WACS Interim Superintendent Shelly O’Boyle takes the oath of office administered by Board of Education president Wendy Dyment.

At their supplemental meeting last month, Westfield Academy and Central School Board of Education members conducted the first reading of Policy 3418, which involves the use of force by security officers.

Policy 3418, which states that “the Board authorizes school resource officers, school police officers, and school security guards in accordance with the laws of New York State to carry a firearm and perform assigned duties subject to the terms of this policy,” was discussed and debated by board members.

The policy also spells out the requirements regarding the manner in which school security personnel may use force while performing their duties on district property. It stipulates the use of “objectively reasonable force.” The amount of force used is determined by the security officer, using such criteria as the severity of the situation, whether a person poses an immediate threat to the safety of others, whether the person is actively resisting arrest and the influence of drugs or alcohol.

The policy also provides criteria for the use of deadly force as a last resort to protect human life. However, it prohibits a security officer from “discharging their firearms from a moving vehicle or for the purpose of a warning shot.”

Board member Tom Tarpley expressed a concern about the stipulation that security personnel cannot fire a weapon from a moving vehicle.

“This could potentially put our school safety officer in jeopardy, should he be in a moving vehicle on school grounds and encounter an armed subject who began firing at him in the vehicle,” he said. “To comply with this policy, the officer would have to give up his position of cover in the vehicle by exiting it before returning fire.”

Tarpley also said that the policy should contain a stipulation that, should a situation require the involvement of a SWAT Team, those officers would not be constricted by Policy 3418. The board will continue to discuss the policy and conduct a second reading at a later date.

In a related matter, the board adopted Policy 1640: Absentee, Military, and Early Mail Ballots. This policy describes the conditions under which absentee ballots can be used in the district. It also stipulates the conditions for military and early vote ballots.

The board began its meeting with two special activities. Board President Wendy Dyment presented a Westfield Academy and Central School Diploma to Vietnam Veteran, Jonathan Myers, through Operation Recognition.

“One of the best things I get to do as the Board of Education President is to occasionally give out a diploma,” Dyment said. Secondary Principal Corey Markham read a proclamation prior to the awarding of the diploma.

After receiving the diploma, Myers quipped “I find it interesting that I got my diploma tonight, but most of my kids are here and they got their diplomas from Westfield before me.”

Also, at the beginning of the meeting, Dyment administered the Oath of Faithful Performance in Office to Interim Superintendent Shelly O’Boyle. O’Boyle will serve in this position until approximately July 31.

Dyment informed board members that they do not have to do a Superintendent Evaluation this year; however, they are still required to perform a Board of Education Evaluation. Because of this, she suggested that they try a digital evaluation program. “We can try a deeply pro-rated version of the program,” she said. “This is a chance for us to go digital.”

Board members also conducted their second Budget Study Session for the 2025-26 school year. Business Administrator Josh Melquist, along with Markham and elementary Principal Molly Anderson, presented information on several areas of the projected budget, including Instruction, Administration and Curriculum Development and Improvement.

In other business, the board, following review and consideration of bid responses which were received by the District and publicly opened Feb. 6, 2025, awarded the contract for the work for the 2024-2025 Capital Outlay Project to Morris Masonry for the total contract amount: $83,031.00.