By DAVID PRENATT

editorial@westfieldrepublican.com

At their meeting last month, Westfield Academy and Central School Board of Education members received a presentation from the high school Student Council regarding Senior privileges.

Student Council member Tyler Tanison presented four main privileges that have been approved for members of the senior class. Seniors are permitted to eat lunch in the courtyard when the weather is nice. Also, seniors may participate in a “take-out day” once a month, in which they can choose to place a food order at a local restaurant. These orders will be picked up by a staff member and brought back to the school.

Another senior privilege is that the two front rows at all sporting events are designated as reserve seating for the senior class.

In other business, board members also continued their discussion regarding proposed legislation from State Senator Robert Ortt, R-Buffalo, that would allow schools to opt out of state holidays that are observed by fewer than 10% of their students.

Board member Tom Tarpley reminded the board that, following the COVID pandemic, numerous studies showed that absence from school causes a learning loss among students. “With this background, I am surprised to learn that the state is now advocating for more holidays which would shut schools down and exacerbate learning loss,” he said.

Tarpley said the current WACS school calendar includes 31 days off due to holidays. “This reduces the 10-month school year down to nine months of instruction,” he said. “Adding more days off does not do anything to address lost educational opportunities, and it creates a situation where the school year could extend into the month of July.”

After considerable discussion, the board asked Tarpley to draft a letter to the New York State School Boards Association, to Sen. George Borrello, and to Assemblyman Andrew Molitor, asking them to advocate on their behalf for passage of Ortt’s proposed legislation.

During the period of board commentary, Tarpley spoke about Gov. Kathy Hochul’s veto of a bill that would have established a training program for first responders in the event of an electric vehicle emergency. “If the Governor is not willing to provide training to our firefighters should they encounter a fire on an electric school bus, I will vote no on any future agenda item that could potentially place WACS students on an electric school bus,” he said.

Board Vice President Phyllis Hagen asked Tarpley if he would write a letter to Hochul on behalf of the board asking her to provide funding for this important training.

In other business, board members approved an Overnight Field Trip to Cleveland, from April 23 through April 25, 2026 for the Senior Band. They also accepted the resignation for the purpose of retirement for Modesto Laboy Ortiz as groundskeeper with thanks and appreciation for 29.75 years of service, effective Dec. 13.