[{"_1":2,"_111":-5,"_112":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,75,87,99],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":56,"_74":56},"mediaId",6147589,"mediaKeyId","5520531-0c4e748b12c9c21d52bf7a0374aa3168","parentId",5520531,"title","Niagara Falls board swears in student member Harjot Kor","audioSeconds",427,"startMs",47000,"endMs",474000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=5520531-0c4e748b12c9c21d52bf7a0374aa3168&start=47&end=474","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5520531-0c4e748b12c9c21d52bf7a0374aa3168/thumbnail_47000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6147589/New-York/Niagara-Falls-board-swears-in-student-member-Harjot-Kor","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6147589-f234d5a57e4678037c69a0dda7060a1a/orig.mp4?Expires=1770813477&Signature=LBK5Ugg5dVjbioyTS8lAzfRjpcZW6iD7Ls77cChHfM26oDQ0DLauqeWP8o5QWDsVRn~g63gSKRNFw8JOiKtrf-YVXp6fRi60NsHnpAgYYeEdXMUehl-JL7RwPfK5hPo4kgErLud5NyN-DN6VjpHWQFi9-FLbertPw2CyHmSJ2AijjJiXdfgBU4g86EoFp5tK6efP~U7Ku50RIlggqnOvdlSk7kITUmRSj9ZEONumCgFAoYmQsUA3uWjs6Jw5oygMx9~G7b1Zmp9W9cAMYXVysRbcORqhA9SCVZSxPAviNXAgLukUdB0RTtB9ATvzVPU78llgPoxFM4re8JBSHfUKug__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","","date","2025-08-01T04:04:47.847Z","article","The Niagara Falls Board of Education on July 31 welcomed and swore in its newly appointed ad hoc student board member, Harjot Kor, a senior at Niagara Falls High School.

Superintendent Tony Lohrey described the state education department’s instruction that districts add an ad hoc student member and praised the selection process run by Niagara Falls High School. Lohrey summarized Kor’s activities and accomplishments, saying she has been active on the district’s trauma‑informed care team, has more than 40 volunteer hours coaching youth soccer with the Police Athletic League, serves as lieutenant governor of her Key Club division, has completed dual‑credit and AP coursework, speaks Punjabi, English, Urdu and Hindi and has interned at Roswell Park and Niagara Falls Memorial Medical Center.

Lohrey said the district’s selection committee interviewed 15 students, narrowed the field to five finalists and recommended Kor. He reminded the board that state law prohibits the student member from voting on agenda items and personnel and from participating in executive session, but that otherwise the student is a full participant in meetings.

Kor spoke briefly after the swearing‑in, thanking the board for the welcome and saying she \"really appreciate[s]\" the opportunity to serve. Board members and former teachers in attendance congratulated her.

The board then proceeded to its business agenda. Trustees said they welcomed the additional student perspective and asked Kor to participate actively in committee discussions.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","NFCSD Board of Education Meeting - 7/31/2025","oneSentenceSummary","The board welcomed and swore in Harjot Kor, a Niagara Falls High School senior and student board member, who will attend meetings as a nonvoting participant and serve on committees with limited statutory exceptions.","taxTitle","NIAGARA FALLS CITY SCHOOL DISTRICT, School Districts, New York","taxId",38344,"location","New York","headline","shortSummary",{"_33":76,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":77,"_41":78,"_43":79,"_45":80,"_47":81,"_49":82,"_51":83,"_53":84,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":85,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":86,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":56,"_74":56},6147596,"Board adopts state-required maximum indoor temperature policy for schools",115,2930000,3045000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=5520531-0c4e748b12c9c21d52bf7a0374aa3168&start=2930&end=3045","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5520531-0c4e748b12c9c21d52bf7a0374aa3168/thumbnail_2930000.jpg","/articles/6147596/New-York/Board-adopts-state-required-maximum-indoor-temperature-policy-for-schools","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6147596-2f38a83c0d534dc8829e86f02912a913/orig.mp4?Expires=1770813477&Signature=dVW0lYjk9lnYxLtju7QJCMRoFJmwjilhnvteubTGjIBS~5G3dRCgtSA3vmvXKY6Kr5Ld126iSPVqq15-uMILjpyraXPPr3UVIc76EF6rHfC7OfFcwBXRxM6js01ISaVCX~FoMaLHwoM9pPYRW7eo84BIOl3vCgcIEOmnjv22QrEhSw~zYCqcv8ocUc7oBVeNPyyuINU6rth39Vc6ICIAbbEEfrY85ClchHUvsVdJWBKLAkLe3buX01CQ4RdKLJSYwGA2nTx1~-7DrjtJOxW61ZElNV-Hmn-QVw-nd~pAeMqhsRM35afPINjiPl7Zopz~iQFxrTpEbCgPfrkMKGgjOw__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The Niagara Falls board on July 31 adopted a state-required policy that sets indoor temperature thresholds and required responses for school rooms and spaces. The policy prescribes mitigation steps at 82 degrees Fahrenheit and mandates either moving students to a cooler area or closing the school if the indoor temperature reaches 88 degrees.

Superintendent Tony Lohrey told trustees that, with the exception of two small sites (the CEC and the DiFrancesco Center), district buildings are air‑conditioned and staff do not expect frequent use of the higher thresholds. When indoor temperatures reach 82°F, the district must take steps such as turning off lights, pulling shades, providing fans and water breaks and opening permitted doors; at 88°F the principal must either relocate students to a cooler space or close the building, with closure days counting against the district’s allotted snow days, the superintendent said.

The policy originated from state guidance and BOCES policy committee recommendations, officials said. The board approved the resolution by roll call after waiving the standard 30-day tabling requirement during the same meeting in which it adopted the district’s device policy.

District staff said they will monitor air-conditioning equipment and respond promptly to breakdowns in any building. \"If the air conditioning breaks down, like I see, it has broken down some places, we will have to adjust to this,\" the superintendent told the board. The policy applies to indoor temperatures, not outdoor weather.

Trustees approved the policy and instructed building leaders to follow the procedural steps outlined in the guidance; the superintendent said principals would make operational decisions about relocations to air‑conditioned auditoriums or closure when thresholds are exceeded.","Trustees approved a state-mandated policy setting classroom response steps at 82°F and 88°F, including measures such as lights off, shades down and student relocation or school closure if 88°F is reached.",{"_33":88,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":89,"_41":90,"_43":91,"_45":92,"_47":93,"_49":94,"_51":95,"_53":96,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":97,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":98,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":56,"_74":56},6147597,"Board names interim facilities director, accepts retirements as district readies for school opening",151,5457000,5608000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=5520531-0c4e748b12c9c21d52bf7a0374aa3168&start=5457&end=5608","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5520531-0c4e748b12c9c21d52bf7a0374aa3168/thumbnail_5457000.jpg","/articles/6147597/New-York/Board-names-interim-facilities-director-accepts-retirements-as-district-readies-for-school-opening","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6147597-7144e3f6a2cec8515d943a250190801b/orig.mp4?Expires=1770813477&Signature=jMZG2jNHtZDKIzgPsCxMYw7eqGqJLB8Jm4fBywQRckok8~xRSGU8654bhdqIcBHfsBeZo2BMsCXIi~Xp-XFg1Jxmwtp83kaWl2WTRl6XuTr-bRsB8nnfoYsgu3UKLkypvIztqRcTJ8Hp3LU-7X-Lu4Kcb4Oh98y1chCyyQDyuZChT1EwsRfvaLSn5~AglHEndq9GDj-3~3VbaRESj8omCTFtv2uLkc4sSNs59o31wzUWLvgBz~u3qnEyMKS4DyMfm96Uyeyfn5xyLl1OXeMuV~L9EprN9j7QxhcEPubAQBynN3Fb8IPf2X88~7HHTlPYmVykZdV7-jDFRQWgkC1d9Q__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The Niagara Falls board on July 31 approved classified personnel actions that accept multiple retirements and name Michael Macri to serve as interim director of facilities. Trustees said the appointment is temporary while the city and district continue a civil‑service canvass to fill a permanent facilities director position.

Trustees noted the recent retirement of long‑time facilities director Earl Smeal, who retired at the end of July. Board members praised both Smeal and departing custodial staff at Abbott School, and they said the district has identified internal candidates to ensure continuity. Board member Robert McLeod said he inspected Abbott and reported the custodian staff were \"right on top of it and right on schedule.\" The board approved the classified report, including the interim appointment, by roll call vote.

The interim appointment is a short‑term measure: district leaders said the city’s canvass of candidates is continuing and is not scheduled to conclude before the start of the school year. The superintendent said Macri, a district electrician, had volunteered and is well regarded among facilities staff; Macri is to begin duties the Monday after the meeting.

Board members also recognized retirements among custodial and support staff, specifically citing Edward (Eddie) Street and porter John Egan from Abbott School. Trustees offered formal thanks for their years of service and noted replacements or interim coverage were in place ahead of the school year.

The classified report and the superintendent’s personnel notes were approved in a single roll call vote; one board member recorded an abstention on an unrelated page of the personnel packet. The superintendent told trustees he would provide a list of short‑term priorities for the interim facilities director and expected a normal schedule of facilities work and capital projects to continue through August and into early September.","The board approved a classified personnel report July 31 that includes retirements and the temporary appointment of former district electrician Michael Macri as interim facilities director while a broader civil‑service canvass continues.",{"_33":100,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":101,"_41":102,"_43":103,"_45":104,"_47":105,"_49":106,"_51":107,"_53":108,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":109,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":110,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":56,"_74":56},6147603,"Niagara Falls board adopts internet-enabled device ban, orders 3,500 storage pouches",5351,717000,6068000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=5520531-0c4e748b12c9c21d52bf7a0374aa3168&start=717&end=6068","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5520531-0c4e748b12c9c21d52bf7a0374aa3168/thumbnail_717000.jpg","/articles/6147603/New-York/Niagara-Falls-board-adopts-internet-enabled-device-ban-orders-3500-storage-pouches","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6147603-164baa5640fa560adb43f930d21716f3/orig.mp4?Expires=1770813477&Signature=I2YR3ebPcCfKdEKp43tbbkPd8oF-sWJSGKLWoeDbifzNtK7BJmAKA9S65NrxNrO7VV6WWs-7q~Wx4H8Q3yO87imT5Vn60onIywTee55dvoXeD6qcWmvDyNUjnLj~JlA3ru307wk-MT3W-6zLUxKJrDkZnoN8TmDRZc8ySmWb3e0lKpWoonIR-KmxNUdlAeedlKRy8Tawk-j3zz27ai4RrW5hmyvvuFoY3QgCb4Lw26nr0~W9-yhWNjPohhwFT-q5SbkDfeHiDtIwBtwhUjOr02o9FbVSJSe2VXed-K9P1qpm~qQKVgSQ9HWrJQu7aze8Lmwe97KqoKJytEM5TJZeGg__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The Niagara Falls City School District on July 31 adopted a policy that prohibits students from using internet-enabled devices during the school day and sets a districtwide system for storing and securing those devices. The board waived the usual 30-day tabling period and approved the policy in a roll call vote.

The policy requires students in preK–6 to keep devices in a personal ‘‘Yonder pouch’’ or in their cubby or locker for the school day. For grades 7–12 the district ordered 3,500 Yonder pouches to be issued individually; magnets and locked cabinets will be installed at designated locations in schools to secure pouches while students are in class. Superintendent Tony Lohrey said the district expects the magnets and other hardware to be installed within about two weeks.

The policy also defines communication alternatives for parents and guardians. District offices, the school clinic and the public address system remain available; the district will add Remind, a text-based messaging app linked to PowerSchool rosters, so teachers and parents can exchange messages tied to a student's schedule. \"Remind will be an app parents will be able to have on their phone, and it will be an ability for a parent to reach a teacher,\" a district staff member explained during the meeting.

Discipline follows a four-step progression that the superintendent described as: documented warning for a first offense; confiscation and return at the end of the day for a second offense; confiscation requiring parent pick-up for a third offense; and for a fourth offense, the student may be barred from bringing a phone into school in a secured bag for the remainder of the school year. Lohrey stressed that the policy had been edited to remove any reference to suspension for failure to comply, saying \"that would be against the statute.\" The district will retain superintendent-level review for extreme cases.

There are limited exemptions: students with medical needs, identified English-language learners or students with Individualized Education Programs (IEPs) will receive Velcro-style pouches that are not magnetized and can be accessed for approved reasons. The district will also provide guidance to staff: adults are expected to model the behavior, and the policy permits staff to use phones only when students are not present or to announce why a brief use is necessary for safety or two-step authentication.

The superintendent said the district conducted a survey that returned 918 responses (about one-third students, one-third teachers and one-third community members) and plans follow-up surveys at roughly 10, 20 and 40 weeks after implementation. He described the policy as \"fluid,\" saying the district would return to the board with data and recommended changes if the program falters.

On funding, the superintendent told the board the state had provided $10.90 per student in grades 7–12, producing $32,480 for the district. \"That's far under what this setup will cost,\" he said, and noted the district placed local funds in the budget to cover the shortfall.

Board members and the student representative pressed on operational questions: how phones will be silenced (students will be taught to turn devices off or set airplane mode), who puts devices in pouches (students are responsible), what happens if a pouch is lost (families may replace them), and logistics at large schools where repeated pouch handling could affect bell schedules. The board received examples from schools that piloted phone limits: one principal reported 13 infractions in a pilot at a school with about 432 students.

Following discussion and brief public comments from the newly sworn-in student representative, the board voted to waive the 30-day tabling requirement and adopted the policy. The superintendent said the district will report back after the opening weeks of school and again during the year with survey results and recommended adjustments.

Implementation details to watch include final placement of magnets and locked cabinets, teacher and parent training on Remind and the phone‑off expectation, management of lost pouches, and whether state funding will be increased or reallocated. \"We have to enforce this. This is not something that the board can choose to or not to,\" Lohrey said during the meeting.","The Niagara Falls City School District board voted July 31 to adopt a policy banning internet-enabled devices during the school day, approving storage procedures, discipline steps and communication tools; the state provided $10.90 per secondary student toward the work, a sum the district says falls far short of estimated costs.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

Niagara Falls board swears in student member Harjot Kor

Board adopts state-required maximum indoor temperature policy for schools

Board names interim facilities director, accepts retirements as district readies for school opening

Niagara Falls board adopts internet-enabled device ban, orders 3,500 storage pouches