Press Release:

It was Confirmation Retreat Sunday for our Resurrection Parish and Ascension Parish Confirmation candidates; Coats of arms, corporal works of mercy, Saint interviews, and church imagery were among the retreat events.

Submitted photos.

Press Release:

The Byron-Bergen Math League team claimed victory in the 2025 Genesee County Math League on February 13, securing their first-place finish out of eight schools after an intense series of four competitions. This victory marks their fifth first-place finish in the past six years, solidifying the team's position as a powerhouse in the region’s academic competitions.

The Math League, held across four separate competitions, allows each participating school to send nine students to answer 15 individual math questions, followed by a ten-question team round. At the conclusion of each event, teams earn points based on the total number of correct answers, with the overall champion being determined after the final competition. 

Byron-Bergen’s team had a strong performance with several students standing out individually. Jackson Lundfelt finished first place overall out of all competitors and Emalyn Canfield secured the top spot for all 10th-grade participants.

Three other Byron-Bergen students earned spots to represent the District at the Monroe County All-Star Math Competition by finishing in the top 10 across all eight schools. Peyton Goodenbery, Gavin Kinkelaar, and Connor Moran will join Canfield and Lundfelt on March 20 at Nazareth University.

When asked about the team’s success, Byron-Bergen Sr. High School Math Teacher and Math League Coach Jon DiLaura attributed the victory to the tireless work and dedication of his students, noting that their countless hours of practice were crucial to their triumph. 

"The success of this team is a testament to the hard work and dedication of each member, as well as the unwavering support from our math teachers at every grade level—from elementary to high school," DiLaura said.

DiLaura also expressed his gratitude for the backing of the administration, with special thanks to Kathleen Merritt, a 25-year veteran of high school mathematics instruction, and Rebecca Logan, who coaches the Junior High Math League team in preparation for the high school competitions.

At the final Math League event, Specialist of Enrichment Services at Genesee Valley BOCES Mary Harvey, was also recognized for her instrumental role in organizing competitive math events and ensuring students from across the region have the opportunity to showcase their skills and passion for mathematics.

With their success, Byron-Bergen’s Math League team continues to set a high standard for academic excellence in Genesee County. As the team prepares for the Monroe County All-Star Math Competition at the end of March, the community looks forward to seeing even more remarkable achievements from these talented students.

The Genesee Chorale will sing you back to the 1960s in a concert at Batavia First United Methodist Church on March 29 at 4 p.m.

The "Classic Rewind" program features multiple hits from the pivotal decade arranged for choir.

Tickets are $10.

Batavia First United Methodist Church is located at 8221 Lewiston Road, Batavia.

This weekend, Batavia Players presents at the Main St. 56 Theater Shakespeare's "The Winter's Tale."

The production is directed by Patrick D. Burk with a script adapted by Burk and Tess Uline.

The Players promise a play of romance that is filled with surprises, modern-day twists, and glam. The play is a tale of love, jealousy, and redemption, and staged by the Players in a contemporary way, bringing characters to life for today's world.

Performances are at 7:30 p.m. on Friday and Saturday and 2 p.m. on Sunday.

Tickets are $22 for adults ($24 at the door) with discounts for students and seniors.  Tickets are available at bataviaplayers.org.

An executive order drafted by Gov. Kathy Hochul banning the hiring of Department of Corrections employees, in tandem with the difficulties Genesee County has already experienced in filling corrections officer vacancies for the new, larger county jail, has made the going anything but smooth, Legislator Gary Maha says.

“This executive order that she issued back on March 10 certainly creates a bump in the road, so to speak,” Maha said during Monday’s Public Service meeting. “The executive order does, right now, expire April 9, but she could extend that. I think she can make that permanent, too, if she desires … so I think we should go ahead and establish this resolution. There are a number of counties jumping on board with this issue and expressing concern with the governor as to the executive order.

What we feel is it’s a violation of our home rule telling us what we can do, what we can’t do, and in addition to that, it creates issues with us hiring county CO’s when we need them.”

Hochul’s order was in response to the recent three-week, unsanctioned strike by New York State corrections officers to protest conditions they claimed were harmful to their safety. The state fired some 2,000 of the officers, and the governor issued an order blocking them from obtaining jobs at other state agencies.

During Monday’s meeting, Maha — who drafted a resolution with Legislative Chairwoman Shelley Stein — introduced the statement for consideration and vote by the full Legislature at its next meeting on March 26. Stein said that, in talking to state Assemblyman Steve Hawley, he suggested that a speedier measure would be to also send a similarly worded letter now and follow up with the official resolution next week.

Public Service Committee members agreed. The resolution states that Hochul’s order “suspends various laws, preventing local authorities from hiring or promoting correctional officers involved in the strike, despite local discretion in such matters” and has raised concerns about state overreach, undermining local control.

There has been “significant opposition from local officials, including members of the Genesee County Legislature, who believe it unfairly penalizes officers and their families without proper consideration of individual cases,” the resolution states.

The goal is to urge Hochul to “reconsider the impact of this order on local control and fairness in employment decisions.”

“I think it’s well done, and her overreaching power is terrible,” Legislator John Deleo said. “And to your point, there’s a lot of good people there, and they’re already well-trained; they know how to deescalate problems, and I think we could use these people, and to handcuff us so that we can’t, it’s just appalling.”

Legislator Christian Yunker agreed, emphasizing that “this is absolutely an overreach.”

“It's vindictive. We have a lot of residents here in this county, there are corrections officers that are state corrections officers that are hurting, and it's twofold for us, because we're also trying to hire corrections officers,” Yunker said. “So we absolutely need to support this opposition. Thank you for the work.”

Chad Klotzbach added that they, as legislators, are “supposed to keep the heat on” to let Hochul know what their position is and not let up.

Hochul needs to know “we don’t appreciate this type of interference,” Legislator Marianne Clattenburg said.

After the meeting, Maha said the resolution was reviewed and approved by County Attorney Mark Boylan. While it’s speculated to be potentially unlawful, county officials certainly believe it’s “an overreach on her part,” Maha said.

“She has no authority to supersede home rule. We don't know what's going to happen on April 9, but several counties are threatening a lawsuit because they feel it's illegal … if we get to that point, and hopefully, maybe it'll be a class action suit if all counties will get involved with it,” he said. “We don't know yet. It's just in the infancy stages, but right now, we want to start with a letter and a resolution of objecting to her executive order, that part of it dealing with, you know, preventing counties and hiring these fired COs.”

He spoke with the jail superintendent, who said that a couple of state COs had applied for jobs, but Maha isn’t sure what happened with them. The need is there — with at least 10 additional positions added with the new jail opening in late 2024 and a continuous “fluid” status of vacancies, County Manager Matt Landers said.

“I feel like they’re interviewing every day over there for positions now, between the road patrol and the COs, and then there’s usually always an opening over in the dispatch center as well. It fluctuates daily,” Landers said. “Corrections officer is a high-stress job, plus when we’re in the midst of, we had 10 new positions that were created in the 2025 budget, you throw that on top of it, it’s definitely a lot of interviewing going on right now.”

Press Release:

Please be advised that the Town of Batavia Water Department will be replacing a water service line on Shepard Road, near the intersection of Ellicott Street Road, on March 18 and 19 from 7 a.m. to 4 p.m. 

Traffic will be closed on Shepard Road in the area where the work is being performed. Please use an alternate route.

As always, when the water is restored, it may be discolored.  Please refrain from doing any laundry until the water runs clear.

We apologize for any inconvenience, and the public’s patience is greatly appreciated.

Click here to view our featured listings.

Press release:

More than 650 students from 31 school districts in Genesee, Livingston, Orleans, and Wyoming (GLOW) counties experienced hands-on healthcare career exploration on Monday, March 17th. 

The annual GLOW With Your Hands: Healthcare event returned for a third year at Genesee Community College, supported by business and educational groups and sponsors led by Triple Platinum Sponsor ESL Federal Credit Union and volunteers from numerous local organizations and businesses. 

Willow Hoover, a sophomore at Alexander High School, said the experience attending GLOW With Your Hands: Healthcare ignited a passion for a career in healthcare as a sonographer.

“This event gives you an opportunity to learn about careers outside of a classroom, even though I would like to pursue a career as a sonographer. I have learned about so many new careers and skills that I did not know about until I was able to interact with the companies here,” stated Hoover.

Since 2023, GLOW With Your Hands: Healthcare has connected students to dozens of career paths and employers, municipal agencies, non-profits, and educational institutions. The healthcare event and GLOW With Your Hands: Manufacturing with the goal of exciting, educating, and empowering youth to seek success in careers.

“GLOW With Your Hands: Manufacturing and Healthcare have connected over 6,000 local students to local careers, transforming their interests into great career opportunities in the GLOW region,” said Angela Grouse, GLOW With Your Hands co-chair. “Supporting organizations and sponsors are addressing the healthcare needs of our local communities, and students attending this event want to be a part of the solution, educating themselves in the desired fields they hope to enter and ultimately serve.”

In addition to hands-on demonstrations, every student participated in a pair of self-selected workshops with a variety of healthcare careers led by medical, emergency response, and training professionals.

Sessions covered careers in EMS, pharmacy, healthcare administration, physical therapy, healthy living, physicians/residents, holistic medicine, radiology/sonography/ultrasound, mental health and social work, research science, nursing, respiratory therapy, occupational therapy, speech pathology, physician’s assistant/nurse practitioner, surgery, and vet technician.

“Our goal is to help students turn aspirations into full-time rewarding careers available in their backyards,” said Karyn Winters, GLOW With Your Hands co-chair. “Our participants are the reason why vendors and local organizations continue to support GLOW With Your Hands.  It is encouraging to hear the questions asked, see the hands-on demonstrations and interactions and the resulting learning that sparks interest in careers for the next generation of the regional workforce.”

Zachary Baron, an Albion High School senior, attended a respiratory therapy workshop where he and his classmates learned about life-saving measures and proactive steps taken in respiratory emergencies. This workshop reinforced the impact these careers can have on others in the local community.

“Coming to this event can help you understand the different services that make up the healthcare sector. I enjoyed experiencing the many careers that assist and help others in need, now I know the different opportunities I have available after graduation,” said Baron. 

Representatives from hospitals and health systems and professionals in nursing, mental health, social services, and emergency responders interacted with students to discuss their careers and pathways into their respective fields.  Along with immediate career opportunities available after graduating high school, attendees will also be able to explore educational pathways in the healthcare sector through BOCES and degrees available at local colleges and universities.

“GLOW With Your Hands: Healthcare provides students a unique opportunity to interact with and acquire a deeper understanding of the variety of careers our organization and the GLOW region has to offer,” said Justin Bayliss, Wyoming County Community Health System, skilled nursing administrator. “Retaining our brightest minds within our region results in family-sustaining careers that uplift our local communities.”

For more information about GLOW With Your Hands, please visit www.glowwithyourhands.com/healthcare.

Photos by Howard Owens.

There were laughs, hugs, and appreciation in the Byron Fire Hall on Saturday evening as the Byron Volunteer Fire Department recognized its dedicated members and those in other departments and the community who support it.

Robert Mruczek, who stepped into the chief's role seven years ago, was honored as he steps down to a deputy chief's role.

Assistant Chief Edward Sharp read a statement from the new chief, Dwane Weatherell, who was unable to attend the dinner.

"When Robert Mruczek took over this position," he said, "it was a time of transition following the sudden resignation of the previous fire chief halfway through the year. The challenges were great, but Chief Mruczek took those challenges head-on with a level of professionalism and dedication that set an example of true leadership. Chief Mruczek stepped into an uncertain and demanding situation. From day one, he demonstrated his ability to lead and inspire those around him. Under his leadership, our department has weathered many storms and flourished through countless emergencies, fires, and rescues. Chief Mruczek has ensured the safety and well-being of our community while continuing to build a strong department."

In 2024, the department responded to eight fire calls, 148 EMS calls, 11 hazardous condition calls, 25 good intent calls, and six false alarms. Department members went through 889 hours of fire training and 439 hours of EMS training.

The 2024 administrative officers are  

• Steve Lockner, president
• Pete Lockner, vice president
• Tammy Wells, treasurer
• Laura Platt, assistant treasurer
• John Durand, sunshine chair
• Tim McKenrick, chairman of the board
• Board of directors: Ken McKenrick, Kevin McKenrick, and Joe Wells
• Kevin McKenrick, chaplain

Firematic officers:

• Dwane Weatherell, chief
• Robert Mruczek, deputy chief
• Edward Sharp, assistant chief
• Brandan Crossett, captain
• Michael Alexander, lieutenant,
• John Durand, safety officer

EMS:

• Brad Nickerson, captain
• Kylenna Smith, lieutenant
• Dr. Erik Peterson medical director

Ladies Auxilary:

Laura Platt, president

Julia Hahn-Wasinger, vice president

Bethany Berggren, secretary

Morgan Leaton, treasurer

Barb Read, sunshine chair

Board of Directors: Eliane Barniak, Jayne Foose, and Christine Nickerson

Exempts:

• Tim McKenrick, president
• David Barringer, vice president
• Ken McKenrick, secretary
• Tony Barniak, treasurer

Press Release:

Area technology middle and high school students and teachers, along with the GCC Accelerated College Enrollment (ACE) department, and college community are working hard to prepare for the 16th GLOW Region Tech Wars! 

The event will be held Wednesday, March 19 from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. at Genesee Community College's Batavia Campus. 

The annual Tech Wars brings middle and high school students from all 24 of the Genesee, Livingston, Orleans and Wyoming (GLOW) region's school districts together in teams to demonstrate their technical expertise through innovative, mind-expanding competitions.

Tech Wars 2025 brings back some favorite events for high schoolers such as the Regatta, Bridge, CO2 Cars, Logo Design, Sculpture, Skimmer Cars, Sumo Bots, Tractor Pull and Trebuchet, and Lumber Labyrinth. Tech Wars event details, rules, and competition descriptions are available at techwarsgccny.org.

Any media planning to attend, please register with GCC's Marketing Communications Office at 585-343-0055 ext. 6116, or via email at marcom@genesee.edu and please sign in at the registration desk upon arrival.

For more information contact Vice President of Development, Admissions and External Affairs Justin Johnston at 585-345-6809, or via email: jmjohnston@genesee.edu.

Vanessa's Lasting Legacy and Independent Living of the Genesee Region hosted Lucky Paws Vendor Show at Batavia's City Centre Mall on Saturday as a fundraiser. 

Vanessa's Lasting Legacy provides assistance to veteran, disabled, elderly, and homeless cat and dog owners so they can keep and care for their pets.

There were 40+ baskets up for a raffle, along with more than 70 vendors.

Photos by Howard Owens. 

Press Release:

Assemblyman Steve Hawley (R,C-Batavia) slammed the Majority’s one house budget proposal today for its inability to address the needs of everyday New Yorkers and its financial irresponsibility.

This initiative outlines the Majority’s wishlist for what they would like to see in the final state budget. Their proposal is roughly $4.5 billion more than Gov. Hochul’s executive budget proposal, which stands at an astonishing $256.5 billion, ranking nearly the highest state budget in the nation.

“The trend of government waste and out-of-control spending was on full display in Albany today,” said Hawley. “Earlier this year, Gov. Hochul gave her own bloated budget proposal, but the Majority refused to be outdone. With a final price tag of over $256 billion, this isn’t a budget, it’s a recipe for disaster. Working families are already struggling to make ends meet and increasing spending at this level will do nothing but exacerbate the problem. The Majority needs to work with both sides of the aisle to create a budget that works for all New Yorkers.”

Edmund Acres, LLC, a participant for the past 12 years with Genesee County Soil and Water and the Natural Resources Conservation Service, was honored on Saturday night in Alexander as Conservation Farm of the Year.

Located in Le Roy, Edmund Acres is owned by Nate Edmund. It is a grain crop farm that grows corn, soybeans, and wheat on over 1,000 acres.

Edmund has worked with Soil and Water on best management practices for soil health, with a focus on reducing tillage through strip-till and no-till practices and improving soil organic matter with cover cropping. Edmund also follows an integrated pest management plan and a nutrient management plan.

The Celebrate Ag Dinner was served at the Alexander Fire Hall and featured local products from: 

• Dave's Ice Cream
• Dorman Farms
• Farm Fresh/Notera Foods
• Fenton's Produce
• Harrington's Produce
• Oakfield Artisanal
• Torrey Farms
• Yancey’s Fancy

Photos by Melissa Brooks

Genesee beat Orleans on Friday in the Girls Basketball Exceptional Seniors Game, 61-34. 

Scoring for Genesee:

• Alea Groff, 11 points
• Emily Pietrzykoski, 9 points
• Emily Harmon, 9 points

Photos by Jennifer DiQuattro.

Sherman came into the Class D Far West Regional Champion Game in Girls Basketball with a record of 21-1, among the best records in the state.

But not better than the undefeated Elba Lancers, who remain perfect on the season after Saturday's win, 54-48, propelling them to New York's Final Four Tournament at Hudson Valley Community College in Troy starting on Thursday.

The overtime win gives the #1 ranked Lancers a 23-0 record.

Near the end of the third quarter, Elba trailed Sherman by 10 points but charged back, carried by Brea Smith, who scored 13 points in the final 12 minutes.

Elba took a 42-39 lead, but Sherman hit a buzzer-beater to tie the game and send it to overtime.

Scoring for Elba:

• Brea Smith, 20 points
• Sydney Reilly, 14 points
• Mariah Ognibene, 11 points
• Maddie Hall, 8 points

This will be the Lancer's second consecutive Final Four appearance. They face Northville at 4:15 p.m. on Thursday.  With a win, they would play for the championship on Friday. This will be a chance for Elba to settle a score with Northville, who knocked Elba out of the Final Four last year, 42-34.

Photos by Debra Reilly.

Genesee beat Orleans on Friday in the Boys Basketball Exceptional Seniors Game, 94-55

Photos by Jennifer DiQuattro.

In the face of unknown repercussions from possible cuts to, or the total elimination of, the U.S. Education Department, Batavia City School District leaders are pushing forward with a $63.3 million budget calling for a $3 million increase and a 2.22% tax levy increase, Superintendent Jason Smith says.

This proposed 2025-26 budget would replace six teachers, one secretarial and one administrative position, move two social workers over from a grant to the general fund, and pay for necessary expenses, Smith said.

“The majority of increases are coming from essential instructional programming that directly benefits classroom learning and the overall student experience — athletics, music, arts, extracurriculars, etc.,” he said to The Batavian this week after the board had its first budget workshop. “The majority of this increase is related to salary and benefits. Benefits alone, including health insurance, retirement contributions, and social security, are increasing by approximately $883,000 budget to budget. The instructional area of the budget is increasing over $1.7 million, with the majority of that increase attributed to increases in teaching salaries and budgeting federal salaries in the general fund.”

The estimated property tax rate would be $16.05 per $1,000 assessed value, subject to change once assessment rolls and equalization rates are finalized, he said. That would be approximately 34 cents more per $1,000 than the current rate, or a $34 annual increase on a home assessed at $100,000, with no assessment changes.

The total proposed school tax levy is $20,790,870, an increase of $451,534 from this year. The levy falls within the allowable levy cap of $452,506, Smith said.

The district has retirements coming up, and all positions are being replaced, including:

• Two physical education teachers at the BHS
• One Spanish teacher and one English teacher at BHS
• One elementary teacher at Jackson
• One elementary teacher to be shared at Jackson and John Kennedy schools
• One executive director of operations and staff development

These positions are not new hires — “but rather, are replacements that are dictated by class size and student needs,” Smith said, and are not definite at this time.

“We are currently assessing the need to fill these positions prior to the adoption of the budget by the board in April,” he said. “The savings come in terms of ‘breakage’ between the salary and benefits of staff personnel retiring and the possible replacement at a lesser cost.”

An executive director position has been reconfigured to become a director of Human Resources, which is a Civil Service position and will mean a reduced salary, he said.

There is an added position of IT operations analyst. Why was that deemed necessary after adding an IT director? What are the duties and salary/benefits costs?
“Three full-time technology employees resigned or retired between February and June 2023.  A decision was made to hold on replacing these positions until a director was hired and had sufficient time to assess the needs of the department. During this transition, the district contracted with Wayne Finger Lakes BOCES to provide per diem, part-time support,” Smith said. “At this time, the district needs full-time technical support to ensure network systems are consistently monitored, evaluated, and upgraded to be in compliance with various NYS mandates.  The salary/benefits cost is between $55,000-60,000.”

The Batavian asked Smith about potential funding and program cuts with more recent announcements of slashing half the federal Education Department staff and readying it for future elimination. He referred to a message he had sent out to district families Friday to address that issue.

Do you believe that you and the board are considering any and all cuts to make with this budget?
The Board and I always consider every possible item for reduction. For example, we have proposed a Director of Human Resources position to replace the current Executive Director position,” he said. “This proposed budget is highly consistent with our mission and vision of providing high-quality programming and instruction for our students.”

Do you believe this will be the budget going forward, and if so, how do you sell it during a time of upheaval with the stock market and downturned economy?
“The board, leadership team, and our staff believe strongly in the value of sound public education.  This budget represents those values and beliefs and preserves programming that is both essential and expected from our community,” he said.  “Due to the increase in state aid, we are able to preserve important programs for our students and, combined with retirements and using reserves in a wise and conservative manner, this proposed budget meets and exceeds the needs of our students while respecting the tax levy limit for our community.”

The public budget hearing is scheduled for 6 p.m. May 12, and budget vote is May 20.

Laying off nearly half the staff en route to an eventual goal to dismantle the U.S. Education Department has not left school officials with much certainty about the future of their district funding or even rudimentary items such as school lunches, Pat Burk says.

The department, which oversees $1.6 trillion in college loans, enforces civil rights laws, and provides federal funding for needy districts, announced on Tuesday the plan for the second round of mass layoffs to meet President Trump’s apparent goal to eliminate the department altogether, according to Reuters. 

As executive director of the Genesee Valley School Board Association, Burk has been hearing from school superintendents that it’s the not knowing that’s creating the most angst.

“The big concerns that are happening, from an educational standpoint with the Department of Education and other areas that deal with it, including the Department of Agriculture and other areas that the federal government, that deal with our local schools, is that the uncertainty is causing just as much of a problem as the certainty,” Burk said, offering an example. “The Department of Agriculture processes payments for school lunch, and part of that money is because of the Department of Agriculture to make sure that American agricultural products are processed through the school lunch program and used through school lunch programs. Now, what happens if they determine that those products are still going to be ‘used’ for the Agricultural Department and through school lunches, but they get rid of the 600 people that process the payments for that to happen?”

“That's the biggest uncertainty right now is that they can do things, and things can happen that do not necessarily change the ‘laws of the land,’ but can deter the process from being economical for school districts. And you look at some of our districts that have such a huge amount of money involved in federal school lunch programs and other areas like special education, what if the processes, the dollar process, is slowed down?” he said. “I think that's the big thing about the uncertainty. And I think that our local superintendents in my 26 schools that I represent, and the superintendents that are involved in this, are really very much on top of that, and we did have a really good session with Senator Schumer's office at our legislative event that we held, and we're in constant contact with people, but again, there's just no way that the uncertainty, which is really all it is, there's no way that the uncertainty is not going to have some impact.”

If this latest cut happens, the U.S. Education Department will have 2,183 workers left from a total of 4,133 when Trump took office in January.

Batavia City Schools Superintendent Jason Smith addressed district concerns by sending a question-and-answer message home to families Friday about the impending actions to be taken with the federal Education Department.

What will happen if they eliminate the Department of Education by Executive Order?
“At this time, we do not have a definitive answer. However, eliminating a department established by Congress requires congressional approval,” Smith said. “Even if such an action were approved, the executive branch would need to reassign the Department of Education’s responsibilities, as federal law mandates certain functions currently overseen by the department.

“For example, just in the past few weeks, the executive branch directed the Department of Education’s Office of Civil Rights to open several investigations,” he said. “If the Department of Education were eliminated, another federal agency would have to oversee these responsibilities.”

What about all of the grants we receive from the Federal Government? 
“BCSD receives several significant federal grants, including Title I, II, and IV grants under ESSA, as well as 611 and 619 grants under IDEA. The total annual allocation of these grants is currently around $1,736,838. While $1,736,838 is a significant amount, it represents only about 2.9% of our annual revenue,” he said. “Like other responsibilities of the Department of Education, these grants are mandated by congressional acts. If the department were eliminated, the executive branch would have to decide which agency would oversee and distribute these funds.”

What is the impact of the elimination of USDA (Dept. of Agriculture) programs for school meals?
“The recent termination of two USDA programs — the Local Food for Schools Cooperative Agreement Program (LFS) and the Local Food Purchase Assistance Cooperative Agreement Program (LFPA) —could significantly impact districts nationwide,” Smith said. “The full impact remains unclear, as these programs are interconnected with other federal and state initiatives.

“Additionally, New York State plays a role in funding school meal programs, though some state programs rely on federal funding,” he said. “We are closely monitoring this situation, and I anticipate that the New York State budget may include provisions to maintain school meal funding if federal support is reduced or eliminated.”

Will all of this impact staffing or programming at BCSD?
“At this time, we do not anticipate any immediate changes to staffing or programming as a result of these federal actions, but we will continue to monitor developments,” he said. “As with school meal funding, we expect the New York State budget and legislative actions to address some of these concerns and provide further clarity.”

Burk said he thinks the uncertainty isn’t necessarily that the impact will be felt “sooner rather than later.”

“I was in a meeting with what's called the Coalition of Local School Boards Association yesterday, and we had a long conversation about the fact that we don't have anything to ‘worry about from the law side,’ because they haven't gone against the laws,” Burk said. “But when you have a commissioner secretary of education who admits her job is to close the department down without having the answers of how are the services going to be handled, that uncertainty is going to drive us into another whole realm.

“I mean, it's just unbearable for many people to think about it. Think about schools who have a high level of Title I kids, actual poor kids that, for whatever reason, have major economic difficulties who are in Title I schools who have a tremendous amount of need for additional funding,” he said. “Even they all want kids to succeed, but they don't want to pay for the extra reading or whatever. Where's that Title I funding going to come from if the Department of Education is closed down? We're finding that it's more and more of a, I don't even want to say it's a delicate balance. It's just like a ridiculous balance of what is being considered.”