What to Know Before Marathon's August 5 Board of Education Meeting

Key Dates Before School Starts

The board's "upcoming highlights" list doubles as a helpful back-to-school calendar:

• August 26 — Board of Education meeting, 7:00 PM

• September 2–3 — Superintendent Conference Days for staff (no school for students)

• September 7 — Labor Day

• September 8 — First day of school for students

• September 9 — Board of Education meeting, 7:00 PM

Public Input

As always, 30 minutes are reserved for public comment, limited to five minutes per person or group.

Presentations: Construction Update and Athletics Budget

Two presentations are on the agenda for tomorrow's meeting. The Construction Update will cover the status of ongoing capital projects. The second, an Athletic Funding Presentation from Cross Country Coach Todd James, lays out a detailed, line-by-line proposal for the 2026-2027 athletics budget. The proposal trims overall athletic spending from $280,333 to $258,225, a savings of roughly $22,100, through targeted cuts and partnerships with external funders rather than across-the-board reductions.

New Staff and Appointments

The board will vote on several call-backs effective with the start of the school year:

• Lydia McEvoy and Kimber Mahoney — Elementary Teachers, effective September 2, 2026

• Sav Montoya and Samantha Roberts — Teacher Aides, effective September 2, 2026 (note: Roberts previously served as a Food Service Helper and resigned from that role effective July 27, 2026, ahead of this new appointment)

• Drea Della Monica — Cleaner (approved at the prior meeting)

Also up for approval: an unpaid Social Work internship for a Binghamton University student, a Physical Therapy services agreement for 2026-2027, and an intermunicipal transportation agreement between Marathon CSD and Cortland-Madison-Onondaga BOCES/Cortland ECSD.

Fall Coaches and Club Advisors

Fall coaching appointments return largely unchanged from the July meeting, with two additions: Deborah James as Volunteer Assistant Cross Country Coach and Kelly Brown as Volunteer Assistant Varsity Girls Soccer Coach.

A full slate of extracurricular club and class advisors is also up for approval, covering everything from ASL Club and FFA to Yearbook, Drama, and each grade's class advisor. Worth noting for families: a few positions remain unfilled ("TBD") heading into the school year, including National Honor Society advisor, Student Council (grades 7-12) advisor, Junior Class Advisor (Class of 2028), and Gaming Club advisor.

Tax Levy for 2026-2027

The board will vote on a resolution confirming the tax rolls and authorizing the tax levy for the 2026-27 school year. This is a routine but important annual action that finalizes how school taxes are assessed across the towns in the district.

Consent Agenda and Financial Items

Routine items include approval of July board meeting minutes, personnel resignations/substitutes, CSE recommendations, June financial reports, and a small item for disposal (volleyball poles). The June 2026 Treasurer's Report is up for review, along with continued review of board policies on resignation/dismissal, student board members, and board officer appointments.

District-Wide School Safety Plan

The board is reviewing an updated District-Wide School Safety Plan ahead of the state-mandated September 1 adoption deadline (it will go out for a required 30-day public comment period and public hearing before final Board adoption). A few pieces stand out as relevant for parents:

• New cardiac emergency (AED) protocol, added under New York's new "Desha's Law," which took effect September 1, 2025. The district is required to designate trained staff, maintain accessible AEDs, and follow a specific step-by-step response protocol for sudden cardiac arrest at school or school events. The plan lists trained nurses/response staff by building.

• Drill requirements: each school must run 4 lockdown drills and 8 evacuation drills annually (12 total), with most completed before December 31. Drills must be trauma-informed — no props, actors, or simulations mimicking violence — and parents must be notified within 1–7 days before each drill (except bus drills).

• Extreme heat protocol: as of this year, safety plans must address extreme heat days, with mitigation measures beginning at 82 degrees.

• Emergency Remote Instruction Plan: if the district exhausts all snow/emergency closing days, it can shift to remote instruction rather than an outright closure, using a defined plan for devices, connectivity, and instruction — including specific accommodations for students with IEPs and English language learners.

• Communicable disease/pandemic plan: outlines essential positions, PPE stockpiling targets, and telecommuting protocols in the event of a future public health emergency.

Any documents cited in this article can be found in the meeting agenda: https://marathonschools.community.diligentoneplatform.com/document/18512/?lastModified=639214479130030000