgs Youth Football organization, and is head coach for the Vartsity team. He was previously head coach for the BMS modified wrestling team and helped coach Batavia Little Devils’ youth wrestling. His term ends in July of 2025, and has said that serving Batavia’s youth is a main reason for his participation on the school board.
Marucci was not able to answer questions from The Batavian about his new title and position Thursday evening, as he is visiting family out of state. He will be available to do so on Wednesday, he said.
Former president Alice Benedict’s term is up in July 2023 after being appointed in May 2020 to fill out a vacated position. Benedict is no stranger to the Board of Education, having served from 1995 to 2006, and for three terms as president.
Two public hearings — about the Code of Conduct and hiring a second school resource officer — followed the reorganizational meeting. No one from the public spoke at the hearings, and both topics were approved later by the board.
Superintendent Jason Smith said that the Code of Conduct has received a thorough review by the school attorney “to make the code in line with current law and or current recommendations.”
“Our attorneys gave us some key updates that needed to be modified other than updated definitions for bullying, or harassment, to comply with the current Dignity For All Students Act,” Smith said. “Some modifications there, I think, we added definitions as to what is a tobacco product, what under the influence means and … illegal substances, that has been clarified as well.”
They have also revised the definition of "weapon," and when and if students would face certain consequences. Section three’s language was clarified and cleaned up, he said, to state that “students have a right to learn in a safe and supportive school environment.”
“A lot of the pieces that were in there have been removed because it's covered with the Dignity For All Students Act, and we modified some language regarding privacy and public restrooms and locker rooms, and expectations for that as well,” he said.
Section five reflects “a nice presentation in June by (BHS Principal) Paul Kesler and his students” about the dress code. Their work and attorney input focused on a gender-neutral dress code that didn’t particularly target guys or gals.
Other revisions included cyberbullying and virtual learning code of conduct, plus the addition of some legal updates to the prohibition against discrimination, harassment and or bullying. Long-term suspensions were considered, and families have the right to appeal the board on a five-day suspension.
“In the rare event that those are challenged or appealed, that clarifies that language,” Smith said. “It also clarifies long-term suspension appeals.”
Click here to view the Code of Conduct
The school board also approved the move to hire a second resource officer for the district and a related contract with the city of Batavia.
“The proposal is to use additional COVID funding previously designated for learning … and use some of those funds. And we can gradually build a budget over time (to afford the positions when COVID funding is gone),” he said.
Given the tragedies this spring of mass shootings at a school in Texas and earlier much closer to home in Buffalo, the awareness of staff and families has been heightened of such possibilities. Smith received several emails from families and staff members regarding the district’s safety, he said.
Reigle said there’s been support for the current resource officer and now for a second one as well.
“It's nice to work in conjunction with somebody who is looking out for your safety,” Reigle said. “So we're in support of it.”
Each officer costs the district approximately $100,000 in salary and benefits, which will be paid to the city for use of two police department employees.
