City Schools

About 100 people gathered Thursday evening to honor the late Frank E. Owen by naming Batavia High School’s entertainment venue after him.

The Frank E. Owen  Auditorium has a nice ring to it, his son Jim said via a pre-recorded video during the live-streamed event. Jim has been battling cancer and his medical professionals wouldn’t let him leave his treatment facility. Nevertheless, he spoke proudly of his father and suggested that the honor is about more than Frank E. Owen.

“This is to honor my father, but it’s more important to honor all the teachers and students — past, present, and future — the music department, and all those who use the auditorium,” he said. “It’s to honor the school system. He was very proud of his teachers and his students.”

A cat photobombed his talk, which brought some humor to a moment charged with emotion. Jim calmly continued talking as he acknowledged the cat’s presence with a few rubs on the head, which is an example of his kind-hearted dedication to whatever is before him. Other speakers pointed to how much they could know of Frank by watching his legendary qualities unfold within Jim.

“Jim carries on his father’s legacy by influencing the students,” High School Principal Paul Kesler said.

Frank’s former students, Patti Pacino and Liz Johnson Conway, both 1965 grads, shared how their music teacher was disciplined, down to earth and fair. He expected nothing less than a commitment from everyone.

Music has been a strong piece of Pacino’s life, thanks in large part to the lessons instilled by Frank Owen.

“He presumed we were as dedicated as he was,” she said, listing his many requirements. There was no sheet music on stage, as everyone was to memorize their songs, and no jingling of bracelets on stage, or even the chance fainting spell without consideration not to disrupt the performance, she said.

“Why would high school students put with such rules?” she said. “Because it was magical.”

Students loved music, loved to sing, and learned about teamwork along the way, she said. They all worked toward the common goal of producing lovely choral music. On one of his very first days at the city school district, Frank invited everyone to sing, and they “sang like they never sang before,” Pacino said, reading a report from 1927.

If Mary Poppins had a brother, it would be Frank E. Owen, she said.

Conway only studied with Frank for two years, but in those two short years, “I learned to like and admire” this man of music, she said. He demanded excellence with “pitch, diction and musicality,” she said.

His conducting was classy and subtle, with no large flashy moves, she said, and his secret weapon reining kids in was “the look.”

“Danny VanDetta had the paddle, and Frank Owen had the look,” she said. “Communicating through lyrics and connected to sound, he strengthened the music in this area.”

Superintendent Jason Smith, an avid musician himself, shared some of Frank Owen’s history:

He established the music department at BCSD in 1927 and created the first band and BHS Choristers, a well-known vocal group that reaped many accolades and awards, taped recordings and broadcasts during Owen’s 37-year career at Batavia. He then went on to serve on the Batavia Board of Education, including as president and was actively involved in community music.

“When the Board was considering naming the auditorium in Mr. Owen’s honor, I received numerous emails advocating for this to occur,” Smith said, reading some of those messages. A few snippets are below:

As a graduate of BHS and a member of the Choristers all my years at the High School, I can tell you that he not only instilled a love of music but a sense of service to community.

Mr. Owen was a humble master of music, respected and praised. My brothers and I were in choristers and band. My oldest brother became a music teacher with Mr. Owen’s urging, along with many other graduates.

Some of our fondest memories are the annual live Christmas (morning) broadcasts of the Chorus from the former Elks building on Ellicott Street, and the copies of that program on vinyl - blue records! - that each of us could purchase.  Both Jim and I have included a link to one of those albums on our Class websites.

I can't think of a more fitting honor than naming the Auditorium after Mr. Owen - a 'home' to so many of us during our years at Batavia High School and recognition of the impact he had on so many lives.

Smith also read a tribute recited to Frank upon his retirement in 1964.

“Mr. Owen’s flair as an educator has to be classed in the greater range. Music to him is not merely an abstract subject. It is something that is a very real part of life with ramifications in history, culture and the development of civilization,” Smith said. “Those who had the advantage of his teaching and leadership gained not only exceptional appreciation and understanding of music but also of the wider spectrum.”

Gov. Kathy Hochul and state Assemblyman Steve Hawley sent representatives to present proclamations for the occasion, and City Council President Eugene Jankowski gave one from the city with the wish that the community will find the auditorium space to be a place where folks can relax and be inspired.

The evening also included a ribbon-cutting, a vocal concert of pieces chosen by current Music Director Jane Haggett, including "Adeste Fidelis," meaning come, faithful ones, and a patriotic song since Frank always typically included one for concerts, she said. He loved "America," she said, "so we're going be doing that."

 A reception cake was bedecked with the theme of the night, and memorabilia was on display for guests to see.

Top photo: Abigail Hoerbelt, who comes from a musical family, cuts the ribbon during a dedication of the Frank E. Owen Auditorium Thursday evening at Batavia High School. Music Director Jane Haggett, City Council President Eugene Jankowski, alumni and board member Liz Johnson Conway, Jenn Lendvay and Patti Pacino flank her on the left as Chamber of Commerce Interim President Tom Turnbull, Board President John Marucci, Superintendent Jason Smith and Principal Paul Kesler stand on the right. Photo by Joanne Beck.

Photo of reception cake by Joanne Beck, and memorabilia and speakers by Howard Owens.

After more than 18 months with three “key phases,” and input from dozens of administrators, teachers, staff, parents, students and community members, Batavia City School District is ready to launch its five-year strategic plan.

Such a plan isn’t required by New York State, but is a recommended “best practice” for any school district, said Dr. Molly Corey, director of curriculum and instruction.

“Our intention is to bring parents, community members, students, and staff together to plan and prioritize student success in every classroom,” Corey said in a press release Monday. “We’re still evaluating and discovering the depths of learning loss our students experienced due to the pandemic. A Strategic Plan like this will be a beacon grounding us during uncertain times, and it will allow us to comprehensively think, discuss, and prioritize the needs of our students.” 

A main portion of the report, referred to by staff as “a curriculum and instructional roadmap” for reaching each student’s goals, involves a family component, which undoubtedly is a valuable piece. That part of the plan is to ensure “Our families will: make education a priority in the household, support the school in promoting a good work ethic and personal responsibility, as well as encouraging health and wellness and provide the necessary time, space, and supplies at home for homework and studies to be completed.”

The Batavian asked Superintendent Jason Smith how the district plans to get families on board with the wellness aspect, given their busy lives, technology and such easy access to fast meals and sedentary lifestyles. Smith said that promoting health and wellness has become even more important post-COVID.

“And we learned that loud and clear coming out of this pandemic,” he said. “We have Social Emotional Learning teams at each school that promote health and wellness among both our students and staff. Good nutrition and exercise are reinforced in our Phys Ed and health curriculum, and is a key part of the New York State learning standards.”

He also emphasized that family engagement will continue to be “an integral part of our mission at BCSD.” Therefore, two-way communication between schools and families is critical, he said.

“We encourage our families to reach out to us with comments, suggestions, and questions as we implement this plan,” Smith said. “Additionally, each school partners with our parent groups, and just this year we have added a parent representative component to our newly formed shared-decision making teams at each school.  We will also consider tools such as surveys and other feedback mechanisms.”

Even before COVID — about 26 years prior, to be exact — Smith said that he focused his teaching on individual ownership in one’s own behavior and contributions.

“Since I first began teaching in 1994, teaching students personal responsibility and work ethic has been a core mission of schools,” he said. “While it may be explicitly taught at times, teachers, coaches, and advisors continually reinforce this important message through high expectations and accountability, coupled with support and guidance.”

That’s how he expects to reach families, and therefore equip students to fulfill plan goals to: contribute to creating a safe and respectful environment; put forth their best effort; and be independent learners and competent problem-solvers who seek help when needed.

Four components of the plan include:

• A safe and orderly school environment
• A collaborative culture
• Clear and accessible curriculum
• Effective teaching in every classroom

There are benchmarks for every objective, such as planning for communication across all district groups, developing a schedule for progress checks, and creating an efficacy report by asking “how are buildings in the district doing?”

The Board of Education has approved the plan, which will begin to unfold this fall. While BCSD developed this plan to cover a five-year period from 2022-2027, school staff will continue to review and refine it to “achieve success for years to come.”

Even though Smith began in January at the tail end of the planning process, he has enjoyed the catch-up process of all that has been done, he said.

“I’ve been thrilled at the work Dr. Corey and all of our stakeholders have done in preparing this guide,” he said. “It shows a solid understanding of our students’ diverse needs and will certainly set every child up for success going forward.” 

Newly elected Board President John Marucci concurred, adding that Corey and her team “have been well ahead of the curve” by initiating the strategic plan in 2019.

“The Board of Education has been actively discussing learning loss with the administration since the height of the pandemic,” Marucci said. “We’re confident that they’re addressing the concerns that parents have expressed and will continue to evaluate their systems going forward to ensure BCSD continues to strive for academic excellence in every grade and every classroom.” 

The complete Strategic Plan, which runs from 2022 to 2027,  can be found on the Batavia City School District website here. 

Press release:

On Thursday, August 25, 2022, the Batavia City School District will host the official dedication ceremony for the Frank E. Owen Auditorium at Batavia High School. 

The ceremony will begin at 7:00 pm in the auditorium and will include an official ribbon cutting, and performances by Batavia High School music students, alumni, staff, and community members.  

The evening will feature remarks from Superintendent Jason Smith, Batavia High School Principal Paul Kesler, and Batavia High School Music Department Chair Jane Haggett. The ceremony will also include an appearance by Frank E. Owen’s son, Jim Owen.

On May 5, 2022, the Batavia City School District Board of Education officially approved the renaming of the Batavia High School auditorium to the “Frank E. Owen Auditorium.” 

Frank E. Owen started his career with the Batavia City School District in 1927, where he directed the orchestra and was appointed the head of the music department. Owen was responsible for many musical “firsts” across the district: the first BCSD band was formed in 1930, and he founded the Batavia High School Choristers in 1935. He directed the first school musical in 1937 and formed the first jazz/swing choir in the 1960s. Owen retired in 1964, completing a career that spanned 37 years of dedication to the students of Batavia. He passed away on July 9, 1978, in Batavia, and shortly after, a scholarship was set up in his name and is awarded each year to a student pursuing a career in music education.

For anyone who is interested in joining the performance in celebration of Frank E. Owen, more information can be found here.

Admission to the event is free. The Frank E. Auditorium is located at Batavia High School, 260 State Street, Batavia, New York.  

John Marucci has a message for his district citizens.

He is an open book, he says. And the newly elected Batavia City Schools board president intends to lead the board with a commitment to “honesty and transparency.” That means don’t be afraid to contact him when necessary.

“Please reach out to me should you have any questions or concerns. I’m here to assist the members of the district in any way I can,” he said to The Batavian. “I’ve lived in Batavia for eight years and absolutely love this community. I look forward to serving you in this new capacity.”

What do you see as priorities for the board president?
My priorities as BCSD Board of Education president include ensuring that Superintendent (Jason) Smith and our school administration have everything they need to successfully execute the programs and initiatives outlined in our recently passed budget,” Marucci said. “I’m proud to work alongside my fellow BOE members, who are very committed to supporting the BCSD and doing what's best for our students, staff and community.”

Marucci was recently sworn into his new role, which officially began July 1. Each board term runs through June 30 of the following year. This is Marucci’s second three-year term, and it expires in 2025. He will be coming in as the board leader with prior experience as the vice president for a year. As 2022 progresses onward toward 2023, he looks forward to working through the budget process and planning for the future, he said.

He’s also excited to be able “to work in a closer capacity with Superintendent Smith,” he said, adding that he thinks Smith was a “fantastic hire” who is going to do great things for the city school district.

“I think he's done a phenomenal job during his first few months with us and I can't wait to see what he does in the future,” Marucci said.

What goals would you like to set for the board and its role with the district for this next year?
“The BCSD BOE actually sets our goals collectively each fall,” he said. “We have an upcoming retreat planned where we'll all come together a

nd collaborate on what we hope to prioritize for the upcoming school year.”

Marucci has been a resident of Batavia since July of 2014. Three of his children are Batavia High School graduates and a son is in the Class of 2025 at the school. Marucci has served on the Batavia Bulldawgs Board and as a coach for seven years. He is a recipient of the Jim Ellegate Memorial Award by The Niagara / Orleans Football Association for “The Love  of the Game and More Importantly The Love of Children." He previously served as the head coach for the BCSD Modified Wrestling Team and also assisted in coaching Batavia Little Devils Youth Wrestling Club. 

Giving credit where it's due
Aside from his own personal and professional goals, Marucci wants to thank former board President Alice Ann Benedict for her leadership during the last two years. Being a veteran board member who also served on the board for several years before this stint, Benedict provided an education for other members, he said.

“She is a seasoned member of the Board of Education, and I certainly learned a lot about being president by sitting beside her. I was always impressed with how she ran meetings, how professional she was, and (how) she presented herself and the district,” he said. “I’m extremely happy that she has another year with us on her current term, where she'll continue to be able to contribute her knowledge and passion for education and the district.” 

Benedict’s term is up on June 30, 2023. Member John Reigle, whose term is up in 2024, was voted in as vice president during the group’s recent reorganizational meeting. 

Reigle was appointed to the board in August 2020 to fill a vacancy.  He and his wife, Ashlee, have three children – one who graduated in 2020, another who attends BHS, and one who attends John Kennedy Intermediate.

A lifelong Batavia resident, he earned a football scholarship to South Dakota Tech upon his graduation from BHS, and he played there for three years, studying business before returning home. He is currently the manager of Timebuyer Auto Sales and has remained active in youth sports as a founding member and commissioner of the Batavia Bulldawgs Youth Football and Cheer program. 

Reigle believes that, with his relationships with the district families, teachers, and faculty members, that "I will contribute towards the continued success of our district both academically as well as with our extracurricular activities such as athletics, arts, and music," he said. 

A building at 245 Liberty Street was demolished today.

According to county tax records, the 2,590-square-foot commercial structure was built in 1950 and was acquired by Batavia City Schools in 2017.

School officials were not available today to answer questions about the property.

UPDATE: See previous coverage about this building HERE. The property was donated to the school district and the land will provide additional parking for Jackson School.

Top photo by Howard Owens.

County tax records photo of the structure.

Most recent Google Streetview photo of the building.
 

Neither the outgoing nor incoming president was at Batavia City School board’s reorganizational meeting Thursday, but the remaining board members voted to put John Marucci in the role.

He was sworn in via Zoom. Marucci was the board vice president, having served three years, and had previously said that he “thoroughly enjoyed serving the students, parents and staff of the BCSD.”

Marucci, a resident of Batavia for five years with one son in the school system, is an active coach for the Batavia Bulldawgs Youth Football organization, and is head coach for the Vartsity team. He was previously head coach for the BMS modified wrestling team and helped coach Batavia Little Devils’ youth wrestling. His term ends in July of 2025, and has said that serving Batavia’s youth is a main reason for his participation on the school board. 

Marucci was not able to answer questions from The Batavian about his new title and position Thursday evening, as he is visiting family out of state. He will be available to do so on Wednesday, he said.

Former president Alice Benedict’s term is up in July 2023 after being appointed in May 2020 to fill out a vacated position. Benedict is no stranger to the Board of Education, having served from 1995 to 2006, and for three terms as president.

Board member John Reigle, whose term ends in July 2024, was elected vice president.

Two public hearings — about the Code of Conduct and hiring a second school resource officer — followed the reorganizational meeting. No one from the public spoke at the hearings, and both topics were approved later by the board.

Superintendent Jason Smith said that the Code of Conduct has received a thorough review by the school attorney “to make the code in line with current law and or current recommendations.”

“Our attorneys gave us some key updates that needed to be modified other than updated definitions for bullying, or harassment, to comply with the current Dignity For All Students Act,” Smith said. “Some modifications there, I think, we added definitions as to what is a tobacco product, what under the influence means and … illegal substances, that has been clarified as well.”

They have also revised the definition of "weapon," and when and if students would face certain consequences. Section three’s language was clarified and cleaned up, he said, to state that “students have a right to learn in a safe and supportive school environment.”

“A lot of the pieces that were in there have been removed because it's covered with the Dignity For All Students Act, and we modified some language regarding privacy and public restrooms and locker rooms, and expectations for that as well,” he said.

Section five reflects “a nice presentation in June by (BHS Principal) Paul Kesler and his students” about the dress code. Their work and attorney input focused on a gender-neutral dress code that didn’t particularly target guys or gals.

Other revisions included cyberbullying and virtual learning code of conduct, plus the addition of some legal updates to the prohibition against discrimination, harassment and or bullying. Long-term suspensions were considered, and families have the right to appeal the board on a five-day suspension.

“In the rare event that those are challenged or appealed, that clarifies that language,” Smith said. “It also clarifies long-term suspension appeals.”

Click here to view the Code of Conduct 

The school board also approved the move to hire a second resource officer for the district and a related contract with the city of Batavia.

“The proposal is to use additional COVID funding previously designated for learning … and use some of those funds. And we can gradually build a budget over time (to afford the positions when COVID funding is gone),” he said.

Given the tragedies this spring of mass shootings at a school in Texas and earlier much closer to home in Buffalo, the awareness of staff and families has been heightened of such possibilities. Smith received several emails from families and staff members regarding the district’s safety, he said.

Reigle said there’s been support for the current resource officer and now for a second one as well.

“It's nice to work in conjunction with somebody who is looking out for your safety,” Reigle said. “So we're in support of it.”

Each officer costs the district approximately $100,000 in salary and benefits, which will be paid to the city for use of two police department employees.

Batavia City Schools residents are invited to not one, but two public hearings about the district's conduct code and the addition of another school resource officer at about $100,000 a year.

The hearings are part of combined reorganizational and regular meetings of the board this week. The session is to begin at 6:15 p.m. Thursday in the Superintendent’s Conference Room at Batavia High School, 260 State St., Batavia.

Public hearings are scheduled after what is usually a boilerplate type of meeting to plug in various district details, including swearing-in of board members, electing the president and vice president, and appointing people to a yearly list of roles. The list is fairly long and varied, from a school pesticide representative, tax collector, and purchasing agent to a faculty auditor, data protection officer and an extracurricular activities account treasurer.

Other board action includes votes to approve miscellaneous items, including the mileage reimbursement rate, existing bylaws and policies, and staff attendance at conferences and similar training.

Hearings are to follow for the review and public input of a District Code of Conduct and then of a School Resource Officer Contract to hire a second officer for the district. A prior hearing about the Code of Conduct brought out no one for comment. The school resource officer is obtained through the city of Batavia and its police department, with the school district picking up the tab. Each officer costs -- in salary and benefits -- approximately $100,000 each, Police Chief Shawn Heubusch confirmed with The Batavian.

Superintendent Jason Smith is to provide the review of each topic, and district residents are invited to sign up prior to or during the review to voice comments or questions. Speakers are given a three-minute time limit each per topic. 

Smith and Business Administrator Scott Rozanski had previously discussed that payment would be possible with leftover federal grant money (American Rescue Plan Act) paid out for COVID-related initiatives and responses. There is about $200,000 from that ARPA money available for another resource officer, Rozanski said.

After the public hearings are closed, a regular meeting is to commence with district “Good news to share,” a superintendent’s report, board votes for various appointments, contracts, a district strategic plan, Code of Conduct, and school resource officer services.

These meetings may be viewed on YouTube. 

For more information, go to bataviacsd.org

Now that graduation is officially over, Batavia City School District is assessing its current summer meals program to potentially provide children with remote meals in July and August, Business Administrator Scott Rozanski says.

The review stems from an announcement this week about the Keep Kids Fed Act that funds free meals for children throughout the summer. That bill was signed into law and extends child nutrition waivers for schools, daycares, nonprofits and other meal providers, according to a press release from Senate Majority leader Chuck Schumer.

“No child should ever go hungry, and now schools will have the funding and flexibility needed to ensure kids stay healthy and fed this summer ... this bill gives our schools the support they need to continue to provide free nutritious meals and the flexibility they need to operate amidst the ongoing supply chain challenges,” Schumer said. “Summer is often the time of year when food insecurity is highest for children and this support comes just in the nick of time.”

Batavia’s district already has summer extended programs at Batavia High School-BOCES for breakfast, and at Batavia Middle School, Jackson Primary and John Kennedy Intermediate for breakfast and lunch, Rozanski said in response to questions from The Batavian.

Beginning this week (Monday, July 27) through Sept. 1, breakfast and lunch is also being provided to YMCA’s youth program Monday through Friday, and also Monday through Friday for the city’s Parks and Recreation program from July 5 through Aug. 12.

“Given the late announcement, we are in the process of determining how we can offer this important program for those children that are not involved in the programs previously listed,” Rozanski said. “Tentatively, we are looking at offering one to two options for remote meals from July 5 through Aug. 31, 2022.

“We first need to determine if we have sufficient personnel to staff either of these two options and, if not, what adjustments can we make to our current summer programs to be able to accommodate this program,” he said. “We are also waiting for the approval from NYS Child Nutrition (CN).”

District officials are hoping to receive definite word by Friday, he said. If the district receives approval for the additional option(s), it plans to publicly announce that to district residents, he said.

During the pandemic, Congress authorized the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) to waive various school meal program requirements for school districts and increase reimbursement rates so that schools and meal program operators could continue to feed children. This allowed school districts across New York to make sure that students got meals all year long, including during the summer. 

These child nutrition waivers were set to expire Thursday, June 30. A recent  USDA survey showed that 90 percent of school districts food programs are depending on these waivers to offer free meals, with 92 percent experiencing supply chain issues and a quarter experiencing staffing challenges for their nutrition programs, according to the press release.

The fully paid-for Keep Kids Fed Act has been signed into law by President Biden.

For the full release, go HERE

Photo of a family celebrating during this past Saturday's BHS graduation ceremony at Van Detta Stadium in Batavia. Photo by Stephen Ognibene.

As Batavia High School’s Class of 2022 sat quietly Saturday on VanDetta field dressed in blue and white robes, many family members and friends hurriedly tried to find a seat in the packed stadium before the ceremony began.

It was perfect weather with no rain in sight, though the scorching temperature of 85 and climbing made for some hot metal seats. Marya Cole had found a spot to watch her niece Jaylene Dersham receive her diploma, but soon had to duck under cover for some relief.

“It was so hot up there,” Cole said, finding some shade in the stadium lobby. “I’m very proud of her. She lost her dad when she was young. But she went all the way through, and I’m really proud of her.”

Jaylene, 17, who was a notable Blue Devils Girls Basketball player, was one of 169 graduates to cross the makeshift stage and realize a dream along with her fellow seniors. She had decorated her cap in honor of her father, Jayson Dersham, with the word “Dad” across the top. Cole wasn’t certain what her niece will be doing from here but knows that the new graduate wants to go to college, possibly for nursing or something more secretarial.

That wasn't her proud aunt's concern at the moment.

"She did it; she made it," a smiling Cole said.

Robert Lin, Valedictorian

Although they were saying goodbye to the last days and years of high school, the graduates were reminded of what they accomplished. Class Valedictorian Robert Lin spoke about the hardships of isolation, separation, and the mental and physical turmoil his classmates encountered with a pandemic. "It had a “devastating effect on us,” he said.

Despite the challenges, everyone rallied to come back and finish.

“Throughout these four years at high school, we’ve developed skills, connections, and characteristics to move forward in society,” Lin said. “These events will develop us to be harder, better, faster, and stronger. As today ends, we will all tread our own paths. As we move on, life will have many surprises or events in store for us.”

His nuggets of advice included the phrase “you only live once,” which he encouraged for those willing to take the consequences of trying something new. There’s nothing wrong with taking a shorter path or the long way, he said. Just never give up. Never let yourself down.

“We have to enjoy life to its fullest, and the changes it throws at us will keep us eager, and when they start coming, they don’t stop coming,” he said.

The 100+ average student received the E.G. Richmond Award for having the highest average in all courses of study. He also completed and excelled in 13 college or AP level courses, doing his homework assignments in between helping customers at his family’s restaurant after school.  A role model to his fellow students, he was described as always wanting to be better.

Elizabeth McCarthy, Salutatorian

Less than one point under Lin's average was the 99.9 of Salutatorian Elizabeth McCarthy. Not only was McCarthy a high school graduate, but, due to her diligence in taking 11 AP and/or dual enrollment courses while in school, she also just graduated from Genesee Community College with an associate degree.

The past four years have been “a wild ride,” she said, also pointing to the challenges of COVID.

“I am so proud of how our class was able to overcome this huge challenge. We would not have been able to overcome such adversity without the help and support of our family and friends, as well as the exceptional staff at BHS,” she said. “I would like to remind everyone to be kind. I’m sure we can all think of someone who has brightened our lives in some way. Someone who was there for us with a helping hand -- or maybe simply a smile -- when we needed it most. I encourage all of us to be the light in someone’s day, in case that person needs it.”

At one point during the speeches, Samantha Koons had stepped into the lobby, where a nice small breeze was flowing through to the parking lot. She and her boyfriend Ed McDonald were there for his 18-year-old son Cory, she said.

“We’re a little emotional that his baby is growing up,” she said. “We’re very proud of him, very proud.”

About a dozen chaperones and security staff kept an eye on the premises during commencement. Some spectators asked about water as the blazing sun kept its heavy gaze on participants and the audience. Security guard and BHS 1997 grad Nick Burk attends every graduation, he said, and the events “traditionally are very well attended.”  He also coaches three sports and has become invested in the students' success, he said.

“It’s really exciting and awesome to see students whom I’ve known since they were 14 or 15 … some are going into the military, some are starting their careers,” he said. “It’s great to see that development and growth.”

Photos by Steve Ognibene.  To view more photos and to purchase photos, click here.

Top photo: Batavia High School Principal Paul Kesler addresses the Class of 2022 during commencement Saturday at VanDetta Stadium in Batavia. Speakers included Superintendent Jason Smith, who gave an analogy about filling one's jar first with golf balls -- the big priorities in life -- before worrying about the smaller things, represented by pebbles and sand. He later gave each student an inscribed symbolic blue golf ball to remind them "about prioritizing your goals as you move into this next exciting phase of your lives." Molly George and Laura Tenebruso -- longtime teachers at the city school district -- present a poem made up by several of the seniors' quotes. Photos by Stephen Ognibene.

 

A proposal to hire a second School Resource Officer wasn’t a matter of “if” Thursday evening.

From the city schools board comments, it’s a matter of when.

Superintendent Jason Smith believes that, given “recent tragic events over the past month” in Buffalo and Texas, that school safety concerns have once again been heightened.

“I have been personally contacted by parents and staff members about adding a second School Resource Officer,” he said during Thursday’s school board meeting. “The safety of our students, faculty, and staff has always been and will always be our top priority. While our district continues to implement best safety practices, we felt there was room for improvement. Our current SRO covers four schools in our district, and with the addition of Robert Morris next year, it makes this position all the more necessary and timely.

“If approved, BCSD will fully fund both SRO positions via a contract with City Council. The SROs are employed, appointed and overseen by the Batavia Police Department.”

It’s about time, Board member John Reigle said.

“I think it’s overdue,” Reigle said. “Officer Stevens has a huge workload, and it would be beneficial for her and for our district.”

Board President Alice Benedict agreed, adding that it seems as though the current officer spends a lot of time at the high school and, due to time constraints, cannot make it to other city schools on a regular basis.

“I think we need another one to help cover those buildings,” she said.

The other question — no small detail — was about how to fund a second officer in the district. Business Administrator Scott Rozanski said that the district will be entering Phase III of the federal COVID monies distributed two years ago, and about $200,000 had been set aside for remote learning. Smith added that the money was to be used for learning needs through BOCES, but a lack of enrollment will free up the funding for other uses. Rozanski suggested that the district could use those funds for a second SRO.

“So we can reallocate those funds and put it towards the school resource officer and then work on phasing in that position to the general fund budget, it will be similar to what we did to close all the positions this year,” Rozanski said. “So the general fund budget will slowly, incrementally increase and absorb that cost over the next two years.”

These officers are not direct employees of the district, as they are subcontracted from the City Police Department. Smith has been talking to City Council, the city manager, and the police department about a possible arrangement. One officer would cover the high and middle schools while a second officer would cover Jackson Primary, John Kennedy Intermediate, and Robert Morris.

“Our current SRO has a myriad of responsibilities including providing assistance with the District on juvenile matters affecting our students, proactive interventions with families and students, general safety and security in our schools, along with our school security aides, and working in partnership with the District in general safety programming,” Smith said.

The board — Chezeray Rolle, Korrine Anderson, Barbara Bowman, John Reigle, John Marucci and Benedict — agreed to authorize Smith to pursue hiring a second SRO. The board is expected to vote on the measure in July or August.

The Batavian has reached out to City Manager Rachael Tabelski today for further clarification about the city’s role in obtaining a second SRO for the school district. This article will be updated with her response when possible.

UPDATED 6/18/22:  City Manager Rachael Tabelski recommended that City Council extend a prior agreement for the district's first SRO earlier this year, extending the contract to June 2024. If the district moves forward with hiring a second SRO, the process will involve a final vote from the school board and City Council.

The stipulations for a School Resource Officer are:

• The City will provide one officer to the BCSD that is a full-time City of Batavia law enforcement officer with excellent communication skills, ability to relate to children and students and planning skills.
• The BCSD will reimburse the City of Batavia 100% of the Officers salary and employee benefits, including any overtime actually worked.
• The City will assign a full-time SRO to the School according to a mutually agreeable schedule, between the first day of the academic year until the final day of the academic year.
• The City remains responsible for providing a vehicle for the SRO as well as the SRO’s uniform, equipment, and training.
• Services for the SRO will be billed based on the amount budgeted for the police officer assigned SRO duties and the actual overtime incurred during the billing cycle. Billing cycle will be on a quarterly basis.
• The term of this Agreement commences April 11, 2022 and expires on June 30, 2024.

Photo: File Photo, 2013.  Batavia Middle School.  Photo by Howard Owens.

Students at Jackson Primary School began their day today in patriotic fashion with a Flag Day ceremony that included members of the Genesee County Joint Veterans Honor Guard and Western New York National Cemetery Honor Guard.

The veterans shared some lessons about the flag.

Students sang "God Bless America" and "This Land is Your Land."

Frank Panepento, a technology teacher at Batavia Middle School, played trumpet. 

Members of the Muckdogs organization joined the celebration.

Photos and information courtesy Batavia City Schools  Top photo: Phil Gaudy and Carl Hyde fold a U.S. flag.

Jackson Primary students reciting The Pledge of Allegiance

Front row, Giavanna Shultz, Gabriella Zucchiatti, Ronan McCarthy, Janielynn Roque; back row: Maureen Notaro, Jackson principal, Carl Hyde, Jason Smith, Superintendent, Phil Gaudy, Tom Cecere

More than 40 seventh- and eighth-grade students and family members not only celebrated the end of another school year recently but also their induction into the National Junior Honor Society. 

A prestigious club at Batavia Middle School, this honor society strives for "academic excellence and prioritizes leadership and community service," Honor Society Adviser Meaghan Tederous said.

This year the group's community service endeavors included volunteering at Family Nights, Warm the Night, and the Polar Plunge at John Kennedy Intermediate School. Members organized -- and two members even plunged themselves, for -- the Polar Plunge fundraiser. They collected more than $1,500 for the Special Olympics of New York, Tederous said. 

To be eligible for NJHS, a student must have a certain GPA, and the criteria differ depending on each grade. A student must also possess qualities of community, character and leadership, and obtain a teacher recommendation, she said.

"We are so proud of our inductees and look forward to another year of celebrating academic achievements and giving back to the community," Tederous said.

Members of the National Junior Honor Society in seventh  grade are: 

• Phoebe Beal
• Brock Bigsby
• Ryan Bigsby
• Mallory Boyce
• Genevieve Clark-Scott
• Parker Cohen
• Augustin Crawford
• Andrew Davis
• Teegan Frens
• Thomas Gaylord
• Ty Gioia
• Lillian Gray
• Jenna Higgins
• Nathaniel Kinsey
• Casey Mazur
• Emma McJury
• Emma Moore
• Brielle Ricks
• Aubrey Sputore
• Trey Tryon
• Gretchen Weicher
• Landyn Wood
• Kate Woodward

And in eighth grade are:

• Aaden Caletto
• Alora Becker
• Ava Darling
• Andrew Hunt
• Bella Moore
• Elaina Stringham
• Elizabeth Grazioplene
• Ella Smith
• Julia Plath
• Kiana Beaty
• Lakoda Mruczek
• Lila Fortes
• Madeline Smith
• Marley Santos
• Miah Jones
• Misael Flores
• Noah Richmond
• Tabitha Jett
• Nora Wood

Students at Batavia Middle School participate in the annual National Junior Honor Society ceremony as inductees of the club, which emphasizes academic performance, leadership skills and community service. Photos submitted by Batavia City Schools. 

Something you may not know about Jason Smith is that he didn’t aspire to be a school district superintendent.

In fact, his current role as head of Batavia City Schools just sort of happened with a suggestion that he should consider the next position, he says.

“The thing is there's nothing I've ever aspired to, it's kind of come to me, it's been a calling," Smith said during an interview with The Batavian. "When I was a teacher I never had any aspiration to be a superintendent. I was happy as a teacher. I was happy as an assistant principal. I was happy as a principal. I was happy as a superintendent in Lyndonville. I'm happy to be here."

His response was to one of several questions asked by The Batavian for an update on how his current role as Batavia City Schools superintendent has been going since he began Jan. 1 of this year. Smith has been a multi-district educator, going from Albion to Elba to Lyndonville, and now to Batavia.

Jack of all trades ...
He feels that he can connect with most anyone given his myriad of interests. The 50-year-old city resident plays the trombone, studies and snaps photos of birds, likes to run and participate in 5Ks, enjoys watching sports — he's a big Buffalo Bills fan — majored in history at college, and is a huge Bruce Springsteen and movie fan, especially Oscar winners.

It’s that kind of versatility that helps him to go from talking baseball and a budget to plumbing and roofing problems, he said. He has tried to finesse the art of knowing at least a little about a lot of various subjects, he said.

Jason Smith goes back to school ...
A 1990 Batavia High School graduate, Smith shared how he reminisced while walking down those Blue Devil hallways once again. He received a quick tour on his first official Monday, Jan. 3, and then did some reminiscing on a snow day later that week. He remembered classes, teachers — Mr. Trosey from English class and Mr. Hay from band -- and old friendships -- checked out the Athletic Hall of Fame and came upon fond memories.

"I walked through the hallways by myself and I tried to realign myself to the classes that I had. And as I was doing it, I was texting a couple of my friends I'm still friends with from high school, about the different spots I found. I found my old locker. I wanted to get reacclimatized to the school as a new student would,” he said. “That really wasn't my first memory because it was the first three days or so I was touring all the schools and meeting all the students and staff. And then I thought I had some time Thursday to kind of walk through very peacefully. And I just found it special for me to be back here in this capacity. I had time to kind of pause, you know, that the process of getting the job itself was very exciting. But then I had time to pause."

Smith picked up a glass crystal apple from the corner of his desk. Mr. Trosey had sent it to him following one of Smith’s opening day speeches that included credits to teachers, including Trosey, who had impacted his school career. It’s by far not alone in his collection of memorabilia. One tall bookshelf is full of notes from students and other school tidbits, plus, of course, his trombone, and there's a row of school programs that he has saved. "I'm very proud of those," he said.

Several minutes into the interview and the gloves came off: did you ever get into trouble at school Mr. Smith?

His initial answer was no, however, upon further reflection, Smith recalled when band teacher Mr. Hay “had to have a talk with me.”

“When I was a sophomore, I got my driver's license. And I was like the band treasurer or something. I was only 16 as a sophomore. So I had a car, and I was having fun driving students back and forth to home," he said. "And Mr. Hay had to pull me aside and have a talk with me: ‘Jason, I made you the treasurer for a reason. You've been unfocused.’ I'm sure that no, I didn't get in trouble. But I did have a couple of talks ensue from Mr. Hay.”

Smith often eats lunch with students and said that his old favorite was taco pizza and chocolate milk. “It still is,” he said, adding that chicken poppers and a frosted cookie for his sweet tooth also make the list. One thing you wouldn’t have found on his tray back then was broccoli, he admitted.

A little personal with professional ...
Smith has previously mentioned that he takes care of himself by getting “all of the proper components,” such as running four to five times a week, trying to watch what he eats, playing his trombone, enjoying movies, his family, the two dogs, and birds that frequent his back yard bird feeders. Family includes his wife Lori, daughter Megan, a 2020 BHS graduate, son Matthew, a BHS senior, and eighth-grade daughter Madeline. Megan may be following in dad’s footsteps by pursuing teaching at Niagara University, while Matthew wasn’t quite as excited to have his father at school as dad was, Smith said.

“I think it's fun. You know, he's enjoying his senior year. So I try to be respectful of that, but … the first day or so he wasn't so crazy about it," Smith said. "So as I said, ‘just embrace it. You know I'm here. Just in person.’”

Cooper, the family’s boxer lab mix, got a companion when the Smiths adopted Carol, a foxhound, in January. She was born in a litter named after The Brady Bunch sitcom characters, however, she was renamed from Marsha to Carol, because “we liked Carol better.”

“I enjoy walking and playing with them and try to have balance,” Smith said.

Part of his “entry process” as superintendent meant visiting with many people throughout the school district for a few months. He asked them to describe the school district in one word and found some of the answers a pleasant surprise. Words such as diversity, resilient, pride and supportive popped up.

Actually, there wasn’t really anything that surprised him as much as they “kind of also reaffirmed what I've already thought walking into the district.”

“They said things like pride, inclusive. I was proud to hear those words,” he said.

What's been the most challenging task since he started here? Being accessible to the 450 staff members and more than 2,000 students districtwide, he said.

“So a challenge I've had, and I’ve tried to overcome this by making myself accessible at games and concerts, was getting to know as many people as possible," he said. "And at smaller districts that were just as important to do. So I build time into going to as many things as I can.”

Does that ever get tiresome, having to attend so many public outings?

“It’s all I've known. It's just how I do business, you know? It's one of the pieces that people have in common as the board watches … they want to see visible superintendents in town. So it's not hard for me I don't find it challenging. I accepted it, and it's just part of my lifestyle now,” he said. “And I enjoy it. I'm going to the baseball game this afternoon. I tried to have a policy like this, as to what's going on, from pre-K all the way up to a senior baseball game.”

The public may not have connected a series of bird photos published on The Batavian as being from Jason Smith, superintendent of BCSD. His love of birds began with two parakeets he had as a kid. When he left as principal of Elba in 2011, Smith was given a bird feeder as a present because he had talked about birds. Smith now has some five bird feeders stationed at his southside home, he said. His grandfather loved birds and Smith has followed suit, to the point where he takes and submits photos consistently, compares notes about the feathered creatures with a neighbor, and generally enjoys watching them.

“It’s that moment of peace, I think,” he said.

Time to discuss the 2022-23 budget for a minute. The $54.8 million proposed budget includes an increase of $2.7 million in spending and a related 1 percent increase in the tax levy. Some social media posts have depicted voters as angry about the tax levy increase and have advocated a no vote on May 17. How do you reply to that?

“I want to say that this is not new territory for me. I recognize the challenges of building a school budget. I stand by my teeter-totter analogy and we want to have that piece there. So I would respond to that, we are conscientious of that, our board is very conscientious of that. But our board is also very conscientious of having to address the needs of our students, and ensuring we have staff and programs in place to support their needs. As I said at the board meeting last week, try to imagine a school without the (nonmandated programs). We don't have to have marching band, we don't have to have football. We want those things; those things are important.”

“So we have to balance those pieces out; it certainly ties into the social-emotional learning needs. So I would say it's a balancing act. And it's a partnership, and we recognize that. There's a task that was put in place for a reason. We recognize that, we respect that. We recognize the challenges that go into that. But we also have an obligation.”

I have neighbors that recognize the balance. And as a matter of fact, I had a conversation with one of my neighbors ... and she wanted to make sure we're still going to have good things for kids. So there's that side of it too. That's the teeter-totter," he said. "That's what I wrote in my newsletter. It's a balancing act and a partnership."

Looking ahead ...
What are your goals moving into 2023?

"We're going to announce a strategic plan in July. So Dr. Cory has been facilitating that process, we recommit the team, we're going to announce goals in June," he said. Each school is going to have its own goals that are aligned to pieces ... with respect to academic learning loss, social-emotional learning, and stronger professional collaboration with our teachers. We're forming shared decision-making teams at the building level ... So that's ongoing, I'm really excited about that, and really excited to have the opportunity to finish up this year. And then we're going to have some intense goal planning sessions this summer."

While Smith has always been proud of the district’s graduation rates — currently at 92 percent — he said there’s something equally important to leaving school with a diploma. He wants to know that students are going to look outside of themselves, be analytical thinkers and discerning readers that go beyond Facebook posts and article headlines before deciding on an issue.

"Two things that I want them to be able to do," he said. "Think critically and be good citizens."

Top photo: Batavia City Schools Superintendent Jason Smith shows some of the items he has collected and keeps in his office. Photo by Joanne Beck. Photo above was taken by Smith in his backyard.

Batavia City Schools leaders have a “robust” summer school plan, they say.

Summer session will open July 12 and run for a month, to August 11. It’s a countermeasure for the ill effects of pandemic shutdowns. Instead of in the past, when students went to central designated sites, they will go to their own schools this year. Lessons will be taught from 9 a.m. to noon three days a week, and breakfast, lunch and transportation will be provided, said Molly Corey, executive director of curriculum and instruction.

“We’re being deliberate, the kids will stay at their own school. So Jackson is hosting their own summer school program, and John Kennedy and the middle school are as well. And we added extra staff for those locations, and we're combining transportation, that's a big variable as well.” she said during an interview Wednesday with The Batavian. “We want to ensure that we get kids there. And right now our numbers are looking really good. At Jackson, it’s 150, where normally we would have 50 students.”

Those grades — Pre-kindergarten, kindergarten and first grade — are the “critical grades” to reach in July, she said. They will be taught basic literacy skills so that, by third grade, students are expected to “be reading to learn” and to enjoy learning to read.

“So we hired more teachers and we have a longer day than we traditionally have had. Last summer it was a two-hour program; this summer it's a three-hour program just so we have adequate time,” Superintendent Jason Smith said.

Strategies also include pairing students with trusted adults and an element of compassion for what the students have already gone through, Corey said.  The district is targeting 500 students for the summer school program in all three schools while extended days have already been implemented at the high school.

There will also be more teachers, albeit with a more summertime feel, at the middle school. Unlike a stiff remediation vibe, the Ross Street school will offer math and literacy camps with “high engagement” for middle school students and veteran teachers serving as coaches, Corey said.   

“It’s really just hooking them into the learning,” she said. “Giving them more purposeful practice while they do so.”

Smith believes it’s essential to not only bolster students but teachers also.

“Teachers have had very, very busy days, they make thousands of decisions every single day. So we want to give them support, so they can best support our students,” he said. “And one way to do that, one effective way to do it, is to appoint math coaches. We have literacy coaches currently in place through COVID funds as well. At the high school, we’re using the extended day to help kids recover credit from where they didn't meet the expectations during credit from the previous year.”

The district applied for federal COVID funds made available to New York State in 2020. Batavia was awarded $9 million over a three-year period to afford measures such as additional personnel, programs, extended school days and transportation and meals during summer school. 

Smith feels the district must be doing something right, given its recent ranking in U.S. News as being in the top 40 percent of schools in the country.

“So we're doing well,” he said. “We're on track.”

Enrollment is still open for summer school. For more information, call the district at (585) 343-2480.

While teaching a third-grade class at John Kennedy Intermediate, Molly Corey noticed one particular little girl who said Batavia was not her first school district and most likely wasn’t going to be her last.

The third-grader was chronically absent — about one day each week — and didn’t seem terribly invested in her lessons.

“We were her fourth school, and she said she will be moving again. So her buy-in to wanting to do well really depended on the relationship. I had lunch with the girl, but teachers can’t do that every day. She thought it was special that I was working with her. Whenever she would see me she would light up,” Corey said during an interview with The Batavian. “You know what, it was that relationship that really just helped to keep hooking her; I know our classroom teachers are trying hard with that.”

Corey’s regular job is not as a teacher but as executive director of the district’s curriculum and instruction department. She taught for a while to get an idea about what teachers encounter due to family circumstances and, for the last two years, a change of learning methods due to the pandemic.

Finding meaning in 'Learning Loss' ...
Two phrases that have become the “buzz words” in many school districts are “learning loss” and “social, emotional learning.” But what do they really mean? How did hybrid and remote learning affect kids, and more importantly, what are the remedies being purchased with COVID funds?

Each issue has greatly impacted students across all grades, and perhaps most crucial for children just starting to learn foundational lessons, Corey said.

“So if we start with the littlest ones at Jackson Primary, the incoming kids are really the ones most ready to thrive. It really was merely if anything changed with loss, it was because of quarantines or them being out being sick with a positive (test). So, we really tried hard to keep them on track,” she said. “If you were the first-grader or the second-grader, kids who had gaps in learning from not being here full-time last year, and from the first year of closure, some of the foundation skills that you would expect them to receive, where they're learning to read, and they're learning about basic number zones, we didn't have the same amount of time.”

The focus for teachers has been to catch up those foundational skills that students need to get into their normal curriculum and grade level, she said. Foundational skills include knowing the letters in sounds and understanding how they blend together, she said, then putting them all together in sentences. Those skills are the basics of learning to read and write, she said.

There's a sequence of skills students have to have — the building blocks — needed in order to master those skills and “build upon one another,” Corey said. “And it's a purposeful practice that really helps them to become fluent readers.”

Superintendent Jason Smith said the evidence has been evident through observing students and having conversations with teachers and principals: there are gaps in all grades due to remote learning and losing the consistency of routine.

No matter at what age, even with a solid one-to-one teaching model, it’s a difficult task, Corey said. Just imagine youngsters, especially, sitting at home staring at the computer. Working with one person. All-day long. “You can’t,” she said.

High school students, meanwhile, are struggling with earning enough credits, passing exams and meeting specific criteria for graduating at the end. Although the state Education Department gave out “some free passes” in terms of easing up on requirements for Regents exams, students still needed to acquire certain levels of knowledge," she said.

“But the reality is, we need them to pass the class, and being in person is an important factor to really give them time to show us what they know, with regard to subject,” she said. “So we have benchmark assessments that have told us some of the assignments that they're missing when there's brokenness with their schooling. We were focusing in on our seniors, obviously, we want to help them, but we have a plan in place for what we can do with the other grade levels as well.

“So we're pairing teachers with students, by content, and we're using a credit recovery system called Apex; it guides kids through the course. Because the ultimate goal is to learn and be successful, but the practical outcome is to have X number of credits to get the diploma. It's that balance to give them the compassion that they need, and the motivation to keep them going,” she said.

For Jackson Primary, John Kennedy Intermediate and the middle school, there will be an offering of summer school, taught three days a week. (See related article, “Batavia City Schools on track for robust summer.”)

“But we have these funds available, due in large part, whose goal in large part, is to help us address those gaps or the loss,” Smith said.

The social-emotional learning piece is tied to the kids’ ability to recognize and better regulate their emotions and have ability to interact well with others. Smith learned first-hand just how out of balance some students’ emotions are. He found himself getting involved with a student whose difficulties were escalating, and a report was sent to the superintendent. He helped to connect the student with a social worker and wondered what might have happened if the distraught kid missed out on that needed counseling.

Then there was the fourth-grader who began to cry, and then sobbed uncontrollably. These instances are happening, he and Corey said, and there need to be remedies to help students adjust to more than educational losses; many have mental health needs as well. Some 100 of those students not only had a pandemic to deal with, but they were also part of an ongoing trend of transplants. Throughout the school year, a portion of those 100 kids moves into the district while another portion moves out. Those fluctuations add another layer of need to help acclimate them to a new school, Corey said.

That’s where social-emotional learning comes in. The pandemic didn’t necessarily cause mental health issues as much as it put a spotlight on that piece, Smith and Corey said. In addition to hiring four new teachers to help with the academic shortfalls, another social worker will assist with the mental and emotional issues.

Federal COVID-19 funds were distributed for school districts to play catch-up with gaps due to pandemic shutdowns. Districts in New York State had to apply for the funds, explain the loss, the solutions being put in place and how they would assess outcomes. Smith said that Batavia City Schools was allocated about $9 million for three years.

After nine years at the city school district, Corey is experiencing new territory.

“It's some of the extremes ... Things we've never ever seen before,” she said.

Top Photo: 2019 File Photo of a Moving Up ceremony at John Kennedy Intermediate. Batavia City Schools officials are stepping up lessons, personnel and amount of time available to students to ensure continued progress toward graduation. Photo by Howard Owens.

Inset photo: Molly Corey, executive director of curriculum and instruction at Batavia City Schools. Photo submitted by BCSD

It’s a small nuance, but a public meeting is different than a meeting in public.

And as such, each has a different protocol for those wishing to speak during the session.

Batavia City Schools Superintendent Jason Smith explained the difference during this week’s board meeting.

Board member Barbara Bowman had previously requested a discussion about the district’s policy to require people to sign up a week ahead of a meeting at which they would like to speak. A few people had hoped to speak during a recent meeting and were told it wasn’t allowable per district policy.

There’s a reason for that, Smith said. District officials may need some extra time to research the requested topic before the person addresses the board. That policy is for a meeting in public. A public hearing at the beginning of a meeting is conducted on a particular topic, and it allows for people to comment and/or ask questions during the hearing portion. Those speakers do not need to sign up a week ahead of time.

For a board meeting that is held in public, “there is no obligation to answer speakers,” Smith said, and he advised board members to not feel they should provide an answer on the spot, as the answer may not be fully known at that time, he said.

Bowman was more concerned about people who took the time to attend a meeting in order to speak.

“I think we should consistently acknowledge everyone who comes to speak,” she said.

Board member Jennifer Lendvay asked about speakers who do ask questions of the board. What happens if there is no immediate answer, she said.

“I think my track record is pretty good with (following up and) giving them an answer,” Smith said.

District Clerk Brittany Witkop confirmed that “our office gets a lot of calls” and also returns those calls with answers to residents' queries.

“I think acknowledgement is the most important piece,” Bowman said.

As for revising the current policy to sign up the week ahead of a regular Thursday meeting, Board President Alice Benedict didn’t think it should be done.

“I do know the attorney would advise us not to change our policy,” Benedict said.

Oftentimes you’ve got to pay to play, or in Batavia City Schools’ case, pay a little more.

Batavia’s Board of Education approved a contract Thursday for four guards to provide some extra security for home football games. The fee is $29 an hour per guard at about five hours each, Superintendent Jason Smith said. That’s about $580 per game, or $2,900 for five games.

You can blame it on Batavia Blue Devils’ track record, he said. 

“That’s for special events, home football games. We’re drawing 1,000 people or more at those games,” he said to The Batavian Friday. “With a successful team you draw more people.”

The extra personnel will be retained for four or five home games, he said. Those guards won’t be overlapping the district’s school resource officer and retired law enforcement personnel currently distributed throughout the four different school sites, he said.

The agreement is for services from April 1 to December 31 of this year, and is with Armor Security and Protection Inc. of Rochester. The company is to provide state certified security guards “to provide security and safety services for property located at 120 Richmond Ave., Batavia,” the contract states. Work includes monitoring venues for inappropriate, illegal behavior or actions, reporting of safety concerns within the venue and assisting with safe entry and exits. The guards are to notify law enforcement or other emergency service providers as deemed necessary. Documentation is to be provided to the school district about any incidents deemed a reportable event or at the request of the district, according to the contract.

Guards will be wearing an Armor Security uniform of black pants and shoes, and an Armor uniform shirt, layered with an Armor jacket during colder months.   

Batavia City School officials want to make something clear about this year’s proposed $54.8 million budget.

Although the levy is to increase by 1 percent to just under $20 million, the actual tax rate may go down due to the volume of raised assessments, Superintendent Jason Smith and Business Administrator Scott Rozanski said. In fact, if assessments remain the same as they were on April 14, the projected tax rate could be $1.77 less than it is now, Rozanski said during an interview Friday with The Batavian.

School officials — including board members — haven’t been touting that lower tax rate because nothing is definite yet, Rozanski said. There’s about a month left for property owners to file grievances and argue their assessment increases, he said. Instead, Smith mentioned the “concept” of a potentially lower tax rate without talking about actual numbers during Thursday's budget presentation, he said.

"It's hard to get the tax rate right now. The assessments are still being challenged, right?" Rozanski said.  "If everything stays the same as of April 14, indirectly, we didn't say 17.46, we said it is $1.77 less, as of April 14, than the current rate."

The Batavian confirmed the process — complicated as it may be — about calculating tax levies, assessments and correlating tax rates with Kevin Andrews, deputy treasurer for Genesee County. A prior city schools board meeting included the rough figures of a 19-cent property tax increase based on the proposed 1 percent tax levy increase.

That did not, however, include the 11 percent hike in property assessments throughout the city school district entities of schools, the city, Richmond Memorial Library and Genesee County. If assessments are raised more than the proposed tax levy increase, then the tax rate itself is likely to go down, Andrews said. In perhaps oversimplified terms, if you are dealing with 10 properties, and their values go up, the distribution of tax levy would be divided by that larger total assessment for a lower tax rate. If you divided the same levy amount by lower assessed properties for those same 10 properties, the tax rate would reflect that by going up to pay the levy.

“So it could very well be that their levy is going to go up by one percent, but the tax rate is actually going to go down, because of the amount that the assessments have gone up,” Andrews said Friday. The basic calculation or way it works is that whatever the tax levy is, that is adopted by the school in this case … that levy is then distributed and spread out amongst all of the property owners within the municipality based on their assessment. So if you think about it, you know, if you look at each piece by itself, if just the levy goes up, and assessments do the same, then the tax rates are gonna go up, right? Because you're levying more tax. And on the reverse side, if the levy stays the same, and the assessments go up, then in that case, the tax rate would go down, because we're distributing that same levy amongst (the same number of property owners).”

The actual formula, Andrews said, is to take the proposed levy ($19.6 million) and multiply that by the total assessments ($1.1 billion) and multiply that number by 1,000 (assessed value).

Again, since the total assessment, before considering any readjusted assessments, is at an 11 percent increase versus a 1 percent tax levy increase, so a projected tax rate right now is $17.46, Rozanski said. That number will not be certain until after grievances are handled and assessments are potentially adjusted, he said. School tax bills are to go out in October with a final tax rate. If it is $17.46 per $1,000 assessed value, then the difference in a $100,000 property now assessed at $125,000 would be: 100 X $19.23, the current rate, = $1,923 and 125 X the estimated rate of $17.46 = $2,182.50, for an increased property tax payment of $259.50.

To view Thursday’s budget presentation, go to: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC8JI99xyBJt1sGdRzmCW2Kg

It was the spring of 1927 when a “very unique”assembly program took place at Batavia High School, Patti Pacino says.

Frank E. Owen had just begun as music director, and he asked students to “sing with me.” Not only did they sing, but the school newspaper described it as something to behold, all due to Owen’s incredible influence, Pacino said.

“Because of his strength and excellence, a score of music groups have grown here,” Pacino, a city resident and councilwoman, said during the Batavia City Schools board meeting Thursday. “I’m here to represent hundreds of alumni, asking you to allow us to honor the man who started here at Batavia High School by naming the BHS auditorium after Frank E. Owen, as a show of respect and thanks.”

The board previously had a discussion about the merit of naming a piece of school property after someone notable. Most board members voiced support of the idea and Board President Alice Benedict opposed it. Owen had been suggested for the high school auditorium, and the public was invited to weigh in on the decision. His prominence has been recognized with a Musicians of Note Award in 2019 and a scholarship in his name for seniors pursuing a degree in music.

Upon his arrival, Owen formed and inspired a girls and a boys glee club, bands, an orchestra, a drumline, musical theater shows and a host of aspiring musicians throughout his time to present day, Pacino said. She wasn’t alone in her zeal to see Owen honored in this way. Melzie Case, a Batavia Middle School music teacher, and middle school band director Sean Williams each endorsed Owen as an appropriate candidate for the auditorium name.

Although Case had never met Owen — he was music director from 1927 to 1964 — she’s had a sense of who he was.

“I can feel Frank E. Owen’s work and spirit in our music department today,” she said. “(Naming the auditorium after him) will allow us to honor all past, present and future musicians.”

Williams first gave a brief history lesson on other well-known city icons, such as VanDetta Stadium named as a “fantastic testament” to the positive accomplishments of Coach Daniel VanDetta. Williams then turned to Owen. “This man graced us for 27 years,” Williams said. He added that it would be only fitting to honor him as so many athletic coaches and athletes have been recognized with the Athletic Hall of Fame.

The board required no more discussion when it came time to vote. The move was approved by a vote of yes from Barbara Bowman, Jennifer Lendvay, Michelle Humes, John Marucci and Chezeray Rolle, and the lone no vote from Benedict. Benedict had previously said she wasn’t against Owen but did not agree that pieces of school property should be named after a particular person. 

She announced the board's next move after the vote.

“We will be dedicating the auditorium to Frank E. Owen,” she said.

As much as Michelle Humes would have liked a zero percent tax increase, she also realizes what comes first.

“We have to keep in mind that our students are the priority,” said Humes, a Batavia City Schools board member. “The approved budget keeps all of our existing programs intact while recognizing that there are ongoing financial challenges due to the rising costs our country is facing.”

She is a city homeowner who is also facing rising assessments and cost of living hikes, she said, but she voted for the proposed $54.8 million budget and related 1 percent tax levy increase as a good move for district residents. Echoing what other board  members have said, the decision was not an easy one, Humes said.

“We spent many hours reviewing the budget and working with Superintendent Jason Smith and Business Administrator Scott Rozanski analyzing the numbers. I voted to approve the budget because of the hard work of Mr. Smith and Mr. Rozanski in getting the increase down to 1 percent,” she said. I feel that a 1 percent increase after having a zero percent increase in five out of the last 10 years is a win for the community, especially since it is still below our tax cap of 1.62 percent. I fully support our BOE decision to approve this budget.’ 

Given that the preliminary budget had a 5.5 percent levy increase to support it, Humes and fellow board members have expressed relief that it’s now down to 1 percent. That is not only a win for the community, Humes said, but “most importantly for our students.”

District residents will have an opportunity to hear the budget presentation and ask questions at 6 p.m. Thursday in the Superintendent’s Conference Room at Batavia High School, 260 State St., Batavia. Those wanting to speak do not need to have signed up before the meeting date.

There will also be time to meet Board of Education candidates Korrine Anderson, a newcomer vying for one of three seats; and incumbents John Marucci and Chezeray Rolle. Board member Michelle Humes is not seeking re-election.

Korrine Anderson, center, in a photo used in her election materials. 

A Le Roy High School graduate, Anderson has a bachelors in science from Elmira College, is a health and wellness coach and is ready “to give back in another way” besides volunteering for parent groups throughout her children’s time in elementary and middle schools, she says. She and her husband Michael have three children, Zachary, Aidan and Ava.

“I know what it involves to be an effective member. I am looking to be a part of this side of the education system,” she said in the district’s newsletter. “I think it’s a great opportunity for me to learn and share more of what the school board does to the parents and neighbors and community I know. I am so ready to serve.”

John Marucci. Photo from BCSD Board of Education page

Marucci is currently the board vice president, having served three years, and has “thoroughly enjoyed serving the students, parents and staff of the BCSD,” he said in the newsletter. Marucci’s son Kaden is a senior and Damien a freshman, while two older step-sons are graduates of Batavia High School. A customer service rep with Orcon Industries, he would like to continue serving students as a member of the board, and he believes “we have some unfinished business.”

Chezeray Rolle. Photo from BCSD Board of Education page.

A BHS graduate, Rolle left Batavia to serve in the U.S. Army, which is when he met his wife Bianca. They have three children who are now “walking the same halls that I once did,” Rolle says.

“I love being a voice and serving the people of this community that I live with,” he said in the newsletter. “It will be a great honor to be one of the candidates chosen to sit and make discussions (SIC) on behalf of the citizens of Batavia.”

The agenda includes a counseling plan presentation by counselor Sherry Crumity, a vote on dedicating and naming the high school auditorium for former music director Frank Owen, and a board discussion about the public speaking policy to sign up by 1 p.m. the Friday prior to a Thursday board meeting.