By DAVID PRENATT

editorial@westfieldrepublican.com

WESTFIELD – At their recent monthly meeting, Westfield Academy and Central School Board of Education members learned the district has entered a partnership with a group that identifies, supports and guides children and their families with mental health and/or substance abuse issues.

WACS Superintendent Ryan Sikorski told board members that the partnership is with Children’s Single Point of Access, or C-SPOA, through the Department of Mental Hygiene in Chautauqua County. “Members of our administrative and related service team have submitted confidentiality agreements to be a part of their team,” he said. “This allows us to sit in on bimonthly collaborative meetings.”

When a child is referred to C-SPOA, the team assesses the child’s needs and develops a plan to support the child and connect the family to community-based services, Sikorski said.

In a related matter, Siloraki told board members that the district has completed the first two sessions of the University of Buffalo Trauma Course. “I had the opportunity to sit in on portions of the first session and I know Mrs. Anderson was there, as well, but the feedback we have garnered was exceptional,” he said. “Session topics have focused around bringing science and adolescent development and practical strategies to use in the classroom when emotional dysregulation is presented.”

Sikorski also noted that all of the facilities in the back of the school will be closed beginning June 29 for capital project work. “This includes our playground area, the hill area in the back, the tennis courts, and the back parking lot,” he said.

In his report to the board, Interim Middle and High School Principal Todd Crandall said that six students will have work displayed on the “Art Trail” on May 23 and 24. The trail is a driving tour of studios and hubs, with an opportunity to meet the artists, he said. “Only students from Westfield and Jamestown schools were selected,” he added.

Crandall also told the board that he met with Sikorski and senior class advisors to discuss and plan end of the year events. He also noted that much planning for end of year activities is going on in both the middle school and high school.

In her report, Elementary Principal Molly Anderson told board members that state testing has gone very smoothly and there have been very low opt-out rates.

Anderson also mentioned that students in grades 3-5 have completed all four New York State required science investigations prior to taking the Grade 5 Science Assessment. “These investigations, “What’s in a Bag,” “Cloud in a Bottle,” “Light It Up,” and “Circle of Life,” are aligned with the NYSSLS framework and support three-dimensional learning,” she said.

Director of Special Education and Instruction, Lauren Harper, told the board that there are more than 20 students with various internships throughout the building and in the community. Also, CTE (Career and Technical Education) Internships have started.

A CTE internship is designed to give students practical, hands-on experience and help students develop career-related skills, gain workplace experience, and make informed decisions about their future education and career paths.

Harper said that for the 2026-2027 school year, 22 students are enrolled in such areas as Culinary Arts, Sports Conditioning, Construction, Cosmetology, Automotive Technology, Small Animal Science, and Criminal Justice.

In other business, board members approved the waiving of the fees associated with the Men’s Senior Baseball League use of facilities. The Men’s Senior League completed a 2025-26 Use of Facilities form, indicating that they would require a groundskeeper for the field, but no additional services or equipment. The board agreed to waive the $108 fee for the Men’s Senior League.

In matters of personnel, board members approved Tina Winslow as a per diem Clerical Consultant, effective May 12, 2026 through June 30, 2026. They also approved Nathan Scriven as School Safety Advisor, from July 1, 2026 through June 30, 2029, and Jacob Hitchcock as Athletic Director for the 2026-2027 school year.