A middle school teacher will be serving jail time for stealing more than $100,000 from the Guilderland Teacher’s Association, according to county District Attorney David Soares. Brenda McClaine, 39, of Altamont, was sentenced Albany County Court Friday morning, Nov. 14, to serve six months in the Albany County Correctional Facility, followed by five years of felony probation. McClaine had pleaded guilty to grand larceny in the third degree, a felony, on Sept. 9. McClaine had served as treasurer of the GTA during the 2012-13 school year. Between Aug. 13, 2012, and Oct. 28, 2013, she pilfered approximately $100,382.50 from the union. Authorities said McClaine forged the union president’s name on checks and collected dues from members that were illegally deposited into her personal bank account. McClaine had repaid the union for the stolen funds when she pleaded guilty.
Superintendent of Schools Marie Wiles said McClaine is still an employee of the district.
“She continues to report to work at the district office,” said Wiles. “No tenured teacher is automatically discharged.” McClaine, who is tenured, would have to go through due process, as Education Law defines, if the Board of Education decides to pursue termination proceedings. Wiles said only the determination after such proceedings conclude is public, so when and if the school board starts such proceedings are not public. Judge Stephen W. Herrick is allowing McClaine to serve her six-month sentence through reporting to the county jail on weekends. She would arrive to the jail each Friday evening and then be released on Sunday evening, according to Cecilia Walsh, spokeswoman for the District Attorney’s Office. This does not reduce McClaine’s sentence, but allows it to be served over a longer time frame. Typically, it takes around a year to serve a six-month sentence through such weekend arrangements after including other factors such as good behavior, according to Walsh. Guilderland officials said McClaine has been at the school district since 1999 and most recently taught math at Farnsworth Middle School. She worked with approximately 70 students in grades 6, 7, and 8 in an Academic Intervention Services classroom setting. Shortly after police released evidence, she was reassigned to the district office. She was then placed on paid administrative leave following her arrest. A certified substitute math teacher has been covering McClaine’s classroom duties.
The GTA is the district’s largest bargaining group and covers around 450 staff members, including teachers, social workers, school counselors, psychologists, nurses and others. District officials previously stressed McClaine was not accused of stealing school funds and the charges are tied to her role in the union. Financial Crimes Unit Bureau Chief Daniel Lynch prosecuted this case.