Paul Kesler during an interview with The Batavian in March. Photo by Howard Owens.
When Paul Kesler was about to embark on another level of his career at Batavia City Schools five years ago, he was filled with mixed emotions about leaving the staff he had come to regard as family at John Kennedy Intermediate School.
“My whole experience in 13 years in Batavia has been here. That's going to be the struggle, saying goodbye,” he had said when preparing to leave for a role as principal of the high school in October 2017.
During Monday night’s Board of Education meeting, the group approved Kesler’s latest appointment, which may mean more of those emotional goodbye moments. But this time he’ll be returning to familiar faces as principal of John Kennedy once again.
“Thank you so much to the board. I've been an administrator in Batavia since 2005. And one of the really exciting pieces about being a high school principal is some of your children that I had in elementary school, and to hand them their diploma. And so, I've just been extremely grateful to have such a long career here in Batavia and to continue that at John Kennedy,” Kesler said. “But it's also at the same time bittersweet just because of, I just saw the positive things that we've been able to do together with the high school students.
"And so I just wanted to say thank you, and I really appreciate your ongoing support.”
Earlier this month Superintendent Jason Smith had recommended John Kennedy Principal Brian Sutton for the position of Director of Educational Technology, effective July 1. Smith then recommended Kesler for that soon-to-be vacant role, with qualifications as “an exceptional leader” in the district for the last 18 years.
“Paul started his career at John Kennedy, and I was thrilled when he approached me about returning,” Smith said. “Paul’s steadfast commitment to BCSD and the Batavia community is admirable, and I look forward to his return to JK and thank him for his memorable and impactful five years leading BHS.”
With the departure of Kesler as Principal of BHS, Smith and the BCSD leadership team will immediately begin the search process to name a replacement.
A bomb threat about a school bus in Batavia and a threat to “shoot up a school,” causing a lockout in all Genesee County schools.
Both of those incidents happened in just the last three weeks, and although — thankfully — they were found not to be credible — both were threats of violence involving school children and personnel. Each one stemmed from a call within the City of Batavia, and subsequent investigations found the suspects to be juveniles.
Are they harmless pranks? Can anything with such violence attached — a bomb on a school bus and shooting up a school — be considered harmless? The Batavian reached out to Superintendent Jason Smith to find out what the city school district is doing proactively in light of these recent and potentially increasing threats.
Is the city school district treating students and school bus transportation any differently, any more cautiously, given this and other recent threats -- real or not -- against district students and/or personnel? “We have a very trusting relationship with STA, our transportation provider, and will continue to rely on that relationship to keep our students safe,” Smith said. “We also have the same relationship with the Batavia Police Department, and this, again, is integral in our successful open, transparent, and real-time communication.
“We continue to remind the entire Batavia community to please report any suspicious behavior, as we appreciate the call received from this most recent threat found to be not credible.”
That call came from a local business that received a call from “what was believed to be a juvenile stating there was a bomb on a school bus” at a location in the City of Batavia, according to Batavia Police Tuesday.
The city school district hired an additional school resource officer this past year -- a cost of approximately $100,000 per officer for salary and benefits -- making it two officers for the district. At the time, shootings in other parts of the country, Texas being one, were named as reasons for bringing more security on board at the district.
Are School Resource Officers being put to use in any different way given these threats -- Are they more visible? Going on bus rides with students? Are you having increased school assemblies, reminders, precautions within the district? “Our SROs will be deployed when and where needed, which could include visibility as needed on our school buses,” Smith said.
While these threats have so far been found to be false, how do you move forward and not treat them all with a "crying wolf" mentality so as not to overlook the one that might actually be real one day? “We will never treat a threat as ‘crying wolf,’ we will continue to rely on the experts at the Batavia Police Department to investigate these threats, and they will be prosecuted to the fullest extent possible, and our Code of Conduct will be followed,” Smith said.
The city school district has increased its number of counselors available for students, spurred by post-COVID funding and the perceived effects of pandemic protocols on student learning and emotional impacts.
Are you ramping up counseling to try and detect any troubled kids that might be on the edge of a really bad day? What do you look for? How do you react? “We have an outstanding counseling team, and our Counseling Department Chairperson just updated the Board at our meeting on Monday night. We have a comprehensive counseling plan, a crisis intervention protocol, relationships with outside mental health providers and therapists, school social workers, etc., that all work as a team to provide support to our students and families,” he said. “Our reaction ranges from a variety of steps: calmly, immediately, swiftly, thoughtful, transparently, and/or communicative with relevant parties and stakeholders.
“Since mental health has gained more attention, yes, our counseling team and administration has indeed ramped up efforts to detect and respond to children in need.”
Monday was Batavia’s Board of Education meeting, and Counseling Department Chair Sherry Crumity presented an update of how the department has been working with students and the various programs being integrated within all grade levels.
Sherry Crumity District Photo
“It’s been a busy year for counselors this year, but it’s been well worth it,” Crumity said.
Her material is based on a couple of components, including the American School Counselors Association, which provides a national model of school counseling programs to improve student outcomes.
This includes areas of academic performance, attendance, threats, and suicide; disciplinary measures; creating regular assessments to “keep our fingers on the pulse of student needs,” and to boil much of it down: “going back to the basics of learning,” Crumity said.
“The last report we got from them on a state level and through the Counseling Association is that mental health needs in schools are up 52 percent. And that's why we see so much increased funding. So counselors’ roles are definitely changing. We're collaborating more now than the teacher, with outside agencies to help us with different things,” Crumity said. “You're definitely playing a more critical role in social-emotional learning. With COVID, we sort of increased it. But I think now we're kind of really seeing the impacts of students returning to school. So counselors have definitely stepped up to the plate, and sort of navigated whether it's small counseling, large group counseling, individual counseling, meeting with parents more on a regular basis, and definitely expanding our social-emotional activities throughout the building.
“Other counselor roles, definitely, you know, academic achievement strategies, we're working with expanding different academic interventions throughout our buildings for their enrichment activities, activities for students who may have had that gap in learning during COVID,” she said.
Increased programs have meant wellness activities, holiday theme weeks, kindness month, spirit weeks, mix it up days — during which kids will sit with others they don’t typically socialize with during lunchtime to try and avoid the clique atmosphere — student/parent newsletters, peace circles and family nights.
There are four goals, with the first one focusing on social-emotional learning, positive behavior and intervention systems, having alternatives to suspensions to keep kids in school, bullying prevention and inviting student/parent/teacher feedback, according to Crumity’s materials.
Attendance is such an important factor in educational success, that there are three tiers for absenteeism: encouraging better attendance and explaining the importance of why students need to be in school; the second tier is designed to remove any barriers that may be keeping kids home and out of school; and the third is a more intense strategy for those that miss at least 20 percent or more school during the year and it has been found they benefit from a stronger level of support, she said.
“We like to promote healthy relevant teaching models,” she said. “And we're just looking at how to fine-tune the action plan and report more efficiently so that we can see on a regular basis if it's working, and if it's not working.”
Do you feel you're doing everything possible, or does more still need to be done? “Until the threats stop, more always needs to be done,” Smith said. “We continue to need and rely on the support of families, community agencies, law enforcement, and our BCSD staff, and I will personally continue to provide information and updates to our community, families and staff in a timely and transparent manner.”
The Batavian reached out to Batavia City Schools Superintendent Jason Smith after a false threat by an eight-year-old was made regarding a bomb on a school bus Tuesday.
Smith was not able to immediately respond to The Batavian's questions later Tuesday night, however, he did provide a copy of the letter sent out to district families.
This afternoon, the Genesee County 911 Center received a call reporting there was a "bomb on a school bus" and placed the location of that bus in the City of Batavia.
The Batavia Police Department and New York State Troopers immediately responded to locate the bus (operated by Student Transportation of America). The bus was found on State Street, and there were no longer any students on the bus after completing the afternoon route.
Out of an abundance of caution, the New York State Police and their K9 unit performed a sweep of the bus in question and found no evidence of a credible threat.
The Batavia Police patrol officers and detectives investigated the call and determined it came from the home of a John Kennedy Intermediate student. The student confessed the call was a prank, and the BPD determined there was no additional threat to the district. The case has been turned over to the Batavia Police Department’s Juvenile Detective. BCSD will follow our Code of Conduct with respect to this incident as well.
All bus pickups will occur as usual tomorrow (Wednesday) without any disruption.
We thank the Batavia Police Department and New York State Police for their swift response.
Upon recommendation from Superintendent Jason Smith, the Batavia City School District Board of Education approved the appointment of Brian Sutton Monday as the Director of Educational Technology, effective July 1, 2023.
“Brian Sutton has been a respected and impressive leader in the Batavia City School District for many years,” said Superintendent Jason Smith. “What set Brian apart for this position is his clear and compelling vision for the role both operationally and instructionally. I look forward to seeing how he transforms BCSD with his enthusiasm for education and technology.”
Mr. Sutton has served as the Principal of John Kennedy Intermediate since 2020. He previously served as Assistant Principal at Batavia Middle School and as Technology Coach in the Hilton Central School District prior to arriving in Batavia.
“I have had the distinct honor and privilege of working in leadership roles at both John Kennedy Intermediate and Batavia Middle School, where I was able to share my passion for infusing technology into instruction and preparing students with 21st-century skills. I’m thrilled to step into the district-wide role of Director of Educational Technology as I believe there are tremendous opportunities to take our district to new heights of innovation and provide new and exciting learning opportunities for staff, students, and the community,” said Brian Sutton.
“It is critical we prepare students for our ever-changing society through teaching, computer science, and digital fluency learning standards. I am dedicated to turning over every stone to ensure that, under my leadership, our district continues to progress in both the technological and instructional aspects of education,” said Sutton.
After a 2022 Comptroller Audit and subsequent independent Technology Department Functional Review in the fall of 2022, Jason Smith, BCSD leadership, and the Board of Education determined that hiring a Director of Educational Technology was a top priority to meet the needs of the district. Following Mr. Sutton’s appointment, he will work with the leadership team to follow up on additional items outlined in the audit and review, including equipment inventory, the re-formation of the Instructional Technology Committee, additional staff and student training, and the implementation of an overall technology curriculum.
“The Board of Education and Jason Smith took the findings of both the Comptroller Audit and resulting Technology Review and made immediate steps towards prioritizing IT needs across the district,” said John Marucci, Board of Education President. “The Director of Educational Technology is a much-needed position on our leadership team, and Brian is a wonderful choice to fill the role. He’s been an exceptional leader at John Kennedy and BMS, and I know he’ll bring his stellar work ethic to the position.”
Mr. Sutton will remain as Principal of John Kennedy Intermediate through June 30. Jason Smith and the BCSD leadership team will immediately begin the search process to name a replacement.
On Monday, upon recommendation from Superintendent Jason Smith, the Batavia City School District Board of Education approved the appointment of Chad Bliss as Director of Facilities III, effective June 16, 2023.
“We’re thrilled to welcome Chad Bliss as our new Director of Facilities. Chad brings more than 20 years of leadership and management experience and has a thorough understanding of the scope of operations involved in managing the facilities of a public school system. We look forward to tapping his expertise in all areas, including safety and access systems, energy management, special events, facilities, education, and athletics, as well as his knowledge of New York State codes and regulations,” said Superintendent Jason Smith.
Mr. Bliss currently serves as the Director of Facilities for the Eden Central School District, and has served as a Construction Manager for Campus Construction Management, a firm that specializes in K-12 capital construction projects.
“I look forward to working with the BCSD facilities team to ensure our community members take pride in the safety, cleanliness, and appearance of our buildings and grounds,” said Chad Bliss. “I am eager to get started, and I am genuinely excited to become part of the Blue Devils family.”
“We have a BMS capital project on the horizon, which is outlined in this year’s proposed 2023-24 budget, as well as ongoing tasks to wrap up the 2020 Vision Project, including our Energy Performance Contract. It’s essential that we have dedicated leadership in place to execute these projects, and we’re confident that Chad’s project management, communication, and strategic planning skills will lead us toward success,” said Scott Rozanski, BCSD Business Administrator.
You know that old saying, April showers bring May flowers, and, of course, school budget season and related district resident votes.
Batavia City Schools will be reviewing its $58.9 million proposed budget during a public hearing at 6 p.m. Monday in the Superintendent’s Conference Room at Batavia High School, 260 State St., Batavia. This is the time to ask questions, voice comments, or express concerns about the district’s spending plan.
The budget is an increase of $4,168,181 from the prior year, or 7.6 percent, with a related tax levy of nearly $19.9 million. That levy equals an increase of 1.02 percent, or $200,093, district officials said.
Despite a tax levy increase, officials predict that the tax rate will go down by 34 cents per $1,000 assessed property value. Based on that decrease, a home assessed at $100,000 would pay $34 less per year (with no change in assessment from 2022-23 to 2023-24).
Factors impacting the change in the projected tax rate, according to district administrators, including the tentative assessed values have increased slightly at 3.06 percent; equalization rates have decreased slightly, and the tax rate has decreased by 1.95 percent with a levy increase of 1.02 percent.
Other key points school administrators want to emphasize are that Robert Morris School was reopened this past year to be used for Universal Pre-Kindergarten and preschool; Community Eligibility Provision was extended through 2025-26; administrators are active in pursuing new grant funding for mental health, Community Schools, pre-school and a 21st Century Schools grant; and they are working on the next capital project.
Important numbers include student enrollment: Grades pre-K are at 72; Grades K through one, 340; Grades two through four, 482; five through eight, 592; and nine through 12, 641.
The average Class Size for UPK is 18; K through one is 17; Grades two through four, 20; Grades five through eight, 21; and Grades nine through 12, 20.
Staff numbers include:
Total Number of Teachers - 269
Teacher Aides/Clerical - 140
Maintenance Staff - 39
Nutritional Services - 25
Assistant Principals - 6
Principals - 4
Central Office - 7
Information Technology - 3
Revenue Sources for 2023-24 are:
State and Federal Aid - $33,174,343 (56.3 percent)
Tax Levy - $19,888,991 (33.7 percent)
Other Local Revenue $1,492,750 (2.5 percent)
Appropriated Fund Balance $3,536,895 (6.0 percent)
Other Local Tax-related Items $877,795 (1.5 percent)
TOTAL: $58,970,774 100.0 percent
Appropriation (Expenses) Budget:
General Support $6,471,769 11.0 (percent)
Instructional Support $34,372,758 58.3 (percent)
Transportation $2,753,845 (4.7 percent)
Employee Benefits $12,501,759 (21.2 percent)
Debt Service $2,735,643 (4.6 percent)
Interfund Transfers $135,000 (0.2 percent)
TOTAL: $58,970,774 100.0 percent
There are four propositions on the city school district’s ballot up for vote:
The 2023-24 budget approval
Continuing placement of a student ex-officio on the board
To fund a capital reserve of up to $10 million
Election of two board seats due to the terms being up for incumbents Alice Ann Benedict and Barbara Bowman
Voting will be from 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. on May 16 at district residents’ designated polling locations.
A regular board meeting is to follow the budget hearing. To view it online, go HERE.
File Photo of Batavia Board of Education members, with Superintendent Jason Smith, taking a tour of Robert Morris before it opened last year for Universal Pre-Kindergarten and pre-school. Photo by Joanne Beck.
This week’s city school board meeting was rolling along until member Alice Benedict began to ask questions related to half a million dollars worth of late-stage, safety-related modifications to each of the district’s schools as part of the 2020 vision capital project.
After motions were on the floor, Benedict asked for details about the “window film installation/window hardening work.”
Business Administrator Scott Rozanski said that it’s “a security measure to prevent unauthorized access,” and then Superintendent Jason Smith suggested that the board go back into executive session to discuss any further details.
The group had come out of an executive session minutes prior to that for “matters relating to the medical, financial, credit or employment history or a particular person or corporation, or matters leading to the appointment, employment, promotion, demotion, discipline, suspension, dismissal or removal of a particular person or corporation.”
This second private meeting was needed to discuss “matters which will imperil the public safety if disclosed.”
The Batavian reached out to Smith for an explanation, citing that second description as somewhat ominous and possibly confusing to parents and the general public.
Were the executive session and late-stage window modifications related to a current, past, or potential threat to the district?
“A board member asked for more detailed information on the window film project. It is not related to a current, past or potential threat, but is part of our overall safety program throughout the district. We do not discuss matters regarding safety and security projects in public sessions while the project is ongoing or has not yet started,” Smith said. “The board was voting on a resolution to authorize the expenditure for the window film project from remaining funds from the most recent capital project. The project does include all of our buildings, and for safety reasons, I did not want to discuss the exact details of the project, including when, where and how the film will be installed, in public session.
“Once the project is completed, we look forward to sharing more detailed information with our BCSD community and the media regarding our buildings’ safety enhancements,” he said.
Why was this a late addition to the capital project? And why the executive session in the middle of a regular board meeting (for items that members are going to vote on)?
“This was not a late addition, as this has been discussed at our Buildings and Grounds Committee meeting. There are numerous prior steps that must be taken in order for the board to vote on this resolution,” Smith said. “Given the safety concerns nationwide, we proceeded as expeditiously as possible to begin this important project.
“It is not unusual to have an executive session in the middle of the meeting, as we did this twice this meeting, and has been done before when needed,” he said. “A board member asked a question regarding the window film project, and for the reasons I stated above, the answers to the question did not belong in a public session, but will be discussed openly upon completion of the project.”
Smith said that the window treatments are a proactive safety measure. The Batavian wanted to make sure that the public has the most up-to-date information about the district’s safety, so the following question was asked again about threats and swatting — an action of making hoax phone calls to report serious crimes to emergency services, which results in SWAT teams responding to an address.
Has the city school district had any threats or swattings recently, or in the past year? If so, how many and when? Were any of them credible?
“We have received no credible threats, swatting or otherwise, this year. We were among several districts across the country that were part of a swatting hoax during our February recess—this was communicated to our families and with the media,” he said. “Per the Batavia Police Department, the threat was deemed not credible.”
The school board approved the resolution to spend no more than $520,000 of the remaining funds in the capital account for the window project at the district’s high and middle schools, Jackson Primary, John Kennedy Intermediate and Robert Morris. The $26.7 million 2020 capital project was voter-approved in March 2017.
File Photo of Batavia Middle School, by Howard Owens.
Superintendent Jason Smith issued the following statement to the city school district Friday morning in response to a potential threat made to John Kennedy Intermediate School. The threat was found not to be credible, per Batavia Police Chief Shawn Heubusch after an investigation by local law enforcement.
To Our BCSD Community,
This morning, the Batavia Police Department received a call from an unknown person who was making threats against John Kennedy Intermediate. The Batavia Police Department, New York State Police, and Genesee County Sheriff immediately responded to John Kennedy to investigate, and they found no evidence of a credible threat.
As an additional precaution, patrol units were sent to all BCSD schools to do a safety check.
BCSD is currently on February recess, and only a small number of staff members were present during the on-site investigation. No students were in the building at the time of the incident.
While no credible threat has been found, the Batavia Police Department is continuing its investigation.
All sports practices, events, and club activities will continue as planned throughout the weekend, and BCSD will have increased police presence as a safety precaution.
We will keep you informed as additional information becomes available. We thank the Batavia Police Department, State Police, and Genesee County Sheriff’s Department for their swift response as well as our John Kennedy staff for their ongoing assistance and cooperation.
The Batavia City School District is now accepting registration applications for universal pre-kindergarten (UPK) and kindergarten programs for the 2023-24 school year.
BCSD will be offering five full-day UPK programs and two half-day programs for the upcoming school year.
BCSD’s UPK program is part of Jackson Primary and is located at Robert Morris (80 Union St.) and at one community-based organization.
The BCSD kindergarten program is located at Jackson Primary (411 S. Jackson St.).
UPK students must be four years old on or before December 1, 2023.
Kindergarten students must be five years old on or before December 1, 2023.
Pick up and return your registration packet to the BCSD Registration Office (260 State St.). You can also download your registration packet here.
Any questions can be directed to the Curriculum and Instruction Office at 585-343-2480 ext. 1003
The deadline to receive applications for the 2023-24 school year is May 1, 2023.
The Batavia School District Board of Education officially approved, upon recommendation from Superintendent Jason Smith and Athletic Director Michael Bromley, the appointment of Alex Veltz as Head Coach of the Batavia High School Varsity Football program.
Veltz is a Batavia High School graduate (Class of 2005) and a member of the 2003 and 2004 Varsity Football teams. In 2018, he returned to BCSD as a social studies teacher at Batavia High School.
He joined the Batavia Football program coaching staff in 2012 and 2013 as a defensive coordinator for the JV team, then returned in 2019 as the JV offensive coordinator and moved to the Varsity program in 2021 as the offensive coordinator.
“I’ve always wanted to be a head coach,” said Alex Veltz. “I hold this program near and dear to my heart—I went to school here, I played here, and I’m proud of our achievements. I look forward to building on the success Coach Brennan Briggs, my former teammate, started, and I’m eager to continue to grow this program. I want to thank Mr. Smith, Mr. Bromley, and my family for their support and faith in my vision for this team.”
“I’ve had my eye on Alex Veltz as a standout coach from the moment he came back to our football program five years ago,” said Athletic Director Michael Bromley. “The secret to Batavia’s continued success is hiring Batavia alumni. Like those alums before him, Alex has a special passion for Batavia as a former student, player, and now teacher and coach. I know no one will outwork or outcoach Alex, and I can’t wait to see everything he’s going to do with this program.”
“Alex Veltz is a Blue Devil through and through,” said Superintendent Jason Smith. “He is committed to continuing the success our football program has already achieved while also holding out student-athletes to a very high standard both on and off the field. I speak for all of BCSD to say we can’t wait for the next football season!”
Putting the finishing touches on display space has meant a slight postponement, however, the annual exhibit for Batavia High School student artwork will debut in about two weeks at the Genesee-Orleans Regional Arts Council in Batavia.
An opening reception has been rescheduled for 5 to 7 p.m. Jan. 25 at GO ART!, 201 East Main St., Batavia, Coordinator Nikki Greenbaum said.
The show will run through Feb. 24 and showcase 22 students from grades nine to 12.Their pieces cover a wide range of art electives, Greenbaum said, to meet the goal of highlighting a variety of art mediums within the class electives offered at the city school district.
“We have students participating that are from our AP Art, Portfolio, Printmaking, Drawing, Painting and Studio Art classes,” she said. “We do hope that many of our students will be able to make it to the opening reception and will be available to talk about their work.”
The artwork currently exhibited illustrates a variety of mediums from oil pastels, printing ink, graphite, watercolor, acrylic paint, charcoal, and ball point pen, she said.
Greenbaum has served to coordinate the show between the Art Department, which also includes staff Mandi Antonucci and Ashley Duzsa, and GO ART!
Hours are 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Wednesdays, 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. Thursdays and Fridays, and 9 a.m. to noon Saturdays.
Photos of student artworks submitted by Nikki Greenbaum.
Bells are a-ringing, or so the holiday song goes, but at Batavia High School they’re not doing it as efficiently lately.
City Schools Business Administrator Scott Rozanski reviewed the needs of a 19-year-old clock and public address system at the high school, and security updates at Robert Morris this week.
“So the first item, our project is the PA, public address and clock system … it’s been rapidly failing for the past year or so. The bells, the PA itself and the clocks, are integrated into one system. And so the clocks are affected at the high school, they do not track the appropriate time. And it's not even aligned with the satellite systems,” Rozanski said during the Board of Education’s meeting Monday. “So we're making the adjustments on a weekly basis, we lose about four or five minutes a week. And the bells aren't ringing as scheduled. They're inconsistent and have variable times, and it's difficult to determine if a student's late or not.”
The district is therefore looking at a full replacement of that system, he said. There are no health, safety or code concerns, and the estimate falls under state contract pricing, and would not need to go through the state Education Department for approval.
A total of $118,860 is expected to get the job done, he said.
The second project is at Robert Morris, which has been a flurry of activity since reopening the doors to pre-schoolers this fall. The site closed down the elementary school in July 2012, but due to increased enrollment numbers, the district opted to use the building again for its own education programs.
There has been no significant door hardware replaced in that decade, Rozanski said. A mantrap — that square of space that can contain a visitor between the outer door and door leading into the building — is also needed in door entry number two to provide extra security, he said.
“So it's a manual process versus an automated process to close doors in case of a lockdown. This aligns with the other upgrades that we've done with the smart school project about four or five years ago in the other buildings. We would also create a man trap, and the electronic door locking equipment is needed to do this,” he said. “This will provide additional increased security. We do currently secure the exterior of the building automatically. A mantrap will further enhance any interior potential threats.”
The Robert Morris project estimates have come in at $35,543, he said, and it may need to go to the state for approval.
His request is for a total of $244,000 from the repair reserve to the general fund to ensure enough cushion for possible change orders and unexpected items that come up during the repair, he said. If all goes as planned, that would leave $89,597 in the fund.
“We have currently met all safety and security measures to get Robert Morris up and functioning from the beginning of the school year in September,” he said. “We know what the cost is; it should only be $35,543 … if the $89,597 is needed, that allows us flexibility if we run into problems.”
He reminded the board about the elevator repairs at the middle school, and how extra work and materials were needed, causing him to go back to the board for approval of extra spending.
The repair reserve — set up to pay for repairs that don’t recur on a yearly basis — would be left with anywhere from $90.87 up to $89,687.78 if no unexpected costs arise during repair at both schools.
“And we will replenish funds as they’re available,” he said.
Board member Alice Benedict wanted to confirm that “you’re saying you just want to use that $89,000 as a cushion?” Yes, Rozanski said.
“We will only spend what we need to spend,” he said.
No one spoke during the public hearing about the expenditure. The board approved the repairs and transfer of up to $244,000 to pay for them.
Top File Photo of board members and Superintendent Jason Smith taking a tour of the revamped Robert Morris building earlier this year before the fall season began, by Joanne Beck. File Photo of school Business Administrator Scott Rozanski, by Howard Owens.
Batavia City School District is proud to announce it has received a $12,500 Pediatric Suicide Prevention Community Grant from the American Academy of Pediatrics to help identify and address gaps in youth suicide prevention services in the Batavia community.
Batavia City School District will use funds from the grant to expand its “Sources of Strength” program, which is designed to harness the power of peer social networks to change unhealthy norms and culture, ultimately preventing suicide, bullying, and substance abuse. The mission of Sources of Strength is to prevent suicide by increasing help-seeking behaviors and promoting connections between peers and caring adults.
BCSD’s Sources of Strength program works monthly with the Batavia High School student body through proactive campaigns, works alongside community agencies to bridge the connection between school and community, and helps build additional connections for students who may need support. Together, BCSD encourages Sources of Strength students to be leaders and mental health ambassadors.
“We’re incredibly proud and grateful to have received this grant from the American Academy of Pediatrics,” said Superintendent Jason Smith. “These funds will add significant resources to our Sources of Strength program and allow us to continue to do the important and necessary work to support the mental health needs of students across BCSD.”
“Securing this grant was a collaborative process across our Batavia community,” said Community Schools Coordinator Julia Rogers. “It’s essential that we take a community-based approach toward suicide prevention and mental health, and I would like to thank those who were instrumental in supporting our efforts, including Lynda Battaglia, Genesee Director of Mental Health & Community Services; Sue Gagne, Suicide Prevention Coalition of Genesee County; Sherry Crumity, Rose Howard, and Heidi Meides-Judge from BCSD; and the BCSD Community Schools Integrated Supports Committee.”
According to the American Academy of Pediatrics, suicide and suicidal behavior among youth and young adults is a major public health crisis. Suicide is the second leading cause of death among young people ages 10-24 in the United States, and rates have been rising for decades. Suicide affects all populations: youth of any race, ethnicity, gender identity, sexual orientation, socioeconomic status, or community may be at risk for suicide. However, systemic inequities and social determinants of health have led to significant disparities in suicide rates, risk, and care for youth across cultures and communities. Equitable solutions are needed to support youth at risk for suicide and to address the population-level risk and protective factors that impact youth mental health.
Suicide is complex and tragic, but often preventable. To advance prevention efforts, the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) partnered with the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention (AFSP) to create the Blueprint for Youth Suicide Prevention. The Blueprint is an educational resource that outlines clinical pathways, community partnerships, and policy strategies to better identify and support youth at risk for suicide.
This small grant was awarded as part of the first-ever AAP Youth Suicide Prevention Community Grants Program, made possible with funds from Johnson & Johnson Consumer, Inc. This program will provide small grants to city and county health departments and/or community coalitions to identify and address gaps in youth suicide prevention services in their communities using best practices and/or tools from the AAP Blueprint in addition to creating or continuing partnerships with local pediatric practices.
Files photo of 245 Liberty St., Batavia being demolished in July
City school board members approved more than $89,000 in change orders this week for work being done at Jackson Primary and Batavia High schools.
The nine change orders — additional expenses usually for “unforeseen” work discovered during the job-in-progress — ranged from $1,369 to $24,443. With no questions or discussion, the board approved the financial revisions during its regular meeting Monday at the high school.
Work includes:
Having to disconnect and remove an unforeseen utility service at Jackson Primary for $7,209.
Development, labor and materials associated with installing a fence, posts, and to extend sidewalks to accommodate setting the fence posts within a walkway at Jackson Primary, $9,592.
Installing curb work along Liberty Street and Blakely Place at Jackson Primary, $4,112.
Removing the unforeseen underground storage tank during excavation at Jackson Primary, $3,311.
Having to lower the ceiling grid system in room 167 as well as construct a bulkhead and lower 40 square feet of ceiling to accommodate lighting at BHS, $1,369.
Installing insulation to the exposed water lines at BHS, $1,392.
Installing plyron flooring (impact resistant, hardboard-faced plywood) in lieu of plywood sub-flooring at stage sacrificial floor at BHS, $18,394.
Labor and materials for plumbing and heating company to replace the incoming gas line at the loading dock at BHS, $19,266.
Labor and materials to replace an underground gas line feeder from the loading dock to the gas meter at BHS, $24,443.
A capital project stemming from 2020 at Jackson Primary includest the expansion of outdoor amenities at the southside school. It has included demolition of a building at 245 Liberty St., Batavia, which was donated to the city school district in December 2017. Taking down the former Country Pride Bakery Mart is part of a plan to create additional parking and green spaces, and a pedestrian walkway adjacent to Jackson Primary School.
Work at the high school includes an emergency replacement of two water boilers.
Harold McJury’s four grandchildren ran over to him after an assembly Thursday in Batavia High School’s auditorium.
He had been one of the guests of honor during a Veterans Day ceremony.
“It’s so fun, I get to see my grandpa at school,” granddaughter Lucy Taggart said, just moments after playing the solemn “Taps” on trumpet. “And celebrate him.”
It wasn’t the first such ceremony for McJury, he said, but he liked that this one included students.
“The first thing that goes through my mind is that it's wonderful to have the high school do something like this for the veterans because that helps young people to understand what a veteran is. And then they go on, and maybe they'll be in the service, maybe they won't, but a few of them probably will, so they understand the importance of serving our country,” he said. “And, as far as myself goes, I was very fortunate because I went into service during Vietnam, and I always felt it was my duty to do that. So I figured the best place to be, and would be in the Navy. The Navy is a good place. To be in all the services are good, but I always thought the Navy was something special.”
McJury, a Batavia native, served in the U.S. Navy from 1969 to 1973. The 72-year-old liked submarines and wanted to be stationed on one “since I was a little boy,” he said. He was part of the Submarine Service with the USS Lafayette, which was christened by then-First Lady Jacqueline Kennedy in May 1962.
Married 52 years to his wife Donna, they even had a Christmas dinner on a sub around 1972. Their granddaughter isn’t the only musical one in the family, as all of them are involved in band, and grandpa plays trumpet as well.
He plays for events at the National Cemetery in Corfu and has years of experience.
“So I've played trumpet all my life as well. They're all playing something,” he said. “I feel that being a veteran, and defending our country, is a very important thing. And I do still feel that to this day, there should be a time between high school and college that you serve a year or so. You know, you don't have to stay, you just go for a year. It sort of solidifies all that stuff.”
Thursday’s ceremony included a band medley of various popular and patriotic tunes; vocal solos for “The Star-Spangled Banner” by student Abigail Hoerbelt and “God Bless America” by student Clara Wood; a strings performance of signature military songs, prompting branch members to stand when their song was played; and a message from keynote speaker Assemblyman Steve Hawley.
"There are never enough words to fully express our appreciation and gratitude, gratitude for the sacrifice the veterans have made for our nation,” Hawley said. “Their courage and determination are a true testament to the American spirit and embodiment of freedom and celebration of what our nation stands for.”
A veteran himself, Hawley’s family also served, including his late father R. Stephen Hawley, who served in Burma during World War II and was awarded a Bronze Star as part of Merrill’s Marauders. Hawley’s uncle also served during World War II, and was awarded a Purple Heart for the wounds he received during the war.
Hawley talked about “one of the crowning pieces of legislation that I've sponsored, that got signed into law,” referring to the Gold Star Families bill that provides free college tuition for Gold Star families who have lost a loved one during military service.
“As we gather here today to honor our heroes, please know we can never say thank you enough for the service of our veterans, to our country. Please, today take a moment to reflect on what it means to live in America, and the sacrifices our veterans have made to keep us safe and free,” he said. “And please thank them for their service when you see them 365 days a year. God bless America. Happy Veterans Day everybody.”
Top Photo: Batavia High School student Lucy Taggart plays "Taps" for the finale of a Veterans Day assembly Thursday at the Frank E. Owen Auditorium; High school Principal Paul Kesler talks about the veterans, including Lucy's grandpa Harold McJury, second from left, and their service; students perform patriotic songs in a strings section, concert band (not pictured) and chorus; keynote speaker Assemblyman Steve Hawley offers a thankful message to veterans; Kesler and members Michael Marchese and Matt Doeringer of Boy Scouts Troop 6 serve as the color guard. Photos by Joanne Beck.
There is a garden in every childhood, an enchanted place were colors are brighter, the air softer, and the morning more fragrant than ever again.
Those words of a poem captured the goal for the newly re-opened Robert Morris School, Principal Maureen Notaro said during a ceremony Friday morning.
“When we needed more space at Jackson Primary, I suggested that we move our pre-kindergarten classrooms over to Robert Morris. We had many conversations about who, what, why, when, and where over the months last spring and summer,” said Notaro, principal of Jackson Primary and its pre-school satellite at Robert Morris on Richmond Avenue and Union Street. “This was a collaborative effort with one thing in common; we all shared the same vision of early literacy. We wanted to create a magical place where students felt happy and accepted, where they would meet new friends and flourish to start off their first experience at school in Batavia.”
Robert Morris has a storied history, from its construction of a 12-room site in 1928 to accommodate elementary students, to the closing in 2012 when students were merged with Jackson Primary and John Kennedy Intermediate as a savings measure through consolidation, to now, once again, being used as a city school due to what officials have said were rising pre-school numbers and a need for extra space not available at the primary school.
City school officials, staff, parents, and children gathered outside of the school to celebrate its resurrected use for education of city school district students. Robert Morris has “a deep and proud history within our community,” with thousands of community members passing through its legendary halls, Trisha Finnigan said on behalf of Superintendent Jason Smith, who was absent due to illness.
“I have no doubt of the impact this beautiful campus has had on countless fellow Batavians,” Smith said. “I see it in the comments, likes, and engagement … in the celebratory calls and emails I’ve been getting from our neighbors, and from community members stopping me in Tops and at our sporting events across the street at VanDetta Stadium.
“It took a true village of passionate BCSD team members to bring our vision of reopening Robert Morris to life,” he said.
Smith credited his district leadership team of Finnigan, Scott Rozanski and Molly Corey, all who assisted with the “monumental logistical task of opening a school and staffing it,” and to Notaro and Assistant Principal Jessica Torrey.
After the school was closed for district educational use a decade ago, the building was used either for district needs (public relations, information technology), or rented out to various organizations, including BOCES, a daycare, Harvester Center, and Arc. After receiving comments that Jackson Primary was getting pretty tight due to increased enrollments, the district bumped up first grade’s eight sections to 10, which then created a need for additional space at Jackson. Four UPK sections have been moved to Robert Morris.
“Students who attend UPK get adjusted to what school will look like next year in Kindergarten,” Notaro said. “Exposure to school routines in preschool prepares them for the structure and the expectations of kindergarten. Research tells us that experiences in the early years are the foundation of long-term growth of a child. Preschool is much more about developing social-emotional skills than it is about developing academic skills.”
These social-emotional skills include learning to share and take turns, showing empathy for classmates and self-regulating their own strong emotions, she said. Without skills like these, “children will have a hard time moving on to academic achievement in later years,” she said.
“We are very excited to reopen Jackson Primary Satellite at Robert Morris. We have experienced great success in combining our preschool with Universal Pre Kindergarten to provide a rich early literacy experience for our students of Batavia and surrounding areas,” Notaro said.
There are 72 kids in Universal Pre-Kindergarten and about 30 in the pre-school program, which can also accommodate up to 70 students, she said. While Notaro has been at the district for 23 years, this is Torrey’s second year as assistant principal in a total 15 years at the district. She has found that “there's always excitement to come to pre K, whether they're at Jackson or whether they're at Robert Morris,” Torrey said.
“They love their first school experience because they're always excited to be here,” she said. “But we have noticed an increase in excitement from parents and community members in this building because it is such a beloved building in our community.”
Top photo: Pre-schoolers Braxton Bliven and Troy Briggs help with the ribbon-cutting ceremony with Principal Maureen Notaro Friday at Robert Morris school in Batavia; above is Assistant Principal Jessica Torrey. Photos by Joanne Beck.
Officials from the Batavia Police Department (BPD) and the Batavia City School District (BCSD) officially introduced the community to School Resource Officers (SRO) for the 2022-2023 school year.
Batavia Police Officer Miah Stevens, who has served as an SRO since 2021, is returning this school year, and Batavia Police Officer Connor Borchert, who started with BCSD in September, was officially introduced as the district’s second SRO.
School Resource Officers are trained in school-based law enforcement and crisis response. They work directly with school administrators and staff to enable a safe learning environment, and act as a resource for students, staff, and community. Officers Stevens and Borchert will serve as a liaison between the school district and police department, and will provide essential on-campus law enforcement, informal student mentoring, as well as participate in select in-person teaching opportunities in the classroom.
“Health and safety are our top priorities across the Batavia City School District. In addition to adding another School Resource Officer, we’re prioritizing funding and grants to provide essential mental health resources to assist with social and emotional issues that have emerged as a result of the pandemic. We’re approaching school safety from a variety of angles and appreciate the incredible support we’ve received from the Board of Education, our administrators, staff, students, parents, and community members,” said Jason Smith, Superintendent, Batavia City School District. “We also want to thank the Batavia Police Department who have been a great partner throughout this process—we have shared goals of community health and safety, and our collaboration will certainly help support our students and families.”
“The safety of students is of paramount importance to the Batavia Police Department and we want the parents and caregivers of students to know that their children’s safety is our highest priority, especially while they are attending school and school related events,” said Shawn Heubusch, Chief, Batavia Police Department. “We are working very closely and collaboratively with Batavia City School District officials on this important community concern.”
In addition, Dr. Molly Corey, BCSD Executive Director of Curriculum and Instruction, discussed resources available to students and families, including mental health programs, additional grant funding, and counselor support, while Athletic Director Mike Bromley also discussed the enhanced security measures recently adopted at Van Detta Stadium.
Officer Stevens has been with the BPD for four years and has been an SRO in Batavia for approximately a year and a half while also serving as a substitute SRO prior to becoming full-time. A Batavia native, Officer Stevens attended Pembroke Central School District and graduated from Genesee Community College and SUNY Brockport where she studied and earned degrees in Criminal Justice.
Officer Borchert is from Akron and has been with the BPD since 2019. He is a 2015 graduate of Akron Central School and attended Niagara University earning a Bachelor’s Degree in Criminology with a minor in Sociology.
“The City of Batavia is pleased to support and provide the resources to bring on a second SRO for our schools,” said City Council President Eugene (Geno) Jankowski Jr. “One of the key components of our annual strategic plan is to ensure that our residents feel safe. Protecting our children is one of our top priorities.”
Top Photo: Batavia Police Officers Connor Borchert and Miah Stevens, the city school district's school resource officers; and above, City Police Chief Shawn Heubusch and Superintendent Jason Smith. Submitted photos.
Any community members who would like to attend the 2022 Batavia Blue Devil Athletic Hall of Fame Dinner can purchase tickets in the Athletic Office at Batavia High School or send a check payable to The Batavia Coaches Association (260 State St. Batavia, NY 14020) by Friday, September 23.
Tickets are $40 per adult and $20 for children under 10.
The 2022 Hall of Fame Inductees will be introduced at halftime of the Batavia vs Pal-Mac homecoming football game on Friday, September 30th. Game time is 7:00 pm.
On Saturday, October 1, 2022, the committee will host the Hall of Fame Dinner at the Batavia Downs Banquet Facility. A social hour will begin at 5:00 pm with dinner served at 6:00 pm and the ceremony immediately following dinner.
The 2022 Inductees are:
Benjamin Martino (1959): Football, Wrestling
Paul Blossom (1968): Football, Swimming, Track & Field
The Batavia City School District is proud to announce it has received $1.4M in grant funding from the New York State Office of Mental Health under the “Student Mental Health Support Grants to School Districts” program to assist with mental health issues as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic.
According to a national survey described in a recent publication of Pediatrics: An Official Journal of the American Academy of Pediatrics, “The COVID-19 pandemic has negatively impacted both parent’s and children's mental health. The need to address the emotional and psychological wellbeing of children has never been more important.”
New York State’s Office of Mental Health announced the grants in March of 2022 specifically developed for public school students, families, faculty, and staff with the purpose of “improving access to mental health resources, support students who have experienced stress, anxiety and/or trauma, and to support the adults that surround them.”
According to the National Association of School Psychologists (NASP), “Research demonstrates that students who receive social-emotional and mental health support perform better academically.”
“This grant will provide much-needed assistance to our students and staff,” said Superintendent Jason Smith. “We are still evaluating the learning loss associated with the past two years of the pandemic, but it’s safe to say it’s had an extraordinary impact on our students’ mental health. We thank the Office of Mental Health for prioritizing students in our state and will certainly put these funds to good use.”
According to the grant information, “The expectation is that this enhancement will be utilized to address inequities and provide additional availability and access to the continuum of strategies and supports that address the mental health of students. The objectives of this grant include enhancing access to mental health services, implementing integrated mental health supports, and strengthening community partnerships.”
“The impact of the pandemic across all areas of our students' lives cannot be underestimated,” said Dr. Molly Corey, Executive Director of Curriculum and Instruction. “With grant programs like these, we can fill in the gaps with our curriculum, programming, and resources to make sure no student falls through the cracks and gets the support they need to be successful and get back on track.”
BCSD’s plans for the funding are currently under review and will be announced to the community at a later date.
