education

​Batavia Board of Education meeting highlights from the Batavia City School District (BCSD) Board of Education meeting on April 8, include news and updates about the following:

• Preliminary Budget Update

• School-to-Work Update

• Bu​siness Education Alliance Presentation

Preliminary Budget Update

Business Administrator Scott Rozanski brought the Board up to date on work being done on the preliminary budget proposal for the 2013-2014 school year.

As relayed at a previous Board meeting by Superintendent of Schools Chris Dailey, the Board advocated for containing any budget increase to 2 percent or less, but the initial “rollover” budget one that maintained but did not add any new expenditures -- would have resulted in a 4.26-percent increase to the budget and a consequent 6.11-percent increase in the tax levy primarily due to significant increases in pension and employee health care.

Furthermore, he noted that the calculation for our district’s Property Tax Cap Levy* equals a cap limited to a 5.51-percent increase (*As has been widely reported, the Property Tax Cap Levy, popularly called “the 2-percent tax cap,” is actually calculated by using the State’s eight-step formula then adding items that the State has identified as exempt from the restriction. If a district’s proposed budget falls at or below this calculated limit, passage of their budget requires 50-percent voter approval. If a proposal exceeds the calculated limit, passage requires 60-percent voter approval.) Our district’s tax cap of a 5.51-percent increase would mean an estimated tax increase of $1.27 per thousand dollars of assessed value or, on an $80,000 home, an annual tax increase of $101.

The draft summary presented to the Board on 3/26/13 by Rozanski noted changes resulting from six teacher retirements, two clerical retirements, and the elimination of a proposed position for a School Resource Officer that would have been partially funded by the City of Batavia and partially funded by the School District. That budget proposal came to $41,409,757, and carried a tax levy increase of 3.98 percent.

The current (4/8/13) preliminary summary presented to the Board included increased revenue of $930,000 from the State, primarily in restored State Aid, but also included additional expenditures of $571,000 -- approximately $121,000 in lost federal grants as well as an estimated $450,000 in additional expenses for the three employee contracts which are in the process of being negotiated.

The final figures for this proposal are: an expenditure total of $41,981,241 (up $1,894,509 or 4.73 percent from 2012-2013); a revenue total of $21,602,411 (up $1,897,680 or 9.63 percent from 2012-2013); an appropriated fund balance of $1,875,660 (down $365,965 or 16.33 percent from 2012-2013); and a tax levy of $18,503,170 (up $362,794 or 2 percent from 2012-2013).

“This budget proposal puts us at a 2-percent cap, which was the Board’s goal, rather than a 5.51-percent cap, which is what the State calculations permitted, and the elimination of jobs is not necessary,” Dailey said.

In addition, he noted, it preserves the funding for transportation so that all pre-kindergarten through first grade students will be eligible for bussing, which has been identified as a safety concern.

As a reminder, important dates related to the May vote include the following: Board of Education candidate petitions became available on March 12 and must be returned by April 24. Beginning May 6, copies of the proposed budget for 2013-2014 will be available in these Batavia locations: the Administration Offices (260 State St.), Batavia High School main office (260 State St.), Batavia Middle School main office (96 Ross St.), John Kennedy Intermediate School main office (166 Vine St.), Jackson Primary School main office (411 S. Jackson St.), and Richmond Memorial Library (19 Ross St.).

Organizations are encouraged to request a presentation of the proposal by calling the Superintendent’s Office (343-2480, ext. 1000). Presentations can be scheduled for after May 6, which is when the official proposal will be adopted by the Board.

The public hearing for the vote on the proposed budget will be at 7 p.m. May 14, in the High School library. The Budget Vote and Elections will be May 21 from 7 a.m. to 9 p.m., with polls open at Batavia High School (260 State St.) and John Kennedy Intermediate School (166 Vine St.).

Absentee Ballot voting is also permitted, and absentee ballots will be available during school business hours from the District Clerk from April 24 through May 14. April 24 is also Voter Registration Day from noon to 4 p.m. in the Administration Offices on State Street.

Please call if you have questions about the proposals or voting procedures: 343-2480, ext. 1000.

School-to-Work Update

BHS Business Teacher and School-to-Work (STW) Coordinator Jillian Thomas provided an update on the STW programs she coordinates: Make a Difference Day, Job Shadows, Career Related Field Trips, and K-12 Junior Achievement.

For the 14th annual Make a Difference Day, 22 nonprofit agencies hosted 170 BHS seniors so that the students could learn about giving back to the community and, for many, explore possible career fields. In addition, by the end of 2013, at least 19 students will have completed job shadows, several classes will have taken career-related field trips such as that taken by AP Biology students to the University of Rochester science labs, and 14 classes will have had a Junior Achievement volunteer come in and teach a business-related lesson.

To provide some examples of the value of STW programs, Thomas provided an opportunity for two students to speak about their experiences. Daemeon Reeves spoke about his job shadow with a State Trooper which reinforced his desire to go into law enforcement, and Jessica Valvano-Hoag spoke about her Careers and Financial Management class (taught by Eileen Ognibene) in which she has learned much about how to pursue a career -- such as how to write a resume, and how to prepare for and conduct oneself in a job interview. Two highlights of her class experience were participating in a mock interview and completing a job shadow with a local photojournalist.

Genesee County Business Education Alliance

Bill Hayes, Business Education Alliance (BEA) board member, reviewed the services provided to the District through the BEA and thanked the District for its continued financial support as well as the guidance and preparation it provides to students in regard to work.

In fulfilling its mission, the BEA fosters a partnership between business and education and assists students in preparing for the world of work through coordinating or participating in such things as: the Business School Interaction Committee; Junior Achievement; mock interviews; job shadows; teacher site visits; students site visits; virtual site visit videos; career speaker luncheons; classroom visits; career fairs and camps; resources and referrals for counselors seeking specific career education and/or employment opportunities for students; and class projects for students that mimic real business interactions.

A few additional District-specific services for Batavia have included assisting with recruiting Senior Exit Project volunteers and judges, and providing mock interviews and job shadows for Eileen Ognibene’s Careers and Financial Management class. The BEA’s programs help the District meet the NYS Learning Standards, particularly in Career Development and Occupational Studies, and they expose students to career opportunities in our own region.

Press release:

On April 5, the Batavia City School District received notification that a lawsuit was filed by the Empire Justice Center on behalf of a few District parents with the intent to demand an immediate upgrade to the girls’ softball field claiming the District was in violation of Title IX of the Educational Amendments of 1972.

The District believes this lawsuit is misguided as the issues addressed in the lawsuit have already been diligently pursued and we have prepared a proposition for voter approval during the annual District’s budget vote in May 2013.

In 2011, softball field upgrades were included in the District’s capital-improvements project proposal which was ultimately voted down by the taxpayers. Even after the capital improvement proposition was voted down, the District allocated as much funding as possible for material and labor to resurface the girls’ softball infield. In addition, arrangements were made to have nearly half of the home games played at an area premier softball facility, Genesee Community College.

The District also continues to make regular maintenance on this field and whatever improvements it can make within the approved budget. To continue its efforts to upgrade the softball field, in 2012, the District commenced an architectural study to address resurfacing the field, installing dugouts, an electronic scoreboard and outfield fencing. This plan was reviewed and approved by the Board of Education at its Feb.12, 2013 meeting.

A proposal to fund this plan, which also includes capital improvements for District buildings and the Richmond Memorial Library, will be placed on the ballot during the annual vote on the District’s budget on May 21. If the voters approve this capital proposition, the District will initiate the upgrades to the field as outlined above after the softball season ends so as not to disrupt the current season.     

Subsequent to the Board’s approval of the plan, the District received a letter on February 20, 2013 from the Empire Justice Center demanding that the softball field be upgraded immediately. The District met with representatives of the Empire Justice Center to review the matter.

We explained that the requested upgrades in their letter were the same improvements already incorporated into the District’s proposed project with the exception of night lighting. We shared with these representatives that commencing an upgrade immediately was impractical given that the work would render the field unplayable for most of the season as well as that the work was duplicative of that included within the District’s proposed capital project.

Unfortunately, the District’s good-faith efforts in terms of work already done to the field as well as the presentation of comprehensive facility upgrades to the voters for approval in May 2013 were ignored. However, with just a few more months of patience, it is the District’s belief that it will be able to embark on a comprehensive and complete renovation to the softball facilities.

Photos and info from Aaron Brown:

Today the Pembroke Intermediate School's SADD Club celebrated Kick Butts Day! It's a day when schools and communities across the country take a stand against Big Tobacco and pledge to not to use tobacco.

The students at Jackson School took a trip to Candyland today, guided by teachers, staff and City Schools Superintendent Chris Dailey, who played King Candy in the play written by two Jackson teachers.

The play -- "Reading is a Sweet Treat" -- was all about the adventures of reading and honoring the students who did the best in reading recently.

Candy was distributed to teachers for the kids at the end of the play CORRECTION: The bags contained books.

The children seemed to have a blast throughout the whole performance.

Press release:

The Genesee County Youth Conference Coalition sponsored its 25th Annual Youth Conference at Genesee Community College this week.

This conference is offered on an annual basis to local seventh- and eighth-grade students in an effort to address pertinent social issues of interest to youngsters of middle-school age.

This year we also invited a select group of students from Orleans County. There were approximately 500 seventh- and eighth-grade students in attendance.

This year’s theme of the conference was “Illusions … To Lead or to be Mis-Led.” 

The keynote speaker, nationally known Illusionist Tom Coverly, addressed the kids in the areas of bullying, respect and positive decision-making. 

After the keynote, students attended two morning workshops, were provided lunch and then attended an interactive afternoon workshop. Professionals from the community volunteered their time to provide information to the students in their respective fields of expertise.

Workshops were provided in the areas of…Communication, Yoga, Nutrition, Careers, Pet Therapy, Zumba, Triple D-Dodgeball (Drug and Alcohol Awareness Game), Conflict Resolution, Dance, Getting Active with GPS, Creating Artist Trading Cards, Assuring a Positive Future and many others.  

Members of the Youth Conference Committee are extremely grateful to the workshop presenters who volunteered their time to educate our area seventh and eighth graders. We are also grateful to the following businesses/organizations that provided discounts or donations for the conference…Genesee County Stop DWI Program, Upstate Milk and Subway.

The Genesee County Youth Conference Committee is comprised of representatives from the following agencies: Batavia Youth Bureau, Genesee County Youth Bureau, Genesee Community College, GCASA and YMCA.  

For more information on this year’s Genesee County Youth Conference or to find out how you can participate in the next event, call the Batavia Youth Bureau at 585-345-6420 or the Genesee County Youth Bureau at 585-344-3960.

Submitted photo: Pictured are the 500 seventh and eighth graders and their school chaperones who attended the 2013 Genesee County Youth Conference held at GCC on March 12, being addressed by Tom Coverly, “The Illusionist,” and Keynote Speaker.

Students from throughout the GLOW region gathered at Genesee Community College this morning for the annual Tech Wars, where students compete in matches of design and engineering skill.

Looming federal budget cuts could mean cuts in one of Batavia City School's most needed programs, Superintendent Chris Dailey told WBTA today.

AIS (Academic Intervention Services) helps students in both math and English as well as special education.

Those are some of the students most in need of help, Dailey said.

The cuts could range from $75,927.40 to $121,283.84 and would be implented if the so-called sequester takes effect after a Friday deadline.

“It’s very scary because New York state still isn’t providing public schools with the level of funding that they did in 2009-10,” Dailey said. “On top of that now, the federal government is pulling out money that they give to schools that have students that are at or below the poverty rate and we are one of the districts that have a high percentage of that. They’re taking money away to help our highest-needs kids in a political game.”

There will be a rally in Geneseo Friday to encourage lawmakers to protect education funding. To reserve a spot on the transportation shuttle or more information on the event, call the district office.

Press release:

An Oakfield-Alabama Middle-High School senior has been named to Business First's 2013 All-Western New York Academic Team.

Jennifer Crossen (First Team) has qualified for this year's list of the 100 most outstanding high school seniors in the eight-county region.

Winners were chosen for their records of academic excellence, school leadership and community involvement. The top 25 were named to the First Team, 25 runners-up to the Second Team, and another 50 to the Special Mention list.

"This is an extremely exclusive award," said Jack Connors, president and publisher of Business First. "There are roughly 20,000 seniors in Western New York's high schools, and we've selected only 100 for this year's Academic Team. That's the upper one-half of 1 percent. They're truly the best and brightest students anywhere in our region."

Schools throughout the eight-county area were asked to nominate their smartest and most accomplished students for consideration by an eight-member committee, which included six admissions directors at area colleges and two Business First editors. A total of 121 schools responded with 437 nominees. (Each school was limited to four candidates.)

The complete list of 100 honorees -- along with their photos and profiles -- will be published in Business First's 2013-2014 Guide to Western New York Schools, which will hit newsstands on June 14.

The BB-gun incident at Batavia Middle School yesterday, as first reported by The Batavian, is apparently getting wider media attention.

A Rochester TV news van was reportedly parked illegally on Ross Street a few minutes ago.

And, just now, Batavia PD released the following statement to all regional media:

The Batavia Police and Batavia School officials are jointly investigating the details of a student bringing a BB Gun into the Batavia Middle School. As part of the investigation it has been determined that at no time was the BB gun displayed or any threats made. School officials discovered the gun based on an unrelated incident. Both the School and the Police Department will use the proper procedures to ensure all are safe and the person responsible is dealt with in accordance with the proper procedure in place for juveniles who violate school rules and New York State laws.  

Highlights from the Batavia City School District (BCSD) Board of Education meeting on Jan. 8 include news and updates about the following: 

• Security and Safety Procedures Review
• Focus Update
• Kindergarten Registration Begins Feb. 4
• Curriculum Coordinator Hired
• Budget Ambassadors Appointed
• Richmond Memorial Library Updates Goals
• Financial Summary Report

Security and Safety Procedures Reviewed

Superintendent of Schools Chris Dailey announced that an “Emergency Go Home Early Drill” will be held on Feb. 5 as part of the required State Safety Plan. All students will be released at 1:15 p.m. and off of school grounds by 1:30 p.m.

The BOE Safety Committee Chair Amy Barone reported that the committee met in December with Batavia City Police Chief Shawn Heubusch to review and discuss school safety. In addition to providing the district’s internal safety plan to the police department, the group discussed more police presence on school property (including both an increase in patrolling the grounds as well as having officers come inside buildings during extracurricular activities), police access to school buildings in a lock-down situation, the possibility of funding safety officer positions at schools, an increase in number and type of safety drills, and modifications to existing safety equipment and building design to increase safety functionality.

Election Day, which has been highlighted as a safety concern due to the schools being open to all voters on a day when children are present, was also discussed with proposals ranging from moving the election site off school grounds to scheduling a Superintendent’s Conference Day on voting days so that students would not be in the buildings.

Focus District Update

With two of his training sessions in Albany completed and another coming up in March, Superintendent Dailey reported that the district continues to move forward with meeting state requirements and criteria for the school improvement plan that identifies areas of need as well as programs and activities to help increase student achievement.

As one of the state’s requirements for the evaluation process is to work with non-district educational experts, Dailey noted that the district is fortunate to be working with Steve Uebbing, Ed.D., and Sandra Quinones, Ed.D., from the University of Rochester. They will meet with district administration and staff to help increase understanding of the six tenets of the state’s diagnostic process as well as to facilitate preparation for the state’s visits to the district and the middle school. The visit will take place in June.

In addition, bids are going out to approved vendors for the creation of surveys to solicit feedback from students, staff and parents. Overall, Dailey said, the process in very extensive and the district continues to make progress.

As noted at previous board meetings, the district did not meet New York State’s proficiency benchmarks in the 2010-2011 school year for one subgroup of students. As a result, it has been identified by the NYS Education Department as a Focus District, which is required to choose at least one school on which to focus efforts toward improvement for this subgroup.

Because the middle school has the greatest number of students in the specified subgroup, it was chosen as the Focus School. The district has assembled a school improvement committee to develop and implement a plan that identifies areas of need as well as programs and activities to help increase student achievement.

It’s important to note that the data used for the determination dates back to the 2010-2011 school year and if data from 2011-2012 had been used, the district would have made the target cut points. So while the district is responsible for following an approved Comprehensive Improvement Plan, many of the strategies and plans are already under way and yielding positive results.

Kindergarten Registration Begins Feb. 4

Superintendent Dailey announced that kindergarten registration for the 2013-2014 school year will take place Feb. 4-8 at Jackson Primary School in the multipurpose room.

Children who will be 5 years old on or before Dec. 1, 2013 are eligible to attend kindergarten in the fall. To register, parents are asked to go to Jackson primary on one of the designated school days between 9 a.m. and 3:30 p.m. and bring with them proof of residency such as a current utility bill or formal lease agreement, as well as the child’s birth certificate, Social Security card, and complete record of immunizations. Please note that no child can be registered without the required documentation.

Parents of new first-grade pupils are also asked to register their child in the same time frame and with the same documentation.


Jackson Primary School is located at 411 S. Jackson St. The office phone number is 343-2480, ext. 4000.

Curriculum Coordinator Hired

Superintendent Dailey announced that Curriculum Coordinator Jolene Dettman will begin work on Jan. 18. The position is shared with Pavilion Central School District. She comes from Monroe 2 where she developed expertise in the Common Core and in curriculum development.

Budget Ambassadors Appointed

Sherri Bartz, Rodney Brinkman, Frank DeMare, Jacquie Fowler, Michael Grammatico, Jay Gsell, Jill Halpin, Lynn Heintz, Patti Johnson, Cheryl Kowalik, Jason Molino, Marcia Riley, Durin Rogers, Richard Seymour, and Danielle Torcello applied and were appointed to be Budget Ambassadors for the 2013-2014 district budget proposal.

Ambassadors are residents of the district who volunteer and commit to serve on a committee which meets for two (2) two and a half (2.5) hour evening sessions. Ambassadors review the preliminary budget as developed by the administration (within parameters established by the Board of Education) and recommend to the board any modification(s) they would like to see. Their recommendations, while highly valued, are advisory rather than binding as the board develops the Proposed Budget to be brought to the voters. In addition, ambassadors agree to explain their work to any interested individual in the community.

Richmond Memorial Library Updates Goals

In addition to continuing to build on its previous goals related to space utilization, technology usage, working with the business community, and fiscal responsibility, the Richmond Memorial Library Board has approved goals for 2013-2017. Library Director Diana Wyrwa presented the revised mission statement and outlined the four goals.

The updated mission statement is “Richmond Memorial Library continually provides access to physical and virtual resources and services that meet the educational, informational, and recreational needs of its diverse community in a safe and comfortable environment.”

The four goals are:

1.      Engage diverse populations with specific library programs and services.

2.      Provide multifaceted resources and assistance for all ages to continue learning throughout their lives.

3.      Act as a central source for information about and support of the wide variety of programs, services, and activities available to Batavia residents.

4.      Provide ongoing economic stability for the library.

In addition, Wyrwa announced that, in 2014, the library will celebrate being open for 125 years. Plans are being made now to commemorate that event.

Financial Summary Report

Business Administrator Scott Rozanski reported on the November 2012 revenue and expenses for the district, reviewing them in comparison to the November 2011 figures.  

Overall, the recorded revenues in the year-to-year comparison were fairly consistent, with an increase of $467,000 or slightly less than 2 percent. The most significant increases were recorded in Real Property Tax Levy and in state and federal aid. Real Property Tax Levy, which is counted as revenue when levied rather than when actually received, showed an increase of $355,000. State and federal aid showed an increase of $311,000, largely due to the state making its customary TRS (Teacher Retirement System) payments which the district is obliged to record as income.

Decreases in the “miscellaneous” category of $153,000 were largely due to BOCES refunds for both unused billed expenses as well as an increase in their state aid. In addition, the Non-property Tax Items category (utility tax) was down slightly more than $86,000. The utility tax, as has often been reported, experiences regular fluctuations and has been trending lower than last year.

Expenses were up by approximately $93,000 or slightly less than 1 percent, which was less than expected and primarily due to timing of payments in transportation.

Submitted by Tom Ingalsbe:

Members of the Batavia Teachers' Association pose for a picture at the culmination of their "No Shave November" competition. The competition raised nearly $200 for Anna's Wish and the Kay Dean Memorial Scholarship Fund. For more information on Anna's Wish, please go to http://www.annaswish.org/.

Yesterday was the official opening of Alexander Elementary School's outdoor classroom. Sixth-graders McKenna Moran and Nick Allen did the honors for the ribbon-cutting ceremony, with some assistance from preschool teacher Ellie Jinks.

Parents, kids and community members braved the autumn morning chill to attend the ceremony celebrating the opening of the very first certified outdoor classroom in Upstate NY.

McKenna and Nick were among the students who helped with this project last year as fifth-graders. They were honored student speakers at the ribbon-cutting ceremony, where each praised the outdoor classroom's merits from a student's perspective.

"(It's great that) instead of just staying inside all day and writing papers," McKenna said, "kids get to be outside doing hands-on things and still learn the same things they would be learning inside."

"I think it's a great addition to our school," Nick said when addressing the crowd. "We don't get to go outside very much. And like McKenna said, instead of just reading about nature in books, we get to go outside (and learn in a hands-on way). I want to thank all the donors (and everyone who helped out)."

Guest speaker Sen. Michael Ranzenhofer called Alexander's outdoor classroom "a shining example of what all of Genesee County, and really the rest of New York State, should do."

He also said that "our kids are in front of too many screens (TV screens, computers, iPods, etc.)," and that projects like this show dedication to "where education should be going -- into the future."

Alexander School Board Vice President Reed Pettys cited studies indicating that:

• Most of today's children spend 90 percent of their time indoors;
• Allergies and asthma have increased as kids have stayed indoors more often;
• Kids who spend more time playing outdoors do better in school and have better motor skills (agility, etc);
• Symptoms of conditions like attention deficit hyperactivity disorder are relieved by contact with nature.

"Our hope is that for many years and decades to come," Pettys said, "this outdoor classroom will give relief to many individuals."

More photos after the jump (click on the headline):

Jinks, who has taught in Alexander for 38 years, jumpstarted this project a little over a year ago.

She applied for and won a Pepsi Refresh grant, and with the help of teachers, school administrators, school board members, parents, community members and local businesses -- as well as the Arbor Day Foundation and Dimensions Educational Research Foundation -- she was able to make her dream of an outdoor classroom a reality.

She drew her initial inspiration from something she learned as a student at SUNY Geneseo.

"I learned that unstructured play is good for the health and relationships of both children and adults."

Throughout the process, she was inspired by the generosity and support of the school and wider community via fundraisers, social media and a lot of hard work.

Alexander Central School District Superintendent Kathleen Maerten said she was "most proud of the fact that funding for this project came from grants, local businesses and community generosity. No district funds were used."

Maerten emphasized that there is still work to be done. The Outdoor Classroom Committee would like to eventually install a bike and walking path around the classroom, an amphitheater for performances and a greenhouse.

In addition to these, of course, is the challenge of routine maintenance.

"This is going to require a continued commitment from the school and the community," Maerten said.

More photos:

Kathy Busch, vice principal of the elementary school, contributed to the Fall "mood" by serving apple cider.

Patrick Kelly enjoyed the sandbox while his sisters tiptoed around the edge.

Billy Marchison, meanwhile, was rocking the "Wheeled Toy Area."

Businesses that have supported this project include the following:

Pepsi Corporation

Alexander Equipment

Attica Packaging Co.

Concreations, LLC

Eberhard Landscaping

Johnson's Nursery

Pudgie's Nursery

United Materials

Home Depot Foundation

A-1 Supply Co., LLC

Bernard Schmeider PE, LS

Conservation Connects

Frey Sand and Gravel

Merle Excavating

Springtyme Landscaping

Z & M Ag and Turf

Lowe's Foundation

Attica Hardware

Bonsal American

Dominick and Daughters

Iroquois Job Corps

Palmiter's Nursery

Thomson Rustic Furnishings

Previous coverage:

New classroom will give Alexander students a place to learn in the great outdoors

Alexander Elementary School holds open house for outdoor classroom

Annual External Audit Report Presented

David Mancuso of Freed Maxick, CPAs, PC, presented a summary of their audit of the basic financial statements of the Batavia City School District for the fiscal year that ended June 30, indicating that there were no significant, unusual or controversial transactions or accounting practices.  

   Some specific points from the report and presentation follow. 

• The district currently maintains an A1 credit rating from Moody’s Credit Corporation, which is among the highest in Genesee County. 
• Amid uncertain economic times, the district has been successful in efforts to spend and budget conservatively, as well as to plan for the long-term by setting funds aside in reserve for specific areas of concern: unemployment insurance, retirement contribution, repairs, and employee benefit liability. In an economic climate where the future is likely to see reduced state aid as well as increased expenses, continued economic conservatism is to be encouraged.   
• The district total tax levy has increased only $473,599 or 2.97 percent since 2007-08 or an average yearly increase of $94,720 or averaging 0.59 percent, while at the same time maintaining most of our educational program offerings by restructuring its educational plan and building footprint.  
• The district finished the year with an unexpected general fund surplus of approximately $451,519. This was primarily due to conservative budget estimates in difficult-to-predict categories such as to special education services, foster care tuition, and utilities; being able to cover some budgeted payroll costs with money from grants, delaying purchasing and savings in utilities because of a rather mild winter. The district was able to put this money into the retirement contribution reserve to help with future increases in employer contribution rate increases which are tentatively anticipated to rise over 18 percent for 2013-14 and 13 percent for 2014-15. 
• The unassigned fund balance (formerly referred to as undesignated fund balance) of the district’s general fund was $1,508,767 and this amount was within the state’s limit of 4 percent of the ensuing year’s budget, excluding of the amount designated for the subsequent year’s budget.  

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

More after the jump, click on the headline.

Jackson Primary School Toured

Jackson Primary School Principal Diane Bonarigo welcomed the board of education members and guests to the school which now houses two universal pre-kindergarten classrooms (each with a morning and afternoon class), 10 kindergarten classes, nine first-grade classes, and one 12:1 class. In addition to providing a tour of the facility, she introduced several initiatives that will begin soon. The first, Science Stars, “starring” first-graders, will run from November to June and will involve various labs and activities that will culminate in a science fair. A second will be an ELA and math night this fall for students and their parents in which teachers will plan and present fun lessons aligned with the Common Core Standards. In January, advanced writers and readers will have an opportunity to publish a piece of their work, ideally one with a national audience.

Annual Professional Performance Review Plan (APPR) Approved

In the final step before submitting it to the NYS Education Department (NYSED), Deputy Superintendent Chris Dailey presented the district’s APPR plan to the board for its approval. In his presentation, he explained the 100-point scoring system that is used to rate teachers and principals as highly effective (91-100 points), effective (75-90 points), developing (65-74 points), or ineffective (0-64 points), noting that “effective” and “highly effective” are the only acceptable target scores. In addition, he explained state and local criteria and measurement tools -- such as student grades on state and/or local assessments, on-site observations by a supervisor, and setting and meeting targeted goals that boost student success -- that are used to determine scores. While the APPR format is new, the process of staff development and of implementing strategies to improve student learning -- the true aim of the APPR plan -- have long been the standard.

The board adopted the plan which now will be sent to the NYS Education Department for approval. While expecting the plan to be approved by the state, Mr. Dailey also reminded the board that this was a one-year plan so the committee will continue to review and adjust it in preparation for next year. The board and superintendent of schools commended Mr. Dailey and the committee for their work in the development of the plan.

The APPR plan, once approved by the state, will be posted on the district Web site.

2013-2014 Budget Calendar and Board’s Budget Guidelines

Business Administrator Scott Rozanski submitted for approval a budget calendar to be followed for the preparation and presentation of the 2012-2013 spending plan for the district, leading up to the vote in May. Some important dates to note include the following:

·                Deadline for turning in Budget Ambassador applications: Jan. 3

·                Budget Ambassador meetings: Feb. 13 and 20

·                Board of Education petitions due: April 24

·                Voter Registration Day: April 24

·                Proposed Budget available for public view: May 6

·                Presentation of Proposed Budget/Propositions: May 14, 7 p.m., Batavia High

·                Budget, Board of Education, and Propositions (if any) vote: May 21, 7 a.m. through 9 p.m. at Batavia High and John Kennedy Intermediate schools.

He also presented suggested guidelines requiring board input and approval, based on parameters that the board has set in the past for the development of the preliminary budget. Those guidelines, as approved by the board, include:

• Meet all applicable mandates, and health, safety, and legal requirements;
• Fulfill all contractual obligations;
• Support educational programs and services vital to successful implementation of the district mission and vision;
• Identify alternative funding sources;
• Prepare the first draft of the 2013-14 budget with a tax levy increase over the 2012-13 budget of no more than the Consumer Price Index, or the calculated tax levy cap.

Student Count and Consolidation; Superintendent Report

Superintendent of Schools Margaret Puzio reported that the annual count of students which provides a snapshot of student enrollment -- the Basic Educational Data System (BEDS) -- held no big surprises. The district has 23 more students than at this time last year, most of which are in the ninth grade and, to a slightly lesser degree, the fifth grade.

In continuing to check in on the consolidation process, Mrs. Puzio visited the fifth-grade wing at the middle school during one of the enrichment periods held twice a week. Noting that “it was even better than expected,” she cited the students’ enthusiasm and engagement in their activities, which included groups involved in keyboarding, math games, an art project, and a creative thinking activity. Staying through dismissal, she was pleased to report that it all went very smoothly.

In the Byron-Bergen School District, students aren't just learning how to read, write and solve math problems. They're also being taught the basic skills of leadership.

"We want them to be confident individuals," said Brian Meister, the elementary school principal. "We want them to be self-sufficient individuals. We want them to be able to make good choices consistently."

The leadership course is based on Stephen R. Covey's acclaimed "Seven Habits of Highly Effective People." Covey's company has developed "The Leader in Me," a program to teach students the seven habits in a format they can grasp.

In Byron-Bergen, the curriculum is part of a strategy to educate children in a well-rounded fashion. Yes, they learn academics, but they're also exposed to the arts and good citizenship.

At the Thursday evening board meeting (unusually packed with parents), a group of third-graders sang songs, recited their leadership pledge and showed off their leadership pictures.

"It's so important not to just teach them academics, but to teach them to be good citizens," Superintendent Casey Kosiorek said. "We can all agree that if one of these find young individuals moves next door to us, we want them to be good people and we also want them to be intelligent."

The seven habits:

• Habit 1: Be Proactive • You’re in Charge
• Habit 2: Begin With the End in Mind • Have a Plan
• Habit 3: Put First Things First • Work First, Then Play
• Habit 4: Think Win-Win • Everyone Can Win
• Habit 5: Seek First to Understand, Then to Be Understood • Listen Before You Talk
• Habit 6: Synergize • Together Is Better
• Habit 7: Sharpen the Saw • Balance Feels Best

Meister said faculty and staff are really proud at how well students are responding to the course. He said it's rewarding to hear students talk about solving conflicts with a "win-win" attitude.

It's not easy, he said, for a child in elementary school to "seek first to understand," and put themselves in the shoes of the other person before trying to meet their own needs. But he said in fact, they're seeing child trying to learn to take exactly that approach.

During the school board meeting, Kosiorek noted a recent study that showed the vast majority of new patents are filed in the United States, not China. The iPad, he noted, was invented in this country, not overseas. He said the next generation of entrepreneurs will come out of today's schools, and it's Byron-Bergen's job to prepare the next generation of business leaders.

Meister agreed and said that as students move on from elementary school, into high school and then into college or careers they will be the self-confident individuals who are followed by their peers.

"We really believe here at Byron-Bergen that it’s not only our job to teach kids the academics, but also to make sure sure we provide the leaders of tomorrow," Meister said.

According to online interviews Rochester resident Sean Madden has conducted over the past two years, he is as accomplished at working with troubled children as he is as an artist.

A surrealist whose work is sure to offend mainstream sensibilities, his pen-and-ink creations have been featured in books, on screen, in galleries and sought after by collectors.

It's also his artwork that may have cost him his job with the Byron-Bergen Central School District where he was employed as a counselor.

Contacted today, Superintendent Casey Kosiorek said he couldn't discuss a "confidential matter."

Madden also said he is not very interested in talking about the situation at this stage. He said it's very early in the process and he hasn't decided yet what, if any, message he wants to share with the media.

He confirmed he has spoken with attorneys from his teacher's union and the ACLU and agreed that the case is an interesting First Amendment matter.

All of the paintings and his promotion of his art were done away from the school and not during work hours, Madden confirmed.

Beyond that, he didn't want to say more until conferring further with lawyers.

In interviews with publications in Rochester and Buffalo, Madden has said he's a husband and father who was born in Buffalo, raised there in the 1970s, attended SUNY Brockport, and eventually obtained a master's degree in counselor education.

"I worked my way up the ladder in society," Madden told Rochester at Home, "from mopping floors, to serving in restaurants, to becoming a respected counselor. I’ve spent years working with the most violent, disturbed families and kids in the system.

"I’ve been in high demand throughout my career, as I’ve worked with the toughest cases. For many years, my specialty was working with emotionally disturbed kids in institutions. I’ve worked in classrooms that many people were too afraid to work in — the kids were too aggressive."

Without cooperation of the school district, it's unclear how long Madden was employed by Byron-Bergen, but according to See Through New York, his tenure goes back to at least 2008 and in 2011 he earned $59,000.

It's unknown to what degree the school district was aware of Madden's work prior to hiring him. The district has been through at least one change in superintendents since he started working there.

Unless the district issues a statement, we also don't know if there other issues, from the district's perspective, involved in the apparent dismissal of Madden.

Madden's personal Web site contains samples of his artwork, which features iconic subjects in surreal circumstances and in themes some may find distasteful.

The fact that not everybody will find his art appealing seems to be fine by Madden. He told Buffalo Rising that he isn't after the same kind of success as a guy who paints puppies.

"For a guy like me -- who does blasphemous, sexually explicit, psycho-representational work -- it's a much bigger deal," Madden said. "I'm not worried about the general public liking my work.

"After all, they haven't voted for a female president yet, so who cares what they think? The general public is stupid. However, the folks who understand my work -- weirdo intelligentsia -- them I care about."

SUBMITTED by Kathie Scott, coordinator of public information, Batavia city schools

“Like Us” on Facebook, and Respond to Survey
Public Relations Committee Chair Patrick Burk reported that the committee continues to explore cost-effective ways to increase coverage of district news and accomplishments, with both the amount of news and the methods of delivery being expanded.

A survey has been posted to the Web site ( http://www.bataviacsd.org/news.cfm?story=958&school=0), will be sent home in school newsletters, and will be inside the district newsletter in order to solicit input from the full spectrum of community members about their preferences regarding district communications. The committee is exploring the use of college interns as well as BHS students as a means to expand its capabilities for covering positive news.

The district launched a Facebook page (http://www.facebook.com/BataviaCitySchools)  in time for Homecoming and has been encouraging students, particularly those involved with the BHS yearbook and those taking media courses, to become involved in providing pictures and short news items for it. The page will also serve as a feeder that leads back to more detailed information on our Web site.

Also carrying the Homecoming theme, Board Member Gretchen DiFante interviewed two teachers who are BHS alumni -- Physical Education teacher and Varsity Football Coach Brennan Briggs and Science teacher Elena Chmielowiec -- for their stories about graduation from and returning to BHS. That article is posted on our Web site (http://www.bataviacsd.org/news.cfm?story=954)  as well as online with www.thebatavian.com and thedailynewsonline.com

Superintendent of Schools Margaret Puzio, who has been an active member of the committee, added that BHS teachers have responded enthusiastically to the idea of incorporating some publicity-related “real life” experiences into their lessons by having students photograph and write about events. She also said she has been keeping the Management Team informed of the PR Committee’s initiatives and all are excited about the possibilities.

BHS Homecoming in Full Swing
Student Ex-officio Board Member Kaitlin Logsdon updated the board members on the activities at the high school, including activities for Homecoming Week, Sept. 24-28. (http://www.bataviacsd.org/news.cfm?story=951&school=0 ), and athletic updates, including the boys’ cross-country team coming in first last weekend, gymnastics team coming in second in its last competition, and the swim team winning its first meet of the season. In addition, organizations such as honor societies have begun meeting and planning their events for the year.     

More after the jump (click on the headline):

New Inductees for Athletic Hall of Fame
Superintendent of Schools Margaret Puzio announced the upcoming Athletic Hall of Fame Induction, one of the featured events of Homecoming. This will be the 11th Annual Batavia Blue Devil Athletic Hall of Fame induction and this year’s honorees include William J. Walters (Class of 1923); Patrick Marabella (Class of 1957); Sue Medley (Class of 1982); Wendy Folger (Class of 1969); Robert Thurston (Class of 1985); and Philip Grazioplene (Class of 1987). Inductees will be announced during halftime at the Homecoming football game and will be formally inducted the following night at a dinner in their honor.

Improvement Plan for Focus School
As noted at a previous board meeting by Superintendent Puzio, the district did not meet New York State’s proficiency benchmarks for one subgroup of students. As a result, it has been identified as a Focus District, and is required to choose at least one school on which to focus efforts toward improvement for this subgroup.

Because the middle school has the greatest number of students in the specified subgroup, it was chosen as the Focus School. The district must assemble a school improvement committee to develop a plan that identifies areas of need as well as programs and activities to help increase student achievement.

It’s important to note that the data used for the determination dates back to the 2010-2011 school year and if data from 2011-2012 had been used, the district would have made the target cut points. So while the district is responsible for submitting a Comprehensive Improvement Plan to the state, many of the strategies and plans are already under way and yielding positive results. In addition, Deputy Superintendent Chris Dailey will attend a training in Albany that will focus on what the state requires.

Annual Professional Performance Review (APPR) Update
Deputy Superintendent Chris Dailey announced that the Batavia Teachers Association voted to support the APPR that the district has been working on for approximately two years.

The nearly unanimous support may be a reflection of the APPR committee’s thorough research of what other districts were doing as well as their solicitation of a broad base of input from our own district teachers throughout the process of creating the plan. The next step is to formally present the final draft to the Board of Education at the Oct. 9 meeting for its approval then begin implementing it. Dailey believes the plan will be a model for other districts to follow.

Dignity for All Students Act
Jamie Polhamus, an instructional support specialist for the district and the district’s School Dignity Act coordinator provided an overview of The New York State Dignity for All Students Act, (familiarly known as “The Dignity Act”)  its purpose, and what it means for our district.

The Dignity Act is a New York State Educational Law that became effective July 1. The purposes of the legislation are:

• To raise awareness and sensitivity to potential acts of discrimination and/or harassment directed at students that are committed by students and/or school employees on school property or at a school function;
• Raise awareness of discrimination and/or harassment based on a person’s actual or perceived race, color, weight, national origin, ethnic group, religion, religious practice, disability, sexual orientation, gender or sex;
• To discourage and respond to incidents of discrimination and/or harassment.

The Dignity Act’s underlying premise is that preventative and non-punitive intervention, in response to incidents of discrimination and/or harassment, is the best way to achieve school environments free from harassment and discrimination.

Schools are encouraged to use a variety of intervention measures to address discrimination and/or harassment, including restorative practices, conflict resolution, peer-mediation, and counseling, rather than over-relying on exclusionary methods of discipline, such as suspension.

The district has already implemented initiatives and staff training that are in line with The Dignity Act and will continue to utilize programs already in place such as PBIS (Positive Behaviorial Interventions and Supports) and the Olweus Bullying Prevention Program.

In addition, Dignity Act coordinators have attended a full-day workshop and have presented the additional information to all staff and all students, adapting the presentation as was befitting for each group.

The district’s Code of Conduct has been updated, as has been the information on the Web site regarding Dignity Act information/resources. Documentation if incidents occur will be handled using a system that had been recently implemented, although some modifications may be made in the future.

Coming up next, building newsletters will include information on the Dignity Act, coordinators will attend another training session this fall then update staff, and counselors will develop grade-appropriate student lessons to be presented district-wide.      

Financial Summary Report
Business Administrator Scott Rozanski reported on the July 2012 revenue and expenses for the district, reviewing them in comparison to the July 2011 figures.  

Recorded revenues were down by nearly $35,000, primarily in the non-property tax items category (utility tax). The utility tax, as has often been reported, experiences regular fluctuations, particularly early in the year. Expenses were also down. The decrease of approximately $20,500 is primarily due to the timing of billing cycles, particularly in this instance in regard to payment of general liability insurance premiums.

Auditors Review Financial Statements
Audit Committee Chair Phil Ricci reported that the committee met with the auditors to review financial statements from the last fiscal year and, noting that the auditors had only minor comments, he commended Business Administrator Scott Rozanski and the Business Office staff for their work. 

Administration Building Offices Will Move
Buildings and Grounds Committee Chair Amy Barone reported to the board that, at its last meeting, the committee discussed the public vote to sell the Administration Building and the resulting plans for relocating offices that are currently housed in that building, particularly the IT department.

They also reviewed the Building Condition Survey and the Roof Report for the roof of the Richmond Memorial Library. Roof work would be a capital project and, as such, would require voter approval. They also continue to work on the leasing of Robert Morris, and currently have two potential tenants.

Batavia High’s Varsity Football Head Coach Brennan Briggs (2004 BHS graduate) and Science teacher Elena Chmielowiec (2006 BHS graduate) participated in homecoming each year while attending the high school.

Briggs was the starting quarterback and Chmielowiec was a varsity cheerleader. Both experienced a more permanent homecoming when they returned to their alma mater as staff members and to Batavia, a city they are proud to call home.

In addition, Briggs and Chmielowiec are both following in their fathers’ footsteps.

Jim Briggs was a Physical Education teacher and the varsity football coach at Gates-Chili for more than 30 years. 

From the time his only son, Brennan, was born, he spent his fall Friday evenings at his father's games. Brennan grew to love football and has become a continuous student of the game. When asked about his coaching mentors, he is quick to give credit to his father (first and foremost), and his own coaches.

He describes how he has been able to choose aspects from every coach he has learned from and adopt the things that fit for him. He doesn’t stop at learning all he can from the coaches he knows personally.

A copy of the book "How Good Do You Want to Be?" by University of Alabama’s Coach Nick Saban lies on the desk next to him. When asked about the book, he smiles and says, “I’ve read it, along with the books of (Auburn University’s) Gene Chizik and (Seattle Seahawks’) Pete Carroll.

“No matter how long you coach, you never stop learning. I don’t want to get to the point where I accept where I am and stop striving to improve.”

Briggs’ vision includes goals for Batavia

“I’d like to see the Batavia football program back in its winning position. We need to start with a winning record, then set our goals on a sectional championship and just keep moving on from there.”

The success of the Batavia football program is obviously important to Briggs, a true competitor; however it’s hard to tell whether it trumps his underlying motivation for the success of the individuals he is tasked to lead.

“I want to see our student athletes placed in the best position they can to succeed, not just in high school, but throughout their lives.”

It is Briggs’ former teachers and coaches at Batavia and at college in Homer that helped him develop a desire to influence student athletes.

“All my high school coaches provided guidance to me; however, Coach John Kirkwood (his modified football coach and sports medicine teacher) taught me to work hard and good things will come from it. Coach Kirkwood has always been a hard-working man, and he respected my work ethic, so we related to each other very well.”

Briggs is also quick to credit teachers with impacting him and specifically recalls the influence of Global Teacher Nan Zorn.

“Miss Zorn was strict, and she made things fun. I worked hard, and I did goof around a little bit. She appreciated my sense of humor while challenging me to learn and grow at same time.” 

Briggs can easily describe why he chose to return to Batavia. He says that he loves this community, because his family is here and he wants to continue to make this city his home. When asked about the size of his own family, he responds in an unexpected way: he first explains how many siblings each of his parents have, and then he goes on to talk about his own two sisters and nephews.

Briggs’ sense of family is broad and deeply ingrained in his sense of self. When talking about his hobbies outside of work, he is enthusiastic in his description of the family cabin in the Southern Tier and his love of hunting and fishing.

He can quickly articulate a goal for hunting -- to get a trophy buck. In speaking about his hunting record so far, it is not surprising that Briggs is patiently awaiting the perfect target -- there will be no waste to his methodical pursuit of this goal nor any other.

Unfortunately, Briggs did not experience a homecoming win while playing football for Batavia. When asked if he thinks Batavia can defeat Hornell, Briggs lights up and says, “my dad says Vandetta Stadium is made for snapping streaks. Notre Dame High School snapped Cal-Mum’s 49-game win streak in 1981, and we are looking to snap Hornell’s 42-game win streak.”

I have no doubt that Briggs will eventually lead Batavia to a sectional championship. His pursuit will be purposefully sought and patiently waited upon.  When it does come, the opponents will be surprised -- a little like Briggs’ future first trophy buck -- unprepared and suddenly discovering itself as a bowl of venison stew at a very large Briggs family feast. 

Elena Chmielowiec “inherited” her love for science from her dad. Don Chmielowiec, an Earth Science teacher at Brockport High School, taught Elena, through his own passion, to be both amazed at and inquisitive about the Earth.

Don has supplied rocks for Ward’s Science Supply Company for as long as his daughter can remember.

“When I was growing up, we went on rock-hunting expeditions all over the Northeast. We searched for fossils or specific rocks with a certain kind of color or texture, and I loved it. My Dad loves rocks, and I love stars...I was just destined to be a nerd.”

Chmielowiec knew, from the time she was in third grade, that she wanted to be a teacher. Other than her father’s influence, she was greatly affected by Sarah Grammatico, her teacher in both third and fourth grades.

“Mrs. Grammatico is the reason I wanted to become a teacher. She had a way of teaching and caring at the same time that made you just want to do well in her class. I wanted to be able to make the same difference in the lives of students that Mrs. Grammatico had made in mine.”

During her four years at Batavia High School, Chmielowiec joined the varsity cheerleading squad.

“We were terrible when we first started, and the other squads made fun of us at competitions. Kristen Shamp (Glow) was our coach, and she was determined to build the cheerleading program into something Batavia could be proud of.”

Coach Shamp drove the team to learn all they could about cheerleading.

“We attended camps, and studied the winning squads," says Chmielowiec, “and we worked through the spring and summer to learn to stunt and improve our gymnastics abilities.”

Chmielowiec also gives credit for their success to the families of the cheerleaders.

“Every family was involved and worked together to ensure that the squad had everything it needed. It was a year-round commitment for all of us.”

The result of this hard work was that the squad won sectionals her senior year and went to nationals.

“We went from the laughing stock of the section to winning sectionals in those four years. That whole process really built up my confidence.”

When it came to homecoming, Batavia never won a homecoming game while she was in high school, but Chmielowiec is quick to point out that fact didn’t make homecoming week any less amazing.

“I loved performing at the pep assembly, attending the bonfire, the powder puff games and hall decorating. We still have most of those traditions today.”

Chmielowiec’s desire to become a teacher in Batavia seems almost destined. After graduating from Brockport with a degree in Science Education, she applied for only two teaching positions -- one in Batavia and one in Hawaii. (Chmielowiec decided to apply for a teaching position in the Maui City School District after she and her family traveled to Maui upon winning a trip from the Regis and Kelly television show.)

After completing a student teaching job in Batavia, Chmielowiec received a call that she had been granted an interview in Maui; however, in the same week, she received a job offer from Batavia High School, where she had performed her student teaching.

“There was no doubt in my mind. I wanted to be in Batavia.”

Chmielowiec was highly motivated by her dad’s approach to teaching and to life:  “When I saw my Dad being successful, even on the days he was frustrated with his job, it taught me to power through and go back the next day ready to make a difference.” 

She realized the difference her father had made in the lives of his students from the feedback he has gotten and continues to receive from former students.

“One of my former students searched and found my sister on Facebook and told my sister what a difference I had made in her life, and that kind of comment makes it easy to overcome the tougher aspects of the job.”

Chmielowiec hates to see students wish away their high school years.

“It’s important to be involved and make the most of high school,” she says. “Once it’s over, you can never get that time back, so you need to embrace each day by learning all you can, both academically and with extra curricular activities.”

When she’s not teaching, Chmielowiec enjoys spending time with her flat-coated retriever "George."

“I call him Geo, because it means Earth,” laughs Chmielowiec. “We enjoy hiking, running and walking. He’s 60 pounds, but he thinks he’s four pounds. I’m thinking of bringing him to school, because he’d be a nice addition to my classroom.”

It’s doubtful Chmielowiec’s students will spend time with Geo in the classroom. However, it’s quite possible they may run into Chmielowiec and Geo searching for rocks in a local park or marveling at their favorite constellations in a clear Batavia evening sky.

Children participating in the city's Summer Youth Program stopped by Pioneer Reptiles in Batavia today, where owner Crystal Poyfair showed the youngsters a variety of lizards, turtles and snakes and other creepy-crawly things. With certain animals, the children were able to feed, hold or touch them. They also got to meet some of the future food of the reptiles, such as giant cockroaches.

Pioneer Reptiles is herpetological breeding facility that breeds and works with pet reptiles and investment-quality reptiles and some critically endangered species.

Poyfair has been working with reptiles for 20 years. She recently moved her business to Batavia from Virginia so her family could be closer to her husband's family.

She said she's deeply involved in the reptile industry and served as executive producer on the documentary Herpers 3. She's been working with Bob Irwin (father of late, great Crocodile Hunter Steve Irwin) and Colin Riddell to help end the slaughter of endangered sea turtles and dugong species in Australia.

Tours of the reptile facility are available by appointment, Poyfair said. She really wants to help educate children on the importance of reptiles in nature.

"One of the biggest messages I'm trying to get across is the fact that you really need conservation," Poyfair said. "Don't listen to the old myths. Not all snakes are dangerous. They're not all bad. They serve a purpose in nature, but they're disappearing at an alarming rate."

Le Roy's Holy Family School closed its doors for the last time a couple of weeks ago, but the school will long be remembered for the outstanding staff and students who graced its hallways and classrooms, for the positive community atmosphere it enjoyed, and for what it meant to local families during its 123-year history.

Photo courtesy of Kelly Hansen

There were 10 students in the final graduating class of the school at 46 Lake St., which was attached to Our Lady of Mercy Parish and served pupils in pre-K through eighth-grade. Students came not only from Le Roy, but also from elsewhere in Genesee County as well as Wyoming, Livingston and Monroe counties.

Photo courtesy of the Le Roy Historical Society

The school has seen a lot of changes -- including a change in its name -- since it was first staffed by the Sisters of Mercy more than 120 years ago (see the  timeline of milestones at the end of this story). Throughout all of these changes, its tradition of academic excellence and thriving school family remained much the same.

People who were part of the Holy Family community are filled with sadness, but also with fond memories and hope for the future.

Here are some stories that give an idea of just how special a place Holy Family was:

Michael Ficarella

Michael Ficarella, of Batavia, was hired as a sixth- through eighth-grade teacher at Holy Family School for the 2011-2012 school year. It was his first full-time teaching job.

"I couldn't have picked a better school to start (teaching)," Ficarella said.

He talked about the supportive team of teachers who welcomed and helped him throughout the year.

"From real early on, they were always coming by my room to see how I was doing, offering pointers on how to make this or that lesson better or how to make the classroom run smoother, etcetera."

In addition to teaching science and social studies, Ficarella also worked with younger students in the school's after-school program. During his brief time at Holy Family, he got to know a lot of kids.

"The students were great," he said. "They were well-mannered, very eager to learn and took pride in their school."

He mentioned the eighth-grade field trip to Washington, D.C., on which the kids were "phenomenal."

Despite losing his job his first year teaching, Ficarella said he is "absolutely 100 percent" glad of the experience and has no regrets.

The Hansen Family

Photo courtesy of Kelly Hansen

One of Ficarella's students was Alex Hansen, who was part of Holy Family School's final graduating class. He attended the school from kindergarten through eighth-grade.

"(The graduation) was bittersweet," said Kelly Hansen, Alex's mother. "What we were witnessing was never to take place at Holy Family School ever again."

"There were many 'lasts' over the past few months. It was very difficult for everyone as the adults tried to make the last days of school the best they could possibly be."

Hansen said that the decision she and her husband made to send Alex to Holy Family was "curious to some because we live in Batavia."

"The answer is never an easy one," she said, "but it always contains the same elements. The high test scores, great word-of-mouth, a place where God could be mentioned without fear of ridicule, not to mention a stellar reputation within the community for more than one hundred years."

She and her husband were also impressed with the parish to which the school was connected, which was called St. Peter's at the time.

"I'm not sure there would be a way to calculate the grand sum from the parish that has kept the school afloat for 123 years," she said.

Photo courtesy of Our Lady of Mercy Parish Secretary Sue Bobo

Of course, the school environment was also a major factor in the decision.

"We were impressed with what we saw the day we first visited," Hansen said. "Children holding the door for us as we came and went, walking down the halls and having students greet us without an adult to prompt them, students standing and greeting adults as they entered a classroom -- all this left us knowing that we were making the right decision for our family."

Second-grade teacher Patty Page is pictured with her granddaughter at a Halloween party at Holy Family School. Photo courtesy of Sue Bobo.

As for the teachers, their "commendable dedication" has left an impression on Hansen.

"Many teachers at (Holy Family School) have taught for 20 or more years," she said. "Catholic school teachers are state certified yet make a small fraction of what their public school counterparts do. They clearly are not in their chosen profession for the money -- it is something they do because they love it."

She sees this as part of a pattern of sacrifices that everyone involved in the Catholic school system makes for what they consider the greater good.

"Most families who choose to send their children to a Catholic school quietly go without things other families take for granted so that their children may reap the abundant benefits," she said.

"We’ve had the same car over the course of all nine years (of Alex attending Holy Family School). It is a bit rustier and a lot noisier. It has driven from Batavia to Le Roy hundreds of times, often carrying multiple students to one event or another."

"To pay for education that could otherwise be obtained for free at a public school is a bizarre choice to some," she said. "But for us it was the only option we could imagine. Anyone familiar with Catholic education knows about the sacrifices made in order for it to be possible."

The Winters Family

Photo courtesy of Bryan Winters

When first-grader Anna Rose Winters learned that her school would be closing, she was very sad. But then the first question that came out of her mouth was: "What are the uniforms like at St. Joe's?"

Anna Rose, like other Holy Family students, will attend St. Joseph School in Batavia in the fall.

"She went through the normal grief stages," said her father, Bryan Winters. "There were tears, but then she very quickly started to incorporate St. Joe's."

Winters was on Holy Family School's Finance Committee for several months, which put Anna Rose in a "unique situation."

"She's a smart kid -- she could read the writing on the wall," he said. "We were honest with her from the beginning that her school could close, but we'd try our best."

And try they did. According to Winters, who makes his living raising money for the University of Rochester School of Medicine and Dentistry, the committees formed by parents to help save the school "were doing all the right things."

"It's remarkable how much money we were able to raise with the time constraint," he said. "But there were a lot of needs-based scholarships (and other expenses that could not be met with the current student enrollment)."

Like his daughter, Winters also went through the grieving process. But he has a "very great feeling" about St. Joe's and is optimistic about Anna Rose's future.

"(Of course), there are families who have been at Holy Family for three or four generations," he said. "Their grieving process is probably longer, and that's understandable. But I need to think of the best interests of my daughter. We're going to get fully involved in St. Joe's."

Bryan and Kate Winters moved to Le Roy from Monroe County a few years ago. Holy Family School was the main reason for their move.

Having just started a family, they wanted to move to the country to give their kids (they have two younger children in addition to Anna Rose) some "breathing room." But they also wanted to make sure the kids received a Catholic education.

"We looked around Western New York and the Finger Lakes region," Winters said. "We toured different schools in Livingston and Monroe counties, and even some in Erie County."

They were very selective in their search, because everything in their lives is a "distant second to our kids."

When they went to an open house at Holy Family, "that sealed the deal."

"That was where we knew we felt at home (at Holy Family)," Winters said. "We learned about the different programs and the curriculum -- they had a very rigorous program. We liked the student-teacher ratio. It was primarily for that reason that we moved to Le Roy."

With three years as a Holy Family parent under his belt, Winters still sings the school's praises loudly.

"It blows my mind that there were people around here who didn't send their kids to Holy Family," he said. "They must not have known what we had there."

Pictured Principal Kevin Robertson with Mrs. Page's second-grade class. Photo courtesy of Sue Bobo.

Like Ficarella and Hansen, he touted the supportive atmosphere the school offered.

"We could call or email any time, and (the issue) was taken care of," he said. "There was a real family feel, whether it was students with teachers or families with teachers. It was an open community."

Part of this openness was the teachers' willingness to share personal stories with their students.

"Every once in a while Anna Rose would share a story at dinner about a teacher's dog, or about Mrs. So-and-So's son getting into a certain college," Winters said. "The fact that these teachers would recognize (for example) that a first-grader wants to hear stories about a dog means a lot. It goes back to that feeling of family."

Winters' wife is a teacher, so the two of them "have a pretty good pulse on what a good teacher is."

"And these teachers -- they had it," he said.

And the students weren't bad, either.

"The Holy Family slogan was 'Teaching Tomorrow's Leaders,' and I think that's what they were doing," Winters said.

He commented on how the kids would hold doors for people and demonstrate politeness in other ways.

"All that stuff goes above and beyond two plus two," he said. "It was about more than just standardized testing; the focus was on growing the student as a person. It was built into the curriculum."

Anna Rose is excited about going to St. Joe's, but she and her family will always have fond memories of Holy Family School.

STORY CONTINUES after the jump (click the headline to read more):

A Brief History in Pictures

Holy Family's original name was St. Peter's School, after the church with which it was affiliated (St. Peter's Church became Our Lady of Mercy Parish in 2008). The school was placed in the charge of the Sisters of Mercy, who lived in Batavia and commuted every day by train the first year.

A photo of St. Peter's academic department in the early 1900s. Photo courtesy of the Le Roy Historical Society, originally published in the Le Roy Gazette.

St. Peter's grew significantly between its founding in 1889 and 1955, when it was expanded to serve the children of both Catholic parishes in Le Roy (the other one being St. Joseph's Church). At that point, it was renamed "Holy Family School."

Note: Unless otherwise specified, all of the following were published in the Batavia Daily News and obtained courtesy of the Le Roy Historical Society:

Photo published in the Holy Family School Newsletter

Over the years, Holy Family slowly made the transition from a parochial school to a regional school. Hansen said that by the time it closed, "only 40 percent of the students were from Le Roy, with remaining students coming from Wyoming, Livingston and Monroe counties."

Regional schools have different requirements than parochial schools, including, according to Hansen, a "suggested class size (of) 20-25 students per grade level."

Take that, the fact that the school was staffed by state certified teachers instead of religious sisters receiving a modest stipend (which kept tuition costs low), and the population decrease in our area, and you get a good idea of the reason for Holy Family School's closure.

For more information on Holy Family School's history, please see the timeline at the bottom of this story.

Here are some pictures of the school through the years, courtesy of Sue Bobo and the Le Roy Historical Society:

Graduating class of 1957

Graduating class of 1965

Graduating class of 1978

Thank you to the interviewees, Sue Bobo and the Le Roy Historical Society for the information and pictures.

Timeline: Holy Family School:

• 1849 -- Rev. Edward Dillon founds St. Peter's Catholic Church in Le Roy.
• 1852 -- Rev. Thomas Fitzgerald, Rev. Dillon's successor as pastor, begins collecting funds to enlarge parish in response to rapid membership growth.
• 1857 -- Temporary parish school established by Rev. James McGlew in the church basement.        
• July 1889 -- Work is begun on new school behind St. Peter's Church (now called "the annex").
• Sept. 2, 1889 -- St. Peter's School opens, with the Sisters of Mercy recruited to teach.
• Early 1900s -- St. Peter's School has enrollment of 260 students.
• Feb. 14, 1907 -- Most Rev. Charles H. Colton, bishop of Buffalo, administers Sacrament of Confirmation in Le Roy; large number of Italian-American residents ask for their own "National" (or ethnic) parish.
• Feb. 16, 1907 -- Bishop Colton sends Rev. Joseph A. Gambino to establish St. Joseph's Church.
• 1913 -- Significant improvements to St. Peter's Church and School.
• 1955 -- St. Joseph's and St. Peter's unite to build a new school building to serve all Catholic children in Le Roy. Upon completion, St. Peter's School is renamed Holy Family School.
• Sept. 23, 1956 -- Holy Family School is officially dedicated by Most Rev. Leo R. Smith, an auxiliary bishop of the Diocese of Buffalo.
• 1965 -- Gymnasium is built in the school.
• 1989 -- Holy Family School is run mostly by laypeople rather than nuns.
• 1993 -- Barbara McVean becomes the first layperson to serve as principal of Holy Family School.
• 1990s -- 2000s -- Holy Family School begins to serve students from other communities as neighboring Catholic schools close.  Children from elsewhere in Genesee County as well as from Wyoming, Livingston and Monroe counties attend the school.
• 2008 -- St. Joseph's and St. Peter's merge as Our Lady of Mercy Parish.
• 2009 -- 2010 -- Under diocesan plan, Holy Family School transitions from parochial to regional school.
• 2011 -- Parents establish the Holy Family School Finance/Fund Raising Committee to try saving the school from closure.
• 2012 -- Holy Family School closes in spite of valiant student, parent and teacher efforts.
• June 8, 2012 -- The Holy Family School Choir performs for the last time in public at the Le Roy Bicentennial Celebration; receives standing ovation.

Previous coverage of Holy Family School:

Mancuso's hosts Holy Family School, of Le Roy, for Catholic Schools Week

Pictures: Holy Family and St. Joe's kids

Students at Holy Family learning and having fun with art