Batavia Board of Education

Local trends are showing an increased need for mental health care, with more behavioral challenges that lead to emotional disabilities, additional specialized programs, and larger learning gaps between students, Special Education Director Kellie Marciano says.

In 2024, there were 283 students with disabilities at Batavia City Schools versus 287 this year, and “by the end of the year we're going to have more students classified just based on the number of students from the multi-tiered system support that have been referred, as well as some parent referrals,” Marciano said during a report to the school board during its regular meeting this week.

"This year, it is an increase for us, though, from 13% to 14%. The region has a total of about 1,003 students currently classified, with 938 last year. So as a region, we've really been talking a lot about why we're seeing an increase. Why are we seeing a high level of need?” Marciano said. “We've kind of come up with, there's a lot of mental health concerns currently that we're supporting our students with. We're also seeing a larger academic gap in the last couple of years between the intermediate and middle school levels. 

"We're also still kind of, as a team, have been talking about, is this because those students also missed a lot of foundational skills due to COVID. So how do we address that?" she said. "That's something we've looked at. They're seeing a bigger need in more of that specially designed instruction, and more of our students need more self-contained support. So that's a goal that we've been working on.”

The primary focus for the Special Education Department this year is to:

• Establish a guiding coalition for special education, known as the “Pupil Support Network.”

“This consists of our department leaders, who are our special education teacher department leader, we have related service department leaders, a counselor department leader, a social worker department leader, and then we also have a school psychologist who also serves as the UPK and preschool department leader,” she said. “They coined themselves "the pupil support network," so we're really trying to support a variety of needs. This year, they worked on a team, really looking at what our special education curriculum is.”

This network’s tasks include creating a special education continuum and determining a profile of current students in the continuum of services.

“We looked at our current continuum, and then determined what do our students need based on the profiles that we're now seeing for students, and is there any need for improvement or change?” Marciano said.

• Individualized Education Program (IEP) writing and development
• Develop professional learning communities for special education: developing a mission, vision, developing our values and our goals.

Mission - to promote logical progression, non-communication across the district with the usage of related services, specialized instruction, and the multi-tiered system of supports to ensure student success with a data-driven approach to support decision-making policies and processes.

Vision - will provide continuity between buildings with a logical progression of procedures and policies; communication within buildings and throughout the district through collaboration.

Values and Goals include collaboration between buildings and disciplines to support multi-tiered supports, measuring student success, developing policies and procedures, and using data to inform decision-making.

“It’s a nice team that works really collaboratively together that really represents the entire district,” she said. “We have people from every building who’s there, and our main focus, again, is that these are our students, we work together to create a newsletter that goes out to our special education staff.”

• Services related to professional learning teams include three domains of speech and language therapy, occupational therapy, and physical therapy.
• Continue to grow Batavia’s preschool program, which supports Genesee, Orleans, and Wyoming counties. This program provides service for 23 kids in Batavia, three each in Le Roy and Alexander, two each in Pavilion and Attica, one each in Medina, Albion, Pembroke, Byron-Bergen and Elba.
• Continue to grow the Work Study program, which may includes tasks of cleaning and organizing, sorting silverware and dishes, collecting cans and bottles, and helping a teacher hand out papers in middle school; and recycling, helping with mailing, putting menus in staff mailboxes, shredding, manning the coffee cart, making copies,  or being part of the seedling sale in high school.

“So, we’ve actually expanded our work study to also make sure our middle school students are starting to gain access to work study skills,” she said. “We continue to make connections with the community organizations. This year is really exciting, our students are out at Tops, they’re helping with shelving, and they are helping get things organized in the back. We have more connections this year to different organizations, such as the Arc, and we’re really discussing post-secondary opportunities and helping families get connected so when they leave us, either at 22 or 18, they have a path to continue with support.”

• There will be a Special Olympics this year from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. at Van Detta Stadium, featuring athletes from the 12:1:1 classrooms at Batavia Middle and High schools and students from the New York State School for the Blind and Genesee Valley BOCES.

“It'll be a great activity for our students. And our hope is that we can expand it to more students … next year, and then maybe looking at adding districts who are interested as well, and then continuing focus for next year,” she said. “And our goal is going to be continuing that development of (a student’s) portrait, and in more professional learning communities, more professional development around goal writing for IEPs, looking at our professional learning communities for both our 6:1:1 teachers, and then also adding in our 12:1:1 who are our multi-age academic team. And then continue criteria for determining program placement, and looking at our students who need more restrictive placements, and how do we support them as long in the district as possible.”

Go HERE for the full presentation.

There may be a newcomer to this year’s Board of Education election, however, he’s no stranger to the city school district.

Retired Athletic Director Mike Bromley will be joining incumbents John Reigle, Jennifer Lendvay and Korinne Anderson in the pitch for three vacancies on the school board during this year’s budget and board election vote on May 21.

“Although I have never served on an elected board, I possess extensive experience in committee roles. I have been a longstanding member of both the Section V Athletic Council and the Executive Committee of the Monroe County Public School Athletic Conference. Additionally, I have chaired the Wellness and Schedule C Committees for the Batavia City School District. I take great pride in having initiated the Batavia Blue Devil Athletic Hall of Fame and have chaired this committee for two decades,” Bromley said Thursday to The Batavian. “As a former student, teacher, coach, administrator, and, most critically, a parent, I have greatly benefited from the educational system. My children's success as adults is a testament to their experiences within the BCSD. Now retired, my commitment to serving the school community persists, and a role on the Board of Education would allow me to remain active in the educational process.”

The Batavian asked all of the candidates questions about their run for a seat on the board. Bromley’s questions were slightly varied since he was not running again for a seat, and here are Mike Bromley's responses. 

Who will you represent?
Effective school board members work collaboratively, fostering respectful and positive interactions with students, staff, and the community. It is essential for board members to develop robust communication channels that engage all stakeholders in the pursuit and realization of district objectives. I am committed to representing all stakeholders.

What do you feel are the biggest challenges for the city school district?
In challenging economic times, strategically managing resources while providing a premier educational experience for our students is a top priority. Cultivating positive relationships across the district is of utmost importance.

Why do you deserve a vote more than one of the incumbents? What will you bring to the board that’s different?
Every BOE candidate merits recognition and esteem for their dedication to our educational community. My campaign is not a contest against the incumbents but rather a reflection of my belief in what I can contribute to the district. With over 36 years of educational experience, I am confident that my background will be beneficial in propelling the district forward.

John Reigle, the board’s current vice president, gave the following responses:

Why do you want to run again?
I am passionate about creating a positive impact in my community, and as a lifelong Batavian, I am dedicated to improving our schools and making Batavia an excellent place for families, teachers, and staff to thrive. I want to run again to continue my commitment of enhancing our educational system and ensuring that every student in Batavia receives a high-quality education.

What do you feel you accomplished while on the board so far?
Serving on the Board has given me the opportunity to advocate for our students, families, teachers, aides, clerical and custodial staff, and the community. I am proud to have contributed to the development of our District's five year Strategic Plan and be part of the hiring process of our current Superintendent, Mr. Smith, who is dedicated to making BCSD the best it can be. While being an active member of our Building & Grounds committee, I am also proud to have been part of the recently approved BCSD Reimagined capital project which includes shifting our grade levels to better serve the district.

Who do you represent when you’re on the board?
As a dedicated Board member, I represent the voices and interests of various stakeholders within our district. Most importantly, this includes our students, who deserve a high-quality education, as well as our district staff and community members, who rely on us to ensure we make fiscally responsible decisions that benefit everyone. I take this role very seriously and plan to continue to be visible and to listen to our community in order to stay connected in all of our schools.

What are the district’s biggest challenges moving into 2025 and beyond?
As we look to the future, the district's biggest challenges include maintaining a balanced budget while providing our students with the educational opportunities they deserve. This will require us to be proactive in seeking out new revenue sources, such as grants and partnerships, and to be strategic in our use of resources. Additionally, we must continue to invest in our teachers. I believe all students can learn and I am committed to helping and taking on the challenge to ensure every child has a bright future by investing in our teachers and staff. I want to be sure they are provided with support to be equipped with what they need to support our students.

Please include any comments about why being a board member is important to you.
As a Board of Education member, I believe it's important to be engaged in the community where I grew up, live and attended school. The Batavia school district is where my older children formally attended and now my youngest son attends. Being a board member gives me the opportunity to be part of the positive solution and not just the negative complaints. I have and want to continue to make a difference for our community and schools. I enjoy attending various sporting events and engaging in the community to support a variety of events. When I attend events like Mr. Batavia, I feel proud that I show my support as a board member. There are so many great things happening at each school to be proud of. Everyone is working together to make the transition from each school seamless. We have a great district with amazing students and staff, and I'm committed and excited to be a part of the continued success.

Jennifer Lendvay’s responses:

Why do you want to run again?
I am running again because I feel it’s important to be part of the process rather than just a spectator. 

What do you feel you accomplished while on the board so far?
While on the board I’m pleased to have been part of the hiring our current superintendent, and having increased our SRO’s and worked on improving safety. 

Who do you represent when you’re on the board?
As a board member we represent the students, staff, parents, and community members. 

What are the district’s biggest challenges moving into 2025 and beyond? 
I feel the biggest challenges moving forward are making sure we have a consistent balanced budget while continuing to support our students with their educational needs. 

Please include any comments about why being a board member is important to you.
Being a Board of Education member is important to me for the reason stated above, along with the importance of giving back to the community. 

Korinne Anderson’s responses:

Why do you want to run again?
I want to run again because I want to continue to further the impact I have made. I also believe that the budget will be another challenge next year and I believe myself and the existing members  should remain on because we all work really well together. 

What do you feel you have accomplished while on the board so far?

We know the issues facing us next year and are ready to work together again. 

While on the board I feel that I have been able to support teachers,  hear their voices and opinions along with students, staff and the community. I also have enjoyed attending numerous activities throughout the district in the last 2 years.

What are the biggest challenges moving into 2025 and beyond?
This year’s budget was a challenging one and I believed my fellow board members worked hard to balance it with everyone’s needs in mind. 

Who do you represent when you're on the board?
I have had three children in BCSD and still am here wanting to help the students , teachers staff and  taxpayers. Many different facets I represent while on the board. A mom, a taxpayer, a former aide. I can see many different views of the school issues. 

Please include any comments about why being a board member is important to you.
I am so thankful for the education and life lessons my children learned while at BCSD. It has been a great foundation for my children.  I want to give back  and help the district continue to improve. 

Batavia City School District residents will be voting on a $60,294,755 budget that includes a 2.26% property tax increase and for three out of four candidates for school board on May 21.

That property tax increase reflects a 39-cent increase per $1,000 assessed valuation, or an increase of $48.75 per year on a home assessed at $125,000.

According to the latest budget presentation, the 2024-25 budget maintains the current educational program and extracurricular offerings; provides additional instructional resources, social and emotional services; reduces staffing as a result of loss of COVID funding, enrollment, attrition and state aid; has a tax levy increase of 2.26 percent that’s within the tax cap; and aligns with the district’s strategic plan.

The tax levy of $20,339,336 is an increase of $450,345 or 2.26 percent more than this year’s budget.

The transportation contract calls for a $556,263 increase for $3.3 million, a 20 percent increase, and a general support increase of $514,943, and an employee benefits increase of $313,405, for a total raise in expenses of $1,323,981.

A mental health grant is used to add back three full-time instructional coaching and two full-time emotional learning positions into the budget.

The ballot includes Proposition #1 to approve a general budget of $60,294,755 and to vote for three board members.

A public hearing presentation will be at 6 p.m. May 14 at the District Office at the high school, 260 State St., Batavia. The vote is from 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. May 21 at Batavia High School, 260 State St., and Robert Morris School at 80 Union St., depending on the voter’s residence. 

For residents living north of Route 5 (Main Street), vote at Robert Morris, 80 Union Street  (Multi-Purpose Room). Enter on Union Street at the entrance across from Notre Dame.

For residents living south of Route 5 (Main Street), vote at Batavia High School, 260 State Street (High School Library).

If you need clarification on where to vote, check the street-by-street guide on our website or call the Business Office at 585-343-2480, Ext. 1002.

Weighing out the options of a permissible 2.26 percent tax increase versus going whole hog for a super-majority vote and a 4 percent increase, or having no increase at all and actually tightening the belt and eliminating expenses for a tentative $60.5 million budget, Batavia City School board members covered the gamut of responses to a nearly $1.4 million budget gap during its second review Tuesday evening.

Toward the end of a 90-minute session, Vice President John Reigle posed a question that was perhaps three years too late. 

“Call me crazy, but should we start planning now? Those three years knowing, I mean, I kind of feel like we knew these COVID grants were running out. We should have been proactive and tried to replace that money instead of being in this position now. I think it's very difficult,” Reigle said.

Business Administrator Andy Lang reviewed adjustments made so far since the initial meeting two weeks ago. Those include possibly cutting seven full-time COVID-19 grant-funded positions (three-year grant due to expire in September), four full-time positions that will be reduced based on enrollment, elimination of three full-time teacher positions by not replacing retirements; moving seven full-time positions from the general fund into ongoing grants, and reductions of three bus runs, equipment purchases and school supplies that had previously been provided free for all students.  

That still leaves a gap and the options of increasing the tax levy, pulling more from the appropriated reserve, similar to a district savings account, or further cutting expenses, Lang and Superintendent Jason Smith said.  

Lang had suggested drawing $2.5 million from reserves toward the 2025 budget and said that more could be taken if the board wanted to. 

“How much danger does it put us in the future for next year?” board member Alice Benedict said. “How much would be left?”

Lang said he will calculate the remaining amount later this year, and the reserve is considered a “safety net” for the district. 

“So a lot of it depends on where we end up at the end of this year, how much total fund balance that we have on the site. And then the other factor is how much revenue actually comes in for next year. If status is reinstated to what it should have been, the district will realize additional revenue, we may not have to utilize or actually use that appropriated fund balance, but the safety net, it's a safety net so that we don't put ourselves into a deficit situation,” Lang said. “Just because we appropriate that fund balance does not necessarily mean that we use it; our expenditures could be less than anticipated, and our revenues can be greater than anticipated and the amount that we are appropriating, so it'd be a wash.”

Benedict also proposed finding a way to keep the free school supplies for all students in the budget. That was a perk provided due to the pandemic, and the supplies were purchased with COVID grant money at an expense of about $90,000. Benedict argued that there should be a way to retain those goods in the budget now that the grant funds are drying up. 

Board Vice President John Reigle countered that the money could be better spent, such as on a teacher position—or about 1.5 positions, Lang said—and Reigle preferred putting the funds toward instruction versus supplies. 

Smith pushed for keeping the seven positions in place, and even though they include extracurriculars, he recommends keeping them because they are “robust” programs.

He wouldn’t want to see the board take away drama club, marching band, football, “all the things that make school a school,” he said. 

He suggested that the board wait until the state budget is more firmly in place to get a better idea of how much state aid the district will receive. The board could still work on a general budget, and a “best case scenario” in Foundation aid would add $300,000 to the revenue side, Lang said. 

After a nearly 90-minute session of reviewing numbers and options, Smith asked members who were for a tax increase. Board President John Marucci, who was quiet throughout the meeting, raised his hand. Otherwise, “we’re going to have to make some serious cuts,” he said. 

Lang warned the group that the grants do have an endpoint, just as current COVID grants are coming to an end this September.

“The only other thing I’d just like to mention regarding general fund grants is that some of those grants are finite. They are not perpetual grants. So, there might be, those grant funds would eventually cease after several years, and the mental health grant was three additional years from now,” he said. “So just as kind of a precautionary measure to the board.”

He also added that “there’s only so much you can cut out with those one-time” expenses, such as supplies and equipment. Those expenses will return again next year, he said.

Reigle made a final request to Smith at the close of the meeting.

“We’re basically cutting seven positions, correct? I gotta imagine that's gonna put such a burden on these guys. And we’ve seen such an improvement in our numbers the past few years, and we’ve really harped on it. And I think the coaching positions have helped. If there's things we can try to find, or if there's alternatives, I think we should try some of your alternatives to try and save some of these positions,” he said.  “(In a news article, City Council President) Mr. Eugene Jankowski pointed out in his presentation, ‘we don't want to lose law enforcement or first responders.’ These are our first responders, so I’d like to see some possible options.”

A $3.1 million budget shortfall due to potentially retaining seven positions funded by grants that will end this September, a decrease in state aid, and a transportation contract that’s gone up by more than $500,000 has triggered a tax cap alert for Batavia City School board members.

That is, at least some of them have agreed they would consider overriding the state-mandated tax cap increase, which for the city district is .72 percent. Members had a first go-round of the 2024-25 budget during Monday’s board meeting.

“If it is coming down to it, we’re going to have to look at every option,” Vice President John Reigle said.

Business Administrator Andrew Lang presented projected revenues and expenditures, retaining current staffing, busing and programs. The proposed general support budget would be $6,977,767, or an increase of $505,98; an employee benefits increase of $657,194; transportation, which just received a five-year ok from the board for $3,310,108 for the first year, or a 20.2 percent increase and provides transportation for students from home to school, athletic events, field trips and summer home to school. 

What Lang calls the rollover expenditure budget includes current staffing of seven full-time, long-term substitutes that have been funded through COVID-19 grant money of $5,804,256 that will end in September, five full-time social workers funded through a full-service community schools grant, five full-time instructional staff retirement replacements, all departmental requests for equipment and supplies, and two full-time school resource officers, one of which is funded with those COVID-19 grant funds about to expire in six months. 

Items that also will roll over and cannot budge are salary increases in accordance with collective bargaining agreements and individual contracts and projected employer contribution amounts for employee and teacher retirement systems, he said. There is also a free school supplies for all students program, also purchased with COVID funds. 

All totaled, the 2024-25 budget would be more than $62 million, at $62,052,726, compared to the current year’s budget of $58,875,814, for a difference of an additional $3,176,912. 

As for overall enrollment projections, those are expected to gradually decline, Lang said. Numbers had dipped to 2,006 in 2021-22, and then rose back up to 2,031 in 2022-23, 2,072 in 2023-24, and then slipped back down to 2,047 in 2024-25, and are projected to fall to 2,034 in 2025-26 hover around there in 2026-27, fall again to 2,022 in 2027-28 and bounce back to 2,046 in 2028-29. Numbers have been nowhere close to the all-time high of 2,167 of 2019-20. 

Those extra positions were added three years ago with COVID funds as a measure to deal with the aftermath of shutdowns and what educators believed was an issue of students struggling with social-emotional learning and related academic achievement.

“So there are some things that we need to be thinking about,” Superintendent Jason Smith said, referring to what he believes was “learning loss” attributed to COVID-19. “So we saw last month our test scores have been competitive. I’m not excusing the damage the pandemic caused, but it’s been four years … at some point, you can say the gap has been closed. Yes, we still want to give services to kids. We have seen some nice improvements across the district, and we still have some more work to do. But we also have to be careful that if we absorb that amount of almost $6 million into the general fund, which is what the plan is now, that may not be the most fiscally prudent thing to do.” 

Lang recommended that the next steps would be to increase the revenue by appropriating additional reserves, increasing the tax levy, and/or continuing to lobby for additional state aid. Expenses can be decreased through attrition and no additional hiring, he said, consider what to do with those grant-funded positions, and there’s an option not to replace the retiring personnel for more savings.

Board member Alice Benedict asked about transportation. 

“We also have flexibility on transportation too, do we not?” she said.

Smith initially said no.

Benedict pursued her line of thinking, adding that busing is not mandated, so the district is not bound to provide it.

“It’s something that can be looked at,” Smith said. “I’m not sure it’s something we would do.”

“Having lived here all my life, transportation has changed quite a bit,” Benedict said.

Smith said he believes there will be more Foundation Aid to come from the state. He turned to the board and asked if members wanted him to return with budget recommendations, and if there was any interest in exceeding the tax cap.

“I would,” Board President John Marucci said as Reigle also weighed in.

“We never want to, but I think it’s an option we have to look at,” Reigle said. 

He wanted to make sure that the SROs and school safety remained in place, and no board member suggested cutting any personnel at this point. Smith said that the administration would return with recommendations at the next meeting.

The group plans to meet at a budget workshop on March 12 at the District Office. A proposed budget is to be adopted by April 22 and be available for public review by May 6 and presented during a budget hearing at 6 p.m. May 14. A district vote will be on May 21.

Empowering students, maximum potential, socially responsible citizens.

Those are some of the words “that popped out to me when I first became a principal when I started to dig into learning a little bit about Batavia,” High School Principal Jennifer Wesp said during Tuesday’s Batavia City Schools Board of Education meeting. “And then things like safe and nurturing environment, high moral character, and successfully meeting life’s challenges. So coming into this, I really was focused on how can we make sure that our culture is helping our students to rise to be the best students that they can be? And how can they take hose steps to really show the independence that they have within themselves?

“So I just wanted to say that I really grounded myself in the mission and vision as I started to think about the work that I was going to do,” she said. “So with that, as you know, our strategic plan as a district is really amazing. And this is really the roadmap that we use in the high school to plan all of the things that we’re doing, some of the policies and procedures that we’ve updated, the messaging we’re giving our students.”

Her journey, as she put it, began in the summer with a three days of four-hour meeting of the minds from across district buildings, to share concerns — “there had been some unrest at the end of the year, lots of things where people were talking about different things that were going on” —and some of the needs that staff wanted to discuss with the district at large, she said.

“And it really gave me my first taste of what is Batavia about, what are we looking at, what are we looking to build upon, what are the great things?” she said. “So this kind of helped, just being in the meeting and meeting people across the district to start to formulate some of the things and actions that we are going to take as we work on our goals together.”

Two specific areas emerged from those meetings for more exploration, she said, which was done with interviews and surveys to obtain direct feedback from the “stakeholders” involved. The two areas led to questions: 

• In what ways might we be able to handle and best manage student behaviors in class?
• How might we help students emotionally regulate in order to avoid and manage conflicts?

Assistant Principals Omar Hussain and Jessica Korzelius took a part of the presentation and piece of the response to create three goals to help students to progress personally and academically.

The goals involve purposeful reading, a safe and orderly environment, and well managed emotions.

More specifically, the goals mandate that students will:

• Learn strategies to develop/manage/execute emotional regulation levels to increase positive student behaviors in the classroom, school and community; 
• Engage in purposeful reading (authentic text), writing and collaborative discussion protocols for 100 minutes a day; and 
• Provide a school environment that is safe and orderly for all.

Just what is authentic text? The New York State Education Department defines it (and other forms of media) as being produced from authentic resources and used as "a tool to promote students’ language and culture learning."

"Through authentic resources, students see how words and structures are used in a given cultural context for real-world communicative purposes. When authentic resources are well-chosen and implemented, they can motivate and support students’ target language use and cultural understanding," the SED website states. 

Hussain touched on the idea of independence in a way that he thought was “pretty sweet,” and seemingly simple.  The school’s co-mayors suggested a program of allowing seniors the option to hang out for a “sunrise/sunset” privilege, captured with fun props in photos at Van Detta Stadium, and done with the assistance of a student parent group. It was an alternative senior study hall that “the underclassmen, they’ll love it too,” he said, and includes a late arrival for seniors and study halls housed in the library, aka the “Senior Lounge.” 

Korzelius talked more about strategies to help students “understand themselves better,” and that use restorative practices. Such strategies can involve family members and counselors, and the work  is focused on repairing the damage done to oneself and relationships with others.

“There’s the alternative to suspension room,” she said as an example of the restorative piece. “For an overall wellness experience for students.”

There’s a strong emphasis on the positive, all three said, and that includes mental health as part of a social and emotional learning component.

“It’s just really empowering our students to see the leaders in themselves … it’s celebrating students,” Korzelius said.  

Press Release:

The New York State School Boards Association recognizes Oct. 16-20 as School Board Recognition Week. This is a time to promote awareness and understanding of the important work performed by local school boards. 

Public schools form the bedrock of our communities and our country. Democracy thrives with educated citizens capable of critical thinking and civil discourse. And it is our local school boards who are ultimately responsible for student success.

“Our Batavia City School District Board of Education consists of seven dedicated volunteers who literally put the ‘public’ in ‘public education’ and play an important role in our community,” said Superintendent Jason Smith. 

“They are charged with reviewing and approving numerous policies, monitoring our Strategic Plan and academic goals, overseeing the superintendent (the only employee of the Board of Education), and serving as financial stewards for our community—all on a volunteer basis, with their only motivation to serve our students, staff, families, and our Batavia community.” 

Please join us in thanking and appreciating our Board of Education members here in Batavia: 

• John Marucci, President

• John Reigle, Vice President 

• Korinne Anderson 

• Alice Ann Benedict 

• Barbara Bowman 

• Jennifer Lendvay 

• Chezeray Rolle 

For full access to our Board of Education information, agendas, and policies, click here: BCSD Board of Education, and if you want to learn more about our members, please visit this page: BCSD Board of Education Members.

It’s a rite of fall, when the pitch goes in for the boys Batavia/ND United Hockey team trip for an away game, and coaches Marc Staley and John Kirkwood made their presentation to the city school board this week.

The team saw a lot of action during the course of a season, Staley said, hosting Pittsford, Victor, Williamsville East, Grand Island and others at the David McCarthy Ice Arena in Batavia. This past year they were invited to Glens Falls Civic Center to play in January against Queensbury. 

“This is a no-joke trip,” Staley said. “This will really test our kids.”

The trip would include a two-game weekend on January 5 and 6, and would require an early dismissal on that Friday for a 5 p.m. start time for the first game. 

Considered to be traveling in “true hockey fashion,” the players would stay with their parents in a hotel per the usual arrangement, in a no-frills excursion to play hockey and return home on Saturday, he said.

The accompanying materials for the trip state that participation in these two games “will provide an opportunity from Batavia, Notre Dame, Oakfield-Alabama and Elba Central school athletes to compete against solid competition.” 

“Being an independent Class B team playing out of Section V, we do not have a league per se to play in,”  the coaches state in the document. “This has forced us to go out and generate our own 20-game schedule. The coaches agree wholeheartedly that the freedom and luxury of scheduling games outside of our section gives our student-athletes and our United program greater exposure to high school hockey across the state. Aside from the excellent competition, it’s also a lot of fun for the kids and families and helps build a unique culture.”

Only one board member had a question, and that was, what if a parent cannot make the trip — what happens to that student? When that has happened in the past, another family usually lets the student stay with them, Staley said. 

“We went to Albany last year. We typically like to travel once a year,” he said. “We had 11 home games and nine away games.”

Part of no-frills means that the parents provide the transportation and the lodging and meals during the trip, so there is no cost attached. The school board unanimously approved the trip. 

In a related vote, the board also approved a license agreement with Batavia Sports Facility Management for use of the David McCarthy Ice Arena, with rental fees of $225 per hour for weekday afternoons after 3 p.m. and for all weekend practice times and $150 an hour weekdays between 7 a.m. and 3 p.m. The district/licensee will also pay $265 per hour for all game times. 

Press Release:

On Monday, September 18, upon recommendation from Superintendent Jason Smith, the Batavia City School District Board of Education approved the appointment of Ryan Winchip as Director of Health, Physical Education & Athletics, effective October 19, 2023.

 Winchip most recently served as the Warsaw Central School Middle and High School Assistant Principal and Athletic Director. He also served as the Coordinator of Physical Education, Health, Athletics, and Dean of Students at the Pembroke Central School District. He began his career as a teacher, obtaining K-12 physical education and health teaching experience in New York and North Carolina. 

He has extensive coaching experience throughout his career, having led teams from the modified to varsity levels since 2013. In 2015, he was awarded two “Coach of the Year” accolades in North Carolina. 

Winchip has a Bachelor of Science Degree in Physical Education and Coaching from St. Bonaventure University. His advanced degrees include a Masters in Educational Leadership from the American College of Education and a Certificate of Administration & Study from Broome Community College.

"We're thrilled to welcome Ryan as our new Director of Health, Physical Education & Athletics. He brings an exceptional blend of expertise and enthusiasm that will invigorate our programs. With a strong commitment to both athletic excellence and holistic well-being, we're certain Ryan will help elevate the experience of our students in significant ways. Thank you to our staff, parents, and students who participated in the interview process. Welcome to the Blue Devils, Ryan!” Said Superintendent of Schools Jason Smith.   

“I am extremely excited to be joining the Batavia Blue Devils family as the new Director of Health, Physical Education & Athletics,” said Ryan Winchip. “I have always admired Batavia's program, and I feel lucky to have the opportunity to join in the district’s tradition of excellence. I hope to build upon all the great things that Mr. Mike Bromley has put in place over his illustrious career. Moving forward, I can't wait to immerse myself into the role and get to know all the amazing members of the BCSD community.”

Batavia Middle School Physical Education teacher Brennan Briggs will continue to serve as the BCSD Athletics Program Assistant.

When Paul Kesler was about to embark on another level of his career at Batavia City Schools five years ago, he was filled with mixed emotions about leaving the staff he had come to regard as family at John Kennedy Intermediate School.

“My whole experience in 13 years in Batavia has been here. That's going to be the struggle, saying goodbye,” he had said when preparing to leave for a role as principal of the high school in October 2017.

During Monday night’s Board of Education meeting, the group approved Kesler’s latest appointment, which may mean more of those emotional goodbye moments. But this time he’ll be returning to familiar faces as principal of John Kennedy once again.

“Thank you so much to the board. I've been an administrator in Batavia since 2005. And one of the really exciting pieces about being a high school principal is some of your children that I had in elementary school, and to hand them their diploma. And so, I've just been extremely grateful to have such a long career here in Batavia and to continue that at John Kennedy,” Kesler said. “But it's also at the same time bittersweet just because of, I just saw the positive things that we've been able to do together with the high school students.

"And so I just wanted to say thank you, and I really appreciate your ongoing support.”

Earlier this month Superintendent Jason Smith had recommended John Kennedy Principal Brian Sutton for the position of Director of Educational Technology, effective July 1. Smith then recommended Kesler for that soon-to-be vacant role, with qualifications as “an exceptional leader” in the district for the last 18 years.

“Paul started his career at John Kennedy, and I was thrilled when he approached me about returning,” Smith said. “Paul’s steadfast commitment to BCSD and the Batavia community is admirable, and I look forward to his return to JK and thank him for his memorable and impactful five years leading BHS.”

With the departure of Kesler as Principal of BHS, Smith and the BCSD leadership team will immediately begin the search process to name a replacement. 

This week’s city school board meeting was rolling along until member Alice Benedict began to ask questions related to half a million dollars worth of late-stage, safety-related modifications to each of the district’s schools as part of the 2020 vision capital project.

After motions were on the floor, Benedict asked for details about the “window film installation/window hardening work.”

Business Administrator Scott Rozanski said that it’s “a security measure to prevent unauthorized access,” and then Superintendent Jason Smith suggested that the board go back into executive session to discuss any further details.

The group had come out of an executive session minutes prior to that for “matters relating to the medical, financial, credit or employment history or a particular person or corporation, or matters leading to the appointment, employment, promotion, demotion, discipline, suspension, dismissal or removal of a particular person or corporation.”

This second private meeting was needed to discuss “matters which will imperil the public safety if disclosed.”

Were the executive session and late-stage window modifications related to a current, past, or potential threat to the district?
“A board member asked for more detailed information on the window film project. It is not related to a current, past or potential threat, but is part of our overall safety program throughout the district. We do not discuss matters regarding safety and security projects in public sessions while the project is ongoing or has not yet started,” Smith said.  “The board was voting on a resolution to authorize the expenditure for the window film project from remaining funds from the most recent capital project. The project does include all of our buildings, and for safety reasons, I did not want to discuss the exact details of the project, including when, where and how the film will be installed, in public session. 

“Once the project is completed, we look forward to sharing more detailed information with our BCSD community and the media regarding our buildings’ safety enhancements,” he said. 

Why was this a late addition to the capital project? And why the executive session in the middle of a regular board meeting (for items that members are going to vote on)?
“This was not a late addition, as this has been discussed at our Buildings and Grounds Committee meeting. There are numerous prior steps that must be taken in order for the board to vote on this resolution,” Smith said.  “Given the safety concerns nationwide, we proceeded as expeditiously as possible to begin this important project.

“It is not unusual to have an executive session in the middle of the meeting, as we did this twice this meeting, and has been done before when needed,” he said. “A board member asked a question regarding the window film project, and for the reasons I stated above, the answers to the question did not belong in a public session, but will be discussed openly upon completion of the project.”

Smith said that the window treatments are a proactive safety measure. The Batavian wanted to make sure that the public has the most up-to-date information about the district’s safety, so the following question was asked again about threats and swatting — an action of making hoax phone calls to report serious crimes to emergency services, which results in SWAT teams responding to an address.

Has the city school district had any threats or swattings recently, or in the past year? If so, how many and when? Were any of them credible?
“We have received no credible threats, swatting or otherwise, this year. We were among several districts across the country that were part of a swatting hoax during our February recess—this was communicated to our families and with the media,” he said. “Per the Batavia Police Department, the threat was deemed not credible.”

The school board approved the resolution to spend no more than $520,000 of the remaining funds in the capital account for the window project at the district’s high and middle schools, Jackson Primary, John Kennedy Intermediate and Robert Morris. The $26.7 million 2020 capital project was voter-approved in March 2017.

File Photo of Batavia Middle School, by Howard Owens.

Press Release:

At a meeting on Monday, the Batavia City School District’s Board of Education unanimously approved an amendment to extend Superintendent Jason Smith’s contract through June 2027.

“After a stellar first year leading the Batavia City School District, the Board of Education is thrilled to offer Superintendent Jason Smith a contract extension that will keep him in our District through June 2027, with the option to extend,” said Board of Education President John Marucci. “Consistency, goal setting, long-term planning, and execution are key components to any successful school district, and we’re proud of Jason’s commitment to seeing his vision for Batavia through.”

In exchange for Smith’s long-term commitment to serve the Batavia City School District, the Board granted Smith non-salary benefits, including a $3,000 per year stipend increase should he elect not to enroll in the District’s health insurance plan, a $2,000 per year increase of his 403(b) retirement contribution, as well as compensation for unused vacation and sick days, which will only be received upon his retirement from the District.

“Batavia is my home. Having walked our halls from first grade through senior year, our District has always held a special place in my heart,” said Superintendent Jason Smith. “It was the honor of my career to be offered the position of superintendent here, and I look forward to working with our students, staff, and community to achieve our shared vision of success for years to come. I thank the Board of Education for their trust in me, and I’m proud to see everyone in our educational community coming together for the good of our District. It continues to be a personal and professional honor to serve the Batavia community, families, staff, and students.” 

“The Board of Education, along with the BCSD leadership team, have made a commitment to our District’s vision and strategic plan,” said Board of Education Vice President John Reigle. “The high bar that we’ve set for this District can only be achieved through consistent leadership. I applaud my fellow Board members' commitment to this vision in approving Jason’s contract extension.”    

All terms (with the exception of the health insurance opt-out stipend) of Superintendent Jason Smith’s contract amendment will take effect on July 1, 2023. All other terms and conditions of the agreement remain unchanged, including the option for both the Board of Education and Jason Smith to extend the contract on an annual basis beyond June 2027.

Bells are a-ringing, or so the holiday song goes, but at Batavia High School they’re not doing it as efficiently lately.

City Schools Business Administrator Scott Rozanski reviewed the needs of a 19-year-old clock and public address system at the high school, and security updates at Robert Morris this week.

“So the first item, our project is the PA, public address and clock system … it’s been rapidly failing for the past year or so. The bells, the PA itself and the clocks, are integrated into one system. And so the clocks are affected at the high school, they do not track the appropriate time. And it's not even aligned with the satellite systems,” Rozanski said during the Board of Education’s meeting Monday. “So we're making the adjustments on a weekly basis, we lose about four or five minutes a week. And the bells aren't ringing as scheduled. They're inconsistent and have variable times, and it's difficult to determine if a student's late or not.”

The district is therefore looking at a full replacement of that system, he said. There are no health, safety or code concerns, and the estimate falls under state contract pricing, and would not need to go through the state Education Department for approval.

A total of $118,860 is expected to get the job done, he said.

The second project is at Robert Morris, which has been a flurry of activity since reopening the doors to pre-schoolers this fall. The site closed down the elementary school in July 2012, but due to increased enrollment numbers, the district opted to use the building again for its own education programs.

There has been no significant door hardware replaced in that decade, Rozanski said. A mantrap — that square of space that can contain a visitor between the outer door and door leading into the building — is also needed in door entry number two to provide extra security, he said.

The Robert Morris project estimates have come in at $35,543, he said, and it may need to go to the state for approval. 

His request is for a total of $244,000 from the repair reserve to the general fund to ensure enough cushion for possible change orders and unexpected items that come up during the repair, he said. If all goes as planned, that would leave $89,597 in the fund.

“We have currently met all safety and security measures to get Robert Morris up and functioning from the beginning of the school year in September,” he said. “We know what the cost is; it should only be $35,543 … if the $89,597 is needed, that allows us flexibility if we run into problems.”

He reminded the board about the elevator repairs at the middle school, and how extra work and materials were needed, causing him to go back to the board for approval of extra spending.

The repair reserve — set up to pay for repairs that don’t recur on a yearly basis — would be left with anywhere from $90.87 up to $89,687.78 if no unexpected costs arise during repair at both schools.

“And we will replenish funds as they’re available,” he said.

Board member Alice Benedict wanted to confirm that “you’re saying you just want to use that $89,000 as a cushion?” Yes, Rozanski said.

“We will only spend what we need to spend,” he said.

No one spoke during the public hearing about the expenditure. The board approved the repairs and transfer of up to $244,000 to pay for them.

Top File Photo of board members and Superintendent Jason Smith taking a tour of the revamped Robert Morris building earlier this year before the fall season began, by Joanne Beck. File Photo of school Business Administrator Scott Rozanski, by Howard Owens.

Next Monday looks to be a busy one for Batavia City School District, with  three meetings and a public hearing about spending more than $200,000 for repairs have been scheduled for the Board of Education.

The Audit Committee is set to meet at 4:30 p.m. in the Superintendent’s Conference Room, followed by the Policy Committee at 5:15 p.m. in the Superintendent’s Office, and a regular board meeting at 6 p.m. will also meet in the conference room on Monday at Batavia High School, 260 State St., Batavia.

The hearing is related to the proposed spending of $244,000 from the Repair Reserve Fund to pay for the replacement and repair of the public address/clock system and entry and classroom door hardware at the high school. Awarding contracts for such work is also part of the resolution that will go to the board for vote.

For in-person attendance, people are asked to arrive at least five minutes early and sign in legibly. This is an opportunity for qualified voters of the district to participate in a discussion about the repairs.

For anyone wanting to view from home, the meeting is on YouTube.

A full agenda for the meeting is not yet available.

Batavia City Schools' recent budget and board vote put candidates Chezeray Rolle, John Marucci and Korinne Anderson in place for a seat on the Board of Education, however Marucci and Anderson had a tied vote count of 346. Anderson has conceded the three-year term to Marucci and she will take the two-year term, Superintendent Jason Smith said

Rolle, with a top vote of 368, with take his seat with a three-year term.

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.

School budgets are like teeter-totters, Batavia City Schools Superintendent Jason Smith says.

The old kids’ playground toy — that seated a person on each end and they’d push off when their feet hit the ground — is a balancing act. Likewise, school officials try to have a budget with no one end greatly outweighing the other, he said.

“We’re not just pulling pieces out of thin air,” he said during Thursday’s budget hearing at Batavia High School. “(It’s about) having school programs … and what our taxpayers can afford.”

Teeter totter process …
After board budget sessions and a meeting on April 21, the board adopted a proposed 2022-23 budget of $54.8, which is an increase of $2.7 million from the current year’s budget.

A tax levy of just under $20 million will mean a 1 percent tax increase, which Smith believes is a good deal considering all of the program offerings at BCSD, he said.

During his first few months as superintendent, Smith has heard “over and over” how many opportunities there are, from fishing and skating clubs to academic, athletic and other extracurricular activities, he said.

The district’s focus is mainly on getting kids caught up from prior “learning losses” due to the pandemic’s shutdowns and remote and hybrid education methods, he said. As for the offerings, many of them are not mandated by the State Education Department, including art, laptops, musicals, athletics, smaller class sizes, Community Schools, and even school counselors, he said.

Can anyone imagine school without these amenities, he said.

“These are the pieces we don’t have to have,” he said. “Pieces that really make our school our own school.”

Potential tax rate …
A 1 percent property tax increase would add 19 cents to the current tax rate of $19.23 per $1,000 assessed property value. Comparing apples to apples, the property tax for a home assessed at $100,000 would mean an increase of $19 a year. However, if that same property has been reassessed to $125,000, the yearly property tax would increase by $504.50 ($100,000 X $19.23 versus $125,000 X $19.42).

CLARIFICATION: Because of how tax levies actually determine the tax rate, the tax rate, with increased assessments, could actually go down.  For an explanation, see this story.

The district assessing changing enrollment numbers and the teacher-to-student ratio, he said, to be “conscientious” about the needs and expenses of the district. He emphasized that the district isn’t responsible for setting certain items that can upset taxpayers.

‘We don’t control assessments, we don’t control the tax rate,” he said. “We control the tax levy.”

Taxing entities within the district include the schools, city, library and Genesee County. There is a proposed $100,000 Capital Outlay project included in the budget, which would be reimbursed with about 90 cents for every dollar spent, he said.

What about a ‘no’ …
Smith did not mention, or answer the question from The Batavian previously, about what would happen if district residents should vote this budget down. As Benedict said in response to The Batavian’s question, “I am optimistic that our BCSD proposed budget will pass.”

“However, State Education law provides every school district with options if their budget is rejected,” she said after the meeting. “I am hopeful that this budget passes because it best supports the students of the district.”

The New York State School Boards Association lays out the protocol in case the voters reject a school budget. The school board can prepare and adopt a contingency budget or go to the voters again on June 21, the statewide uniform budget revote day.

If the voters have twice rejected a board-proposed budget for a given fiscal year – either the same budget or a second version – the law prohibits submitting a budget or other expenditure propositions to the voters a third time. The school board must then adopt a contingency budget for the upcoming fiscal year by July 1, NYSSBA states.

Boards may pass multiple resolutions to approve contingency budget appropriations, it states, for specific purposes until the board adopts the overall contingency budget. A contingency budget funds only teachers’ salaries and those items the board determines are “ordinary contingent expenses,” the association states.

Ordinary contingent expenses have been defined under law to include legal obligations; expenditures authorized explicitly by statute; and other items necessary to maintain the educational program, preserve property and ensure the health and safety of the students and staff.

Expenditures that do not constitute "ordinary contingent expenses" include new equipment, public use of school buildings and grounds, except where there is no cost to the district, nonessential maintenance, capital expenditures (except in an emergency) and consultant services to review district operations and make recommendations necessary for the creation of the budget.

The school vote is from 7 a.m. to 9 p.m. May 17 at one of two sites, depending on what side of the city voters reside. For more information, go to: bataviacsd.org

Top photo: 2022 File photo of Batavia City Schools Superintendent Jason Smith. Photo by Howard Owens.

2022 File photo of Batavia City Schools Board President Alice Benedict. Photo by Howard Owens

After Thursday’s Batavia City Schools board meeting and budget vote, The Batavian emailed each board member for comment about the budget itself and/or the process, plus any additional comments anyone wanted to make.

Most board members have been quiet during public budget talks, including regular meetings in March and April and a budget workshop in March. Due to the enormous depth of a $54.8 million budget, The Batavian attempted to obtain remarks about it and any particular aspects of interest that the financial plan entailed. 

Board President Alice Benedict — who has been a reliable source for comments throughout these last few months of budget talks — said the board “has had several open discussions about the BCSD budget, including our budget workshop that was streamed on YouTube.” The Batavian viewed the YouTube video of the budget workshop for a second time to make sure that some board discussion wasn’t missed the first time. Benedict was the only consistent speaker throughout the nearly two-hour session, and in subsequent board meeting talks about the budget. 

Benedict was the only board member to respond to The Batavian’s email.

Board members are elected by district residents. The trustees who didn't respond to The Batavian's request for comment are John Marucci, Jennifer Lendvay, Barbara Bowman, Michelle Hume and Chezeray Rolle.

The city schools board “is acutely aware of our responsibility to the community,” Benedict said, “and we know the economic times could not warrant a large increase in school taxes.” The group asked Superintendent Jason Smith and Business Administrator Scott Rozanski to whittle the initial 2022-23 budget and 5.5 percent increase down to meet the tax cap of 1.62 percent. 

A unanimous vote Thursday adopted the proposed $54.8 million budget and 1 percent tax levy increase. Some posters on a social media site said the increase didn’t include recently raised assessments throughout the city, so “what’s the real increase?” they asked. 

The Batavian used a property assessed at $100,000 as an example, and that would mean a property tax increase of $19 from the prior year. However, if that home has just been assessed at $30,000 more than last year, that homeowner will see an increase of $601.60 in property taxes. ($100,000 at $19.23 per $1,000 compared to $130,000 at $19.42 per $1,000 assessed value.)

“We had previously had Budget Ambassadors, but the community, in the last few years, has not wanted to participate in the budget process. So we changed the process,” Benedict said. “It was successful this year, but the Board is more than willing to extend an invitation to the community to participate if that’s their interest.

“Five out of the last 10 years, the BCSD had no increase in the tax levy, but giving an exceptional and well-rounded education costs money, so we felt, at this time it was appropriate to ask for a slight increase,” she said.

A budget hearing has been set for 6 p.m. May 5 at Batavia High School, 260 State St., to be followed by a district vote on May 17. 

Contrary to the district's yearly financial plan (See "Batavia City Schools board adopts $54.8 million ..."), the topic of naming parts of school buildings and property reaped a hearty discussion during Thursday's board meeting.

Board President Alice Benedict emphasized that she was against the practice of honoring a district employee or resident by naming something, such as a school auditorium, after a notable citizen. Her argument is not about recognizing someone's good works, she said, but about selectively putting one's name on a district fixture and potentially bypassing so many others who have also contributed to Batavia City Schools.

"I have expressed to all of you that I am not for naming buildings after community members," she said.  

At issue right now is a request to name the middle school auditorium after former music director Frank Owen. Apparently, prior conversations with board members indicated that some of them are for the move, and have received emails endorsing Owen for his contribution as the district's first music director. Benedict encouraged her fellow members to speak up about the opinions they expressed during talks outside of the public venue. 

Member Barbara Bowman related the request to previous namings, including Anderson Field and VanDetta Stadium. Music and art are not often given the attention they deserve, she said. Member Jennifer Lendvay was a school athlete and supported the naming of Anderson Field after a former teacher and coach, she said. 

The group opted to postpone a vote and allow for public input. A resident attended the meeting hoping to talk about the issue during the public portion of the meeting, however, those wanting to speak must fill out an online form and submit it by 1 p.m. the Friday prior to a Thursday board meeting. The Batavian had posted in a previous article that people can speak by signing up before the meeting begins, which is true for public hearings.

For the regular public comments portion of a meeting, prospective speakers need to sign up at:  https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLScyKRcezlrZtf_o2bN8j7DyfLhYxYrDfGl3tYJyoeTJ87ZuKQ/viewform

Top photo: By Howard Owens. 2014 File Photo of the renovated baseball field at Batavia High School that was dedicated as Anderson Field after Coach Anderson.

Batavia High School seniors are on the right path, Principal Paul Kesler says.

Kesler added a number along with his comment: 96. After having a graduation rate of 85 percent in 2011, fluctuating from 89 to 94 percent through 2020, seniors are at a 96 percent graduation rate, Kesler said. The increased percentage is proof that career initiatives and student attitudes are pushing kids on to greater success, he said.

“It’s a testimony of the work done in K through 12,” he said during this week’s board meeting. “We’re finding the right pathways.”

Some of those pathways include  early college opportunities with Genesee Community College and now Daemen College, which is new this year. Daemen hosted a cartooning class free of charge, with the school district paying for supplies. Students became engaged in the class, and it was a success in providing other possible avenues for them to pursue, he said.

A Leave to Learn program exposes students to various career possibilities, such as first responder, manufacturing, counseling and educational occupations. 

“Students are going to be able to select one of six buses, and on that date they’re going to have an opportunity to be with an adult and have an awesome work session,” he said.

The past two years have not only been frustrating for most, but have introduced socialization issues to district leaders, Kesler said. 

“It has caused us to realize that, not only as a district but as a nation, some of the focus needs to be on helping students be able to interact … our mental health is really important,” he said.

A post-graduation program — a Cornell University boot camp offered in collaboration with Genesee County Economic Development Center — will be available to seniors after they graduate. The camp is three days a week of concentrations in manufacturing jobs, Kesler said. Other improved partnerships include local dairy companies for hands-on learning and training, he said.

“We’re seeing more engagement of students,” he said, compared to when kids were remote due to COVID-19. 

May 2 will be “Decision Day” for graduating seniors to have the spotlight to announce their choices of college or career options. Fellow district students will be on hand to cheer them on, he said.
 

A two-hour budget presentation that meant plenty of numbers, percentages and calculations for Batavia City Schools board Tuesday left board President Alice Benedict unsure it added up to a yes vote. 

Given a proposed tax levy increase of $315,716, or 1.62 percent, and uncertain enrollment projections, Benedict mused if an increase was really necessary.

“I’m wondering if our numbers are down, why are we adding more?” she said during the board’s first 2022-23 budget workshop in the district office conference room. “Once we get (additional teachers) into the district … are we at the right levels that we should be, enrollment versus teachers?”

Business Administrator Scott Rozanski had been laying out the $55 million budget for about 90 minutes, complete with a proposed $1.2 million increase in salaries for teachers, administrators and support staff. The increase supports new assistant principal and community schools coordinator salaries plus nine additional teachers. 

Benedict referred to a former board meeting guest who reviewed a report that included district enrollment projections. Although it wasn’t all bad news, the data told “a bitter tale,” consultant Paul Seversky had said. 

Genesee County births are still taking place, though at low numbers, more kids transferred to a private school — 174 in 2021 versus 137 in 2020 — and one out of 10 students leave the district within the school year, he said.

Increased expenses of nearly $3 million include additional personnel and bumping up bus purchases from 15 to 21 as a “worst-case scenario,” Rozanski said, as there has been a hike in numbers due to “foster care needing services.” 

This overall 1.62 percent tax levy increase would be within the state-mandated tax cap, he said. It translates to a tax rate increase of 31-cents per thousand assessed valuation, or an extra $27.90 for a home assessed at $90,000.

Benedict asked if the district buses 100 percent of its students now.

“No, we bus about 50 to 55 percent now,” he said. “We tentatively could bus 100 percent if we tier (the bus runs and students). We don’t have to transport everyone per State Education Department guidelines; for a small city school, it’s not mandated.”

He presented some of the district’s history and emphasized that remaining within the tax cap has saved taxpayers a cumulative $29.7 million over the last decade.

“Are you trying to convince me?” Benedict said, as Rozanski quickly replied: “No, I’’m not trying to convince you … it all plays into the big picture.”

“This tax levy increase is a wish list, and we as a board can say we don’t want any increase whatsoever,” she said. “I just don’t want to get to a point where we have more staffing than we need.”

Superintendent Jason Smith said that he and Rozanski have “identified some areas for reductions” and will provide them per the board’s directives. This is a preliminary budget and may be revised before a public vote in May. 

To view the session, go to:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OmA08cTXyv4