December 2 BOE Meeting Recap

Dear Pleasantville Families, 

Thank you to everyone who joined us for the December 2 Board of Education meeting, whether in person or virtually. The Board continues to focus on maintaining transparency, celebrating student achievement, and engaging the community in meaningful discussions about district priorities. 

If you were unable to attend, a full recording of the meeting will be available on the district’s YouTube channel, and the meeting agenda can be found here. 

Below is a brief summary of key items from the meeting: 

Technology Update (click to view presentation) 

• More Secure, Redundant Systems: District servers and data are now housed in regional cloud-based centers, increasing bandwidth and improving reliability. Old switching hardware is being replaced through a multi-year plan supported by the Technology Budget and upcoming E-Rate reimbursement.
• Cybersecurity Enhancements: New threat detection and email security systems have been added (CrowdStrike and Check Point Harmony), along with staff training, multi-factor authentication, and updated data privacy agreements through the NYS Student Data Privacy Consortium.
• Apple Devices in Classrooms: Middle School deployment has been successful, with ongoing professional learning. High School staff are piloting devices as part of planning for a future shift, and the Bring Your Own Device model will phase out in September 2026, with a plan to ensure reliable device replacements. This change is being implemented for a variety of reasons, including compliance with the internet-enabled device law, security, access to educational resources, and uniform classroom instruction. The District is aware of past issues with device availability in the event of device damage and has implemented, and will continue to implement, procedures to eliminate downtime. Further discussion about this can be found in the video recording of the meeting.
• Unified Communications: ParentSquare, launched in August, has strengthened classroom, school, and district-wide communication, with strong usage and family engagement. The district website is also being migrated to the ParentSquare platform for a more streamlined experience later this spring.

Superintendent’s Report 

Secure Lockout
Dr. Lutinski provided an update on last week’s districtwide lockout. A student report, which thankfully proved unfounded, prompted the response. The incident confirmed that district communication systems and emergency protocols functioned effectively, including structured building-level communication and rapid community notifications through ParentSquare. Further, the student should be commended for taking a “see something, say something” approach. We all know it is better to be over-cautious than under-report and potentially miss something. In an effort to clarify the seriousness of an event, the District will adopt updated terminology — “Secure Lockout” — to better distinguish it from “Lockdown” (typically a more serious threat) and will continue reviewing procedures to strengthen safety practices. 

Families were reminded to keep contact information and emergency contacts updated in the Parent Portal, and that ParentSquare remains the District’s primary method for weather, safety, and schedule alerts. 

School Highlights 

• BRS
  • Second Annual Balloons Over BRS Thanksgiving Parade
  • 4th graders continuing their Native American curriculum at Ward Pound Ridge
  • Winter Concert on December 3in the HS Auditorium
• Middle School

• Modified Winter Sports underway
• Winter Concerts approaching(12/4 - 6th Grade, 12/8 - 5th Grade, 12/11 - 7th & 8th Grade)
• 6th–8th grade musical, Legally Blonde Jr., announced
• High School
  • Winter Concert on December 17
  • Guys & Dollscast announced; performances open March 13
  • Winter Athletics season has begun

Superintendent’s Update on the Capital Project: Pleasantville Forward, Together
Dr. Lutinski also shared the latest progress on the Pleasantville Forward, Together Capital Project. The Community Facilities Committee will meet on December 11, with a preliminary proposal scheduled for review by the Board at the January 13 meeting. A follow-up Community Forum will be held on January 21 to review costs, state aid, the goal for our borrowing to not affect the tax levy, and final recommendations. 

Information and presentations continue to be posted and updated on the District website. 

Board Discussion: Current and Future Superintendent of Schools Status
The Board revisited the update shared with the community on Sunday regarding the search for the next Superintendent of Schools. Board members reaffirmed their commitment to an inclusive, thorough, and community-informed process. They emphasized that no final decision has been made and that the Board is seeking community feedback as part of this work. 

The Board expressed appreciation for Dr. Lutinski’s willingness to allow additional time for the search process, and noted that a formal vote on next steps is expected at the January 13 Board of Education meeting, where the Board will consider extending Dr. Lutinski’s appointment for another year to ensure that a robust process for the next “long-term” Superintendent is undertaken. Community input will be an important factor in that decision. 

Recognition of the Audience/Public Comment: Jonathan Cunningham addressed several topics, including the Superintendent search process and ParentSquare. 

Consent Agenda: The Consent Agenda was approved (5–0).  

Closing Remarks 

Board trustees and Student Ex Officio Julian G. highlighted school programs, student drives, regional student board leadership opportunities, the Digital Learning Collective, and upcoming community events. 

These updates reflect the District’s ongoing commitment to academic excellence, student well-being, and open communication. As always, the Board encourages community members to stay informed, ask questions, and be part of the conversation. 

Please note: 
The Board will participate in the Annual Joint Meeting with the Village Board at Village Hall at 7 PM on Monday, December 8. The next Board of Education meeting is scheduled for Tuesday, December 16, 2025, at 7:30 PM in the High School Auditorium. 

Warm regards, 

The Pleasantville Schools Board of Education
Michael Busch, Erin Ballard, Lucas Cascardo, Loredana Coughlan, and John Vamossy