Photos and info from Aaron Brown:
Today the Pembroke Intermediate School's SADD Club celebrated Kick Butts Day! It's a day when schools and communities across the country take a stand against Big Tobacco and pledge to not to use tobacco.
The students at Jackson School took a trip to Candyland today, guided by teachers, staff and City Schools Superintendent Chris Dailey, who played King Candy in the play written by two Jackson teachers.
The play -- "Reading is a Sweet Treat" -- was all about the adventures of reading and honoring the students who did the best in reading recently.
Candy was distributed to teachers for the kids at the end of the play CORRECTION: The bags contained books.
The children seemed to have a blast throughout the whole performance.
Press release:
The Genesee County Youth Conference Coalition sponsored its 25th Annual Youth Conference at Genesee Community College this week.
This conference is offered on an annual basis to local seventh- and eighth-grade students in an effort to address pertinent social issues of interest to youngsters of middle-school age.
This year we also invited a select group of students from Orleans County. There were approximately 500 seventh- and eighth-grade students in attendance.
This year’s theme of the conference was “Illusions … To Lead or to be Mis-Led.”
The keynote speaker, nationally known Illusionist Tom Coverly, addressed the kids in the areas of bullying, respect and positive decision-making.
After the keynote, students attended two morning workshops, were provided lunch and then attended an interactive afternoon workshop. Professionals from the community volunteered their time to provide information to the students in their respective fields of expertise.
Workshops were provided in the areas of…Communication, Yoga, Nutrition, Careers, Pet Therapy, Zumba, Triple D-Dodgeball (Drug and Alcohol Awareness Game), Conflict Resolution, Dance, Getting Active with GPS, Creating Artist Trading Cards, Assuring a Positive Future and many others.
Members of the Youth Conference Committee are extremely grateful to the workshop presenters who volunteered their time to educate our area seventh and eighth graders. We are also grateful to the following businesses/organizations that provided discounts or donations for the conference…Genesee County Stop DWI Program, Upstate Milk and Subway.
The Genesee County Youth Conference Committee is comprised of representatives from the following agencies: Batavia Youth Bureau, Genesee County Youth Bureau, Genesee Community College, GCASA and YMCA.
For more information on this year’s Genesee County Youth Conference or to find out how you can participate in the next event, call the Batavia Youth Bureau at 585-345-6420 or the Genesee County Youth Bureau at 585-344-3960.
Submitted photo: Pictured are the 500 seventh and eighth graders and their school chaperones who attended the 2013 Genesee County Youth Conference held at GCC on March 12, being addressed by Tom Coverly, “The Illusionist,” and Keynote Speaker.
Students from throughout the GLOW region gathered at Genesee Community College this morning for the annual Tech Wars, where students compete in matches of design and engineering skill.
Looming federal budget cuts could mean cuts in one of Batavia City School's most needed programs, Superintendent Chris Dailey told WBTA today.
AIS (Academic Intervention Services) helps students in both math and English as well as special education.
Those are some of the students most in need of help, Dailey said.
The cuts could range from $75,927.40 to $121,283.84 and would be implented if the so-called sequester takes effect after a Friday deadline.
“It’s very scary because New York state still isn’t providing public schools with the level of funding that they did in 2009-10,” Dailey said. “On top of that now, the federal government is pulling out money that they give to schools that have students that are at or below the poverty rate and we are one of the districts that have a high percentage of that. They’re taking money away to help our highest-needs kids in a political game.”
There will be a rally in Geneseo Friday to encourage lawmakers to protect education funding. To reserve a spot on the transportation shuttle or more information on the event, call the district office.
Press release:
An Oakfield-Alabama Middle-High School senior has been named to Business First's 2013 All-Western New York Academic Team.
Jennifer Crossen (First Team) has qualified for this year's list of the 100 most outstanding high school seniors in the eight-county region.
Winners were chosen for their records of academic excellence, school leadership and community involvement. The top 25 were named to the First Team, 25 runners-up to the Second Team, and another 50 to the Special Mention list.
"This is an extremely exclusive award," said Jack Connors, president and publisher of Business First. "There are roughly 20,000 seniors in Western New York's high schools, and we've selected only 100 for this year's Academic Team. That's the upper one-half of 1 percent. They're truly the best and brightest students anywhere in our region."
Schools throughout the eight-county area were asked to nominate their smartest and most accomplished students for consideration by an eight-member committee, which included six admissions directors at area colleges and two Business First editors. A total of 121 schools responded with 437 nominees. (Each school was limited to four candidates.)
The complete list of 100 honorees -- along with their photos and profiles -- will be published in Business First's 2013-2014 Guide to Western New York Schools, which will hit newsstands on June 14.
The BB-gun incident at Batavia Middle School yesterday, as first reported by The Batavian, is apparently getting wider media attention.
A Rochester TV news van was reportedly parked illegally on Ross Street a few minutes ago.
And, just now, Batavia PD released the following statement to all regional media:
The Batavia Police and Batavia School officials are jointly investigating the details of a student bringing a BB Gun into the Batavia Middle School. As part of the investigation it has been determined that at no time was the BB gun displayed or any threats made. School officials discovered the gun based on an unrelated incident. Both the School and the Police Department will use the proper procedures to ensure all are safe and the person responsible is dealt with in accordance with the proper procedure in place for juveniles who violate school rules and New York State laws.
Parents in the Batavia City School District were informed tonight that a student at Batavia Middle School is being disciplined for bringing a BB gun to school.
It wasn't a rifle, it wasn't a handgun, it was a BB gun a student had a in backpack in his locker, Superintendent Christopher Dailey emphasized in an interview tonight.
"He didn't think it would be anything to worry about," Dailey said. "Unfortunately for him, it was a really bad choice. He didn't have it at school to hurt anyone or defend himself. He wanted to play with it after school. It was a random poor choice by a kid."
The search was initiated, Daily said, because school officials suspected the student may have brought tobacco to school.
The "random poor choice" by the student had landed the kid in Family Court, according to Batavia Police Chief Shawn Heubusch.
Heubusch confirmed tonight that school officials turned over to police a BB gun that was located in a student locker.
"Batavia school officials should be praised for their quick response to this incident," Heubusch said.
Dailey said school officials take issues like this seriously and his automated phone call tonight was aimed at keeping parents informed and designed to quell rumors about it possibly being a more serious matter.
"I felt it important to share because we don't have anything to hide," Dailey said.
In his message, Daily said, "Having a BB gun on school grounds is against district policy. The BB gun was turned over immediately to the Batavia City Police. The student was removed and will be held accountable according to our district code of conduct."
Highlights from the Batavia City School District (BCSD) Board of Education meeting on Jan. 8 include news and updates about the following:
Security and Safety Procedures Reviewed
Superintendent of Schools Chris Dailey announced that an “Emergency Go Home Early Drill” will be held on Feb. 5 as part of the required State Safety Plan. All students will be released at 1:15 p.m. and off of school grounds by 1:30 p.m.
The BOE Safety Committee Chair Amy Barone reported that the committee met in December with Batavia City Police Chief Shawn Heubusch to review and discuss school safety. In addition to providing the district’s internal safety plan to the police department, the group discussed more police presence on school property (including both an increase in patrolling the grounds as well as having officers come inside buildings during extracurricular activities), police access to school buildings in a lock-down situation, the possibility of funding safety officer positions at schools, an increase in number and type of safety drills, and modifications to existing safety equipment and building design to increase safety functionality.
Election Day, which has been highlighted as a safety concern due to the schools being open to all voters on a day when children are present, was also discussed with proposals ranging from moving the election site off school grounds to scheduling a Superintendent’s Conference Day on voting days so that students would not be in the buildings.
Focus District Update
With two of his training sessions in Albany completed and another coming up in March, Superintendent Dailey reported that the district continues to move forward with meeting state requirements and criteria for the school improvement plan that identifies areas of need as well as programs and activities to help increase student achievement.
As one of the state’s requirements for the evaluation process is to work with non-district educational experts, Dailey noted that the district is fortunate to be working with Steve Uebbing, Ed.D., and Sandra Quinones, Ed.D., from the University of Rochester. They will meet with district administration and staff to help increase understanding of the six tenets of the state’s diagnostic process as well as to facilitate preparation for the state’s visits to the district and the middle school. The visit will take place in June.
In addition, bids are going out to approved vendors for the creation of surveys to solicit feedback from students, staff and parents. Overall, Dailey said, the process in very extensive and the district continues to make progress.
As noted at previous board meetings, the district did not meet New York State’s proficiency benchmarks in the 2010-2011 school year for one subgroup of students. As a result, it has been identified by the NYS Education Department as a Focus District, which is required to choose at least one school on which to focus efforts toward improvement for this subgroup.
Because the middle school has the greatest number of students in the specified subgroup, it was chosen as the Focus School. The district has assembled a school improvement committee to develop and implement a plan that identifies areas of need as well as programs and activities to help increase student achievement.
It’s important to note that the data used for the determination dates back to the 2010-2011 school year and if data from 2011-2012 had been used, the district would have made the target cut points. So while the district is responsible for following an approved Comprehensive Improvement Plan, many of the strategies and plans are already under way and yielding positive results.
Kindergarten Registration Begins Feb. 4
Superintendent Dailey announced that kindergarten registration for the 2013-2014 school year will take place Feb. 4-8 at Jackson Primary School in the multipurpose room.
Children who will be 5 years old on or before Dec. 1, 2013 are eligible to attend kindergarten in the fall. To register, parents are asked to go to Jackson primary on one of the designated school days between 9 a.m. and 3:30 p.m. and bring with them proof of residency such as a current utility bill or formal lease agreement, as well as the child’s birth certificate, Social Security card, and complete record of immunizations. Please note that no child can be registered without the required documentation.
Parents of new first-grade pupils are also asked to register their child in the same time frame and with the same documentation.
Jackson Primary School is located at 411 S. Jackson St. The office phone number is 343-2480, ext. 4000.
Curriculum Coordinator Hired
Superintendent Dailey announced that Curriculum Coordinator Jolene Dettman will begin work on Jan. 18. The position is shared with Pavilion Central School District. She comes from Monroe 2 where she developed expertise in the Common Core and in curriculum development.
Budget Ambassadors Appointed
Sherri Bartz, Rodney Brinkman, Frank DeMare, Jacquie Fowler, Michael Grammatico, Jay Gsell, Jill Halpin, Lynn Heintz, Patti Johnson, Cheryl Kowalik, Jason Molino, Marcia Riley, Durin Rogers, Richard Seymour, and Danielle Torcello applied and were appointed to be Budget Ambassadors for the 2013-2014 district budget proposal.
Ambassadors are residents of the district who volunteer and commit to serve on a committee which meets for two (2) two and a half (2.5) hour evening sessions. Ambassadors review the preliminary budget as developed by the administration (within parameters established by the Board of Education) and recommend to the board any modification(s) they would like to see. Their recommendations, while highly valued, are advisory rather than binding as the board develops the Proposed Budget to be brought to the voters. In addition, ambassadors agree to explain their work to any interested individual in the community.
Richmond Memorial Library Updates Goals
In addition to continuing to build on its previous goals related to space utilization, technology usage, working with the business community, and fiscal responsibility, the Richmond Memorial Library Board has approved goals for 2013-2017. Library Director Diana Wyrwa presented the revised mission statement and outlined the four goals.
The updated mission statement is “Richmond Memorial Library continually provides access to physical and virtual resources and services that meet the educational, informational, and recreational needs of its diverse community in a safe and comfortable environment.”
The four goals are:
1. Engage diverse populations with specific library programs and services.
2. Provide multifaceted resources and assistance for all ages to continue learning throughout their lives.
3. Act as a central source for information about and support of the wide variety of programs, services, and activities available to Batavia residents.
4. Provide ongoing economic stability for the library.
In addition, Wyrwa announced that, in 2014, the library will celebrate being open for 125 years. Plans are being made now to commemorate that event.
Financial Summary Report
Business Administrator Scott Rozanski reported on the November 2012 revenue and expenses for the district, reviewing them in comparison to the November 2011 figures.
Overall, the recorded revenues in the year-to-year comparison were fairly consistent, with an increase of $467,000 or slightly less than 2 percent. The most significant increases were recorded in Real Property Tax Levy and in state and federal aid. Real Property Tax Levy, which is counted as revenue when levied rather than when actually received, showed an increase of $355,000. State and federal aid showed an increase of $311,000, largely due to the state making its customary TRS (Teacher Retirement System) payments which the district is obliged to record as income.
Decreases in the “miscellaneous” category of $153,000 were largely due to BOCES refunds for both unused billed expenses as well as an increase in their state aid. In addition, the Non-property Tax Items category (utility tax) was down slightly more than $86,000. The utility tax, as has often been reported, experiences regular fluctuations and has been trending lower than last year.
Expenses were up by approximately $93,000 or slightly less than 1 percent, which was less than expected and primarily due to timing of payments in transportation.
Highlights from the Batavia City School District (BCSD) Board of Education meeting on December 18, 2012, include the following:
• Security Procedures Reviewed
• Last BOE Meeting for Retiring Superintendent of Schools Margaret Puzio
Security Procedures Reviewed
Superintendent of Schools Margaret Puzio reported that she met with the District Management Team to review safety procedures that are currently in place, discuss ideas to improve safety, and make recommendations for items to be addressed by the Board’s Safety Committee. All principals have been reviewing safety protocol with staff to ensure that the policies that are already in place are understood and followed. In addition, the District Facebook page had several parents comment, asking questions and raising concerns about the safety of students. One concern mentioned by a few parents was the current practice of holding public votes at school buildings during school hours - because this grants the public unrestricted access to the school building. While this and other similar issues will need to be addressed by the Safety Committee, the District did release this statement earlier, posting it on its Facebook page, in order to correct misconceptions and update the Facebook participants as to what measures are being taken to address security:
“Security procedures at BHS are the same as all other district school buildings with the exception of times. Exact times vary depending on the start time for the school day. At BHS, three doors are open and supervised during student arrival time from 7:00 until 8:05. At 8:05, all doors automatically lock and remain locked throughout the school day. Visitors to the building can enter the vestibule at the main entrance, but must press the intercom to be seen by a staff member on a monitor and must state their business before being allowed entrance into the main office, where sign-in and temporary visitor badges are issued. At the end of the day, doors automatically open and remain open until a designated time in the evening. This allows athletic and other extracurricular participants to enter the building, along with pre-approved community users. We are in the process of reviewing all safety protocols at this time. Our district Safety Committee plans to meet Thursday 12/20.”
A second statement was prepared later and shared with the Board at the evening meeting:
“Our district staff and students have expressed their shock and sympathy in light of last week’s school shooting in Connecticut. Batavia Middle School students are writing cards to be delivered to the students in the Sandy Hook School District as a part of the middle school mindset – be connected.
Many parents have requested information about steps the district is taking to ensure the safety of our school buildings. As part of our last capital project, all buildings received a technology upgrade that included automatic locking outside doors that operate on timers, cameras on doors, and intercoms and monitors to control outsider access to the building. During the last two days:
• Principals have reviewed safety protocols with staff.
• We reviewed our safety procedures building by building at our Management Team meeting and highlighted several areas where we can make immediate changes to create safer environments.
• Some items were referred to a meeting of the District Safety Committee that will occur on Thursday 12/20 at 3 p.m.
• We have invited Batavia Chief of Police Shawn Heubusch to participate in this meeting. In our conversation early on Monday morning, he assured me that he and his team were meeting today to discuss the tragedy in Connecticut and steps that need to be taken here in Batavia to decrease the likelihood of a tragedy here in Batavia.
We all play a role in guarding the safety of our children. If parents or students see something out of the ordinary or if they have a suggestion, they are asked to please share it with either their school principal or Mr. Dailey, our incoming superintendent, or me. It is by working together that we will achieve the highest level of safety.”
~
Previously, the District had posted the following letter from Superintendent Puzio, then the update previously mentioned:
Dear Parents and Members of our School Community,
We extend our sympathy, thoughts, and prayers to our fellow educators, students, parents, and community members in Connecticut. Our children are our hope for a better future and protecting them from danger is our top priority.
As we try to make sense out of this unthinkable tragedy, please know that we take every possible precaution to ensure the safety of our school buildings and we will be especially vigilant during this week. School violence can happen anywhere, but it is still extremely rare. This will be a busy week with many classroom celebrations as our students share their excitement about the holidays and upcoming winter break. Staff members will be sensitive to students who may wish to talk about what they have seen and heard and our counselors are available for additional support. Don't hesitate to ask your principal for support or guidance if needed.
We will be reviewing all emergency procedures and safety protocols with our staff and confirming our procedures for controlling outsider entrance to the school. We will work with the Batavia Police Department as well. Ask your building principal if you have any questions about building procedures.
Thank you for your support and cooperation in keeping all of our students and staff safe.
Margaret Puzio
Superintendent
~~
Superintendent Puzio Retires
With this being her last official Board meeting, Superintendent Margaret Puzio thanked the Board, sharing the following:
I would like to take this opportunity to thank the Board, staff, parents, students, and friends of the Batavia City School District. It has been my honor and pleasure to be an educational leader in this community. I can truly say that our students are the best kids I have ever worked with in my educational career. The staff is outstanding - professional, dedicated, knowledgeable, caring, and fun. The Board of Education has changed some of its members over the last eleven years, but one thing has stayed the same - the exceptional level of leadership and dedication to doing what is right for kids.
I am looking forward to retirement, but please know that you will always have a grateful and enthusiastic cheerleader for the Batavia City School District looking on from the sidelines.
Thank you and God bless.
~
Likewise, Board President Wally Guenther thanked Mrs. Puzio for her years of dedication and service, noting that he respected and appreciated her commitment to the District and to the students.
Submitted by Tom Ingalsbe:
Members of the Batavia Teachers' Association pose for a picture at the culmination of their "No Shave November" competition. The competition raised nearly $200 for Anna's Wish and the Kay Dean Memorial Scholarship Fund. For more information on Anna's Wish, please go to http://www.annaswish.org/.
Announcement:
Due to the pending sale of the Administration Building at 39 Washington Ave., the Batavia City School District Administration Offices will be relocated to Batavia High School, 260 State St., starting Friday, Nov. 9.
The offices will all be accessible through the State Street parking lot.
Superintendent/Personnel -- Room 48
Registration/Curriculum -- Room 40
Student Services -- Room 43
Buildings & Grounds -- Room 41
Business -- Room 45
Boardroom -- Room 49
All phone numbers and extensions will remain the same. Any questions, please call 343-2480, ext. 1000.
Yesterday was the official opening of Alexander Elementary School's outdoor classroom. Sixth-graders McKenna Moran and Nick Allen did the honors for the ribbon-cutting ceremony, with some assistance from preschool teacher Ellie Jinks.
Parents, kids and community members braved the autumn morning chill to attend the ceremony celebrating the opening of the very first certified outdoor classroom in Upstate NY.
McKenna and Nick were among the students who helped with this project last year as fifth-graders. They were honored student speakers at the ribbon-cutting ceremony, where each praised the outdoor classroom's merits from a student's perspective.
"(It's great that) instead of just staying inside all day and writing papers," McKenna said, "kids get to be outside doing hands-on things and still learn the same things they would be learning inside."
"I think it's a great addition to our school," Nick said when addressing the crowd. "We don't get to go outside very much. And like McKenna said, instead of just reading about nature in books, we get to go outside (and learn in a hands-on way). I want to thank all the donors (and everyone who helped out)."
Guest speaker Sen. Michael Ranzenhofer called Alexander's outdoor classroom "a shining example of what all of Genesee County, and really the rest of New York State, should do."
He also said that "our kids are in front of too many screens (TV screens, computers, iPods, etc.)," and that projects like this show dedication to "where education should be going -- into the future."
Alexander School Board Vice President Reed Pettys cited studies indicating that:
"Our hope is that for many years and decades to come," Pettys said, "this outdoor classroom will give relief to many individuals."
More photos after the jump (click on the headline):
Jinks, who has taught in Alexander for 38 years, jumpstarted this project a little over a year ago.
She applied for and won a Pepsi Refresh grant, and with the help of teachers, school administrators, school board members, parents, community members and local businesses -- as well as the Arbor Day Foundation and Dimensions Educational Research Foundation -- she was able to make her dream of an outdoor classroom a reality.
She drew her initial inspiration from something she learned as a student at SUNY Geneseo.
"I learned that unstructured play is good for the health and relationships of both children and adults."
Throughout the process, she was inspired by the generosity and support of the school and wider community via fundraisers, social media and a lot of hard work.
Alexander Central School District Superintendent Kathleen Maerten said she was "most proud of the fact that funding for this project came from grants, local businesses and community generosity. No district funds were used."
Maerten emphasized that there is still work to be done. The Outdoor Classroom Committee would like to eventually install a bike and walking path around the classroom, an amphitheater for performances and a greenhouse.
In addition to these, of course, is the challenge of routine maintenance.
"This is going to require a continued commitment from the school and the community," Maerten said.
More photos:
Kathy Busch, vice principal of the elementary school, contributed to the Fall "mood" by serving apple cider.
Patrick Kelly enjoyed the sandbox while his sisters tiptoed around the edge.
Billy Marchison, meanwhile, was rocking the "Wheeled Toy Area."
Businesses that have supported this project include the following:
Pepsi Corporation
Alexander Equipment
Attica Packaging Co.
Concreations, LLC
Eberhard Landscaping
Johnson's Nursery
Pudgie's Nursery
United Materials
Home Depot Foundation
A-1 Supply Co., LLC
Bernard Schmeider PE, LS
Conservation Connects
Frey Sand and Gravel
Merle Excavating
Springtyme Landscaping
Z & M Ag and Turf
Lowe's Foundation
Attica Hardware
Bonsal American
Dominick and Daughters
Iroquois Job Corps
Palmiter's Nursery
Thomson Rustic Furnishings
Previous coverage:
New classroom will give Alexander students a place to learn in the great outdoors
Alexander Elementary School holds open house for outdoor classroom
Annual External Audit Report Presented
David Mancuso of Freed Maxick, CPAs, PC, presented a summary of their audit of the basic financial statements of the Batavia City School District for the fiscal year that ended June 30, indicating that there were no significant, unusual or controversial transactions or accounting practices.
Some specific points from the report and presentation follow.
The complete report will be available on the district’s Web site (www.bataviacsd.org): go to the “District” tab for a drop-down menu, scroll down and click on “Business Office,” click on “Financial Reports,” then scroll down to the appropriate report.
More after the jump, click on the headline.
Jackson Primary School Toured
Jackson Primary School Principal Diane Bonarigo welcomed the board of education members and guests to the school which now houses two universal pre-kindergarten classrooms (each with a morning and afternoon class), 10 kindergarten classes, nine first-grade classes, and one 12:1 class. In addition to providing a tour of the facility, she introduced several initiatives that will begin soon. The first, Science Stars, “starring” first-graders, will run from November to June and will involve various labs and activities that will culminate in a science fair. A second will be an ELA and math night this fall for students and their parents in which teachers will plan and present fun lessons aligned with the Common Core Standards. In January, advanced writers and readers will have an opportunity to publish a piece of their work, ideally one with a national audience.
Annual Professional Performance Review Plan (APPR) Approved
In the final step before submitting it to the NYS Education Department (NYSED), Deputy Superintendent Chris Dailey presented the district’s APPR plan to the board for its approval. In his presentation, he explained the 100-point scoring system that is used to rate teachers and principals as highly effective (91-100 points), effective (75-90 points), developing (65-74 points), or ineffective (0-64 points), noting that “effective” and “highly effective” are the only acceptable target scores. In addition, he explained state and local criteria and measurement tools -- such as student grades on state and/or local assessments, on-site observations by a supervisor, and setting and meeting targeted goals that boost student success -- that are used to determine scores. While the APPR format is new, the process of staff development and of implementing strategies to improve student learning -- the true aim of the APPR plan -- have long been the standard.
The board adopted the plan which now will be sent to the NYS Education Department for approval. While expecting the plan to be approved by the state, Mr. Dailey also reminded the board that this was a one-year plan so the committee will continue to review and adjust it in preparation for next year. The board and superintendent of schools commended Mr. Dailey and the committee for their work in the development of the plan.
The APPR plan, once approved by the state, will be posted on the district Web site.
2013-2014 Budget Calendar and Board’s Budget Guidelines
Business Administrator Scott Rozanski submitted for approval a budget calendar to be followed for the preparation and presentation of the 2012-2013 spending plan for the district, leading up to the vote in May. Some important dates to note include the following:
· Deadline for turning in Budget Ambassador applications: Jan. 3
· Budget Ambassador meetings: Feb. 13 and 20
· Board of Education petitions due: April 24
· Voter Registration Day: April 24
· Proposed Budget available for public view: May 6
· Presentation of Proposed Budget/Propositions: May 14, 7 p.m., Batavia High
· Budget, Board of Education, and Propositions (if any) vote: May 21, 7 a.m. through 9 p.m. at Batavia High and John Kennedy Intermediate schools.
He also presented suggested guidelines requiring board input and approval, based on parameters that the board has set in the past for the development of the preliminary budget. Those guidelines, as approved by the board, include:
Student Count and Consolidation; Superintendent Report
Superintendent of Schools Margaret Puzio reported that the annual count of students which provides a snapshot of student enrollment -- the Basic Educational Data System (BEDS) -- held no big surprises. The district has 23 more students than at this time last year, most of which are in the ninth grade and, to a slightly lesser degree, the fifth grade.
In continuing to check in on the consolidation process, Mrs. Puzio visited the fifth-grade wing at the middle school during one of the enrichment periods held twice a week. Noting that “it was even better than expected,” she cited the students’ enthusiasm and engagement in their activities, which included groups involved in keyboarding, math games, an art project, and a creative thinking activity. Staying through dismissal, she was pleased to report that it all went very smoothly.
Alexander Elementary School invites the public to a ribbon-cutting ceremony for its new outdoor classroom on Saturday, Oct. 13 at 10 a.m.
There will be a 15- to 20-minute period of opening remarks, followed by the ribbon-cutting itself. People can then wander the classroom trails and explore. There is no set time for this -- it will depend on the weather, the turnout and people's own preferences.
Alexander Elementary School invites the public to a ribbon-cutting ceremony for its new outdoor classroom on Saturday, Oct. 13 at 10 a.m.
There will be a 15- to 20-minute period of opening remarks, followed by the ribbon-cutting itself. People can then wander the classroom trails and explore. There is no set time for this -- it will depend on the weather, the turnout and people's own preferences.
For previous coverage, see New classroom will give Alexander students a place to learn in the great outdoors.
The school is at 3314 Buffalo St. in Alexander. Contact Alexander Elementary School Principal Matt Stroud at 591-1551, ext. 1182 or e-mail mstroud3@alexandercsd.org for further details.
According to online interviews Rochester resident Sean Madden has conducted over the past two years, he is as accomplished at working with troubled children as he is as an artist.
A surrealist whose work is sure to offend mainstream sensibilities, his pen-and-ink creations have been featured in books, on screen, in galleries and sought after by collectors.
It's also his artwork that may have cost him his job with the Byron-Bergen Central School District where he was employed as a counselor.
Contacted today, Superintendent Casey Kosiorek said he couldn't discuss a "confidential matter."
Madden also said he is not very interested in talking about the situation at this stage. He said it's very early in the process and he hasn't decided yet what, if any, message he wants to share with the media.
He confirmed he has spoken with attorneys from his teacher's union and the ACLU and agreed that the case is an interesting First Amendment matter.
All of the paintings and his promotion of his art were done away from the school and not during work hours, Madden confirmed.
Beyond that, he didn't want to say more until conferring further with lawyers.
In interviews with publications in Rochester and Buffalo, Madden has said he's a husband and father who was born in Buffalo, raised there in the 1970s, attended SUNY Brockport, and eventually obtained a master's degree in counselor education.
"I worked my way up the ladder in society," Madden told Rochester at Home, "from mopping floors, to serving in restaurants, to becoming a respected counselor. I’ve spent years working with the most violent, disturbed families and kids in the system.
"I’ve been in high demand throughout my career, as I’ve worked with the toughest cases. For many years, my specialty was working with emotionally disturbed kids in institutions. I’ve worked in classrooms that many people were too afraid to work in — the kids were too aggressive."
Without cooperation of the school district, it's unclear how long Madden was employed by Byron-Bergen, but according to See Through New York, his tenure goes back to at least 2008 and in 2011 he earned $59,000.
It's unknown to what degree the school district was aware of Madden's work prior to hiring him. The district has been through at least one change in superintendents since he started working there.
Unless the district issues a statement, we also don't know if there other issues, from the district's perspective, involved in the apparent dismissal of Madden.
Madden's personal Web site contains samples of his artwork, which features iconic subjects in surreal circumstances and in themes some may find distasteful.
The fact that not everybody will find his art appealing seems to be fine by Madden. He told Buffalo Rising that he isn't after the same kind of success as a guy who paints puppies.
"For a guy like me -- who does blasphemous, sexually explicit, psycho-representational work -- it's a much bigger deal," Madden said. "I'm not worried about the general public liking my work.
"After all, they haven't voted for a female president yet, so who cares what they think? The general public is stupid. However, the folks who understand my work -- weirdo intelligentsia -- them I care about."
SUBMITTED by Kathie Scott, coordinator of public information, Batavia city schools
“Like Us” on Facebook, and Respond to Survey
Public Relations Committee Chair Patrick Burk reported that the committee continues to explore cost-effective ways to increase coverage of district news and accomplishments, with both the amount of news and the methods of delivery being expanded.
A survey has been posted to the Web site ( http://www.bataviacsd.org/news.cfm?story=958&school=0), will be sent home in school newsletters, and will be inside the district newsletter in order to solicit input from the full spectrum of community members about their preferences regarding district communications. The committee is exploring the use of college interns as well as BHS students as a means to expand its capabilities for covering positive news.
The district launched a Facebook page (http://www.facebook.com/BataviaCitySchools) in time for Homecoming and has been encouraging students, particularly those involved with the BHS yearbook and those taking media courses, to become involved in providing pictures and short news items for it. The page will also serve as a feeder that leads back to more detailed information on our Web site.
Also carrying the Homecoming theme, Board Member Gretchen DiFante interviewed two teachers who are BHS alumni -- Physical Education teacher and Varsity Football Coach Brennan Briggs and Science teacher Elena Chmielowiec -- for their stories about graduation from and returning to BHS. That article is posted on our Web site (http://www.bataviacsd.org/news.cfm?story=954) as well as online with www.thebatavian.com and thedailynewsonline.com
Superintendent of Schools Margaret Puzio, who has been an active member of the committee, added that BHS teachers have responded enthusiastically to the idea of incorporating some publicity-related “real life” experiences into their lessons by having students photograph and write about events. She also said she has been keeping the Management Team informed of the PR Committee’s initiatives and all are excited about the possibilities.
BHS Homecoming in Full Swing
Student Ex-officio Board Member Kaitlin Logsdon updated the board members on the activities at the high school, including activities for Homecoming Week, Sept. 24-28. (http://www.bataviacsd.org/news.cfm?story=951&school=0 ), and athletic updates, including the boys’ cross-country team coming in first last weekend, gymnastics team coming in second in its last competition, and the swim team winning its first meet of the season. In addition, organizations such as honor societies have begun meeting and planning their events for the year.
More after the jump (click on the headline):
New Inductees for Athletic Hall of Fame
Superintendent of Schools Margaret Puzio announced the upcoming Athletic Hall of Fame Induction, one of the featured events of Homecoming. This will be the 11th Annual Batavia Blue Devil Athletic Hall of Fame induction and this year’s honorees include William J. Walters (Class of 1923); Patrick Marabella (Class of 1957); Sue Medley (Class of 1982); Wendy Folger (Class of 1969); Robert Thurston (Class of 1985); and Philip Grazioplene (Class of 1987). Inductees will be announced during halftime at the Homecoming football game and will be formally inducted the following night at a dinner in their honor.
Improvement Plan for Focus School
As noted at a previous board meeting by Superintendent Puzio, the district did not meet New York State’s proficiency benchmarks for one subgroup of students. As a result, it has been identified as a Focus District, and is required to choose at least one school on which to focus efforts toward improvement for this subgroup.
Because the middle school has the greatest number of students in the specified subgroup, it was chosen as the Focus School. The district must assemble a school improvement committee to develop a plan that identifies areas of need as well as programs and activities to help increase student achievement.
It’s important to note that the data used for the determination dates back to the 2010-2011 school year and if data from 2011-2012 had been used, the district would have made the target cut points. So while the district is responsible for submitting a Comprehensive Improvement Plan to the state, many of the strategies and plans are already under way and yielding positive results. In addition, Deputy Superintendent Chris Dailey will attend a training in Albany that will focus on what the state requires.
Annual Professional Performance Review (APPR) Update
Deputy Superintendent Chris Dailey announced that the Batavia Teachers Association voted to support the APPR that the district has been working on for approximately two years.
The nearly unanimous support may be a reflection of the APPR committee’s thorough research of what other districts were doing as well as their solicitation of a broad base of input from our own district teachers throughout the process of creating the plan. The next step is to formally present the final draft to the Board of Education at the Oct. 9 meeting for its approval then begin implementing it. Dailey believes the plan will be a model for other districts to follow.
Dignity for All Students Act
Jamie Polhamus, an instructional support specialist for the district and the district’s School Dignity Act coordinator provided an overview of The New York State Dignity for All Students Act, (familiarly known as “The Dignity Act”) its purpose, and what it means for our district.
The Dignity Act is a New York State Educational Law that became effective July 1. The purposes of the legislation are:
The Dignity Act’s underlying premise is that preventative and non-punitive intervention, in response to incidents of discrimination and/or harassment, is the best way to achieve school environments free from harassment and discrimination.
Schools are encouraged to use a variety of intervention measures to address discrimination and/or harassment, including restorative practices, conflict resolution, peer-mediation, and counseling, rather than over-relying on exclusionary methods of discipline, such as suspension.
The district has already implemented initiatives and staff training that are in line with The Dignity Act and will continue to utilize programs already in place such as PBIS (Positive Behaviorial Interventions and Supports) and the Olweus Bullying Prevention Program.
In addition, Dignity Act coordinators have attended a full-day workshop and have presented the additional information to all staff and all students, adapting the presentation as was befitting for each group.
The district’s Code of Conduct has been updated, as has been the information on the Web site regarding Dignity Act information/resources. Documentation if incidents occur will be handled using a system that had been recently implemented, although some modifications may be made in the future.
Coming up next, building newsletters will include information on the Dignity Act, coordinators will attend another training session this fall then update staff, and counselors will develop grade-appropriate student lessons to be presented district-wide.
Financial Summary Report
Business Administrator Scott Rozanski reported on the July 2012 revenue and expenses for the district, reviewing them in comparison to the July 2011 figures.
Recorded revenues were down by nearly $35,000, primarily in the non-property tax items category (utility tax). The utility tax, as has often been reported, experiences regular fluctuations, particularly early in the year. Expenses were also down. The decrease of approximately $20,500 is primarily due to the timing of billing cycles, particularly in this instance in regard to payment of general liability insurance premiums.
Auditors Review Financial Statements
Audit Committee Chair Phil Ricci reported that the committee met with the auditors to review financial statements from the last fiscal year and, noting that the auditors had only minor comments, he commended Business Administrator Scott Rozanski and the Business Office staff for their work.
Administration Building Offices Will Move
Buildings and Grounds Committee Chair Amy Barone reported to the board that, at its last meeting, the committee discussed the public vote to sell the Administration Building and the resulting plans for relocating offices that are currently housed in that building, particularly the IT department.
They also reviewed the Building Condition Survey and the Roof Report for the roof of the Richmond Memorial Library. Roof work would be a capital project and, as such, would require voter approval. They also continue to work on the leasing of Robert Morris, and currently have two potential tenants.
Batavia High’s Varsity Football Head Coach Brennan Briggs (2004 BHS graduate) and Science teacher Elena Chmielowiec (2006 BHS graduate) participated in homecoming each year while attending the high school.
Briggs was the starting quarterback and Chmielowiec was a varsity cheerleader. Both experienced a more permanent homecoming when they returned to their alma mater as staff members and to Batavia, a city they are proud to call home.
In addition, Briggs and Chmielowiec are both following in their fathers’ footsteps.
Jim Briggs was a Physical Education teacher and the varsity football coach at Gates-Chili for more than 30 years.
From the time his only son, Brennan, was born, he spent his fall Friday evenings at his father's games. Brennan grew to love football and has become a continuous student of the game. When asked about his coaching mentors, he is quick to give credit to his father (first and foremost), and his own coaches.
He describes how he has been able to choose aspects from every coach he has learned from and adopt the things that fit for him. He doesn’t stop at learning all he can from the coaches he knows personally.
A copy of the book "How Good Do You Want to Be?" by University of Alabama’s Coach Nick Saban lies on the desk next to him. When asked about the book, he smiles and says, “I’ve read it, along with the books of (Auburn University’s) Gene Chizik and (Seattle Seahawks’) Pete Carroll.
“No matter how long you coach, you never stop learning. I don’t want to get to the point where I accept where I am and stop striving to improve.”
Briggs’ vision includes goals for Batavia
“I’d like to see the Batavia football program back in its winning position. We need to start with a winning record, then set our goals on a sectional championship and just keep moving on from there.”
The success of the Batavia football program is obviously important to Briggs, a true competitor; however it’s hard to tell whether it trumps his underlying motivation for the success of the individuals he is tasked to lead.
“I want to see our student athletes placed in the best position they can to succeed, not just in high school, but throughout their lives.”
It is Briggs’ former teachers and coaches at Batavia and at college in Homer that helped him develop a desire to influence student athletes.
“All my high school coaches provided guidance to me; however, Coach John Kirkwood (his modified football coach and sports medicine teacher) taught me to work hard and good things will come from it. Coach Kirkwood has always been a hard-working man, and he respected my work ethic, so we related to each other very well.”
Briggs is also quick to credit teachers with impacting him and specifically recalls the influence of Global Teacher Nan Zorn.
“Miss Zorn was strict, and she made things fun. I worked hard, and I did goof around a little bit. She appreciated my sense of humor while challenging me to learn and grow at same time.”
Briggs can easily describe why he chose to return to Batavia. He says that he loves this community, because his family is here and he wants to continue to make this city his home. When asked about the size of his own family, he responds in an unexpected way: he first explains how many siblings each of his parents have, and then he goes on to talk about his own two sisters and nephews.
Briggs’ sense of family is broad and deeply ingrained in his sense of self. When talking about his hobbies outside of work, he is enthusiastic in his description of the family cabin in the Southern Tier and his love of hunting and fishing.
He can quickly articulate a goal for hunting -- to get a trophy buck. In speaking about his hunting record so far, it is not surprising that Briggs is patiently awaiting the perfect target -- there will be no waste to his methodical pursuit of this goal nor any other.
Unfortunately, Briggs did not experience a homecoming win while playing football for Batavia. When asked if he thinks Batavia can defeat Hornell, Briggs lights up and says, “my dad says Vandetta Stadium is made for snapping streaks. Notre Dame High School snapped Cal-Mum’s 49-game win streak in 1981, and we are looking to snap Hornell’s 42-game win streak.”
I have no doubt that Briggs will eventually lead Batavia to a sectional championship. His pursuit will be purposefully sought and patiently waited upon. When it does come, the opponents will be surprised -- a little like Briggs’ future first trophy buck -- unprepared and suddenly discovering itself as a bowl of venison stew at a very large Briggs family feast.
Elena Chmielowiec “inherited” her love for science from her dad. Don Chmielowiec, an Earth Science teacher at Brockport High School, taught Elena, through his own passion, to be both amazed at and inquisitive about the Earth.
Don has supplied rocks for Ward’s Science Supply Company for as long as his daughter can remember.
“When I was growing up, we went on rock-hunting expeditions all over the Northeast. We searched for fossils or specific rocks with a certain kind of color or texture, and I loved it. My Dad loves rocks, and I love stars...I was just destined to be a nerd.”
Chmielowiec knew, from the time she was in third grade, that she wanted to be a teacher. Other than her father’s influence, she was greatly affected by Sarah Grammatico, her teacher in both third and fourth grades.
“Mrs. Grammatico is the reason I wanted to become a teacher. She had a way of teaching and caring at the same time that made you just want to do well in her class. I wanted to be able to make the same difference in the lives of students that Mrs. Grammatico had made in mine.”
During her four years at Batavia High School, Chmielowiec joined the varsity cheerleading squad.
“We were terrible when we first started, and the other squads made fun of us at competitions. Kristen Shamp (Glow) was our coach, and she was determined to build the cheerleading program into something Batavia could be proud of.”
Coach Shamp drove the team to learn all they could about cheerleading.
“We attended camps, and studied the winning squads," says Chmielowiec, “and we worked through the spring and summer to learn to stunt and improve our gymnastics abilities.”
Chmielowiec also gives credit for their success to the families of the cheerleaders.
“Every family was involved and worked together to ensure that the squad had everything it needed. It was a year-round commitment for all of us.”
The result of this hard work was that the squad won sectionals her senior year and went to nationals.
“We went from the laughing stock of the section to winning sectionals in those four years. That whole process really built up my confidence.”
When it came to homecoming, Batavia never won a homecoming game while she was in high school, but Chmielowiec is quick to point out that fact didn’t make homecoming week any less amazing.
“I loved performing at the pep assembly, attending the bonfire, the powder puff games and hall decorating. We still have most of those traditions today.”
Chmielowiec’s desire to become a teacher in Batavia seems almost destined. After graduating from Brockport with a degree in Science Education, she applied for only two teaching positions -- one in Batavia and one in Hawaii. (Chmielowiec decided to apply for a teaching position in the Maui City School District after she and her family traveled to Maui upon winning a trip from the Regis and Kelly television show.)
After completing a student teaching job in Batavia, Chmielowiec received a call that she had been granted an interview in Maui; however, in the same week, she received a job offer from Batavia High School, where she had performed her student teaching.
“There was no doubt in my mind. I wanted to be in Batavia.”
Chmielowiec was highly motivated by her dad’s approach to teaching and to life: “When I saw my Dad being successful, even on the days he was frustrated with his job, it taught me to power through and go back the next day ready to make a difference.”
She realized the difference her father had made in the lives of his students from the feedback he has gotten and continues to receive from former students.
“One of my former students searched and found my sister on Facebook and told my sister what a difference I had made in her life, and that kind of comment makes it easy to overcome the tougher aspects of the job.”
Chmielowiec hates to see students wish away their high school years.
“It’s important to be involved and make the most of high school,” she says. “Once it’s over, you can never get that time back, so you need to embrace each day by learning all you can, both academically and with extra curricular activities.”
When she’s not teaching, Chmielowiec enjoys spending time with her flat-coated retriever "George."
“I call him Geo, because it means Earth,” laughs Chmielowiec. “We enjoy hiking, running and walking. He’s 60 pounds, but he thinks he’s four pounds. I’m thinking of bringing him to school, because he’d be a nice addition to my classroom.”
It’s doubtful Chmielowiec’s students will spend time with Geo in the classroom. However, it’s quite possible they may run into Chmielowiec and Geo searching for rocks in a local park or marveling at their favorite constellations in a clear Batavia evening sky.
Upcoming fifth- and sixth-graders and their families got to see their new school, meet their new teachers, and connect with their peer mentors at Batavia Middle School's open house on Thursday.
What is a peer mentor, you ask? Well, here are a few:
Paige Hameister, Brianna Ball and Madison Mitchell are part of a team of more than 50 eighth-graders whose task it will be to welcome, support and serve as role models for their younger classmates throughout the 2012-2013 school year.
Their mentorship is part of "BMS Connects," an orientation program that was started in 2009 to welcome sixth-graders to the Middle School. This year, the program has been expanded to welcome both fifth- and sixth-graders in the wake of the school district consolidation.
According to a press release from the Batavia City School District, the purpose of "BMS Connects" is "to help fifth- and sixth-grade students feel more comfortable as well as help them achieve success in their first year at the Middle School."
Wednesday, Sept. 5, will be "Connect Day," a day of activities for fifth- and sixth-graders. It will follow a regular school day schedule. Students will come in at 8 a.m. (reporting to their homerooms by 8:07) and leave at 2:45 p.m.
The day will include team building activities involving Cain's Taekwondo, the City of Batavia Youth Bureau, the eighth-grade mentors and all BMS staff.
Fifth-graders will have their activities in the morning, sixth-graders in the afternoon.
Prior to the activities, the sixth-graders will get to know the school, go over their class schedules, travel around to their various classrooms, find their lockers and meet their teachers.
After morning activities, the fifth-graders will spend time getting to know their homeroom teachers (fifth-grade classes will retain the traditional elementary school model of one classroom, or "homeroom," throughout the day, broken up at intervals by "special" classes like art, music and physical education) and exploring such topics as Internet safety and "Q & A" about BMS.
The first day of school for all BMS students, grades five through eight, will be on Thursday.
A change of scene for kids and teachers
A yearly occurrence, "BMS Connects" takes on a special significance because of this year's transition. It is part of a larger process involving dedicated staff and students collaborating to welcome not only more new students than usual, but also a new batch of teachers.
Lynn Matteo is one of the fifth-grade teachers moving up to BMS (in her case, from Robert Morris School). She is pictured up top interacting with her new students and their families.
Here is a sampling of the fifth-grade teachers and aides who are "moving on up" with their students:
Pictured front row, from left: Kelly Mallaber, Shirley Boyd, Lori Easton-Penepent, Beth DeFreze, Christa Palmer, Deborah Murray, Karen Cima and Laura Kaczmarek. Back row, from left: Matteo, Charlene Barrett, Debbie Caruso, Richard Peek, Nathan Moore and Andrew Reagan.
Julia Rogers, who stepped into her new role as house administrator for fifth- and sixth-grades on July 1, talked about the large amount of effort everyone has put into making sure that the kids and their teachers enjoy as smooth, comfortable and welcoming a transition as possible.
"(The work) started last year when everyone knew about the consolidation," Rogers said. "(BMS Principal) Sandra Griffin and Tim McArdle, our assistant principal, worked tirelessly with the school district administrators to get this rolling."
She credits Interventions counselor Eric Knapp with being the "huge organizer" behind this year's "Connect Day" program.
"He is very multi-talented," she said. "He's done this in the past, but this time he's coordinating two different programs for two different groups of students on the same day."
That said, she also stressed that this whole process has been a team effort building-wide and district-wide, from the top administrators to the BMS custodial staff who had the fifth-grade classrooms ready for the teachers by mid-August.
"The teachers and support staff have really embraced this."
Fifth-grade staff members shared their perspectives on the transition as well.
"So far it's gone very well," Matteo said, "because everyone here is very warm and welcoming. They have made us feel right at home."
Shirley Boyd, formerly an aide at Jackson School, said the experience has been very exciting.
"You have to be willing to welcome change," she said, "and they (BMS staff and other fifth-grade staff) are doing that."
Mentors, models, friends
As is the case every year, the eighth-grade mentors have embraced their role with enthusiasm as well.
"It really is a big honor," mentor McKenna Dziemian said. "You have a lot of respect on your shoulders, but it's a huge responsibility as well."
"BMS Connects" is designed to benefit the mentors as well as the mentored. According to the district's press release, "the 'Connect Day' program helps mentors develop leadership skills, responsibility and team work as they begin their transition process to the high school."
Dajah Williams and Jhensy Etienne, both eighth-grade mentors, said that they were prepared for their task through training that included:
Mentors will be assigned to individual fifth- and sixth-grade homerooms, and they will spend all of Wednesday with their charges. They, as well as staff, will help to answer students' questions and orientate them to the middle school.
According to Rogers, the mentors will be involved with their younger peers to varying degrees throughout the school year. For example, they might assist with activities in fifth- and sixth-grade classrooms, or a mentor might be "called upon if a child needs a friend or support."
"The big thing is that the fifth- and sixth-grade students will see faces they know (when the school year officially starts)."
High expectations are set for all of the mentors. As role models, they are expected to keep their grades up and model good behavior throughout the year.
Excitement for a new beginning
Rogers said that Thursday's open house, which included separate sessions for fifth-graders and sixth-graders, went very well.
"The students are really excited," she said. "I've noticed that most of their questions are focused on who their teachers will be."
Any families who were not able to attend the open house can access the House Student Handbook and Thursday's PowerPoint presentations by visiting the BMS 5/6 House Web page.
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