education

UPDATED 1:39 p.m.

For a brief time overnight and this morning, a page appeared on Facebook called "Batavia Fights," which promoted itself as a place for students to post videos of their friends and classmates fighting.

One video was posted of two girls reportedly at Batavia Middle School involved in a fight as classmates cheered them on.

Christopher Daily, assistant superintendent of the school district, said the district was aware of the page and video and were investigating possible student involvement.

"Obviously, we don't condone it," Daily told WBTA. "We will work with the authorities as well to make sure that our students' safety is of utmost concern."

The school district contacted Batavia PD this morning and according to Det. Todd Crossett, the PD used a special law enforcement phone number to contact Facebook and alert the social network to the page.

Crossett he didn't have information on whether Facebook removed the page or if the original poster removed it.

There's nothing criminal, Crossett said, about shooting or posting the video and the actual fight itself is a school disciplinary matter and at this point law enforcement isn't involved.

Comments on the video were mostly approving, calling it "cool" and "funny."

At the end of the video an adult appears to enter the shot and break up the fight.

The video appears to have been posted around 5 p.m., Thursday.

By 11:40 p.m., the page was no longer available on Facebook.

A screen shot and the video were saved by WBTA's Geoff Redick before the page disappeared. Redick blurred the video to make it harder to identify individuals in the shots.

Press release:

Following the announcement that Holy Family School in Le Roy had exceeded the first of three benchmarks required to keep the school open, Dr. Rosemary Henry, superintendent of Catholic Schools for the Diocese of Buffalo, issued this statement:

“I wish to congratulate the entire Holy Family School community for responding to last November’s call to action. By meeting their first goal, they have shown a commitment to sustaining and growing Catholic education in Genesee County.

“But much work remains to be done in order for Holy Family School to remain open beyond June. In the coming weeks, we need to see greater engagement on the part of supporters of Catholic education to ensure each individual benchmark is met,” Dr. Henry said.

As of March 2, the school had registered 70 students for the 2012-13 school year and raised $47,000, surpassing the March 1 benchmark of 40 paid registrants and $40,000 raised.

After a series of meetings last year, it appeared that Holy Family School would merge with St. Joseph School in Batavia, but upon hearing from members of the Holy Family community and local leadership, Bishop Edward U. Kmiec, bishop of Buffalo, agreed to give the community time to rally around the school in an effort to keep it open.

Two additional benchmarks must now be met:

April 15, 2012: a total of 80 paid registrants with nonrefundable deposits and an additional $40,000 on deposit. June 1, 2012:  a total of 120 paid registrants with nonrefundable deposits and an additional $45,000 on deposit.

According to a plan agreed upon and presented to the Holy Family School leadership and the local community, as well as a letter sent by Father Michael Rock, OdeM, canonical administrator of the school, to the Holy Family community on Dec. 2, 2011, meeting the benchmarks will allow Holy Family School to remain open.

“Parishioners, school supporters and alumni are encouraged to continue this impressive momentum to ensure Catholic elementary education is maintained in Le Roy,” Dr. Henry said.

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.

In a community meeting Wednesday night to discuss an unusual outbreak of tics among female students at Le Roy High School, a state health official steadfastly refused to reveal the cause of the outbreak.

Citing not just HIPPA as a reason for keeping the diagnosis of 11 girls private, Dr. Gregory Young said that as a matter of principle he didn't want to see the girls "labeled" by what their doctor has found.

Young, from the NYS Department of Health, said the cause (or causes) isn't related to the environment; it isn't anything a person "catches"; it doesn't come from exposure to something, or from anything ingested. Nor does the cause stem from prescribed drugs or illicit drugs.

State health officials know what is behind the outbreak, but Young would not disclose it. Yet he tried to reassure parents that it's safe to send their children to school.

In all, according to Young -- though some in the audience disputed the number -- at least 11 girls have come down with the "tic manifestations" (Young cautioned against calling it a syndrome). 

The doctor's explanation, and a stone barrier he put up regarding the cause, didn't go over well with parents or students.

James Dupont Jr. spoke passionately about the need for officials to be more forthcoming about what physicians have found. Dupont complained that although Young said the cause has been diagnosed, nobody's told him what caused his daughter to develop tics.

After he spoke, he went into hallway and was mobbed by reporters.

"We all have to respect that (keeping medical information private), but I tell you what, if my daughter had a diagnosis and I knew that, as a parent, I would tell you -- because I’m not a doctor and I don’t care about HIPPA," Dupont said. "I care about getting these kids better or finding what’s causing it so it doesn’t get any worse."

Later, from the back of the auditorium, Dupont called out Young on his repeated insistance that a diagnosis has been completed for the 11 students. 

Dupont asked parents in attendance whose daughters had developed tics to raise their hands. More than a half dozen adults raised their hands. Then Dupont asked how many had been told by their daughters' doctors what caused the tics. Several said they had not been given a diagnosis.

One parent spoke up and said he was told the cause was "conversion disorder."

Young said he couldn't respond to that comment.

Conversion disorder is a neurosis usually brought on difficulties in a person's life, according to Wikipedia. It is marked by numbness, blindness, paralysis or fits. Britannica.com lists tics as a manifestation of conversion disorder.

After more questioning about conversion disorder, Thomas Wallace, from the state's mental health office, said it isn't really a diagnosis. He said it can be a symptom of other issues and that it can be found in clusters of patients.

The number of patients is not out of line with national statistics for tic manifestations among a group of 500 youngsters (in fact, in a group of 500, there should be at least 20 children with tics, based on national statistics).

What is unusual, he said, is that all of the patients are girls (boys develop tics at a 4-1 ratio over girls, according to national statics, Young said) and that they all developed the manifestations at about the same time.

Several students got up to ask questions or speak out, including a girl who said her name was Jessica.

"You think it's unethical for you not to give us the cause," Jessica said. "I think it's wrong for you not to tell us."

"If you were one of the individuals involved, you might feel differently," Young shot back.

"We're friends with these people," Jessica said. "Half of them haven't even been diagnosed yet. You're not telling us the truth because you don't really know what's going on."

Young repeated that he feels uncomfortable sharing private medical information. Later, he spoke about how he's always hated bureaucrats and he realized he was being one, but he said he simply couldn't share private medical information.

The one commonality Young said he could share was that all of the girls showed a greater manifestation during times of stress.

It's not unusual, he said, for people to manifest tics in time of stress, and there are a lot of stress factors in a young person's life. All people deal with stress differently, but it's well documented that stress can cause a number of physical reactions.

One big stresser for kids today is social media.

"There's a lot that goes on in social media today that parents don't know about, that schools don't know about," said Young, noting that the community meeting coincides with the start of the school session, and the students susceptible to tics will be under a new round of stress.

Just announcing the meeting created stress for the students involved, he said, and parents should be prepared for an increase of tic activity as reports about the meeting hit the media.

Dupont and other parents afterward said they don't believe it all boils down to stress especially since, for some of the students, the tics don't seem to become less frequent when school is out (though one mother who spoke said her daughter didn't have tics over Christmas vacation).

Among Dupont's suggestions is that a parent support group be formed. Then, perhaps, parents could share more information and find commonalities among their daughters (not all of the girls know each other or necessarily had contact with each other prior to the tic manifestations arising).

Young agreed this would be a good idea and also said that in a closed group of just the parents involved, he could speak more freely about what physicians have found.

UPDATE AND CLARIFICATION: The mention of types of drugs above wasn't meant to exclude from the meaning, as it does, that designer drugs weren't investigated as a cause. They were and subsequently ruled out as a cause. PANDAS has been ruled out as a cause. HPV vaccine has also been ruled out as a cause, according to Dr. Young. ODD or ADHD can make a child more susceptible to tics, but that isn't a cause. One thing Young intimated is that there is no one cause for all the girls.

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.

Submitted by a reader:

In the basement of St. Joseph’s Oratory in Le Roy, parents and committee members heard the words everyone was praying for, “Holy Family will remain open for the 2012-2013 school year.” This announcement came  from the Diocese of Buffalo after word that the merger proposed with St. Joseph’s in Batavia had been rejected.

This good news comes with a catch though -- all benchmark goals previously set by the diocese still need to be reached.

“Every 10 students cost the school around $20,000,” Fr. Rock said, “every enrolled student lessens the financial burden of the school and, therefore, the parents.”

Benchmark goals include enrolling 120 students and raising $120,000 by June 2012. Enrollment goals include re-enrolling the 90 current K-7 students so parents are encouraged to make their commitment sooner than later.

An Enrollment and Marketing Committee has been established by a group of parents, professionals and supporters of HFS who plan to kick off the enrollment campaign this January.

A Finance Committee has also been created to manage donations and assist with tuition and financial aid.

“We need the donations and the tuition to run the school, but it is important for parents to know no student is turned away for the inability to pay,” said Dane Sprague, co-chair of the Finance Committee. "There is always a way and we will find it."

Sprague also reminded supporters to encourage donations of all sizes as no donation is too small. The school is launching a new website which will be live on the first day of Catholic Schools Week in January.

It is expected to have many more user-friendly features including the ability to make a quick and secure donation online. Until then, Holy Family School is asking those willing to donate to send gifts to HFS with attention to Denise Spadaccia, the school’s bookkeeper.

“Now is the time to donate and enroll, with confidence,” said Lindsay Warner, 1995 alumni and committee volunteer. "Holy Family School has been serving the Le Roy community and surrounding areas since 1889 and has proven tonight that she will continue to do so."

Press release:

Bergen, NY -- During a special meeting of the Byron-Bergen Board of Education on Saturday morning, Dec. 10, Casey Kosiorek, of LeRoy, was unanimously appointed as superintendent of schools, effective Jan. 9, 2012.

Kosiorek attended the meeting with his family and signed a three and one-half year contract.

“We are delighted to welcome Mr. Kosiorek to the Byron-Bergen learning community, and we look forward to a long and productive working relationship with him,” said Board President Ernie Haywood.

Currently, Kosiorek is Wolcott Street School principal in the Le Roy Central School District. Prior to his appointment as principal in July 2007, he served as the school’s assistant principal. He also spent nine years as a physical education and health teacher with the Royalton-Hartland Schools in Middleport.

Kosiorek is a graduate of Batavia High School. He earned his bachelor’s and master’s degrees from Canisius College and a Certificate of Advanced Study in educational leadership from SUNY Brockport. He also completed the Transition to Superintendency program through the Educational Leadership Institute at SUNY Oswego.

Under Kosiorek’s leadership, the Wolcott Street School has received honorable mention as a New York State “School of Character” and was nationally recognized by the Character Education Partnership as a school of Best Character Education practices.

Earlier this year, Kosiorek was named Elementary Level Administrator of the Year for Region 12 of the School Administrators Association of New York State.

The search for a superintendent has been a time-consuming process for board of education members but well worth the effort, according to Haywood.

“We wanted someone with the capacity to forge strong partnerships and to focus the district’s efforts on higher levels of success, and we are confident Mr. Kosiorek is the right person.”

“Mr. Kosiorek’s experience with the Olweus Bullying Prevention Program and his commitment to using data to drive instructional practice, in particular, were consistent with current areas of emphasis at Byron-Bergen,” Haywood added. “We feel fortunate to have had excellent candidates to interview, but Mr. Kosiorek is a great fit.”

Press release:

First as a student and now as a faculty member, Patty Page has been making a difference in the lives of Holy Family School students in Le Roy for the past 23 years. A 1965 graduate of the school located in eastern Genesee County, Page will receive the “Sister Lucille Socciarelli - Father John Sturm Making a Difference Award” on Jan. 26 at the annual dinner that raises funds for needs-based tuition assistance for students attending Catholic elementary schools in the Diocese of Buffalo.

In his letter of nomination, Holy Family School Principal Kevin Robertson wrote, “Patty is a very spiritual person and shares her great sense of responsibility with her students and coworkers every day. Patty’s second-graders leave her classroom at the end of each school year with knowledge of Jesus, His many teachings, the saints and the essential values of being a caring and honest person.”

Father Michael Rock, OdeM, canonical administrator of the school, said that for Page, teaching is a true vocation and call to ministry.

“In everything she does, she is not only an exceptional professional but she has the compassion and gentleness of a true Christian,” Rock said.

The award that Page will receive at the “Making a Difference Dinner – A Celebration of Catholic Schools,” was originated in 2000 by the late Tim Russert of NBC’s “Meet the Press.” The South Buffalo native was inspired by two religious mentors, Sister Lucille Socciarelli, RSM, who taught him at St. Bonaventure School in West Seneca, and Father John Sturm, SJ, dean of discipline at Canisius High School in Buffalo.

Following Russert’s death in 2008, the Foundation of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Buffalo decided to continue the award on Russert’s behalf.  Since the 2009 dinner, Russert’s son, Luke, has introduced the honoree via videotape from the NBC News set in Washington, D.C. The practice will continue at next month’s dinner.

Lead sponsors of the dinner are the William E. & Ann L. Swan Foundation and Restonic – Tom and Jean Comer. Platinum sponsors are the Mazurkiewicz Family and Mrs. Arthur J. Schaefer, Lawley, John and Betsy Sullivan, and Richard and Karen Penfold.

Tribute sponsors are KeyBank, Jake and Katie Schneider, Steve and Kellie Ulrich, M&T Bank, Pratt Collard Advisory Partners, LLC, and The Kenneth L. & Katherine G. Koessler Foundation, Canisius High School, Dietrich Law Firm, Personal Touch Food Service, Phillips Lytle, Franchise Technologies, Catholic Health, St. Mark Parish and School, and Dave and Mary Pietrowski.

For sponsorship and ticket information, contact Susan Burns, coordinator of Special Events, at 716-847-8373 or sburns@buffalodiocese.org.

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.

UPDATED 10:45 p.m.

If you caught Channel 8 (the Fox affiliate in Rochester) newscast tonight, you might think Batavia City Schools have just declared war on Christmas.

The on-air report explicitly accused the district of "canceling Christmas."

That's not quite accurate.

The report was based on a memo provided to district personnel last week reminding them of school policy on religious expression.

The district has had such a policy for more than 20 years, according to senior district Board Member Patrick Burk.

Superintendent Margaret Puzio said the memo was nothing out of the ordinary and is something that goes out to district staff about this time every year.

The memo is based on a policy last drafted in 2001. The policy is crafted to strike a balance between the No Child Left Behind Act (ensuring a nondiscrimination policy regarding prayer in schools), and previous legal cases based on the First Amendment.

The district's board adopted a policy prohibiting sectarian religious observance, but also ensured that individual teacher and student expressions of faith are protected.

“If I want to wear a shirt that says ‘Merry Christmas,’ I can do that," said Puzio following a district board meeting Monday night.

News 8 reported on its six o'clock broadcast:

A local school district is banning the phrase "Merry Christmas." Parents in Batavia are outraged about the new policy, which also prohibits Christmas and Hanukkah decoration in the classroom.

Parents were not notified about the new policy. 

The story quotes one parent, Lucy Hudson, and claims several teachers were upset about the policy.

When The Batavian spoke to teachers Monday evening, the teachers waiting for the school board meeting to start said they were previously aware of the policy, but thought the recent memo was meant to reinforce the religiously neutral requirements.

Prior to Monday night's school board meeting, Puzio provided The Batavian with the 10-year-old policy, and said she would speak with The Batavian after the meeting (the original version of this story was posted prior to that interview).

The policy states any school activity should neither advance nor inhibit religion, and that students should be afforded the opportunity to learn about cultural and religious traditions, respecting the beliefs of all students.

Music at a school or public event, for example, should teach musical concepts, to convey historical and cultural content or to create aesthetic experience in a setting that emphasizes artistic expression and educational value, not to promote or celebrate a religious faith.

The policy requires that the district "vigorously publicize and disseminate" the policy.

An attached, undated memo, provides further clarification on teaching religion in schools.

It reads:

"Religious symbols, such as Christmas trees, angels, menorahs, etc., should only be used as part of a unit of instruction on various world religions, not as decoration in the classroom or school. Remember, students have the right to wear religious symbols as an expression of their faith, but should not be obligated to do so."

In a section dealing with schoolwide or public events, the memo reads:

"Expressions related to specific religions, e.g., 'Merry Christmas,' should not be included in any spoken or written remarks."

Puzio explained that doesn't prevent a teacher in a private conversation with a student whom the teacher knows celebrates Christmas from saying, "Merry Christmas."

A teacher can also wear, for example, a cross on his or her lapel. 

Personal expressions of faith are protected, but the district wants to be careful from appearing, as a government entity, to be endorsing any particular religion, Puzio explained.

“For me to stand up in front of the whole group and say, ‘Merry Christmas,’ is almost like the school district putting Christmas before everything else," Puzio said.

News 8's Deanna King, a current Town of Batavia resident who mentioned in the report that she attended Batavia schools, said she sat outside Puzio's office for nearly two hours trying to get a comment from the superintendent.

Asked about making a reporter wait outside of her office, Puzio said, "It was a heck of a day.

"We had several very, very serious student issues today," Puzio said. "I was dealing with those issues, and I had to prepare for a board meeting."

After a little conversation with a board member, Puzio added, "I just really didn’t have time today. It isn’t always a matter of saying, ‘I can see the press.’ I have to prioritize, especially as it relates to students and families who have serious issues. You just can’t say, ‘Gee, I’m going to set aside this mom who really needs to talk with me about a serious issue because I want to talk to Channel 8.”

By 10:45 p.m., Monday, News 8 had modified some portions of its online report, but was sticking to the essence of its story.

UPDATE 7:12 a.m., Tuesday: News 8 reporter Deanna King sent over the following statement:

I would like to clarify a few points to my story you may have missed. Ms. Puzio confirmed that her memo was sent to each school principal and was meant to be "talking points" during a faculty meeting. I can assure you she did in fact say it "wasn't meant for public viewing" during our phone conversation. As a journalist, I would never report something that was not true. I have been in this business for over 10 years. I'm sure you have seen her memo and recognized that it differs from the actual policy. I quoted directly from the memo. Also, although the policy is not new how the district is enforcing it seems to be. I recall being at my son's Christmas concert last year and hearing the director say "Merry Christmas!" Ms. Puzio told me teachers can say "Merry Christmas" if they "are sure everybody in the room celebrates." There is also a change in the room decoration policy. Over the past 5 years I  have volunteered at several holiday parties in the district where teachers displayed decorations and it wasn't an issue.

I was notified of this controversy after several schools held meetings to address frustrations of staff members. I understand you often give your opinion on the site. I do not. I was attempting to give a fair report, but was denied by the superintendent after several requests. We offered to wait for her to finish her important business. I would not expect anyone to put an interview before the needs of a child. My photographer made a final attempt before the board meeting, but was told she wouldn't comment.

News 8 has high standards and I can assure you we confirm everything before we report it. Keep up the good work covering the news in this neck of the woods! Thank you.

Press release:

The Genesee County Aces Robotics Team participated at the Finger Lakes First Lego League Buffalo Qualifier competition on Saturday at the Buffalo Academy of Science Charter School and won first place for Robot Performance.

They will now advance to the Finger Lakes Regional competition at the University of Rochester on Dec. 3. The winner selected at that competition will go on to participate at the World Festival in Missouri, which is an international competition.

The theme of this year’s challenge was food safety. The robots are made entirely of LEGOS and are programmed to interact with devices made of LEGOS on a table. The teams also had to research a food-contamination problem, develop a solution, and present their work to a panel of judges.

Pictured from left are: Trevor Zauner, Quinton Tarbell, Colton Tarbell (team assistant), Jomni Tarbell, Lukas Johnson and Clayton Fox.

(Submitted photo)

From Kevin Keenen, director of communications, Catholic Diocese of Buffalo:

Bishop Edward U. Kmiec, bishop of Buffalo, has delayed any decision until next March. He wants the local community to come together and see if they can increase enrollment and raise the necessary funds to keep HFS open for the long term. This will require significant time, effort, increased enrollment and financial sponsorship by the Le Roy community and surrounding areas. Father Michael Rock, canonical administrator of the school, has called a meeting for 7 p.m. Tuesday, Nov. 29 in the Holy Family School gymnasium to rally the community to action.

While a final decision will not be made until March 1, 2012, we must continue to plan for the possible merger of the two schools. The bishop will not make a final decision until the local community has acted on this opportunity.

Make no mistake about it: this is a clarion call for the HFS community to develop a realistic plan that will not only increase enrollment, but also place the school on solid financial footing for many years to come.

It is now up to the community to take action to make significant, long-term financial commitments to build Holy Family School into a stable, growing Catholic elementary school. We pray that their efforts will succeed and the end result with be even greater Catholic identity in the classroom, stronger academic programs and exciting new opportunities in the years to come for Catholic elementary school students in Le Roy, Genesee County and beyond.

Press release:

Assemblyman Steve Hawley (R, I, C – Batavia) is voicing his opposition to cuts in state funding to the least-wealthy school districts, the bulk of which are located in Western New York.

Recent analysis from The Alliance for Quality Education (AQE) shows that per-pupil support for students in economically disadvantaged areas has been disproportionately reduced relative to more affluent districts in the last two years. The assemblyman recently issued a letter to school superintendents statewide seeking their input on how to best provide equitable education aid regardless of geographic location.

“We cannot allow Western New York’s students to suffer while out-of-touch politicians siphon crucial education funding downstate,” Hawley said. “Less-wealthy districts have a smaller tax base than affluent areas, which means they rely on state support more than anyone else.

"To see so many Western New York school districts bearing the brunt of the pain while the wealthiest areas keep raking in state support is both baffling and appalling. I will continue working with the governor and the legislature to make sure Western New York’s children get their fair share.”

AQE crafted a formula to calculate “community wealth ratios” based on personal income and property wealth. Nearly all of the schools in nearby counties fell into the “poor” or “poorest” categories. The report can be found at http://www.aqeny.org/back-to-inequality-how-students-in-poor-school-districts-pay-the-price/.

At the invitation of Sen. Michael Ranzenhofer, Sen. John Flanagan was in Genesee County on Thursday to meet with local education leaders to discuss school funding.

In a press briefing after the meeting at Genesee Community College, Ranzenhofer and Flanagan said the focus of the discussion was on the inequality of state aid among districts statewide.

"Our obligation is to find some plan that is equitable," said Flanagan, chairman of the Senate Education Committee. "I will tell you flat out that coming here, working with Senator Ranzenhofer regularly, even before coming here, you get a much clearer picture about the stark realities in this area."

The lack of equitable funding often means that Upstate and rural school districts are not able to offer some of the programs that help lead to admission into better colleges.

"There is a growing divide between the haves and have-nots," said Michael Glover, district superintendent for the Genesee Valley Educational Partnership. "We've actually watched our schools and the kids who attend them fall further and further behind."

Flanagan said one of the goals coming out of meetings such as today's is to craft a budget plan to present to the governor.

"Hopefully, we can get him on board early in the process," Flanagan said.

Genesee County's two Catholic elementary schools are apparently planning a merger, according to a letter sent home to parents.

The letter obtained by The Batavian was sent to parents of children at St. Joe's in Batavia and Holy Family in Le Roy. It states:

Local leadership has agreed that the schools will reconfigure next September for the beginning of the 2012-13 school year. Following a thorough analysis of several reconfigurations, the model emerging as one of the favorites: Pre-K to 8 and an after-school programs at the current St. Joseph School site; Pre-K and an after-school program at current Holy Family site.

The letter states that a name has not yet been selected for the reconfigured school.

The letter is signed by Kevin Robertson, principal of Holy Family, and Karen Green, principal of St. Joseph School.

The reason for the merger, according to the letter, is driven a lot by the declining elementary school population in Genesee County.

The number dropped by 7 percent from 2000 to 2010, according to the letter.

"We need to meet the spiritual and pastoral needs of all of our parishioners," the letter says. "That requires a more equitable distribution of parish income."

Discussions among local leaders began in the early fall, according to the letter, which invites parents to provide feedback on various options for curricula and programs in the reconfigured school.

Minutes from Batavia City School Board of Education meeting for Nov. 1:

New Board Member
The board received five applications for the Board of Education seat which became available Nov. 1, 2011, due to the resignation of Andrew Pedro. After reviewing applications and meeting with each applicant, the board voted to have Phil Ricci serve the remainder of Mr. Pedro’s term, through June 30, 2012. Mr. Ricci was sworn in at the beginning of the meeting.

Mr. Ricci brings his experience as a branch manager with Bank of America as well as a demonstrated commitment to community involvement. He is president of the city of Batavia Youth Board, a long-standing member of the City of Batavia School District State Audit Committee, and served on the Batavia School District Board of Education from 2005-2007. He and his wife, Laura, have three children - one infant and two who attend Robert Morris Elementary.

Click on the headline to read more.

New Evaluation Procedure for Teachers and Principals
Robert Morris Principal Diane Bonarigo and Batavia High School Principal Christopher Dailey presented a pilot proposal in response to the new legislation regarding the observations/evaluations of teachers.

Superintendent of Schools Margaret Puzio had reported on this legislation to the board last fall, after attending a regional workshop on the topic. Some of the information covered at that time included:
•       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).

Focusing on the locally determined 60-percent portion of the scoring measures, Mr. Dailey and Mrs. Bonarigo have been working in conjunction with the Batavia Teachers Association to outline the measuring points and effective methods of evaluation.

The committee has utilized ideas from the work two educational experts: Kim Marshall’s ideas as expressed in her book, "Rethinking Teacher Supervision and Evaluation: How to Work Smart, Build Collaboration, and Close the Achievement Gap"; and Charlotte Danielson’s work, "Framework for Teaching, that outlines Four Domains of effectiveness."

The resulting model presented by Mr. Dailey and Mrs. Bonarigo consists of “mini-observations” with timely feedback using evaluation points taken from Danielson’s Four Domains. In other words, rather than having a lengthy, planned, formal observation of a teacher by the principal, mini-observations would be unannounced visits lasting 5-10 minutes and occurring approximately five times per year.

During a mini-observation, the principal would observe a teacher in action spontaneously, looking for level of competency (“highly effective” to “ineffective”) in three of the Four Domains of effective practice: Planning and Preparation, Classroom Environment, Instruction, and 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.

Mr. Dailey and Mrs. Bonarigo highlighted several benefits to this proposal: it motivates teachers to constantly do their best; it motivates principals to regularly visit a greater number of classrooms; it is more authentic than a pre-planned observation appointment; it provides for quicker feedback that the teacher can begin using immediately; and it invites a higher level of reflection on the teacher’s part, making it more collaborative.

School Board Recognition Week
In honor of School Board Recognition Week, which runs this year from Oct. 31- Nov. 4, the Superintendent of Schools read the NYS Proclamation signed by Governor Andrew Cuomo, which highlighted that “members of school boards are dedicated to children, learning and community, and devote many hours of service to elementary and secondary public education as they continually strive for improvement, excellence and progress in education. ... ”

In addition to the Governor’s general description of all school boards, Mrs. Puzio noted that she appreciates, in paricular, the time, cooperation, intelligence, enthusiasm, and dedication of the Batavia City School District Board of Education members.

During this week, a presentation about our board members can be viewed on the district’s website as well as on each school’s television monitors. Current Board of Education members include Mr. Patrick Burk, Ms. Amy Barone, Mr. Wayne Guenther (vice president), Mr. Steven Mountain, Mrs. Gail Stevens (president), Mr. Gary Stich, Mr. Phil Ricci, and Miss Taylor Harkness (student ex-officio member).

The Batavia Teachers Association, represented at the meeting by Mark Warren, made a $250 donation to the Salvation Army in the Board of Education’s name, in honor of School Board Recognition Week. The Batavia Clerical Association also made a $50 donation in the board’s name to the United Way/Salvation Army/Batavia City School District Backpack Program, which provides weekend packs of nutritious snack items for needy students.

Statewide Coalition for Mandate Relief
Superintendent Puzio presented information about Let NY Work, a coalition of nearly a dozen organizations operating in New York State which have outlined a “Common Agenda for the Common Good.” In this agenda, six mandates are targeted with specific and detailed recommendations for reform. Those six items are:
1.      Make the pension system predictable and affordable;
2.      Redefine compulsory arbitration;
3.      Reduce the costs of construction on public/private projects;
4.      When contracts expire, freeze step increases;
5.      Establish minimum health insurance contributions level for     employees and retirees;
6.      No new mandates.

Mrs. Puzio noted that mandate relief would lessen some financial burdens on school districts, allowing that money to be more effectively spent on maintaining quality education.

The diverse members of the coalition are: Associated General Contractors/New York State; The Business Council of NYS; the NYS Council of School Superintendents; New York Farm Bureau; National Federation of Independent Business; New York State Conference of Mayors and Municipal Officials (NYCOM); New York State Association of Realtors; NYS School Boards Association; Unshackle Upstate; Westchester County Association; and the Lawsuit Reform Alliance of New York.

Overnight Fieldtrip and Fundraising Committee Report
Community committee member Cheryl Kowalik addressed the board, noting her appreciation for the committee being formed and that members have met and made some useful suggestions for the board to consider. She also stated, however, that some committee members were confused as to the guidelines the board used to determine that the hockey team should not be permitted to take an overnight trip for a tournament.

Board member Amy Barone reported on the committee’s progress, noting that they have met several times to review the current official board policies for field trips and fund raising, to review the concerns about both, as well as to brainstorm ideas for how to create new policies that are responsive to the concerns.

Committee discussions about fund raising included such topics as students carrying student identification, selling door-to-door, putting limitations on fundraisers, lessening stress for parents and students, creating a centralized calendar of fundraisers, voluntary vs. mandatory participation, methods of participation, and providing parents with a standardized form that would detail the necessary information for each fund raiser. The topic of overnight trips focused on the procedure for approval and the fund-raising process.

With the ensuing discussion by board members, it was determined that there are a myriad of issues surrounding these two topics and, as one issue gets addressed, others emerge. Mrs. Puzio suggested and board members agreed that all board members will submit their concerns about both topics to board President Gail Stevens who will compile the topics and forward them to Amy Barone for the next committee meeting.

School Boards Convention
Board Member Pat Burk, who is also a Resolutions Committee member for the NYS School Boards Association (NYSSBA), attended the New York State School Boards Association’s 92nd Annual Convention and Education Expo in late October, as did Superintendent Puzio and board members Gail Stevens and Amy Barone -- along with approximately 3,000 other school board members, superintendents, and educators from across the state. In addition to informative sessions, there was much opportunity for networking as well as visiting the tradeshow that highlights various programs and projects.

Mr. Burk also stated that the top priority arising out of the State Education Department is to seek a federal waiver for No Child Left Behind, citing unrealistic expectations, and that impressive data has been collected to support a waiver for NYS. (Compliance with No Child Left Behind is tied to receiving federal funds; non-compliance is penalized by withholding of some of those funds. The waiver application process was recently introduced in recognition of the need for more flexibility in how to effectively educate all students.)

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

Revenues were up by $245,800, or 6.9 percent, primarily in the Non-property Tax Items category (utility tax), the Miscellaneous category, and the State and Federal Aid category. The utility tax, which had been in decline for several years including the 2010-2011 school year, increased by a very encouraging $49,000, or more than 42 percent.

The $70,300 increase in Miscellaneous revenue reflected a reimbursement from 2010-2011 expenditures that were chargeable to 2010-2011 grants and, because of the timing of the processing of the transactions, are recorded as revenue for the 2011-2012 school year.

State and federal aid were up $150,800 from last year at this time, largely because last year’s aid had been adjusted down by .67 percent as a contingency plan to offset possible losses due to reconfigured FMAP (Federal Medical Assistance Percentages).

Recorded expenses were up by nearly $1.7 million or 40.50 percent due to the timing of transactions, as several bills that were paid last year in October, this year came due in September. For example, September 2011 had three payroll dates whereas last year, there were only two in the month. This was similarly true for the BOCES and health insurance payments, which came due in September this year, whereas in 2010, they were recorded during the month of October.

Jackson Elementary Tour
Jackson Elementary Principal Shawn Clark and Superintendent of Buildings and Grounds Jim Jacobs provided a tour of the Jackson facility. Some features of the tour included the separated parking and parent drop-offs from the bus loop that allows for safe and smooth transportation of students; the remodeled main entranceway which provides the main office staff with a clear view of who is approaching the front doors; the cafeteria and gym which were both part of recent renovations to the building; large classroom sizes; and multiple access doors to the playground.

A Le Roy elementary school principal is among the three finalists vying to become superintendent of the Byron-Bergen Central School District.

The school district announced the three finalists -- from a field of eight candidates -- who will go through a series of meetings, tours and interviews at the school this week.

The finalists are Edmund "Casey" Kosiorek, elementary principal in Le Roy; David J. Glover, superintendent, Morristown Central School District; and, Michael J. Davis, elementary principal, Webster Central School District.

In all, 27 people applied for the job.

The school board anticipates making an appointment by mid-November.

Released by the school district:

Highlights from the BCSD Board of Education meeting on Oct. 17, 2011, include the following:

One Vote Each Day Can Yield $50,000 for Music Department

Student Ex-officio Board Member Taylor Harkness reported on an opportunity for the district’s music department to win up to $50,000 by having people vote at least once each day through early November for a quartet from the district’s student ensemble, The Batavia Blue Belles.

Citing drastic cuts to education, Twentieth Century Fox Home Entertainment LLC, Ryan Murphy (the creator of GLEE), and the National Association for Music Education teamed up to create a music-celebrating contest to support music education to the tune of $1 million. The Blue Belles -- including members Melzie Case, Sarah DiBacco, Catherine McAllister, and Catherine Taylor, working under the direction of district vocal teacher Daniel Grillo -- entered the nationwide contest to compete for one of three Grand Prizes for $50,000 each. There are also 10 First Prizes for $25,000 each and 60 Second Prizes for $10,000 each.

Winning is based on public vote, and all community members (as well as other family and friends who would like to support the music department) can vote for The Blue Belles once per day per computer IP address until Nov. 7. To vote, go to www.gleegiveanote.com, click on “VOTE NOW”, type in “BATAVIA HIGH SCHOOL” in the box for entering school name, click on the video clip of the Batavia Blue Belles, and click “VOTE”. Winners will be announced Dec. 15.

Parent Shares Concern Regarding Consolidation

While acknowledging that the Board of Education and administrators have been responsive to hearing parents' and residents' concerns about consolidation proposals and thanking them for their consideration, as well as the decision to postpone a vote on the proposal until March 2012, one parent attended the meeting to urge board members not to vote for any proposal that would include moving fifth-grade students to the middle school. Stating that she had spoken to various individuals who work with youth and with troubled youth, she believes, overall, it is not beneficial to the fifth-graders to be moved to the middle school.

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Board Vacancy Applications Received

Superintendent of Schools Margaret Puzio publicly thanked Andy Pedro for his years of work for the students and community through his service on the Board of Education, which will end on Nov. 1. The ensuing vacancy to finish out his term (through June 30, 2012) has been announced, with five individuals expressing interest in the position.

Those applicants are: Phil Ricci, Alfred McGinnis, Dennis Warner, Raymond Walker and Rodney Brinkman. The board plans on reviewing each application and interviewing all five individuals on or about Monday, Oct. 24 so that a timely decision can be made.

Changes to Budget Voting Procedure

In response to parents’ requests voiced at several public meetings, the board approved a plan presented by business administrator Scott Rozanski to change polling hours for the district’s annual vote on proposed budgets and board member elections. Rather than being open from noon to 9 p.m., polls will be open from 7 a.m. until 9 p.m. Parents had said that earlier polling hours would help accommodate work schedules.

In addition, Mr. Rozanski proposed that the number of polling places for the budget vote also be revised for greater cost efficiency. Instead of three polling places (Robert Morris Elementary, Batavia Middle School, and Jackson Elementary), he proposed that there be two, and that those locations would be Batavia High School and John Kennedy Elementary. Both BHS and JK, he noted, have better parking and ease of access, and redrawing voting districts to assign a voting location should be a simple process. Once done, the proposal can be brought back to the board for a vote. Board Member Pat Burk suggested that all Town of Batavia residents vote at one location, as he has observed much confusion through the years as to how their proper voting site is determined.

External Audit Report

David Mancuso of Freed Maxick & Battaglia, CPXs, PC, presented a summary of their audit of the basic financial statements of the district for the fiscal year that ended June 30, 2011, indicating that there were no significant, unusual, or controversial transactions or accounting practices.

Some specific points from the report and presentation follow.

The district currently maintains an A1 credit rating from Moody’s Credit Corporation, which is among the highest in Genesee County.

Amid uncertain economic times, the district has been successful in efforts to spend and budget conservatively, as well as to plan for the long term by setting funds aside in reserve for specific areas of concern: unemployment insurance, NYS employees retirement, repairs, and employee benefit liability. In an economic climate where the future is likely to see reduced state aid as well as increased expenses, continued economic conservatism is to be encouraged.

The district has been able to have a minor tax levy over the past five years, averaging .5 percent, while at the same time maintaining most of the educational program offerings.

The district finished the year with an unexpected general fund surplus of approximately $730,000. This was primarily due to conservative budget estimates in difficult-to-predict categories such as to special education services, foster care tuition, and utilities; being able to cover some budgeted payroll costs with money from grants; savings in transportation that were achieved by bidding out and consolidating routes. The district was able to put this money into unemployment reserves to help with current and future staff reductions.

The audit also noted that the approval for the transfer of the above-mentioned surplus to the reserve fund was secured after the official state deadline of June 30 (when the fiscal year ended). The recommendation for the future was to have to obtain the necessary open-ended authorization before the deadline.

The unassigned fund balance (formerly referred to as undesignated fund balance) of the district’s general fund was $1,443,354 and this amount was within the state’s limit of 4 percent of the ensuing year’s budget, excluding of the amount designated for the subsequent year’s budget.

Two items related to the fundraising for extracurricular activities which pose difficulty for most school districts are (1) there being no irrefutable accountability for student fundraising activities from the time a student collects the donation or payment from a donor/customer until the money gets delivered to the dstrict; and (2) a recommendation that student organizations be treated as small businesses and have members prepare a program outline similar to a business plan at the beginning of the school year for approval. The outline would include projected expenses for and profits from events, and plans for the accumulated funds. Then, as each event is completed, a profit/loss analysis should be filed.

The complete report will be available on the district’s website (www.bataviacsd.org) : go to the “District” tab for a drop-down menu, scroll down and click on “Business Office”, click on “Financial Reports,” then scroll down to the appropriate report.

Legislative Items to be Addressed at School Boards Convention

Board Member Pat Burk, who is also a Resolutions Committee member for the NYS School Boards Association (NYSSBA), presented the 2011 Proposed Resolutions and Voting Delegate’s Guide for the Annual Business Meeting of the NYSSBA. He asked board members to review all of the proposals and respond to him with their comments and recommendations before he votes at the NYSSBA meeting in late October.

While much greater detail is available on the NYSSBA website (www.nyssba.org), the proposed resolutions listed below provide a quick guide to the scope of concerns and challenges facing NYS boards of education:

Tuition Tax Credit and Educational Vouchers -- to oppose legislation at the state and/or federal level that would provide tuition tax credits or educational vouchers for private or parochial schools.

Standards for Education Funding Reform -- to demand that the New York State Legislature act now to reform the state education funding system in a manner that provides for:
•       Adequacy – to provide sufficient resources to assure the opportunity for a sound basic education for all students.
•       Equity – to distribute a foundation level of state aid for every student that is based on the actual cost of providing a sound basic education that fairly compensates for differences in community costs, needs and resources. The legislature should preclude municipalities from using state aid to replace local education resources.
•       Flexibility – to increase the percentage of operating aid so that boards of education retain the discretion to determine what educational programs best address local needs. Local communities should not be restrained from determining the level of funding they will expend to support educational programs.
•       Predictability – to provide timely passage of the state budget and stable funding distributed through a consistent, uniformly applied formula that would not require annual manipulation by the legislature and that would facilitate long-term planning by school districts.
•       Clarity – to establish a funding formula that is easily explained and understood.

Principles of 21st Century Retirement Benefits -- to seek legislation based on the following Principles of 21st Century Retirement Benefits: Portability, Predictability, Affordability, Flexibility, and Acceptable Risk.

Pension Contribution Reserve Funds -- to support legislation amending Chapter 260 of the Laws of 2004 to permit boards of education and boards of cooperative educational services to establish pension contribution reserve funds for all employees and to authorize such boards to deposit surplus monies into such funds.

State Share of District Superintendent Salary -- to support the continued appropriation of the state share of the district superintendent’s salary.

Reserve Fund for Other Post-Employment Benefits -- to seek legislation authorizing school districts to create a new reserve fund to finance Other Post-Employment Benefits (OPEB) as envisioned under Governmental Accounting Standards Board (GASB) Statement 45.

District Superintendent Salary Cap -- to seek legislation amending Education Law Section 1950(4)(a) to repeal the limitation on the Board of Cooperative Educational Services (BOCES) district superintendents’ salaries.

Technological Consolidation -- in support of the use of video conferencing, online learning and other digital technologies to achieve greater efficiency in school district organization. These efforts will include, but not be limited to: a) the use of State Education Department (SED) reorganization feasibility study grants for use by school districts wishing to compare “cyber-consolidation” to physical consolidation; and b) the use of reorganization aid to help offset the costs of the technology infrastructure necessary for districts to consolidate educational services in this manner.

School District Retirement Contributions -- to seek legislation to create new pension tiers of the state Employees’ Retirement System and Teachers’ Retirement System that would provide the predictability and affordability that would limit school district contributions.

Performance Pay for Teachers -- to seek legislation to change the current system of teacher compensation in favor of a system where teachers are compensated for meeting local performance benchmarks.

Change in Tax Collection Schedule -- to support legislation which would permit school tax collection schedule(s) to be adjusted to minimize the need for school district borrowing so as to permit tax collections to coincide with encumbrances that are incurred by such school districts.

Cooperative Purchasing for School Districts -- to seek legislation to authorize school districts and other local municipalities the ability to purchase through national purchasing cooperatives.

Teacher Layoff Rules -- to seek legislation that would limit teacher seniority in determining the process of teacher layoffs.

Civil Service Law Reform -- to seek and support legislation amending the New York State Civil Service Law so that it is more responsive to the current needs of school districts and the Board of Cooperative Educational Services (BOCES), including, but not limited to: increasing disciplinary options; updating tests and specification books; creating more flexibility in hiring lists; providing lists in electronic form; and increasing probationary periods.

Employee and Retiree Health Care Contributions -- to seek legislation requiring current and retired school employees to contribute at least 15 percent of the cost of individual health care coverage and at least 25 percent of the cost of family health care coverage.

Conforming Special Education to Federal Requirements -- to seek legislation to limit state special education mandates to those required by the federal government.

Placement of Students with a Disability -- to support efforts, and recommend legislation and/or regulations, to ensure that the New York State Education Department (SED) facilitates the ability of school districts to locate out-of-state placements for the appropriate placement of students with a disability when no SED-approved residential school may be determined as appropriate from the list of SED-approved schools.

Teacher Retirement and Health Care Reserve Funds -- to seek legislation to authorize school districts to create dedicated reserve funds to help offset the costs of teacher pensions and retiree healthcare costs.

Core Principles of Education Policy -- in support of state proposals affecting public education be evaluated according to the following core principles: provide access to programs that prepare students to be college and career ready; achieve equity and adequacy in funding; promote efficiency and cost-effectiveness; advance high expectations for all students; embrace innovative approaches; and foster community engagement and regional cooperation.

A group of about 12 parents concerned about proposed changes to elementary schools in Batavia gathered at the Richmond Memorial Library on Monday evening to start organizing an effort to offer alternatives to the school board.

The hour-long meeting ended on a message of "let's show the board we want to work with them," after some in the group expressed concern that if parents are willing to cooperate, negotiate and listen, school board members won't take them seriously.

"This is not about us versus them," said Jennifer Burke, one of the organizers of the meeting. "It's not a game. It's about our kids. If we all have that as our focus then we should be able to accomplish something."

The school district is looking for a way to save as much as $1 million in annual expenses and has publicly discussed closing the current administration building on Washington Avenue and moving the district administration into one of the current elementary schools -- such as Robert Morris -- leaving the school district with only two elementary schools.

Hardly a parent in Batavia can be found who supports the idea. Primarily, they are concerned about losing their neighborhood schools, having children in the same household attending three or four different schools and how frequent school changes will affect the chance for children to succeed in school.

The meeting on Monday included a break-out session with parents making a list of concerns and ideas.

A universally shared concern was moving fifth-grade students into the middle school.

"The age difference is just too much," said one parent.

Burke expressed optimism that board members have been willing to discuss concerns with parents. Superintendent Margaret Puzio called her earlier to provide some updates in advance of the Monday meeting, which Burke considered to be a sign of administration officials' willingness to work with parents.

Among the updates is that the decision about consolidation that was supposed to be made in November has been pushed back until March.

"That's another step in the direction that they're offering parents a voice," Burke said.

But the parents still want even more time. They're passing a petition to ask for the decision to be put off until after another school year passes, dipping into the district's reserves, if necessary, to balance the budget.

"When they do make a decision, they need to make an informed decision," Burke said. "They need to make the best decision, the best decision for the whole community."

Burke noted that in opposing consolidation, it opens up a wide array of options for the district to cut, from teachers (bigger class sizes), music and arts, teacher aides, sports and elective courses.

"If we move forward with certain recommendations, we may see ramifications on the other side," Burke said. "We do realize that we may need to sacrifice some, but our children come first."

The next group meeting is scheduled for 7 p.m. on Oct. 13. 

The next meeting the district will host to discuss consolidation is Wednesday at Batavia HS.