City Schools

The first candidate interviewed was Phil Ricci, who has been on the school board since November. Ricci is a military veteran who currently works as a branch manager of two Bank of America locations, and he has years of experience in business/management, process improvement, financial management and consulting, as well as in working with youth.

Ricci is also a member of the Batavia City Youth Board and a budget ambassador for the school district's Audit Committee. He lives in Batavia with his wife and three children.

Could you talk about the experience you bring to the school board -- especially in terms of business and working with youth?

On the business side, I've worked for both the private and public sector. I've managed millions of dollars in funds, as well as teams ranging from five people to five hundred people. That said, school districts are a whole other beast of burden. They're not like how normal businesses work. The hard thing about experience is that, yeah, I have it, but in order to learn how a school district works, you have to learn how the state thinks and try to apply your business experience to that. Anyone who knows about New York State will tell you that if the state was a business, it would have been bankrupt 10 times over at this point. People on the school board learn real quickly that business experience doesn't go a whole long way with the way New York State does things.

As far as working with youth, when I was in Germany (in the military) I built a program from the ground up. It's called "Skies Unlimited," of which I then became the regional director of instruction for all of Europe. I got to work with every different type of population, and I learned the real message of advocacy. There are so many people out there who do not view youth programs as essential, and I challenge that every time I hear it. If you don't have solid youth programs, solid education, and solid support structures for youth, you end up having higher crime rates. You end up having a less educated workforce.

I think the biggest thing I've learned over the years -- working with kids in the military and being on the Youth Board here -- is that advocacy is huge. Even being on the school board, I can see that the way the state distributes money is inequitable. There are a lot of downstate districts that are not being affected to the same extent that our kids up here are being affected. And if you don't think that fighting for that is important because you don't like the way the system is, I'm not going to disagree with you that the system is broken; but those kids are suffering in the meanwhile. So I think the big thing for me with all the work I've done is learning how to be a solid advocate.

What made you want to run for the school board in the first place?

When Andy (Pedro) left, I was asked to come in and help out, so I threw my hat in the ring. There was a need, because (the school district is in) a really tough situation. The reason I'm asking to stay is that I know how bad it is, and I've seen what still needs to be done. We've got a lot of work to do, and it's far from being over. I know what it's going to take, and I just want the opportunity to help get us there. My big thing is and will continue to be to protect programs and to be equitable for all kids -- haves and have-nots. I'm not going to take away something from one youth that I wouldn't take away from another. But my main object is to not take anything away, and to do the things that need to be done to try to protect as many programs as we can.

I've been involved in the district for about seven years. I haven't always been on the board, but I've been involved. So I know what goes into (making a difference in the school district) and I know I can make a maximum impact.

Is there anything you would you like to change or see changed if you are reelected?

There's lots of things I'd like to continue to change. I think the biggest thing we need to work on right now in the district is our communication. I just think that we have to get better at expressing what we know and why we know it to everybody out there. That's an opportunity we've missed the ball on a lot. Some principles can't be explained simplistically, but it is our job to try and do that.

So one thing I would be pushing for from day one is more transparency, a clearer message, and just putting out there as much as we can.

How would you respond to people who express outrage that all other businesses and organizations are having to cut back and do more with less while the school district continues to propose tax increases? The implication is that the district thinks itself exempt from doing more with less.

I understand why they say things like that, and this goes back to the district not explaining things clearly enough. It's completely false. The district is doing a lot more with less. We're cutting programs. We're cutting positions. We've cut costs. We just closed a school. I think what's not being explained well enough is that these costs that keep pushing things up are not all controllable. Most of them out of our control -- they're coming down from the state. And at the state level, what they're doing is having their costs keep going up, and then they're pulling millions of dollars out of funding each year.

Imagine you have a job and a house budget. And every year, your costs are going to keep going up for whatever reason -- because of inflation or whatever it is. Then your employer comes in and says, "We're going to take eight-percent of your salary away each year for the next five years." So each year your costs are still going up, but you're losing an additional 8-percent of your income. If you're not making cuts, if you're not using your reserves, will you still be able to live in your house? Probably not.

My point is, of course we're cutting. Of course we're doing more with less. Because if we didn't, we wouldn't have a district. But we don't have control over all of our costs and expenditures. There is only so much you can cut, and there is only so much you have in reserve, before you start getting into these situations.

Just to be clear, before last year the board wasn't really raising the tax levy at all. It stayed pretty consistent. In the past couple of years, things have gotten really bad. You have a governor and a state legislature that has cut nearly 20 percent of your income over the past three years. So I would challenge anyone to show me how you can manage to not raise taxes in that situation -- as you're cutting positions and all this other stuff -- when 20 percent of your income goes away.

What are your thoughts on the proposed budget?

It's ugly -- I'm not in love with it, but because of the position we're in...I mean, I also didn't want to close Robert Morris School. My kids go there, and as a parent it was a hard thing to look my kids in the eyes and tell them I was closing their school. But it was a necessity. It was not a decision anybody wanted to make.

Do I think we could have lowered the taxes a little bit more? Yes, and I've already said that publicly. But overall, am I displeased with what we did to keep things going? No. It's not what I would want, and I don't think anyone on the school board wants it. I think everyone would love to deliver a zero-percent tax increase and still keep all the programs and all the schools open. But that's not the reality we live in right now.

What will happen if the budget gets voted down?

What happens is this: If it gets voted down two times, under the new tax cap law our ability to raise drops down to zero. So what that will mean, to put it plainly, is that all the programs we reinstated (with the consolidation) will go away -- for example, the ACE program, different music programs, and I'm sure more on top of that. Non-mandated programs will get looked at. These will get cut, because we're going to have to come up with an additional $500-$600. And plus we have other costs, too. So the people who vote "no" will get their zero-percent tax increase and kids will lose out on programs. It's that simple.

Can you comment on the house administrator position that is being created at Batavia Middle School?

This is another thing I don't think we're explaining well enough. The house administrator position is a re-purposed position. It's a new position as far as title goes, but it isn't a new hire kind of position.

What we did was take a model that is being used all across the country in larger schools. We're going to be adding a ton of kids to the middle school, so to make this really work we've re-purposed an assistant principal position, and we're making that person an in-house administrator; that means that this person is going to be in charge of the fifth and sixth grades. This person will be a direct point person for all parents, oversee all of the teachers, and stuff like that. Sandy Griffin is still in charge of the middle school, but because she is going to have over 800 kids in that school, we wanted to give her some additional support.

We understand that parents are nervous about the fifth-grade integration. We recognize that. And we wanted to make sure that next year and years into the future, that program is strong and the kids can go into the seventh grade with no problems. So all we did was utilize the resources we already had and the resources that we were going to have, and we're using them in a smarter way so that we can have a strong integration program with the fifth-graders coming into the middle school.

Do you have any closing comments?

I'll just say this: I understand the frustration that's out there. I'm not blind to it. Every time I make a decision, I'm doing it with four voices in my head. I hear a retired grandmother who is on a fixed income, for whom a 2-percent increase is not just a simple thing. I hear a working, single mom who is struggling to pay her bills -- or even unemployed. I hear the parents -- and the parent that I am -- about protecting programs for their kids so that they have a good future. And then I hear the kids' voices. How many kids have shown up crying at meetings because we're taking away things that change their lives?

These are the voices you hear (when you're on a school board). These aren't easy decisions. Any person who has the courage to go onto a comment board and tell people to vote something down, but not the courage to hear all of those voices and know what goes into making these decisions is someone who doesn't understand fully what it takes to do this job. I do, I'm grateful for the opportunity, and I wish to continue to do it. I've been called crazy for this, but I know I have the right demeanor and the right approach to this...and I care. And I think you need all that in order to be successful.

Photo courtesty of the Batavia City School District.

Gary Stich has been on the Batavia City School District Board of Education since 2005. He is the president and CEO of OXBO International Corporation in Byron. He and his wife, Beth, have two sons, one of whom is still a student in the Batavia schools.

What do you believe it takes to serve as a valuable member of the school board?

The situation for school board members is pretty complex, because we have to deal with a whole host of regulations -- coming mostly from New York State, and to a lesser extent from the federal government. And here locally, we have the complexities of dealing with various unions as well within the environment we operate in. So it's a pretty complex situation, and I think it takes a fair amount of effort and time to learn the lay of the land in order to be effective.

We have a good group of board members, and I think it's important to note that we work together collegially. We work well with the administration, but we ask tough questions and bring in our perspectives as individual board members from our professional and community backgrounds as well.

You've been on the school board for years. Why are you seeking reelection?

I'm seeking reelection because I don't think the job is finished. We're going through a very difficult period here, and there are a lot of difficult decisions to be made. And they're not over. The situation is not going to improve in the short term due to cut-backs from the state, unfunded mandates and so forth. (These things) make the situation for everyone in education -- including students, taxpayers and all the professionals in the district -- more difficult year by year.

Is there anything you would you like to change or see changed if you are reelected?

Sure. What I'd like to see changed is the attitude in Albany of jamming things down the local communities' throats in terms of unfunded mandates and regulations.

How would you respond to angry citizens who say that the school board is out of touch with the taxpayers?

I think we are trying to do more with less, and I'm not very happy either. I think you can consider me one of the angry taxpayers. But I think where the anger needs to be directed is to Albany. The problems in Albany are very deep. Everybody up here in Western New York and communities such as Batavia are paying the price for all the problems in Albany, and many of them are really issues from downstate. We have a state government that's dysfunctional, and we pay the price all the time.

What are your thoughts on the proposed budget?

Well, I think the school board and the administration have tried to present a budget that recognizes the need to control expenses tightly at the local level and not increase the burden more than we absolutely have to. I'd like to see the burden decrease for the local taxpayers, but in this environment, with cutbacks from Albany, it's difficult. But I think in the long run, we've got to continue to tighten our belts. It's an ongoing project, and the belt-tightening isn't over.

Can you comment on the house administrator position that is being created at Batavia Middle School?

Well, we're going to have a very full building at the middle school. We're adding another grade level there, and from our perspective it's important to provide support for the teachers and the students to make sure that the environment is very positive and conducive to learning. So I think it's the right move.

Photo courtesy of the Batavia City School District.

Gail Stevens has been on the Batavia City School District Board of Education for six years. If reelected, she will be serving her third term.

Stevens has a daughter, Michelle, who graduated from Batavia High School and a son, Eric, who will be graduating from BHS this year.

She works as a secretary to the Supervisor of Fleet Management at the New York State Police Troop A and is active in many community volunteer activities (see her short biography on the school district website for more details).

What experience do you have that makes you a valuable member of the school board?

I served on the Pavilion Board of Education before I moved to Batavia 14 years ago, and I have been active at all the parent/teacher groups in the Batavia school district -- first at Robert Morris, then at the middle school and right now at the high school. We now have a district-wide parent/teacher group meeting twice a year, and I was instrumental in developing that, communicating with all the groups, pulling names together and setting the agenda.

I'm also on the Genesee Valley School Boards Institute's board -- they're the ones who develop training programs for different school districts in this area. In addition to that I'm a second vice president for the Genesee Valley School Boards Association, and then I'm currently on the legislative committee for Genesee Valley Educational Partnership Board (GVEP) -- formerly BOCES.

Serving on the GVEP board has been a very enriching and wonderful experience, because it takes you one step above the local school district. BOCES oversees 22 component schools, including Batavia. It really helps you to see the big picture. I've had wonderful opportunities to go to Washington and network with other school districts across New York State.

Also, over the past six years I've attended many school board training sessions, be they conventions, conferences or just all-day workshops. The school district is a whole different entity than what people see it as. It has its own laws -- laws that pertain to education and the State Education Department -- and different guidelines that have to be followed, and it's completely different in how it runs, how it can be run, and what you can and cannot do. So it's been a gradual process, and it's been a fun journey along the way learning and developing myself in that way. That's why I do this. I don't want to sit back and complain or make statements that aren't fact-based. I'm not that kind of person. If anyone comes to me and asks me a question, if I don't know the answer, I'll get it for them. And I'll make sure my answer is not based on hearsay or emotions. That's not my style. I'm a very fact-based person.

Why are you seeking reelection?

I've been part of the consolidation process for a long time, and contrary to what people think, this is not something that has just been thought about or mulled over during the past year. I remember us talking about it years ago, because -- also contrary to what people think -- we (the school district) do plan for the future.

Another thing I want to point out is that people say we don't communicate enough. But the more information you put out there, sometimes I think the more people get confused. Also, some of the information is evolving over time, like with anything else. It's kind of like when you have a job interview; you don't go out and tell the world that you got the job, because anything could happen.

We've had some really tough times and really tough decisions (to make) with this consolidation process -- and contrary to the popular opinion that the board always agrees, we don't always agree. So because of the consolidation process, which I was present for in the starting phases, I would like stay. I want to continue to help with the transition to consolidation.

Of the things you have seen during your tenure as a board member, what do you think the board has been doing well (that you would like to see continue), and what do you think needs to change?

We are very good at communicating with each other when we're at the table working. There's no screaming, no yelling...I've heard of other districts where board members walk out of meetings, and to me that's just a huge waste of time. (At Batavia school board meetings) everyone sits, everyone listens, everyone speaks their peace, and if they don't agree they will say, "I don't agree, but I will support this for the sake of the district," or "for the sake of the students," or "for the sake of the taxpayers," or what have you. Everyone thinks we're all "yes" people, but we really aren't all "yes" people. It's a very diverse section of people, and I think that's what makes it so good. We don't all have the same professional background, some of us have younger kids, some of us have older kids, etc. I think it's a good cross section of the community.

At this point, I don't believe anyone on the board has a personal agenda. I know I never have, and I still don't. I've seen other districts go through some very controversial times because of one or two board members. You can't be out in the community condemning your colleagues or other board members. If you're going to do that, you shouldn't be on the board.

As for the second part of your question, there is going to be a lot of change. The Batavia school district, as we know it now, is going to look totally different in the fall. Right now, I think that's enough change. I think that if you bite off more than you can chew and make too many changes at once, that upsets the equilibrium of the district. You have to take baby steps. You have to stop, see what you're doing, see where the problems are, and go forward. At this point, I think the biggest change will be the consolidation and any bumps that come out of that. That's enough for the district to handle at this point.

What are your thoughts on the proposed budget?

Obviously, I support it. If I didn't, I would not have voted in favor of it. Like I said before, sitting on the BOCES board, I obtain a lot of knowledge of what's going on in other districts. I think Batavia was very proactive and out ahead of everyone else, but the flip side of that was that we took a lot of heat from everybody. I had someone sit next to me at a meeting when I talked about the financial situation and the consolidation, and that person asked me, "Why are the districts around us not doing any of this?" Since we were upfront and making people aware of the consolidation, and the districts surrounding us -- not neighboring districts in this area, but other districts in New York State -- hadn't really come out publicly about their financial situations, we came across as acting too fast. But that's how it is. You've got to be proactive. Some districts don't have buildings to close, and they're in serious trouble.

Some people are opposed to the budget because they feel that school district employees are demanding excessive pay and benefits. How controllable are these things at the local level?

They're not. And it's not just the schoolteachers, it's any unionized group -- be it state workers, county workers, etc. If you have a contract, that's a binding agreement. Some people have said, "Make them take a pay freeze." Well, we can't. We would then have to spend even more taxpayer dollars fighting a lawsuit.

And you've got to work with them. That's one thing I can say about our administrators -- they work very well with the staff. We have a committee looking into cheaper medical insurance costs, and there are administrators and union people on that committee. So we're working on it. And that's one of the reasons I work on the legislative committee for BOCES. When we go to Albany every year, we draft a position paper, take it with us, sit down with the senators and the assemblymen, and we talk about (the various laws that pertain to this issue). There's a whole slew of laws in New York State that we would love to see changed, but New York State is a huge ship. You can't turn it suddenly.

So the salaries/benefits that people object to will remain in place even if the budget doesn't pass?

Absolutely. The only things that will be taken out are programs for the students. When you vote down the budget, the only people you're really hurting are the students. If you have an ax to ground with the teacher's association or the union, voting "no" isn't going to help. It's going to be nothing other than self-serving -- so that you can say "I'm happy because I voted 'no.' "

What these people should do is come to board meetings, listen, and educate themselves. (One of these people should) start as a budget ambassador -- that's how I started out. I was budget ambassador two or three years in a row before I half understood what was going on. My biggest pet peeve in life is complaining about something without being willing to do something to change it. If you're not going to work to change it, then don't complain.

What was the rationale behind the in-house administrator position at Batavia Middle School?

We've listened to the parents and their concerns. One of the biggest concerns was the fifth grade moving to the middle school. When all was said and done, parents' biggest concern was with the lack of supervision, the program there, what will be going on...there are going to be a lot of changes. We want the transition to the middle school to be a positive thing for the students, for the parents, and for the staff. As a parent myself, I would have been thrilled if my kids could have gone to the middle school for fifth grade and had the enrichment opportunities these kids will be getting, the exposure to technology, and everything that goes along with it. We want to make sure we don't short ourselves with personnel in that area, because we want this to succeed.

We don't want to set up any of our buildings for failure at all. That's one thing I have to say again about the administration: Contrary to what people think, they are very intelligent people, and a lot of the decisions they make are really well thought out.

Also, everyone keeps saying that we haven't cut administrators. The fact is, we have cut one administrator per year for the last four years. It's right on paper, and I've mapped it out for many people.

Do you have any closing comments?

I just encourage people to go out and vote. Vote however you want to vote, but please vote. It's sad to see the apathy that goes on sometimes. We typically don't see public participation as important until something bad happens, and then everybody's there. Well, we'd like to have everybody there at every meeting, listening, learning, obtaining information and sharing it with others.

Photo courtesy of the Batavia City School District.

Gretchen DiFante, a newcomer to the school board, has four children who are currently in the Batavia City School District and a daughter -- Lauren, age 19 -- in the Air Force. Her son John, 17, and daughter Nina, 15, both go to Batavia High School. Her two younger daughters -- Elena, 10, and Eva, 7 -- go to John Kennedy Elementary School.

Her children have attended all schools in the district except for the middle school (her three oldest children attended Robert Morris, and one of them switched to that school from Jackson Elementary School; all three attended St. Joseph School for grades six through eight); her daughter Elena will be attending the middle school next year.

DiFante is currently the executive director of a Penfield-based nonprofit called Agape Counseling Associates, which just opened up an office in Batavia. Before that, she was the executive vice president of P.W. Minor shoe company and the director of efficient customer support for Rich Products.

She has won awards for her work in marketing and communications. During Operation Desert Storm, she was part of an award-winning public affairs unit for the Air Force Reserves' 914th Tactical Airlift Group in Niagara Falls. Her wide range of experience includes customer relations, communication and conflict/stress management.

What experience do you have that makes you a valuable member of the school board, and how will your degree in Communications help?

My concentration was in Public Relations, but Communications is a pretty open field. It has given me the opportunity to work in advertising, marketing and public relations -- being a general degree, it has opened up a lot of doors and allowed me to use a lot of different skills. My experience with customer service allows me to be more savvy at looking at budgets and managing departments, processes and flows, and how they come together.

As far as the school board goes, I think that when your community has a need, and there is a piece of it that you believe is missing -- something that you can supplement with your particular set of skills -- then that's an opportunity for you to step forward. And I believe that the particular skill set that encourages open communication, knows how to communicate during a crisis, and knows how to manage change is absent on the board right now.

The board and administration do recognize (that they struggle with communication), and I appreciate that. I work with clients who work in places where people are in a crisis mode at work; it's normal for communication to shut down when you're in conflict, because you don't know what to say and you're trying to protect yourself. Not everybody needs to be crafting that communication. Sometimes if you speak without having the right knowledge or experience, it can bite you back. When GCC was putting together a leadership certificate program for our public employees and they asked if I'd do the PR part of it -- how to train people on what to say to the media and so forth -- I found that sometimes the biggest part of the job is getting people to know when not to say things to the media, because sometimes people just don't think. It takes practice, skill, and a certain type of knowledge.

I believe that my background in change management and crisis communication goes into the places that need to be fixed and that nobody really wants to take over. When I was working at Rich Products, they made me an interim department head because they were looking for a new vice president. That seems to be how things happen for me, and I enjoy that. I enjoy the challenge of going into places where there is a lot of change, people are stressed, and the customer communication is failing because people forget about how to do that during times of change and stress. I think my particular background and experience is only going to enhance what is needed right now.

People say business experience doesn't go a long way on school boards because school districts and New York State are so different from businesses in how they operate. How do you plan to translate your business experience into this completely different environment?

I have a very unusual business background. I got into working with different organizations when I was at Rich Products, because I was an "executive on loan." Mr. Rich would basically lend me out. He lent me out to one of the public schools, the Erie County Clerk's Office, the Saddle & Bridle Club...just whenever people needed help doing a strategic plan, a marketing plan, or communication (both within the company and between the company and the public).

I don't think translating my business experience to a school board is going to be a problem. Right now I'm the executive director of a small nonprofit, and that's a whole different ball game from being an executive vice president at P.W. Minor or running a $2 billion department at Rich Products. So I'm very flexible, and I have experience that's varied. I love learning, and I love trying to figure out what (a given) group needs at a particular place and time, and how I can help meet that need. Right now, the school board needs vision, strategy, structure, communication, and public relations, and I've brought those skills to every job I've had. Don't get me wrong, it's a big learning curve (being on the school board). But believe me, in the military you deal with a lot of federal mandates. Right now I'm running a nonprofit that has to do with medical work, and I deal with HIPAA laws and insurance companies. I'm used to complications.

What made you want to run for the school board in the first place?

(What made me want to run was) looking around and seeing the trust break down between the schools, teachers, parents and the community. It was painful to go to those public forums and to see all the (bad communication) on the Internet, at Tops, while jogging at the track...it's the most critical dilemma facing Batavia right now. I do strategic planning with the city, and to start that off I interviewed council members one-on-one. Even their constituents want to talk about what's going on with the schools. I looked at that and at what's missing (on the school board and in the district), and I knew I had the skills to fill in those missing links. And that's what being a good citizen is about.

Part of your platform is the fostering of creative community partnerships. Could you talk a bit more about that? What exactly do you have in mind?

I'm in a unique place, because I work with leaders in our community at a strategic level. I also do that with Genesee Community College, and they are a recipient of the "products" that we graduate from our schools. There definitely has to be a lot of collaboration between the SUNY schools and our high schools and middle schools. A lot of the problems GCC sees start way before high school or middle school. I've also been on the steering committee that formed Leadership Genesee. So my exposure to leadership is very high. And everybody complains about the same thing. They'll say, "If only this group of people or this organization would partner with us..." They are struggling to figure out the answer to their problems themselves, but I know there are other groups that are trying to figure out the same thing. So why can't we all just get together? Everyone generally agrees that we all need to come together, but who is taking the lead?

The school board is going to keep losing money. I don't think there's a plethora of surplus money that's going to come down from New York State or the federal government. We have to be realistic and plan for the future. We have to ask how, for example, we can supplement our ACE program with programs that GCC could offer, that Leadership Genesee could offer, etc. I would love to see our district have a mentorship program. We have a lot of dynamic, intelligent people in this community, and yet we don't have active mentorship programs that I'm aware of. On my website, I mentioned a grant for creativity training that GCC got, which is for students going into middle school. We could work with them and seek out grants that will supplement needs in the schools instead of just stumbling upon them. So I'm talking about a much different level of collaboration. I think there is so much opportunity and that we need to start sitting down and getting to know each other, finding out what's available, and figuring out how to create opportunities for our students. We cannot allow their education to suffer just because we're not getting what we need in order to fund the school district.

What are your thoughts on the proposed budget?

I do believe the budget needs to pass, because we have a lot of key programs that we had lost reinstated. If the budget doesn't pass and the contingency budget is adopted, the ACE program and the music programs that have been reinstated will go away. That's where the $300,000 savings will come from. I think it's important that the voters understand that.

I believe the proposed budget meets the needs of the consolidation. Obviously there are some things that are being taken away. And the consolidation is hard for me -- it's hard for everybody. My three oldest kids were students at Robert Morris Elementary School, and I have very fond memories. We're emotional about our schools. We have ties to them, but we have to let those go. We need to move toward whatever's next.

The problem is that we don't have "whatever's next" defined. We've got to do a better job of defining what the future looks like for us. I don't want to sit around and lament what we've lost, I want us to make sure we have the best district in the state of New York. I want people to benchmark it because we are doing such a great job providing this great, enriched, well-rounded education for our students and because they're going places...To me it's not so important what the school district looks like. What's important are the results.

Getting back to the budget, I think it's also important for people to understand that we are depleting our fund balance. At a couple of the public forums I attended, people said: "You know, you've got $1 million, why don't you just wait another year and let us figure this thing out?" But what people need to understand is that it's not "money-out, money-in," it's just money-out. So they've got to have a strategy now for what they're going to do when there is no more fund balance. I would hate to see us take a step back and not pass the budget. I would hate to see us automatically lose another $300,000 just because we don't pass our budget. That's one of the alternatives, and I don't want to take that chance.

You've talked about the possibility of having a third-party mediator at the district's public forums. Could you talk a bit more about that?

Well, first of all, I have certification in conflict mediation from the Litigation Center of Rochester, which I got when I started working in consulting. The reality is that healthy organizations allow themselves to face conflict using measures and smart processes to get through the conflicts and come out on the better end. People disagree because they have different ways of looking at the same situation. When you are trying to bring two sides of a conflict together, you never use anyone who represents either party to be the mediator. What I have seen at the public forums for the school district is that mediators who represented the board of education got defensive, which is natural. It's good to have an objective third party so that you can listen. The board needs to be listening, not getting involved in the conversation. And that was not what happened in those forums.

Somebody who understands communication and its dynamics needs to help. And believe me, I know 100 percent that I could find someone who would facilitate these forums for us and would not charge us. There are people who want to serve. We just need to recognize what we need, and then go out and ask.

Do you have any closing comments?

I want us to be proud of Batavia. I want us to be proud to send our kids to school here and of the opportunities available. Batavia is the 13th city I have lived in, and it's the city in which I've chosen to raise my family. We're here for the long haul, and we want to see it become the best school district in the state. Whatever it looks like, that's my vision. We can do this -- we have a lot of resources, a lot of potential. I'm amazed at the talent we have in our area. We just need to get talking to each other, to have a vision that people can rally around and move forward.

For more information on DiFante and her background and platform, visit difante4schoolboard.com.

Photo courtesy of David DiFante.

Voters in the Batavia City School District will be asked to approve a 1.99-percent increase in the tax levy May 15, Superintendent Margaret Puzio said Tuesday following a public hearing on the proposed 2012-13 school district budget.

The budget -- at least on paper -- increases spending to $40,086,732, up $720,687 over the previous year.

But Puzio said the increase can really be attributed to changes in accounting rules.

In fact, district spending will decrease, according to Gary Stich (top photo), who made part of the budget presentation.

The 1.99-percent increase in the levy is still well under -- according to state formulas -- the property tax cap. The district could have increased the levy by 2.59 percent and still been below the cap, Puzio said.

The budget will include an allocation of $330,000 in anticipated state aid to cash reserves, which have beed depleted in recent years because of increased mandated costs and less state aid.

At one time, the reserve was $1.5 million. This year it dropped to $55,000.

The reserve is necessary to help cover expenses when there's no revenue coming in during the summer months, or to deal with budget-breaking, unannounced cuts in state aid, which has happened at least once in recent years.

One of the biggest mandated expenses for the district is payment into the state's teacher retirement fund, which in recent years has gone from a $916,000 contribution to a $1.9 million contribution.

"That's almost $2 million in expense and it has a huge impact on the district," Stich said. "Again, we have no control over it."

About 45 percent of the district's funding comes from state aid, and another 45 percent from local taxes. 

Last year, a big part of the difference was made up by dipping into reserves.

The district will realize cost savings this year from school consolidation, Puzio said.

At the same time, the distirct is restoring some programs cut in the past year, include the Accelerated College Enrollment (ACE) program and some music programs.

To help students compete in the fast-evolving job market where written communication skills are more critical than ever, the district will focus more education resources on core state standards, which means more text study in all classrooms.

New teacher and principal accountability standards are also being implemented, by state mandate, including a requirement that principals spend 70 percent of their time with teachers in classrooms.

Also on the ballot May 15 is a measure to change student transportation rules, putting all middle-school students on the same transportation eligibility standard.

This will mean an additional 120 students will be eligible for bus transportation, but only about half of the current eligible students use school transportation, so the district doesn't know yet how many new riders will use the bus.

The change is necessary because of the school consolidation plan.

There are also five candidates in the election for three school board positions. The candidates are Gretchen DiFante, Phill Ricci, Gail Stevens, Gary Stich and Dennis Warner.

Polls on May 15 are open from 7 a.m. to 9 p.m. and locations are John Kennedy Elementary School and Batavia High School.

Press release:

These are the highlights from the Batavia City School District (BCSD) Board of
Education meeting on Monday, April 16:

Superintendent of Schools Margaret Puzio announced that the consolidation and consequent reorganization of the district has been going smoothly due to the cooperation of the Batavia Teachers Association, staff and administrators.

Space and scheduling configurations are largely complete, and staffing will be complete within the next several days. Transportation issues are still being worked out and transition activities for staff and for students will be planned soon.

The actual numbers for state aid for the 2012-2013 school year have been finalized, and are higher than what was predicted when the district’s proposed 2012-2013 spending plan and ensuing tax levy were calculated and approved.

With the new numbers figured into the spending plan, Puzio reported a surplus of approximately $420,000. Her recommendation to the board, which it approved, was to balance immediate relief for taxpayers with caution for the still-uncertain future by applying $90,000 to bringing the tax levy down froman approximate 2.5-percent* increase to a 1.99-percent increase.

The balance of the surplus would go into an unappropriated fund so it can be applied to next year’s budget to offset anticipated increases in expenses as well as the possibility of reduced revenue/aid.

*As mentioned in previous reports and news articles, the tax cap legislation is often referred to as a 2-percent tax cap, when in reality, the “2 percent” figure is only one of the factors used in an eight-step calculation to determine each school district's and municipality's allowable tax levy increase that requires simple majority approval.

Anything over that allowable limit or threshold requires a super majority (60 percent) voter approval to pass. The Batavia City School District’s tax cap threshold for the 2012-2013 school year is 2.59 percent; any higher increase requires a super majority of voter approval.

School Safety Excellence Award

The Batavia City School District is one of 112 school districts and Board of Cooperative Educational Services in the state to receive the 2012 School Safety Excellence Award from the Utica National Insurance Group. The district received a certificate and a $500 award for use in furthering its safety efforts.

Utica National's School Safety Excellence Award Program helps participating schools enhance overall safety through measurable self-assessment in categories ranging from a bullying prevention program, to school playground safety, to indoor air quality.

Data Helps Drive Instruction

Crediting a book study on "Driven by Data: A Practical Guide to Improve Instruction" (by Paul Bambrick-Santoyo) that was introduced by the superintendent to the administrative team, John Kennedy Elementary Principal Paul Kesler explained the benefits of data-driven instruction as well as how it is being implemented more thoroughly in the district.

Using the analogy of a weight-loss plan, Kesler pointed out that oftentimes people are aware of their starting point or challenge and know their end goal, but do not necessarily have clear, systematic intermediate steps that enable them to reach their goal effectively and efficiently. In schools, with the goal being improved learning and student mastery of skills, the book outlines, like a good weight-loss plan, a research-proven framework as a model for training teachers to use student data as an impetus for instructional evaluation and change.

He outlined four keys in support of data-driven instruction: assessments, analysis, action, and creating/sustaining a data-driven culture. Assessments include regular and periodic formal testing that checks student proficiency on meeting learning standards. Analysis is teacher-owned and timely in order to identify concepts of limited understanding and/or individual students who are struggling then generate possible solutions.

Action plans are developed which are targeted, specific, ongoing and measurable in a set period of time. The data-driven culture, which is both created by and supports this process, includes an active leadership team, which provides an introduction, ongoing guidance, and the provision of a realistic yet flexible timetable for completing the steps, and the accountability and support for doing so.

School-to-Work is Working for Students

Jillian Thomas, BHS business teacher and K-12 School-to-Work coordinator, provided an update on the School-to-Work program, which included:

* The 13th annual Make a Difference Day, held on Oct. 12, 2011, included 179 BHS students volunteering to share their time and talents at 22 non-profit organizations;
* In Work-based Learning 18 job shadows have been completed and five are currently in progress for students who have researched careers in Business/Tech­nology in teacher Eileen Ognibene’s Careers and Financial Management class.

* Career-related field trips this year have included:
-      Career Opportunity Days at GCC for 20 BHS students;
-      DNA Extraction and Amplification at University of Rochester for 16 AP Biology students;
-      Bacterial Transformation at University of Rochester for 16 AP Biology students;
-      Tonawanda Valley Federal Credit Union tour and interviews for BMS and BHS students;
-      Genesee Valley Educational Partnership Cosmetology Program for fifth-graders from Jackson Elementary School.

* This year, the Junior Achievement program is host to 14 community volunteers who are in 25 classrooms in all five buildings:
-      four kindergarten classes using the JA program, Ourselve
-      five first-grade classes using the JA program, Our Families
-      eight second-grade classes using the JA program, Our Community
-      two third-grade classes using the JA program, Our City
-      one fourth-grade class using the JA program, Our Region
-      three fifth-grade classes using the JA program, Our Nation
-      one seventh-grade class using the JA program, It’s My Business
-      one high school class using the JA program, Be Entrepreneurial

* The 2011 Genesee County BEA (Business Education Alliance) Summer Camps included:
-      Eight students participating in the Veterinarian and Animal Sciences Camp;
-      Seven students participating in the Culinary Camp;
-      Two students participating in the MASH Camp (Medical Academy of Science and Health);
-     Eight students participating in the MST Camp (Math, Science and Technology);

Looking ahead to the summer of 2012, the BEA is adding an Aviation Adventure Camp.

Genesee County Business Education Alliance

Bill Hayes, Business Education Alliance (BEA) board member for nearly 20 years, provided an overview of BEA activities that exemplify and support its stated mission to “foster apartnership between business and education and to assist students to prepare for the world of work.”

Through itsinitiatives and programs, the BEA helps schools meet NYS Learning Standards, facilitates connections and coordinates services between schools and businesses, and helps provide students with opportunities to explore career and job opportunities in the region.

Some of its activities include Junior Achievement, mock interviews, job shadowing, teacher site visits, student site visits, career speakers, career fairs, summer career camps, internships, class projects that mimic real-life business interactions, and assistance to school counselors seeking specific career or employment opportunities for students.

Superintendent Puzio told the board that for the past four years the level of programming continually improves and expands.

Students Earn Trip

High School special education teacher Lorrie Gammack and a group of students enrolled in her Students Working and Transitioning (SWAT) course requested approval for a class overnight trip to a state park.

Gammack explained how students in SWAT -- a program designed to help
special needs students transition from high school into the world of work -- have been building job skills during their high school years by helping in the school’s main office, working at various job sites in the community, and operating a school-based recycling program that has earned some money for the group

Earlier this year, they reinvested their earnings from recycling by buying and raising poinsettias then selling them for a small profit, the proceeds from which will go to their overnight trip.

In addition to the trip serving as a reward for their hard work, Gammack noted that planned studies and activities at the park will support learning standards related to science, math, English language arts, and health/physical education. It will also provide an opportunity for practicing life and social skills in a less structured environment. The trip was approved.

Policy Manual

Superintendent Puzio reported that hundreds of district policies have been reviewed and revised and will now be reviewed by the district’s policy service. The goal is to have the revisions approved by the board by the end of the summer.

Summary of the school board meeting provided by Batavia City School District:

Highlights from the BCSD Board of Education meeting on March 12, 2012:

Parent Shares Concern Regarding Consolidation
A parent addressed the Board of Education, voicing concerns regarding the proposals for consolidation and cutting programs. In regard to consolidation, her concerns were about people losing their jobs and about test scores decreasing as class sizes increased. In addition, claiming that Batavia is growing, she felt the District will need to reverse the decision soon in order to accommodate an increase in students. In regard to cutting programs, she also cited concern for people losing jobs, keeping students involved in productive activities, and providing students withoutlets for accomplishments that enhance their college applications. Her recommendation was to avoid consolidation and cuts to programs, move administration functions to the Middle School (rather than fifth graders), have a voluntary pay freeze, and have staff increase their portion of paying for benefits to 20%.

Students Voice Support for Music Department
Five students addressed the Board to show support for the Music Department. In addition to mentioning the fun and enrichment of participating in musical productions and performances, several emphasized that the District’s music program had helped them identify what they wanted to pursue as a career and had offered opportunities for achievements and recognition that helped them stand out on college applications. Two are pursuing careers in music, with one majoring in Music Education and Performance at Ithaca College, and the other majoring in Fine and Performing Arts at Genesee Community College. Noting that cuts were made to the music department during the past two years, several mentioned that, although they were graduating, they would like underclassmen to have the same opportunities to grow in skill and confidence that they were given. All were particularly grateful and complimentary to music teacher Daniel Grillo, who they said has been an inspiration and mentor as well as a skillful teacher of music.

Update on 2012-2013 Budget Preparation
Business Administrator Scott Rozanski provided an update on the District's preliminary spending plan for the 2012-2013 school year, presenting a “roll-over” budget, or one in which minimal adjustments to the services provided in 2011-2012 (current)school year were made. This roll-over budget amounts to $40,622,313.

As noted previously, one significant change in expenses is an accounting change which affects the budget total but not the tax levy: in the past, instead of budgeting for such expenses as post-retirement and unemployment, those items were charged directly to the reserve funds - regarded somewhat as a sidebar to the budget. Now both are added into the budget figures as both an expense and a revenue, creating a larger number in both columns but no impact on the tax levy. Partly as a result of the accounting change, the budget shows an increase in expenses of $1.256 million or 3.19% over the current 2011-2012 school year. When the accounting change (which represented about two-thirds or $850,000 of the increase), is factored in, the real increase is about $403,000 or 1%.

The consequent tax levy needed to close the gap between roll-over expenditures and lessening revenue from such sources as State Aid, shows an increase of$980,957, or 5.515%. This amount is well over the District’s tax cap limit or threshold of 2.59%.

As mentioned in previous reports and news articles, the Tax Cap legislation is referred to as a 2% Tax Cap, when in reality, the “2%” figure is only one of the factors used in an eig determine each school district's and municipality's allowable tax levy increase that requires simple majority approval. Anything over that allowable limit or threshold requires a supermajority (60%) voter approval to pass. The School District’s Tax Cap Threshold is 2.59%; any higher increase requires a super majority of voter approval.

In order to bring the budget down to within range of a 2% to 2.59% tax levy increase, between $520,074 (for the 2.59% threshold) and $625,241 (for a 2% limit) would need to be cut from expenditures.

In providing direction to Mr. Rozanski on how to proceed with the budget, Board members agreed that preserving programs to whatever extent possible was a high priority. With that in mind, they opted to support a budget that does not exceed the allowable threshold increase of approximately 2.59%. This, they noted, will still require cuts totaling slightly more than a half-million dollars.

Board of Education Legislative Committee Chairperson Patrick Burk indicated that members of the NYS Assembly are working to restore approximately $178 million in aid through a more equitable basic Foundation Aid formula, while members ofthe NYS Senate or working to earmark $200 million in Gap Elimination Adjustment aid. Whether either of those efforts will succeed is unknown, and our budget preparation uses the projected figures released by the governor’s office.

School Consolidation Update
Superintendent of Schools Margaret Puzio requested that the Board provide direction on the much-discussed consolidation of schools. Weighing the difficulties and reluctance expressed by some families affected by the change against the educational efficiency and benefits of having grade levels in the same building and the financial benefits of being able to preserve more programs for students, the Board adopted the following resolution:

WHEREAS, the Batavia City School District has invested heavily in its facilities as an important vehicle through which it delivers its quality educational program; and
WHEREAS, Board of Education is charged with ensuring that District buildings are being deployed in the most efficient manner in order to provide the best possible educational opportunities for students at the lowest possible cost; and
WHEREAS, the Batavia City School District Board of Education has officially established the Buildings and Grounds Committee as a sub-committee of the Board to make recommendations regarding the condition and use of District facilities; and
WHEREAS, the Buildings and Grounds Committee is composed of a number of individuals including Board of Education members, District administrators, and a certified architect; and
WHEREAS the Batavia City School District Board of Education referred to the Buildings and Grounds Committee (June 7, 2011) the review of a possible building consolidation process that included the possible closing and reorganization of specific buildings for the purpose of increasing efficiency and reducing operational costs; and
WHEREAS, at various times public forums were held to obtain community input related to multiple options for building consolidation; and
WHEREAS, a final report was presented by the Buildings and Grounds Committee to the Board at the February 6, 2012 meeting, recommending the clustering of elementary grades Pre-K through 4 in two elementary buildings and 5th grade at the Batavia Middle School; and WHEREAS, the Board of Education has determined that it is in the best interest of the community to adopt the recommendations contained in the Batavia City School District Consolidation Feasibility Study.
NOW, THEREFORE, IT IS HEREBY RESOLVED AS FOLLOWS - the Robert Morris Elementary School shall close effective June 30, 2012, and Jackson Elementary will be converted to a facility housing primary students in grades Pre-K through 1, and John Kennedy Elementary will be converted to an elementary facility housing students in grades 2through 4, and 5th grade students will be educated at the Batavia Middle School. District administrators and necessary to effectuate the assignment of affected students who previously attended each school to another school building. While details of the plan have yet to be worked out, parents who are registering their child(ren) for kindergarten are still asked to so at their neighborhood elementary school.

Superintendent’s Report Superintendent of Schools Margaret Puzio reported briefly on several other items:

* Petitions     for election to one of the seats on the Board of Education are now     available and can be picked up in the Administration Building’s Business     Office. * Student     Artwork is on display in Richmond Library, with a celebration of the     artists scheduled for this Friday at 6:50 p.m. * The     Administration Building, currently up for sale, has had many showings,     much interest, but no offers to date. * There     have been inquiries about utilizing one of our school buildings if     consolidation was to take place; now those inquiries can be pursued. * Friday,     March 16, will be a full day of staff development, with the focus being on     implementing the new Common Core State Standards (CCSS) adopted by NYS.     The Staff Development focus will be on Common Core Literacy, with specific     attention on “Deconstruction of Common Core Standard” for identifying     learning targets, cognitive load, learning progression, and daily objectives;     “Close Reading” for making sense of complex text; “Building Academic     Vocabulary” for acquiring and comprehending more sophisticated vocabulary;     and “Writing to Respond to a Text-Dependent Prompt” for attending to persuasive and explanatory writing that utilize reasoning and evidence,   organized in logical ways. (The Common Core State Standards Initiative     is a state-led effort coordinated by the National Governors Association     Center for Best Practices and the Council of Chief State School Officers. The     standards were developed in collaboration with teachers, school     administrators, and other experts, to provide a common understanding of     what students are expected to learn, and a clear and consistent framework     to help all children become well-prepared for college and the workforce     through rigorous content and application of knowledge through high-order skills.)

Post-Graduation Report
Administrator of Student Assessment/Data Analysis Pam Buresch presented a summary of the District’s Post-graduation Report, obtained through working with the National Students Clearinghouse (NSC), a not-for-profit organization that tracks student enrollment in colleges. Ms. Buresch noted that tracking this information helps the District evaluate our academic programs and curriculum to assess their value in helping District students to be college andcareer ready, to align coursework with college and work expectations, and toensure a rigorous curriculum where students are prepared to succeed in a global economy and society. NSC tracks such things as the percentages of college enrollment; the timetable for enrollment (immediately after graduation orlater); the types of institutions attended - public or private, two-year or four-year; whether the institutions are in-state or out-of-state; the rate of freshman to sophomore year “persistence” (whether students return after freshman year); degree completion rates and timetables; and the most common institutions for enrollment.

Some ofthe findings indicate that college enrollment is typically in the mid-70% range, that our students are more likely to enroll in public institutions, aremore likely to enroll in-state, that enrollment has been higher for four-year institutions than two-year, and overall persistence rate is about 85%.

For more details, the full National Student Clearinghouse report is available on theBatavia City School District web page: http://www.bataviacsd.org/documents.cfmby clicking on the file folder labeled “District Forms and Publications,” then on the file folder labeled “District Information,” then on the document labeled “National Student Clearinghouse Graduation Report.”

District Calendar for 2012-2013
Deputy Superintendent Christopher Dailey announced that the calendar committee finalized the District Calendar for 2012-2013. It is available on the District’s website.

News from Batavia High
Student Ex-Officio Board Member Taylor Harkness reported to the Board that auditions for the High School play are scheduled, and that spring sports are starting. She also passed on a request that the Board look into inequity of improvements that have been made to the VanDetta Stadium site, noting that the boys’ locker room has received some updates and cosmetic improvements while the girls ’locker room has not, and still has, for example, only one bathroom stall. The matter was referred to the Buildings and Grounds Committee which will meet next week.

Report released by the city school district:

Highlights from the Batavia City School District Board of Education meeting on Feb. 6 include the following:

School Consolidation Update

On behalf of the BOE’s Buildings and Grounds Committee, Board Member Steve Mountain presented their completed feasibility study and a recommendation for consolidation of schools. The report also will be shared with the Budget Ambassadors as they review the district’s preliminary budget  and make recommendations to the board. The committee’s recommendation takes both fiscal and educational progress into account and includes:

-- Selling the Administration Building and relocating staff to available spaces around the District;
-- Utilizing the Jackson Elementary building for students in pre-kindergarten, kindergarten, and grade one;
-- Utilizing John Kennedy for students in grades two through four;
-- Placing grade five students at the middle school;
-- Revising the transportation policy so that all K-8 students who live farther than one mile from their school would be eligible for free busing; and,
-- Maintaining the Robert Morris building, making its classrooms and offices available for rental or lease.

Among the considerations behind their recommendation were the advantages of a “cluster model” for schools in which all students in a specific grade level are in the same building, providing for a more focused and deeper instructional plan. Research indicates that students benefit when curriculum is more consistent, and having all students of each grade in one building will facilitate this consistency as well as regular collaboration and sharing of strategies and resources. It also enables greater balance of class size as well as balancing concentrations of students with disabilities and economically disadvantaged students among classrooms.

While this cluster model would also describe the middle school, part of the recommendation is to have fifth-grade classrooms in a different part of that building, set off from the older students. Another suggestion is to create a house model --  a school within a school that has its own educational program, staff and students -- for both fifth- and sixth-graders. The study also noted several nearby districts which currently and successfully have fifth grade as part of their middle schools.

Jackson and John Kennedy elementary were designated as the sites for lower grades after all three of the current elementary buildings were analyzed in regard to number and size of classrooms, parking and parent drop-off/pick-up, bus loops, gymnasiums, cafeterias, library media centers, and size of the school grounds.

In regard to the finances, overall, the committee estimated an anticipated net savings in the first year of slightly more than $1 million. A reduction in staffing would have the greatest impact, followed by lower utility costs for the Robert Morris building. Relocating the Information Technology Department from the Administration Building, which involves moving the fiber optic cables that make up the district’s computer network, would be a one-time expense increase. This is recommended only upon the event of the sale or lease of the Administration Building, in which case the proceeds from the sale or lease could be used to mitigate the impact of the expense. Transportation costs would increase if more students become eligible and if those eligible students use district transportation, but, using current formulas for NYS transportation aid, approximately 90 percent of the costs would be returned the following year. 

BMS Comprehensive Educational Plan

More after the jump (click on the headline to read more)

Batavia Middle School (BMS) Principal Sandra Griffin presented highlights of the middle school’s Comprehensive Educational Plan (CEP), as mandated by NYS Education Department for all schools designated as being a School in Need of Improvement (SINI). BMS was classified as a SINI for not making adequate yearly progress (AYP) in meeting the higher proficiency targets in English Language Arts (ELA). While BMS has already begun implementation of practices to improve 
ELA proficiency, the CEP requires official board approval before being sent into the NYS Education Department.

The CEP includes three parts. Part I is a comprehensive school profile consisting of data on various topics -- such as enrollment, attendance, demographics, assessment data and survey results -- related to students, teachers, the district, the community, and the subject area of concern. Part II consists of the CEP team’s analysis of the data whereby patterns and root causes of low performance are identified and plans for improvement emerge. In Part III, the section for a detailed action plan, Mrs. Griffin highlighted two major strategies. First, the ELA staff will improve literacy instructional practices and make progress toward the college- and career-ready standard by more tightly aligning curriculum with the implementation of the Common Core State Standards in reading, writing, speaking and listening. Secondly, the BMS community will learn, practice, and model research-based literacy strategies by having all departments taking responsibility for improving student literacy skills and increasing opportunities for students to interact with informational text.

Mrs. Griffin stressed that utilizing data analysis, interim assessments, and an interdisciplinary approach while increasing the scope, span and rigor  of expectations will help more students reach the raised bar of achievement.

Superintendent’s Summary

In addition to other reports on various current district projects, Superintendent of Schools Margaret Puzio, briefly noted the following:

-- While the board had recommended a zero increase in the district budget for 2012-2013, so far, the preliminary numbers are at approximately a 3-4 percent increase, which reflects an approximate 5 percent increase in the tax levy. Budget Ambassadors will begin reviewing the preliminary budget this week, and their recommendations as well as those from administrative reviews will be forthcoming.

-- A committee of district employees representative of the variety of staff positions has come together to investigate ways to reduce health care costs in order to preserve more jobs and programs. Rising health care costs continue to be a great concern in budget projections.

-- The district is well on its way to implementing the new Common Core State Standards (CCSS) adopted by NYS in 2009. A recent training was held in Syracuse, and every department chair will be part of an upcoming district-wide presentation to staff on what and how CCSS are implemented.

School Board Association Awards

Superintendent Puzio formally thanked board members Patrick Burk and Amy Barone and congratulated each for receiving a Board Achievement Award from the NYS School Boards Association (NYSSBA). The NYSSBA’s School Board U recognition program is meant to acknowledge the extensive time and effort invested by members as they continually strive to expand their knowledge and skills for better board governance.

Update on Evaluation Procedure for Teachers and Principals

Deputy Superintendent Christopher Dailey provided an update on the emerging evaluation procedure for teachers and principals, noting that the State Education Department has requested permission to utilize pieces of our district plan as an example for other districts throughout the state.

The plan is in response to new legislation, first reported to the board by Puzio last fall (Nov. 1, 2011). At that time she noted:

-- Chapter 103 of the Laws of 2010 added a new section (3012-c) to the Education Law regarding annual professional performance reviews of all classroom teachers and building principals.
-- The new law applies first to all evaluations conducted by school districts on or after July 1, 2011, of teachers of “common branch subjects” (any or all of the subjects usually included in the daily program of an elementary school classroom) or English language arts or mathematics in grades four to eight, and principals employing such teachers.
-- By July 1, 2012, the process will be phased in for all classroom teachers and principals conducted by school districts or BOCES.
-- The new section of the law builds on current performance reviews, as opposed to replacing them.
-- The evaluations are intended to be a significant factor for employment decisions including but not limited to promotion, retention, tenure determination, and termination.
-- Performance reviews will yield a single composite effectiveness score (1-100) that incorporates multiple measures of effectiveness.
-- The measures used for scoring include student growth data on state assessments (initially 20 percent of the score, then 25 percent); locally selected measures of student achievement (initially 20 percent of the score, then drop down to 15 percent); and locally developed and negotiated criteria (for 60 percent of the score).
-- If a teacher or principal is rated as either developing or ineffective, the district must formulate and implement an improvement plan including such elements as the needed areas of improvement, timeline for achieving improvement, the manner in which improvement will be assessed, and differentiated activities to support improvement in those areas.
-- Districts must have an appeals procedure, established through negotiations, for teachers and principals to challenge their reviews.
-- This education law also establishes separate rules and for a Teacher Tenure Hearing related to charges of teacher or principal incompetence based solely upon an alleged pattern of ineffective teaching or performance (i.e., two consecutive annual “ineffective” ratings). In order to expedite the process of being able to remove an ineffective teacher or principal, the charges are to be heard by a single hearing officer within seven days after the pre-hearing conference and completed within 60 days thereafter. (A limited and time specific adjournment beyond the 60 days is available only if the hearing officer determines the delay is attributable to a circumstance or occurrence beyond the control of the requesting party and that an injustice would result if the adjournment was not granted.)

In a later update to the Board of Education (November 1, 2011), Mr. Dailey and Robert Morris Principal Diane Bonarigo outlined progress in working with the Batavia Teachers Association to determine measuring points and effective methods of evaluation for the locally determined 60 percent portion of the scoring measures. Utilizing ideas from the work two educational experts, Kim Marshall and Charlotte Danielson, Mr. Dailey and Mrs. Bonarigo presented a model that consists of approximately five annual, unannounced, mini-observations lasting 5-10 minutes, looking for evidence of “highly effective” to “ineffective” practices in three of the Four Domains taken from Danielson’s work: Planning and Preparation; Classroom Environment; Instruction; Professional Responsibilities. Then, within 48 hours, the principal would either provide written feedback, and/or have a conversation with the teacher to discuss that particular “snapshot” of teaching as well as invite the teacher to reflect.

The most recent report to the board included an update on the appeals process being negotiated, and on the 20-percent portion of the scoring measure. This portion of the measure is focused on defining the Student Learning Objective (SLO), which is particularly important for those subject areas in which there is no state assessment that can be used for teacher evaluation. Mr. Dailey outlined the five decisions that need to be effectively addressed before June 2012:

-- Assess and identify priorities and academic needs;
-- Identify which grades/subjects will have state-provided growth measures and which will require SLOs  as “comparable growth measures";
-- Determine district rules for how specific SLOs will get set;
-- Establish expectations for scoring SLOs and for determining teacher ratings for the growth component;
-- Determine district-wide processes for setting, reviewing and assessing SLOs in schools.

Booster Fundraising Proposals

Superintendent Puzio noted that, with the anticipated reductions in the number and in the scope of individual school programs, several parents have requested approval for forming booster groups to provide financial support for activities. Noting that difficult budget years are likely to continue, so too are these requests. As such, Mrs. Puzio suggested that the board consider formalizing a policy to handle such requests, and she asked for members’ initial thoughts and concerns. Some of the thoughts expressed by individual board members during this preliminary and exploratory discussion included:

-- The board should do whatever it can to preserve programs, including creating booster policies that would enable the preservation or support of activities;
-- A note that programs cannot become “pay to play” and that participation cannot become hinged on the ability to raise funds;
-- Any plan would need to consider the timeline for planning and scheduling (For example, any athletic group would need to be able to secure funding before the district could commit to scheduling competitions for the team.);
-- Breaking down all related expenses and forecasting the cost of activities could be burdensome;
-- Recently, some board members had expressed a concern about fundraising becoming too much of a burden for parents, yet this policy would likely increase the amount of fundraising that occurs.

Mrs. Puzio will consolidate the ideas and concerns in preparing a proposal for discussion next month at the March 26 school board meeting.

Submitted by Kathie Scott, coordinator of public information, Batavia City Schools

Highlights from the Batavia City School District Board of Education meeting on Jan. 9 include the following:

Important Calendar Change
A recent change in the New York State Education Department’s assessment schedule has forced the district to revise the school calendar. Superintendent of Schools Margaret Puzio noted that April 27, initially scheduled as a Superintendent’s Conference Day, a scoring day for the State ELA tests, and a day off for students, is now a testing date for state math assessments.

The proposed calendar change that is under consideration for the district is to have a half-day of school on April 27 to accommodate the state math assessments in the morning and accommodate the scoring of ELA tests in the afternoon. As soon as the decision is final, it will be announced.

District-wide Bullying Prevention Program
As many media announcements, some tragic, have documented, one of the greatest threats to the safety of schoolchildren today is from bullying by their peers. Because the safety and well-being of our students is such a high priority, staff members have been researching and preparing a district-wide anti-bullying program for the past year.

Superintendent Puzio announced the official implementation of the program, noting that a letter and brochure will be sent home to parents to explain important elements of the program and to enlist their support and cooperation.

The brochure highlights key points of the program such as the Three Key Components of Bullying Behavior (1: aggressive behavior; 2: typically involves a pattern of behavior, repeated over time; and 3: includes an imbalance of power or strength) and the Four District Behavioral Expectations. (1: We will not bully others. 2: We will try to help students who are bullied. 3: We will try to include students who are left out. 4: If we know that somebody is being bullied, we will tell an adult at school and an adult at home.)

Click on the headline to read more

A special parent education meeting with nationally known guest speaker Andy Thibodeau will be held from 6:30 to 8 p.m. Feb. 13 at Batavia High School. Child care, provided by BHS students, will be available during the program.

Students will be introduced to the program during assemblies. Nationally known speaker Jim Jordan will speak to primary grade students in a program titled,"Friends Helping Friends,” and to students in grades three through five in a program titled, "Super Hero -- Stop Bullying." Andy Thibodeau, in addition to speaking to parents, will address middle and high school students in February with his program, "Share Your Care! Care in class, in school and in life!”

Parent Shares Concern Regarding Consolidation
A parent addressed the Board of Education, voicing concerns regarding the proposals for consolidation. She stated that she -- as well as teachers and parents she has spoken to -- do not feel middle school is a good environment for fifth-graders for safety and academic reasons. She also related that many Batavia families have purchased their homes based on the location of particular elementary schools, and that they do not want to see the community school model changed.

She noted that parents she has spoken to are exploring the options available for enrolling their children in nearby districts or private schools should the consolidation take place. While recognizing that the district needs to rein in expenditures, she urged board members not to vote for any proposal that would include moving fifth-grade students to the middle school.

Backpack Food Drive Runs This Week
Superintendent of Schools Margaret Puzio reminded all who were present that the food drive to benefit the Backpack Program is running through this week  (Jan. 9-13). Donation boxes are set up at each of the schools as well as at the administration building, and she urged all who can to contribute to it.

She also reminded those present that admission to the Batavia High School  boys’ basketball home game on Friday, Jan. 13, will be free with a donation of at least one food item to benefit the program. (The boys play the Pittsford-Mendon Knights, with JV game starting at 6:15 p.m. and varsity at 7:45 p.m.) Suggested items are those that are nutritious and that require little or no preparation such as cereal (individual or 12 oz. boxes), juice boxes, canned soups, macaroni and cheese, applesauce, fruit cups, pudding cups, oatmeal, canned foods (vegetables, ready-made pasta with sauce, etc.), trail mix, cheese and crackers, peanut butter crackers, raisins, peanuts and fruit snacks.

Monetary donations are also welcome. Checks may be sent directly to the Salvation Army, payable to the Salvation Army with a notation for the “Backpack Program” on the memo line. The Backpack Program was started in 2010-2011 in partnership with the United Way and the Salvation Army to provide weekend food supplies for some of our neediest students.

Approximately 100 of our students receive a backpack of nutritious non-perishables each Friday to help provide for their needs through the weekend. Initially funded by the United Way, the goal was to have the program sustained through donations so, soon after the program began, the district sponsored a food drive to collect items from students and staff.

Thanks to their generosity, enough food was collected to support the program through the end of last school year. Puzio is hoping for a similar result during this year’s food drive.

Top Ten Achievements in 2011 for Richmond Memorial Library

Library Director Diana Wyrwa presented the library’s Top Ten Achievements for 2011. Noting that a long-range plan that had been put in place in 2007 is now coming to completion, and that this year will be one of evaluation and new goals. She stressed that planning and partnerships were prime features of the noteworthy achievements. Her “Top Ten” list included:

• 10) A new window in the Children’s Room of the library, which is more energy efficient as well as aesthetically pleasing.
• 9) Affiliate Library Status with Family Search International, providing a huge boost to those interested in the field of genealogy.
• 8) A total of 1112 programs offered, including, for example, story hours, book discussions, computer classes (in partnership with NIOGA Library System),various craft classes for adults, monthly “Reel” Discussions for movies, and A Tale for Three Counties (in partnership between libraries in Genesee, Wyoming, and Orleans counties).
• 7) A New England Authors Literary Tour (in partnership with 1st Choice Travel) as part of the “Novel Destinations” theme of the adult summer reading program.
• 6) The hiring of a new children’s librarian, Vinise Campanella.
• 5) The purchase of many of its own ebooks.
• 4) Redesigning the first floor, incorporating a bookstore model of placing new material up front and center.
• 3) Hosting an American Library Association (ALA) Traveling Exhibit, “A Fine Romance: Jewish Songwriters, American Songs, 1910‐1965.” (These exhibits are offered through the ALA Public Programs Office for Library Cultural Programming.)
• 2) A library book van to be used in partnership with GCASA’s drug-free coalition. In addition to containing educational literature chosen by GCASA, the van can carry a variety of books to places such as the senior citizen residences, Head Start, and the New York State School for the Blind.
• 1) The successful opening of Best Sellers Café, which was the number one item voted for in the library’s 2008 survey. The café serves a variety of beverages, lunch items and snacks.

Financial Summary Report for November 2011
Business Administrator Scott Rozanski reported on the November 2011 revenue and expenses for the district. Total recorded revenues were up by slightly more than  $1,237,000, or 5.4 percent.

A significant portion of the increase was a BOCES (Board of Cooperative Educational Services) surplus refund of nearly $202,000 or 56 percent over last year at the same time. The refund reconciled the amount owed for BOCES services actually used, with billing that had been based on anticipated use of services for the 2010-2011 school year.

Three other revenue categories also contributed to the increase: State and federal aid, the real property tax levy, and non-property tax items (utility tax). State and federal aid were up $327,000 or 7.3 percent over last year at the same time. This is primarily because of the increase in the Teacher Retirement System (TRS) payment in November, which the state makes on districts’ behalf as part of their annual aid, and which is therefore recorded by districts as revenue.

The tax levy, up $706,000 or 4 percent, is recorded as revenue when it is levied as opposed to when it is received. The utility tax, as previously reported, had been in decline for several school years including 2010-2011, but has been trending upward this year, including the November increase of nearly $80,000 or 33 percent.

Expenses were down by about $1,244,000 or 10 percent, as compared to November 2010.

Slightly more than one third of the decrease, $448,000 or 15 percent, was due to the timing of health insurance payments. Nearly another third, a decrease of slightly more than $368,000 or 26 percent, was in the category of Central Services. This was due in part to a change in the district’s purchasing cycle and the subsequent timing of orders being processed. For example, work done to the administration building to repair the roof and fix earthquake damages were initially charged to the general fund until they could be reconciled at year's end and charged to repair reserves.

A Buffalo-based radio host decided to throw truth to the wind on Tuesday and hand out T-shirts at Batavia High School with a simple message, "Merry Christmas."

The act stemmed from an inaccurate news report by Rochester's News 8 that the school district recently banned "Merry Christmas" and other sectarian religious expressions from the school district.

As The Batavian posted the night News 8's report aired, the district has a decades-old policy about public religious expressions, but the policy also explicitly allows students and facility to engage in personal expressions of faith.

The Batavia Daily News story makes it sound like Batavia City Schools are intolerant of such expressions.

Kathy Weppner, whose program is broadcast at WBEN Radio, 930 AM, said she brought 300 shirts to the high school to support freedom of speech for students and faculty.

...

BHS junior Chelsea Dibble, 16, gave out shirts after she was asked to by Weppner and the four fans she brought with her.

“We think we should be able to wear what we want to wear,” Dibble said.

Dibble said the shirt has to say “Happy Holidays” and not “Merry Christmas” to be worn in  the school.

“I think it’s cruel,” she said.

Of course, according to school policy, Dibble can wear a shirt that says "Merry Christmas" on it.

The school district responded in comments:

1.There is no letter, nor was there ever a letter, sent home to parents that explains BHS policy on teaching about religion and culture.
2. No students were ever told by a teacher that they couldn't talk about Christmas inside the school.
3. It is not against any school rules in the district to wear clothing that has "Merry Christmas" written on it.
4. The policy on religious expression, posted on the website, is the district's policy and is based on state and federal laws, including the First Amendment. It makes no mention of the expression "Merry Christmas."

Press release:

The Batavia School District Board is pleased to announce the appointment of Christopher J. Dailey as the district’s new deputy superintendent, effective Jan. 1.

He will assume the role of superintendent of the district following the anticipated retirement of current Superintendent Margaret Puzio. Dailey has served as Batavia High School Principal since May 2008.

“At a time when there is a tremendous shortage of quality superintendents and increasing turnover rates, we are extremely fortunate to have an individual that offers us a proven track record, a smooth transition, and is someone with a strong commitment to our community," said Board President Gail Stevens. "Mr. Dailey, in his role as high school principal, has earned the respect of the teachers, students, administration and community."

In 2010, the board identified the need for a succession plan to be put in place for key personnel who were nearing retirement. As part of that plan, Dailey was identified as a strong candidate to succeed Puzio. A process for conducting a new superintendent search had been considered as well, but searches can be expensive in a time of limited resources and sometimes lead to disappointing results.

After conducting extensive interviews with Dailey, each member was confident that the district had the right person internally to continue the district’s success and ensure continuity in these uncertain financial times.

In August, Dailey completed the Transition to Superintendency program through the educational Leadership Institute at Oswego State College. The program orients experienced school administrators to the skills and attitudes needed to become superintendents, according to the program description.

Dailey’s strengths are considerable. He is an excellent communicator who listens well and respects the views of others. His leadership of the high school has fostered pride and inspired a drive for excellence from both staff and students.

Although he is recognized for his strong administrative skills, he has earned multiple awards for his teaching and coaching. His experiences as a social studies teacher and coach in the Rush, Henrietta, Le Roy, and Brighton school districts prepared him well for his role as instructional leader.

This is a great opportunity for the district to carry on many of the initiatives that are under way with continuity in leadership and knowledge. Some examples of initiatives in which he has been involved include: a focus on improvement in student achievement; data driven instructional planning, including assessment analysis and targeted academic interventions; credit recovery and increased graduation rates; establishment of enhanced teacher leadership; alignment of curricula to the new Common Core Standards; and the new teacher and principal APPRs.

“I believe the board made a terrific choice for the district and I look forward with working with Mr. Dailey,” Superintendent Puzio said.

Before joining the administrative team in the Batavia City School District, Dailey was assistant principal in the Churchville-Chili School District. His numerous leadership roles -- including department chair, high school principal, high school assistant principal, and varsity coach -- signal a record of previous school leadership success. This led to consensus among members of the Batavia City School District Board of Education that he will be an excellent district leader.

Dailey holds a B.A. from SUNY Geneseo, and a master's degree and Certificate of Advanced Studies from SUNY Brockport.

For a report on Monday's school board meeting, click here.

Submitted by Batavia City Schools:

Highlights from the Batavia City School District Board of Education meeting on Dec. 5, 2011, include the following:

Explanation of the district policy about holidays

Superintendent Margaret Puzio reported that many questions have been asked about our district’s policy on celebrating Christmas. In response, she wrote a short explanation to post on the website along with copies of the actual board of education/district policies that pertain to the topic. For the link to that full message, copy/paste this into your address bar: http://www.bataviacsd.org/news.cfm?story=832&school=0

Enjoy holiday concerts!

In addition to praising last week’s Winter Concert performances by the Morris Chorus under the direction of Mrs. Lisa Gilebarto, and the Jackson Chorus under the direction of Ms. Robin Crowden, Superintendent Puzio encouraged all to attend upcoming concerts around the district.

Click on the headline above to read more: 

* Thursday, Dec. 8, from 7 to 8:30 p.m.

The Batavia High School Winter Concert includes performances by the BHS band under the direction of Ms. Jane Haggett, the BHS orchestra under the direction of Mr. Gilbert Pease, and the BHS women's chorus and Select Chorus under the direction of Mr. Daniel Grillo.

* Tuesday, Dec. 13, from 7 to 8 p.m.

The John Kennedy Chorus Winter Concert
 features the John Kennedy Chorus, under the direction of Mr. Jeff Langdon.

* Tuesday, Dec. 20, from 7 to 8:15 p.m.

The Batavia Middle School Winter Concert includes performances by the BMS band under the direction of Ms. Jane Haggett, the BMS orchestra under the direction of Mr. Gilbert Pease, and the BMS girls chorus and Mixed Chorus under the direction of Mr. Daniel Grillo.

* Wednesday, Dec. 21, from 7 to 8 p.m.

At the Batavia Middle School Auditorium, the Sixth-grade Chorus/Advanced Band Winter Concert 
includes performances by the BMS sixth-grade chorus under the direction of Mr. Daniel Grillo, and the Batavia Advanced Band under the direction of Mrs. Dawn Mark.

Batavia High News Ex-officio Student Board Member Taylor Harkness reported that:

• The boys’ JV and varsity teams won their respective tournaments in Olean this past weekend (12/2 and12/3). In addition, Justin Washington was named tournament MVP, and Jalen Smith and Tommy Prospero were named to the all-tournament team.
• The BHS chapter of the National Honor Society is supporting the Salvation Army’s effort to supply warm, clean, usable coats for those in need by asking all to drop off old coats at the BHS learning center by Friday, Dec. 16. The NHS members will deliver them to the Salvation Army.
• Also at the high school, the Z-Club has placed a donation box in the BHS main office for those wishing to donate toys and lightly loved stuffed animals for the Toys for Tots drive for Galisano Hospital. The box will remain in the office until Dec. 9.
• The senior class Vendor Blender was a success, and that auditions will soon be starting for the BHS production of "Guys and Dolls."

Batavia Middle School Update

The number of schools identified by New York State as “in need of improvement” jumped from 99 in 2010-2011 to 847 in 2011-2012. A significant explanation for the jump is federal pressure on the state to increase academic expectations and performance of students.

Principal Sandy Griffin and Assistant Principal Tim McArdle presented information about the Batavia Middle School’s move from recently being named a “High Peforming Gap-closing School” in annual rankings by the NYS Education Department to being identified as a “School In Need of Improvement” (SINI) by the State.

The noted increase in expectations has (made it) less predictable than in the past and (there are) higher cut points for proficiency -- so from Year A to Year B, students had to have a higher grade in order to be considered proficient.

But while the bar has risen quickly, the fact that the bar has been raised is a good thing. Mrs. Griffin and Mr. McArdle, viewing the SINI status as a gateway to future success, have been working hard with the rest of the staff on developing and strengthening school-wide initiatives that emphasize implementation of the Common Core State Standards, higher-order thinking skills, and literacy skills, including writing about information text.

For this school-wide push toward increased rigor and advanced learning, they are utilizing a three-pronged approach that includes faculty collaboration, emphasizes continual assessment of teaching methods and measured results to improve instruction, plus increases in personalized instruction.

The results thus far have been encouraging and Mrs. Griffin and Mr. McArdle expect that the academic benefits students are reaping from these initiatives will be reflected in increased assessment scores and increased preparedness for the 21st Century.

Financial Summary Report for October 2011

Business Administrator Scott Rozanski reported on the October 2011 revenue and expenses for the district, reviewing them in comparison to the October 2010 figures.

Total recorded revenues were up by slightly more than $1,090,000, or 5.3 percent, primarily due to a $706,000 or 4.13 percent increase in the tax levy. Two other revenue categories also contributed to the increase: Non-property tax items (utility tax) and state and federal aid.

The utility tax, which, as previously reported, had been in decline for several school years including 2010-2011, increased by $84,900, or more than 46 percent. State and federal aid were up $324,000 or 8.4 percent over last year at the same time, primarily because of the increase in the Teacher Retirement System (TRS) payment in October. The state makes this payment on districts’ behalf as part of their annual aid, and it's therefore recorded by districts as revenue.

Expenses were down by about $959,000 or 10 percent, as compared to October 2010. Approximately half of the decrease was in the timing of payments on the GV partnership bills. In 2010-2011, there were three payments made in October whereas in this school year only two were made in October.

In addition, Mr. Rozanski highlighted adecrease of $247,000 or nearly 22 percent in Central Services. This stems from a change in our purchasing cycle and the subsequent timing of orders being processed, and in part to charges for work done to the administration building for roof repairs and repair for earthquake damages. Those expenses were initially charged to the general fund until they could be reconciled at year's end and charged to repair reserves.

Press release:

The Batavia Board of Education will have a vacancy as of November 1, 2011, and is looking to fill that seat with an interested District resident. The vacancy is a result of the resignation of Andrew Pedro, whose term was due to expire at the end of this school year (June 30, 2012).

To fill the vacancy in the interim, the Board is asking Batavia City School District residents who would be interested in completing Mr. Pedro’s term (November 1, 2011 - June 30, 2012) to send a letter of interest, including their qualifications, by October 14, 2011, 4 p.m., to Scott Rozanski, BCSD Board Clerk, 39 Washington Avenue, Batavia, NY 14020.

Citing changes in his job responsibilities, Mr. Pedro felt he would be unable to fulfill the duties of a Board member to the degree that is needed to be effective and fair to the community that voted for him - particularly in these challenging economic times. He submitted his resignation at the Board meeting on October 3.

More than 60 parents gathered at Jackson Elementary School on Tuesday evening for the final public forum on the pending city school district building consolidation.

Most of the acid-tongued sentiments heard at the first building consolidation forum last month were absent this time, although several parents did bring up some already-heard concerns, such as the financial worth and viability of actually selling the Washington Avenue administration building. Those concerns were readdressed without issue.

The only true "new" idea proposed was closing the Batavia Middle School. One parent proposed shuffling the district's 6th-, 7th- and 8th-graders off into the elementary and high schools, as a way to save neighborhood schools. Administrators expressed that they had considered the idea before, but eliminated it due to the size of the middle school and the amount of learning technology it currently houses for those students.

Now, the Batavia City School Board has six months to choose from a number of different plans for building consolidation. Those plans might do anything from keeping all three elementary schools open in some capacity, to shutting one down and running two larger neighborhood schools, or closing two schools altogether and housing all elementary students in an expanded John Kennedy School. Click here for coverage from WBTA News outlining all of the proposed plans.

The school board will mull over the options with help from the Budget Ambassadors committee. A final decision on the building consolidation is due in March.

NOTE: This letter was read aloud by Superintendent Margaret Puzio at the Monday night meeting of the Batavia City School District Board of Education.

Margaret Puzio - Superintendent of Schools, Batavia City School District

Gail Stevens - President Board of Education, Batavia City School District

Subject: Letter of Resignation

Margaret - Gail,

I am sorry to inform you that I am writing this letter to inform you that I am resigning my position on the Batavia City School District Board of Education effective November 1, 2011. Last school year I made it known to both of you and the other BOE members that I would not seek re-election when my term expires on June 30, 2012. Since then things have changed considerably with my job and I can no longer give the time that is necessary to be an effective Board Member. As you are well aware that due to the added travel that is associated with my job, I have only made half the BOE Meetings since the new school year started and have made none of the consolidation public meetings. This is not fair to the employees of the district, other members or to the community that voted me on to the Board.

This is by the far the most challenging year this district has seen in a long, long time. Very difficult decisions need to the be made and the District needs Board Members that can give the time necessary to process the information and act on it. I no longer have that time and I can't in good (conscience) do a job that I can't give 100% to. This year more than any other is just too important!

The 5-plus years on the Board I have served have been a tremendous experience for me. The district is blessed to have an excellent leader in Margaret, top notch Administrators, teachers, support staff and a highly dedicated Board of Education. I wish you all continued success and want you to know I will always be an advocate for the Batavia City School District!

Good luck as you continue to move forward!

Sincerely,

Andrew G. Pedro

The list of consolidation options  for the Batavia City School District briefly got a bit shorter Wednesday, when officials announced the elimination of Option 3, which would have stuffed too many kids in too few classrooms.

Now the number of proposals is bigger than it's ever been.

After unveiling Options 5a and 5b in a news release Wednesday, officials introduced a tentative "Option 6" (above) at their meeting Wednesday night at Batavia High School. The as-yet unofficial plan would build an addition (highlighted in blue) at John Kennedy Elementary school, allowing that building to accomodate all of the district's elementary students. John Kennedy would then become the only elementary school in the district.

Including sub-options 2a, 5a and 5b, there have now been eight announced ideas on how to realign the district and get rid of the Washington Avenue administration building.

"Financially, we're not the only ones in this situation. It's school districts around the country," said Buildings and Grounds Supervisor Jim Jacobs today. "Looking at many different options and seeing what fits best...is a big decision."

Jacobs presented "Option 6" Wednesday night, and further explained it today.

"If we were to create Option 6: if (John Kennedy) was (to be) a K-4 school, we'd need to add 20 classrooms. If it was a K-5, we'd need to add something like 30 classrooms," he said.

Jacobs' rough rendering (above) shows what the project could look like.

"Amazingly, the site can support it," he said.

The addition would be a capital project, meaning it would need voter approval. Jacobs calls the plan viable, but won't yet say if he personally supports it.

"We would have to sit down with the architect, and go over program and space needs, and administrative needs," he said. "Those details need to be worked out, to actually put a dollar amount on what the addition could cost us.

"This option takes us away from our neighborhood concept, and it puts us in one location," which are both downsides to the plan, Jacobs said.

It's unclear when or if "Option 6" will become an official consolidation option.

Meanwhile, options 5a and 5b, released Wednesday, were constructed entirely from parent suggestions at recent public meetings. Option 5a would move half of Batavia's K-4 into Jackson School, and the other half into John Kennedy School, along with pre-K. Administrators would move into Robert Morris School, and fifth-graders would move into the middle school.

Under Option 5b, administrators would move into Jackson, and K-4 students would go to Robert Morris. All other facets remain the same as 5a.

Both 5a and 5b preserve the idea of neighborhood schools, though each plan eliminates one of the current elementary schools.

The final public meeting on the consolidation process will be held at 6 p.m. next Tuesday night, Oct. 4, inside Jackson Elementary School.

City School Superintendent Margaret Puzio confirms this afternoon that a short lockdown occurred at Batavia High School today, as a female student was subdued by police.

The student, age and grade unknown, became "upset" according to Puzio. She was deemed "a danger to herself."

All other students were confined to their classrooms as the girl was apprehended. Puzio estimates the actual lockdown period was only about five minutes.

The identity of the girl and any disciplinary action she faces from the district will be kept confidential.

To whatever degree a proposal to reduce city elementery schools from three to two is a trial balloon, in a meeting with parents at Robert Morris School on Tuesday night, it went down like a lead Zeppelin.

If Batavia City Schools Superintendent Margeret Puzio (top photo) hoped to woo some of the 70 parents in attendance, she would have been hard-pressed to find one fan of the idea by the end of the meeting.

Even parents who saw the need -- such as Phil Ricci, a budget ambassador for the school district -- said they hated the idea.

A consolidation of school districts -- one proposal shutters the current administration building and converts Robert Morris into new district headquarters -- would save as much as $1 million annually.

In an era of declining state aid combined with a property tax cap, the district board is forced to find ways to reduce spending that is "thinking outside the box," Puzio said.

She said if the 2-percent property tax cap had passed a year earlier, it would have led to a budget shortfall of $426,064. The cap would have limited the recent property tax increase to $280,106, instead of the $706,170 actually raised.

Plus, the district relied on a one-time federal grant of $567,584 to help balance the budget in 2011-12.

But on Monday night, there were times when parents seemed to simply oppose consolidation of the district's elementary schools regardless of budgetary constraints.

"It doesn’t seem we have a chance for honest input," Caroline Richardson said (first insert photo). "It seems like the decision is already made. It seems like there are no other options other than cutting down our programs again."

The consolidation proposals all involve the district selling its current administration building and then locating those offices to one of the elementary schools.

In each case, students are shuffled in a way that all grades would be at one school or another, such as all K-2 students at John Kennedy or all fifth-grade students at Batavia Middle School.

Cost savings would be achieved primarily through the elimination of some school-level administration and possibily some teaching positions.

The plans all end the idea of community schools serving K-5 students in their own neighborhood.

And that seemed to be the biggest sticking point for parents.

Some parents noted that under the proposals, instead of having their three children at one school, such as Robert Morris, they would end up with a kindergartner at one school, a third-grader at another school and their fifth-grader in the middle school.

Bonnie Vickery pointed out that schools rely on a lot of parent involvement both for educational support and fund raising.

If students are at more distant schools, and in some cases students will only be at a particular school for a couple of years, parents will be less likely to get involved, Lisa Macdonough (second inset photo).

"It's going to hurt schools way more than you realize," Vickery said. "I know the board is doing the best that it can and I know you want to do the best for the students, but there is a sense of community that is going to be lost."

While Puzio pointed to educational advantages of putting, say, all the second graders in one school instead of three, many parents weren't buying it.

A couple of parents cited reports they said showed that students who attended community schools achieved higher test scores, and students who made fewer transfers from school to school are more likely to graduate from high school.

"There are other options you need to be looking at that don't effect the children," Richardson said. "This is a community that has a lot of children in it who are disadvantaged to begin with and now we're going to disadvantage them again by taking them out of their neighborhoods."

Another person said many parents bought their homes where they did to be close to a community-based school, which brought a round of applause from other parents.

Puzio explained that part of the school district's goal was to preserve class size, which in Batavia is traditionally 20 students per class.

But when Macdonough said she would accept more students per class if it meant preserving community schools, nearly every parent applauded.

Another parent picked up the theme.

"Studies have shown that with a quality teacher who wants to be there, class size has little effect," Janelle Marble said. "We need to cultivate good teachers who want to be in their classrooms, who love teaching."

Near the end of the meeting, Ricci spoke up and said when he heard the consolidation plan, he became frustrated. He likes having his children attend Robert Morris, but he also knows the school district is facing a difficult budget situation and the board is doing the best it can on behalf of the children.

"I know all of these guys and know they are not trying to screw over the kids," Ricci said. "If this doesn't work, and it might not work, we as a community need to come together and come up with other options."

A group of parents are organizing a communitywide meeting to discuss consolidation at 7 p.m., Sept. 26, at Richmond Memorial Library. (Location TBD)