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July, 2006 - June, 2007 | |
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STUDENT
ID REQUIRED AT EVENTS Achievement,
Character, Success for Life...ACS Several years ago at the height of the security issues that were plaguing school districts across the nation, the Board of Education authorized identification tags for all district employees. The identification tags also serve as keyless entry into our buildings so that all doors can be locked during the day but are accessible to authorized school staff using their identification tags. When a staff member uses his/her tag to gain entry into any building, the code is logged into a computer so that we have a record of who is or has been in the buildings and the time entry was authorized. Shortly after staff was required to use identification tags, students were included in the process, however for different reasons. All students are given an ID tag at the beginning of the year to use for lunch purchases and to take out library books. Each tag reflects the individual student identification number which many students memorize to eliminate the need to carry or wear the tag. This identification process is not only efficient, it effectively minimizes the possible stigma attached to students who receive free or reduced lunch. Our next step in the process is to use the student identification system to monitor participation at extra-curricular events based on students' behavior while in school. It makes little sense to us that students who either do not attend class or are misbehaving while in school should be permitted unlimited access to be a spectator at extra-curricular events. Beginning in September 2006, all middle and high school students must bring their Albion Central School District ID tags with them to all extra-curricular school events. These events include football and basketball games, school plays and musicals. The tags will be scanned by a held-hand scanner and an alert will show on a student's name if one of the conditions set forth below is met. In order for this process to work, ALL students must present their identification tag before admittance is granted. If a student does not bring his/her tag to the event, he/she will not be allowed entrance to the event. Should a parent drop off the child without his/her identification tag or if the child is ineligible to attend due to the reasons listed below, the parent will be telephoned immediately to return for the child. Should we be unable to connect with the parent, the child will be placed in an in-school suspension room with supervision until the activity concludes. Students are ineligible to attend extra-curricular events if they have been:
This process was discussed extensively by the Board of Education. It should assist us in 1) teaching students that extra-curricular activities are a privilege extended to those students who demonstrate respect and responsibility, and 2) dealing with students at school events who tend toward unruly behaviors which make the event less enjoyable for other spectators. We know that when a new procedure is instituted there will be issues that need to be ironed out. We ask for your patience and assistance as we work through this process. We welcome your comments or suggestions.
Achievement,
Character, Success for Life...ACS Just a short four years ago, the Albion Central School District offered one Advanced Placement course in English with an enrollment of 23 students. While we had a host of Genesee Community College Courses, there was a void for students who aspired to take university level courses which measured their performance against a national standard. To satisfy this need, we now offer ten Advanced Placement courses, all of which have healthy enrollments for a total of 230 seats. Many students take multiple Advanced Placement Courses. These courses are not easy, nor are the tests provided by the College Board in May. The tests are not seen by our instructors and they are scored by a team of experts at the College Board. It truly gives the student feedback as to how he/she ranks with other students in the nation. Since our children will compete nationally (and even globally) for jobs, this reality check is critical to their success. Students who select Advanced Placement courses demonstrate a level of ambition and work ethic that needs to be nurtured. To prepare for the rigors of Advanced Placement coursework, we have implemented a new program in the Albion Middle School called Explorations. The program has two primary goals. First, students will discover how they learn best and apply this knowledge of their learning styles to all academic pursuits. The second goal is to give students an opportunity to explore their interests in a student driven course of exploration. Small groups of students will meet weekly with the teacher, Mr. Chris Keller, for lessons, discussions and weekly activities. This enrichment time is a flexible schedule of activities that students may choose from in order to pursue their interests and advance their learning. The theme of the program this year is Ancient Greece and the Foundations of Knowledge. Much of contemporary society has its roots in ancient Greece. The Explorations program will assist students in designing a course of study that appeals to their interest which could be art, politics, science, math, etc. For example students with an interest in art can research and create replicas of Greek architecture or pottery. Students will be encouraged to make connections across disciplines. For example, students interested in math and technology may want to study the architecture of Ancient Greek buildings and the mathematics used in the design. Students will then be mentored to explore how the Greek influence is visible in the architecture of the Albion community. The number of topics that can be used to kindle students' interests is endless. The goal is for students to use their interest in a subject to create a passion that will lead to extended learning and possible career choices. In the process students develop excellent work habits and an ambition to challenge themselves beyond the norm for middle school students. The Explorations program is building on the PACE program in the elementary school and is the foundation for the Advanced Placement program at the high school. As with any program, the first year is one of monitoring and adjusting until we find the components that meet the needs of our students and the challenges of the future. Please feel free to contact me with your feedback or suggestions.
Achievement,
Character, Success for Life...ACS Last fall, we shared with you the desires of our children to assist the victims of Hurricane Katrina in any way that they were needed. We contacted a number of school districts affected by the storm with the intent to provide books, supplies and even manpower, if needed. Frequently, we were told that because their needs were so severe, they were not ready for donations of any kind. They simply did not have a recent inventory of their needs or even a building to store the supplies. We were patient and continued to have fund-raisers with the intent to do something for our Southern neighbors. Throughout the year, one consistent respondent to our requests was the principal of D'Iberville Middle School in Mississippi. We immediately felt a connection because of the similarities between D'Iberville and Albion. Throughout the year, our students held several fundraisers which resulted in a total collection of $3,000. Around the same time that our last fundraiser was completed, a number of our students received training in civic engagement from a young man who began Miracle Corners of the World. He began this organization when he was a senior in high school and it has flourished. Basically, he identifies remote corners of the work and works right along side the residents to improve their communities by building libraries, classrooms, etc. Working with our young people, he reminded them how easy it was to write a check but is this really service of the most rigorous kind and does it really tap their leadership potential? Armed with an expanded meaning of service to mankind and a check, four of our high school students along with the Interact Advisor, Mr. Archer traveled to D'Iberville for four days in August. While they fully intended to roll up their sleeves and help with the rebuilding, they found out quickly how little progress has been made. They learned that the middle school building was beyond repair and soon to be demolished. After the disaster, students in this district were on a split schedule: some being educated in the elementary school and some in the high school. Now that portable buildings have been secured, students attend school on a regular schedule in trailer-like buildings. Long-range plans include building a new high school and retro-fitting the current high school for middle level students. One item that is lacking was a commons area outside where students can gather for social events, lunch, and assemblies. Our students learned that an outside common area is part of the culture in the Southern schools. Our friends asked if the donated money could be used to build that area rather than the original intent to purchase library books. When the needs are so great, there could be no other answer than yes! Once the area is built, we are sure the principal will share pictures with us. Areas around the school have changed very little. Entire houses are missing from their foundations, boats thrown in the storm are in the middle of fields, empty boxes of MRE (Meals Ready to Eat) are strewn about, clothing and debris still hang in the trees, entire storefronts are gone, and the list goes on. Many employees of the school and children in the school are living in FEMA trailers with no plans in the foreseeable future for rebuilding their homes. They do however have a great deal of optimism and hope. While our students provided little in the way of physical service to this school, they provided a service of a different kind. From the stories our students told and the pictures they shared, it was obvious that the students, teachers and other adults they met were ever thankful for the fact that our students (one full year after the tragedy) had not forgotten about the difficulties these people endured. Our students shared their experience with our staff on the first day of school. It was clear from their reflection that this was a life-altering learning experience for them. Students, John Archer, Ben Wadhams, Johanna Dibley and Rebekah Degnan were exceptional ambassadors to Mississippi who embodied our mission statement: Achievement, Character, and Success for Life…ACS. If any community member would like to see the pictures or hear of our students' experiences, please contact me. Our hope is to continue to build a relationship with D'Iberville because we know there is much more yet to be done.
Achievement,
Character, Success for Life...ACS Governor George Pataki has declared the week of October 23 - October 27 to be School Board Recognition Week. This designation is to commend school board members for their dedicated service to the children of New York. School boards serve as the governing body for over 700 school districts in the state. New York State has a long, rich history which has resulted in a public education system that is the envy of many states. In 1784 the New York State Legislature created the Regents of the University of the State of New York which is still in existence today. All school districts in the state are subject to the decisions of the Board of Regents. School boards in local communities insure that the regulations set forth by the Board of Regents are carried out. In addition, school boards set policies to govern their local school districts. The policies are documents available to the public. The Albion Central School District policies can be accessed at our website, www.albionk12.org. The time that our elected school board members commit to the education of children in our community is incredible. There is the obvious monthly Board of Education meeting which is the culmination of work completed over the month. On a weekly basis, each member of the Board is given a synopsis of the operation of the district throughout the week along with additional reading that must be done to keep current. Also, each member serves on one or two Board committees. The committees are Finance/Audit, Safety, Legislative, Orleans County School Boards, Maintenance, Code of Conduct and Wellness. Each committee has a purpose and requires the members to become extremely familiar in that specific area so that they can make recommendations to the entire Board of Education. In addition to governance of the district, each Board member serves as a representative of the community perspectives and opinions. The
members of the Albion Board of Education are exemplary citizens who have dedicated
themselves to service. They are:
Mr. Wilbert has recently left the Board to fulfill his goal of becoming a school district administrator in Ulster County. By law, the Board must hold a special election to fill the seat or appoint someone until the election in May. The Board decided to forego a special election due to costs related to voting and the time factor. Various methods of appointment were discussed and it was decided to consider all retired members of the Board to take advantage of their experience and familiarity with Board procedures. The Board decided to contact the most recently retired member of the Board to fill the remainder of Mr. Wilbert's term and continue from the retired list until someone consented. The first person on the list was Mr. Jim DiMatteo who served from 1998-2003. Mr. DiMatteo was honored to be asked and accepted the offer to serve as a Board member for the next 8 months. He will take the oath of office at the November Board of Education meeting. In May, at the time of the annual budget vote, residents will have the opportunity to run for Mr. Wilbert's seat and complete the remaining years of his term. In the interim, we welcome Mr. DiMatteo as a member of our team! Please
join me in thanking these citizens for their dedication to you and to the children
of our district. It is my pleasure to work with such a caring, positive team of
people making decisions to realize our vision, Achievement, Character, and Success
for Life… ACS. Achievement,
Character, Success for Life...ACS As items come before the Board of Education and Administration for deliberation and decisions, it is important that we keep our community informed. Two recent discussions may be of interest in the community. For a number of years, we have been committed to making our school facilities available to the public. Most, if not all, evenings of the week there are many wonderful activities occurring in our buildings. The schedule includes a healthy menu of adult education classes, Genesee Community College Classes, and recreational activities. One of the most popular choices is the availability of the pool for residents to enjoy. The pool is open to the public each morning from 6:00 a.m. to 7:30 a.m. for lap swimming. Hearty souls awaken each morning and trudge to our middle school to get their early morning exercise! Additionally the pool is open for family swimming on Monday and Wednesday evenings from 7:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m. All open pool hours are usually well attended and are supervised by a certified lifeguard. We have attempted to open the pool on Saturdays for family swim from 1:00 p.m. to 3:00 p.m. Unfortunately during the past two months attendance has been extremely low, sometimes no one comes to swim. The concern about low attendance has been discussed by our Board of Education. The members of the Board of Education try to balance the desire to keep our building facilities open against financial responsibilities. We would like to invite the community to take advantage of the opportunity to swim on Saturday afternoons throughout the rest of November and December. If our attendance does not improve, we will be forced to close the pool on Saturdays. So grab your towel and suit and come to the middle school for fun and fitness! Believe it or not, we have had a number of telephone calls regarding the school calendar for the 2007-08 school year. This is the second item that has been thoroughly discussed by the Board of Education. In past years, each local school district has had some discretion in planning vacations. For a number of reasons including students attending BOCES programs that have a required number of hours for licensing, transportation schedules for private schools and testing schedules, the BOCES District Superintendents have tried to get all of the schools in the region to adopt the same calendar. They have been successful in that for the present year, all schools in Western New York, with the exception of two, adhered to the regional calendar. At ACS, our students have traditionally had a winter break tied to Presidents' Day in February and a week-long spring recess tied to Easter. Due to the fact that Easter is very early in the 2008 year, the draft regional calendar proposes the traditional winter break in February and the spring recess to occur April 14th -18th.. Additionally the day before (March 21st) and the day after the Easter Holiday (March 24th) will be vacation days. This proposal more evenly distributes recesses. We are making every attempt to inform our families early so that they can make plans accordingly. The calendar will be discussed by the Board of Education at the regularly scheduled Board of Education meeting in February. As soon as it is adopted, it will be published on our Website and in the LINK. On behalf of all the staff in the District, I want to wish everyone in the community the goodness of family that the Thanksgiving holiday promises. Achievement,
Character, Success for Life...ACS Over the past months, several employees of the Albion Central School District have had the opportunity to dialogue with community members about shared concerns, hopes and dreams. This group has decided to stay together, to expand the membership and to begin to complete tasks in the community. Officially the group has named themselves "Neighbors Albion". This month's article highlights a little about the group. It seems fitting that in the holiday season, our focus is on respecting all members of our community and the contributions we make as neighbors in a very complex, demanding world. Why was "Neighbors Albion" created? Early in 2006 a number of people from the Albion community went to the "Tolerance Center" in New York City. Following the visit, they began a dialogue regarding the richness of diversity within our community. The conversation expanded into: - what is great and what is challenging about Albion "neighboring," - how to enhance what currently exists, - how to create new community connections in our wonderfully diverse population, - as a result, "Neighbors Albion" was created. Who is Neighbors Albion? Neighbors Albion is a group of individuals representing many different occupations and professions united by a shared vision: "We claim and celebrate Albion as a unique community of neighbors. We are committed to respecting, nurturing and proclaiming our strength of diversity as opportunity." What is the goal of Neighbors Albion? Our goal is to provide education and awareness around the topic of "neighboring" in our diverse town. We hope to create and enhance programs and services that recognize, celebrate and promote diversity, with the intended outcome of enjoying each other as neighbors. What is the next step for Neighbors Albion? Neighbors Albion wants to become visible within the community by fostering an open dialogue around issues that educate, celebrate and promote good life among diverse people. Be watching for future information relating to Neighbors activities!!!! The meetings of Neighbors Albion are held monthly and are open to the public.If you would like to join us or contribute to this endeavor in any way, please contact us at 589-2056 and ask for Sharon. On behalf of the entire Albion Central School District, I wish you and yours a season filled with the love and care of family, friends and neighbors. The support that the community has extended to the Albion Central School District in so many ways is very much appreciated and certainly not taken for granted. Enjoy the holiday season! Achievement,Character,
Success for Life...ACS At the January Board of Education meeting, Dr. Howard Ward was welcomed back into the district after a hiatus of 35 years. Dr. Ward was a member of the Albion High School class of 1972. While in school, Dr. Ward was influenced by many teachers who nurtured his potential and cultivated his talents. He played football both in high school and in college. Actually, it was football that brought him back to his high school alma mater. Each year, Mr. Diminuco, Albion's head football coach taps alumni to be "honorary football captains" for the home games. These captains are individuals who played football in high school, worked hard after high school and are now enjoying success as citizens. Our students are in awe of the many accomplishments achieved by the alumni. It was the night that Dr. Ward was honored that he stated he wanted to give something back to the school district that was the foundation for his success. Thus the relationship began! Dr. Ward, who earned a doctorate in higher education administration, is the assistant vice president at Rochester Institute of Technology. His resume is impressive. He has been a workshop presenter at many conferences throughout the nation. His workshop topics are frequently around the topic of appreciation of diversity and acceptance of all people regardless of ethnicity or social class. Dr. Ward freely shares his experience as an African American male growing up in poverty. He has received numerous awards for his work with students and his contributions to communities. Funded by a grant, Dr. Ward will be working with the Albion Central School District over the next two years. He will give feedback to the Board of Education and administration describing an objective overview of the climate in the district. Dr. Ward will glean this information by meeting with focus groups of students and staff including teachers, secretaries, custodians, and bus drivers. Not everyone will have the opportunity to speak to Dr. Ward in these small focus groups but a good sampling of our staff will provide information on areas of strengths and areas of weakness. Dr. Ward will follow this assessment with training on how we can be respectful of all people. He has generously offered to provide workshops for community members as well. As a representative of higher education, Dr. Ward will conduct a workshop for all seniors and their parents entitled, The Real Deal About College. Why would the district embark on a project of this nature? It must be because there are huge racial issues in the district, correct? No, we have no more racial issues in the district than any other school district. We do, however, feel strongly that one of our values Value Everyone, Everyday, Everywhere needs to be taught, retaught, reinforced and modeled daily in as many ways as possible. We believe that an alumnus can provide objective data, meaningful training and exemplary mentoring to our young people. Our children will work and play in a very diverse world: our job is to ensure that they are prepared for the challenges that lie ahead of them. It is very easy in our small town to forget that our graduates will be rubbing elbows with people from all around the world. Will they be ready? Please contact me if you have any questions or comments you would like to share.
Achievement,
Character, Success for Life...ACS Occasionally questions arise that may be of interest to many people in our district. This article will highlight some of the more frequently asked questions. We remain committed to providing you the information you need about our school district. Please feel free to contact me at any time with any questions you may have and we will try to do our best to answer them. Question:
Have we used the number of days planned for snow emergencies?
Answer: No! The New York State Education Department determines that the minimum number of days in session must be 180 days. The 180 days can be inclusive of Regents examination days and four superintendent conference days. We have three superintendent conference days scheduled in the calendar. If it is necessary to close school again, the children will remain at home but the teachers must report for a conference day.
Answer: Yes, the last week of school is typically shortened days for the middle school and elementary school students. To insure certification of our required number of student days, June 18-21 will be full day sessions for students and teachers.
Answer: Our school district has no more racial incidences than any other organization in the country. Our mission is to educate students so that they can function in an ethnically and culturally diverse environment where all people are valued. It is a privilege to invite an alumnus back to the District to share his experiences as a man who set high goals for his personal success despite very humble roots.
Answer: Yes, every five years, each school district is required to hire a firm to assess the condition of all of the school district's facilities. Based on this report, a proposed project will be presented to the taxpayers for their approval at the annual budget vote on May 15th. Items include replacement of the entire roof at the high school, parts of roofs on all the other buildings, the addition of a lobby on the west side of the high school, expanded parking by the soccer lot, expansion of the LGI stage, repointing of the brick on the middle school building, and wall tiles in the gym, music and cafeteria corridors at the high school. If the vote is held in May, construction will not begin until 2009 due to the required design documents and the approval process required by the State Education Department.
Answer: Everything that is done in a school district uses taxpayer dollars. It is the source of taxpayer money that needs to be addressed. The project totals 10.5 million dollars, the majority of which is covered by Building Aid and the new Excel Aid which come from New York State. Each district is allocated money for items such as those included in the proposed project. Albion can take advantage of the money or not depending on the outcome of the vote. Building Aid and Excel Aid not used by our district will be re-allocated throughout the state. We will not need to levy additional taxes to accomplish this project because it is paid for by using both Building and Excel Aid and the remainder of our Capital Reserve Fund.
Answer: Yes, we are cautiously optimistic about the increases in educational spending proposed by the Governor. We are hopeful that the Legislature agrees with the proposal and that we will have a budget by April 1. The Board of Education finance committee has been working on the budget and has prepared various scenarios that can be considered once the State budget is in place.
Answer: Yes, on March 26th at 7:00 in the evening, FBI agent Holly Hubert will hold a community session on the dangers of the Internet. Everyone in the community is invited to attend. This is a session for adults only; children will not be permitted to attend.
Achievement,
Character, Success for Life...ACS On May 15th, residents in the Albion Central School District will be asked to consider the 2007-08 school district budget. Voting takes place in the Conference Room in the District office from noon until 8:00 p.m. Information on the proposed budget is provided; however, if you have additional questions, please contact me at 589-2056 or email me at agrabowski@albionk12.org. Click here to view the proposed ACSD 2007-2008 budget (pdf format). Question:
How much is the budget going to increase for the 2007-08 school year? Question:
Does that mean residents' taxes will increase by 8.94%? Question:
What are some of the costs associated with the budget increase? Question:
Will any of the programs eliminated in past years be reinstated?
Question: Will other positions be added? Answer: Yes, the intent of the increase in State Aid to school districts was to begin to equalize the programs offered by districts whether they have a healthy tax base or not. We will strengthen our programs by:
We encourage everyone to exercise their right to vote. Please attend the Budget Hearing to review the other propositions which the voters will be asked to consider. On the day of the vote, we once again ask for your cooperation in completing an exit survey. Our first survey was completed two years ago by an overwhelming number of voters. We analyzed the responses, accepted suggestions, and made changes that we believe met the needs expressed to us. It is time to once again ask your opinions. Please assist us by providing us your feedback.
Achievement,
Character, Success for Life...ACS Since the creation of the federal No Child Left Behind Act (NCLB), all school districts in the United States are held to accountability standards. Each state is required to decide how they will determine if the students in their school districts are learning. The difficulty with NCLB is that no two states use the same accountability measures so it is still very difficult to compare the academic achievement of students across the nation. Prior to the approval of NCLB, some states did not have any means to compare the achievement of students in school districts within the state. This was not the case in New York. New York State's Board of Regents has a long history of an examination program that was the envy of many states. The anchor of this program was the Regents examinations which were supplemented by benchmark testing that was done at the elementary and middle schools. While NCLB ushered in some additional requirements for New York, the changes were not as drastic as they could have been had we not had the Regents examination program. Basically the number of grade levels tested was expanded to include all students in third grade through eighth grade in English Language Arts and Math. Significant among the changes include the fact that all students (with a few exceptions) must pass five Regents exams to receive a New York State diploma. Lastly, all test scores are broken down by the performance of students representing specific subgroups. Subgroups of students include gender, ethnicity, socio-economic status, disability, and English Language Learners. The intent of scrutinizing subgroups is to insure that a group of students who share similar characteristics are learning at the same rate and at the level as other students. If any subgroup of students is performing at a lower level, the entire school is placed on a school improvement list. NCLB demanded that each state improve its data collection procedures. In New York, each student now has a unique identification number to which all of his/her test scores are assigned. In this way, the state is able to collect data, analyze trends, and compare districts. As a result of data analysis, the Albion Central School District has been notified by Richard Mills, Commissioner of Education, that we have been designated as a "high performing/gap closing" school district. The District has been so designated because we have met the standards in Math, English Language Arts, and Science for the 2005-06 school year. Additionally the cohort graduation rate (students who begin ninth grade and graduate four years later) has exceeded the expectation set by the State. Locally, of the 15 school districts in Orleans-Niagara BOCES, Albion enjoyed the fourth best graduation rate. The District shares the distinction of a "high performing/gap closing" school district with 272 school districts across New York State (there are approximately 700 school districts in the state). This is the third year in a row that Albion has been recognized. In his letter, Commissioner Mills stated, "The entire community is to be commended for leading New York forward to accomplish the dual goals of increasing student achievement while closing the gap in student performance." On behalf of everyone in our school district, I extend our appreciation to our community for their continued support of our mission, Achievement, Character and Success for Life. . . ACS.
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Albion Central School District Office, 324 East Avenue, Albion, New York 14411
Tel: 585 589 2050, Fax: 585 589 2059
E-mail: info@albionk12.org