education

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

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

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

In all, 27 people applied for the job.

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

Released by the school district:

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

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

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

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

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

Parent Shares Concern Regarding Consolidation

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

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Board Vacancy Applications Received

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

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

Changes to Budget Voting Procedure

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

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

External Audit Report

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

Some specific points from the report and presentation follow.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Legislative Items to be Addressed at School Boards Convention

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Earlier this week, Batavia City Schools sent a letter to parents of students at Batavia Middle School notifying them that school has been placed on a "School in Need of Improvement" list by U.S. Department of Education.

This morning, Superintendent Margeret Puzio explained to The Batavian what the letter meant.

As part of "No Child Left Behind," passed in 2001, schools that receive federal aid must ensure certain "subgroups" perform adequately on standardized tests.

Subgroups are groups of students considered disadvantaged, such as students with disabilities, minority students, students who speak English as a second language. 

If a school has 30 or more students qualifying for a subgroup, then the school must meet the standardized test requirements for that subgroup in order to receive continued federal aid.

None of the elementary schools, with only about 300 students each, are large enough that any of the so-called disadvantaged groups have 30 or more students, but the middle school, with 500 students, does.

One such subgroup is students with disabilities.

Within the past year, the state stopped giving schools 34 bonus points on standardized tests for students with disabilities, also the raw score to pass the test has been raised, and the test has been made longer.

Puzio called this a "Bermuda Triangle" for school districts and Batavia isn't alone in falling into the trap.

Because the middle school's students with disabilities subgroup didn't meet the requirements of the standardized tests the last two rounds, the district was required to notify all parents of middle school students that the school is now considered a "School in Need of Improvement."

Also, in order to continue receiving federal aid, called Title I funds, the district must divert some of its Title I money into a program to help disadvantaged students, and in this case help students who are economically disadvantaged.

The district will be required to hire a contractor -- perhaps Sylvan Learning Centers -- to come in and offer tutoring and other help to economically disadvantaged students.

Participation by economically disadvantaged students is optional and entirely up to the parents of the students as to whether their children will participate.

To whatever degree a proposal to reduce city elementery schools from three to two is a trial balloon, in a meeting with parents at Robert Morris School on Tuesday night, it went down like a lead Zeppelin.

If Batavia City Schools Superintendent Margeret Puzio (top photo) hoped to woo some of the 70 parents in attendance, she would have been hard-pressed to find one fan of the idea by the end of the meeting.

Even parents who saw the need -- such as Phil Ricci, a budget ambassador for the school district -- said they hated the idea.

A consolidation of school districts -- one proposal shutters the current administration building and converts Robert Morris into new district headquarters -- would save as much as $1 million annually.

In an era of declining state aid combined with a property tax cap, the district board is forced to find ways to reduce spending that is "thinking outside the box," Puzio said.

She said if the 2-percent property tax cap had passed a year earlier, it would have led to a budget shortfall of $426,064. The cap would have limited the recent property tax increase to $280,106, instead of the $706,170 actually raised.

Plus, the district relied on a one-time federal grant of $567,584 to help balance the budget in 2011-12.

But on Monday night, there were times when parents seemed to simply oppose consolidation of the district's elementary schools regardless of budgetary constraints.

"It doesn’t seem we have a chance for honest input," Caroline Richardson said (first insert photo). "It seems like the decision is already made. It seems like there are no other options other than cutting down our programs again."

The consolidation proposals all involve the district selling its current administration building and then locating those offices to one of the elementary schools.

In each case, students are shuffled in a way that all grades would be at one school or another, such as all K-2 students at John Kennedy or all fifth-grade students at Batavia Middle School.

Cost savings would be achieved primarily through the elimination of some school-level administration and possibily some teaching positions.

The plans all end the idea of community schools serving K-5 students in their own neighborhood.

And that seemed to be the biggest sticking point for parents.

Some parents noted that under the proposals, instead of having their three children at one school, such as Robert Morris, they would end up with a kindergartner at one school, a third-grader at another school and their fifth-grader in the middle school.

Bonnie Vickery pointed out that schools rely on a lot of parent involvement both for educational support and fund raising.

If students are at more distant schools, and in some cases students will only be at a particular school for a couple of years, parents will be less likely to get involved, Lisa Macdonough (second inset photo).

"It's going to hurt schools way more than you realize," Vickery said. "I know the board is doing the best that it can and I know you want to do the best for the students, but there is a sense of community that is going to be lost."

While Puzio pointed to educational advantages of putting, say, all the second graders in one school instead of three, many parents weren't buying it.

A couple of parents cited reports they said showed that students who attended community schools achieved higher test scores, and students who made fewer transfers from school to school are more likely to graduate from high school.

"There are other options you need to be looking at that don't effect the children," Richardson said. "This is a community that has a lot of children in it who are disadvantaged to begin with and now we're going to disadvantage them again by taking them out of their neighborhoods."

Another person said many parents bought their homes where they did to be close to a community-based school, which brought a round of applause from other parents.

Puzio explained that part of the school district's goal was to preserve class size, which in Batavia is traditionally 20 students per class.

But when Macdonough said she would accept more students per class if it meant preserving community schools, nearly every parent applauded.

Another parent picked up the theme.

"Studies have shown that with a quality teacher who wants to be there, class size has little effect," Janelle Marble said. "We need to cultivate good teachers who want to be in their classrooms, who love teaching."

Near the end of the meeting, Ricci spoke up and said when he heard the consolidation plan, he became frustrated. He likes having his children attend Robert Morris, but he also knows the school district is facing a difficult budget situation and the board is doing the best it can on behalf of the children.

"I know all of these guys and know they are not trying to screw over the kids," Ricci said. "If this doesn't work, and it might not work, we as a community need to come together and come up with other options."

A group of parents are organizing a communitywide meeting to discuss consolidation at 7 p.m., Sept. 26, at Richmond Memorial Library. (Location TBD)

It's a big leap from middle school to high school and for the past four years, to help freshmen students make the transition, Batavia High School has conducted a special orientation day the day before classes officially begin.

For the class of 2015 that was today.

Of the 198 students in the frosh class, all but three students showed up for the orientation that began at 8 a.m. with a dramatic welcome by faculty and administration in the gym -- lights turned down, spotlights turned on and music playing loud, the students are welcomed into the gym like a championship team.

"We tell them up front that there will be some corny stuff," said Joe Hussar, one of the faculty organizers. "It's a little over the top sometimes."

The goal is give the students an introduction to BHS without 800 other students around. 

"It gives them at least one day where they can take their time and figure things out," Hussar said.

Like where their locker is and how to open it, and how to get from history class to English class.

The students also meet some of the upperclassmen who act as mentors during the school year.

More than 100 upperclassmen applied for the program and the 53 selected went through three days of training over the summer. Today, after the initial gym meeting, they led small groups of students in exercises to help them learn each other's names, how to communicate better and just get to know each other so at least on the first day of school there will be a few familiar faces.

Tomorrow, all the mentors will wear bright pink T-shirts so they can be easily identified by any freshmen who can't find a class, have a question or otherwise need help.

"It's awesome that so many of our upperclassmen are taking the lead," Hussar said.

To further assist the freshmen, the upperclassmen leaders have lockers strategically positioned among a group of freshmen lockers -- for about every seven or eight frosh lockers are two mentor lockers. The arrangement will last throughout the year.

After the small group exercises, the freshmen were given a tour of the school, had a break for lunch and then did a modified version of their class schedule -- 10 minutes for each class so they can learn how to get from room to room with less confusion tomorrow.

Whoever first said "Diamonds are a girl's best friend" never met Morgan Harrington.

For Morgan, life is about butterflies.

The Elba 9-year-old has taken the lead in a family project to find and catalogue as many types of caterpillars at the Harrington Greenhouses as possible.

There are 72 different species of butterflies and moths in Genesee County, and the Harringtons would like to find all 72.

"Now that we started this, we find that when we go through the nursery, we find them everywhere," said Morgan's dad, Aaron. "We're going to learn what we can about each of them."

Morgan -- who is assisted by her  8-year-old sister Madison -- uses field books to identify each kind of caterpillar, butterfly and moth she comes across. She keeps a log of each discovery, from the date of the find up through each stage of life for the insect -- from larva to caterpillar to winged creature.

"I really like it because I started doing it after one of my pets died," Morgan said.

Her simple explanation belies her obvious enthusiasm for the project. She can teach you more about butterflies in 30 minutes than you could learn in a high school biology class. Morgan can talk intelligently about each stage in the life cycle and identify on sight a dozen or more species, including what they eat and where they live.

"We decided to do this because we didn't want our kids growing up not understanding how things work in life," said Aaron, who runs the greenhouse business with his wife, Danielle.

The business in its current incarnation is 25 years old and was started by his father, though there was a greenhouse business on the same North Byron Road location years before that.

The Harrington's raise a variety of annuals, perennials, shrubs, bushes and trees, as much as possible without pesticides (though with non-native species of insects, pesticides are about the only option), and the butterfly project has made Madison and Morgan more aware of the insect species around them.

"It's good for them to learn the different types of beneficial and non-beneficial types of animals," Aaron said.

Even some caterpillars -- such as the rose saw fly -- are far too destructive to host plants, Aaron noted, but of course, monarch butterflies are beautiful and help spread pollen.

The girls have found a couple dozen monarch caterpillars, a few of which are already curled up in cocoons. When the butterflies emerge, Morgan said, she will take them to a nearby milkweed patch and release them (monarchs eat milkweed because the plant's sap produces a toxin in the caterpillars that birds avoid).

All of the caterpillars live in a shared aquarium where they can munch on preferred clippings of milkweed, walnut or willow leaves.

The shared housing has led to another lesson -- one variety of caterpillar will eat its siblings if given a chance.

"I always say I don't want my kids growing up to think fish comes square and already breaded," Aaron said. "I want them to see an animal's life cycle from beginning to end learn about it."

Lindsay Kuhn, of Smoke Ridge Organics and Butterflies, visited the Richmond Memorial Library on Friday afternoon for the children's summer reading program. Kuhn brought with her a box of butterflies -- 55 of them stored in wax envelopes ready for release into the wild by the children. After about a 20-minute talk on the different kinds of butterflies, why they're important to the environment and their life cycles, each child was given a butterfly to release.

A reader sent this link saying that a group of students "worked really hard" on this video to promote their school. We don't have any other details.

New students for the 2011-12 academic year at Genesee Community College started arriving at College Village this morning.

Some 387 new and returning students will occupy 95 apartments by the end of the day Saturday.

For new students, coming in today and tomorrow, College Village has set up orientation classes, events and trips to help out-of-town students learn about Genesee County.

"We have fun programs and we have educational programs to help prepare students for residential life," said John Sisson, director of College Village.

On the educational front, students -- many of whom are living with non-family members for the first time --  attend sessions on how to get along with others and fire safety, for example.

The village has scheduled events Thursday through Sunday, starting with a shopping trip to Walmart, an ice cream social, a pizza dinner, a trip to Darien Lake and an afternoon Muckdogs game Sunday at Dwyer Stadium.

The Batavia Music and Arts Advocacy Group (BMAA) held its premiere meeting Wednesday evening at the GoArt! building in Downtown Batavia. Cheri Kolb, seated, and Lauren Picarro-Hoerbelt formed this organization in response to the cuts that the Batavia City School District's arts and music programs have endured as a result of current economic woes. 

Kolb and Picarro-Hoerbelt both have children in the Batavia schools who are involved in music programs. They started this group out of: 1) concern for where they see the district going, and 2) a desire to maintain programs, teachers and the quality of arts/music activities for the kids.

Picarro-Hoerbelt said her hope is for this group to have a presence in both good times and bad.

"(We want) to help out in the bad times, and to remind everyone why these programs are important in the good times."

Kolb envisions BMAA as a "forum for parents (and others) to express their concerns and be a voice for their children."

Five parents were in attendance -- a scant turnout, but understandable, since it "fell in the middle of several vacations" (Kolb's words). A number of other people who were not able to attend the Wednesday meeting have expressed interest in joining.
 

The issue at hand

Over the past few years, art and music programs have taken some major hits, funding-wise. There has been particular concern about this at the elementary level, where art and music are not mandatory subjects.

For that reason, Kolb said, part of BMAA's mission is to "help create an understanding of how these subjects affect the ones that are mandated."

Part of the night's discussion centered around research showing that the more exposure kids get to these programs early on, the more they will contribute to brain development. Susan Dickenson, one of the parents at the meeting, noted that research has proven the beneficial effects of arts and music programs on reading, math and study skills.

Frank DeMare, another parent at the meeting, said part of the problem is that "it's all about test scores" in the education system right now.

"They want to get test scores up," he said, "and they think the way to solve the problem is to throw money at it. Well, if they're going to throw money at it, the place to throw it is music and the arts."

He noted that students from low income and minority populations are of special concern to the State Education Department in terms of test scores. Children from these populations could stand to gain a lot from the benefits of music programs, but don't have the money to purchase instruments. This is one area where additional funding resources could come in handy.

In spite of their zeal for the arts and music in the schools, Kolb and Picarro-Hoerbelt are not insensitive to taxpayers' concerns.

"People are worried about how their money is being spent," Kolb said. "But they need to know how (their decisions) affect the kids, who will be the next citizens of this community, and also to understand that trying to send a message by voting down budgets might not be the most productive message to this generation."

In the recent past, people have responded to this by arguing that it is the district employees who are "hurting the kids" by demanding unreasonable benefits, etc. Kolb addressed that concern.

"I think there was a time when New York State was in a period of prosperity," she said, "so they put into place a lot of benefits for teachers' unions. Now that the state is in greater economic need, they have had to accommodate the benefits that were in place before. But that's not the fault of the teachers."

She further noted that the teachers she knows "work an incredible amount of hours and contribute (a good amount of) their own money to purchase supplies they can't otherwise get because of budget cuts."

Teachers under pressure, students shortchanged

"The original spark (behind the idea of forming this group) stemmed from (the school board's discussions about) restructuring of the strings program," Kolb said. "That was our first public indicator that there was something going on, budget-wise, that could affect our kids."

Following this "original spark" was a major catalyst: A statement from one of the board members, quoted in The Daily News, about the need to look carefully at non-mandated programs in the wake of state budget cuts. At the elementary level, these include the arts and music.

"We knew they probably weren't going to be cut," Picarro-Hoerbelt said, "but they would be restructured to the point where the kids get less."

This "restructuring" has entailed staff cuts and increased workloads for remaining teachers. For example, the position of chorus instructor at Batavia High School has been eliminated, and the chorus teacher at Batavia Middle School must now pick up the slack by teaching grades six through 12.

Picarro-Hoerbelt's husband, Mark, who was also present at the meeting, has the exact same position (chorus teacher for grades six through 12) in Alexander, which is a smaller district with fewer students.

"I'm busy," he said. "I can't imagine what it's going to be like for him (the BMS chorus teacher)."

Meanwhile, recent retiree Cindy Baldwin's position as a districtwide strings instructor has also been eliminated. Students will now receive string lessons from staff at each of their respective elementary schools.

So at John Kennedy Elementary, for example, the music teacher is going to have to take on 55 string lessons per week. Keep in mind that this is in addition to his role as director of the school's vocal music programs and his regular classroom responsibilities.

Baldwin was also the music department chair for the district; that role will now be assumed by Jane Haggett. Haggett was hired as the high school band director several years ago and, since the band director position at Batavia Middle School was cut, has had to add grades seven and eight to her list as well.

DeMare expressed worry about the prospect of Haggett becoming department chair -- not because he doubts her capabilities, but because she is already overburdened with current responsibilities.

Fewer teachers available and more work for the teachers who remain in the district mean less time and energy to dedicate to the students.

"We're worried about our kids falling through the cracks," Picarro-Hoerbelt said.

Additionally, DeMare noted that the restructuring of programs leads to larger groups of students.

"Some kids get lost in big groups," he said. "They lose interest."

What about the cost?

Right now, the immediate goal of BMAA is to make sure nothing else gets cut. It's about maintaining programs rather than adding to them.

Kolb and Picarro-Hoerbelt stressed that parents and community members are going to have to assume responsibility and find creative ways to keep these programs going.

"There's a tendency to blame the state when things are so dire," Kolb said. "I think we're at a point where the state can't do any more. The districts have to take the initiative."

Dickenson presented the Royalton-Hartland School District in Niagara County (where she used to live) as proof that this can be done.

Royalton-Hartland has received media recognition for its sports programs in addition to having thriving arts/music programs.

"There's something for every student," Dickenson said. "(Royalton-Hartland) is a small district, just like we are. But they really make use of the resources they have available."

When she moved to Batavia, she found that there was "such a different mentality."

"There's almost an attitude in the community that, 'Oh, they're doing the best they can, so we'll leave it in their hands,'" Picarro-Hoerbelt said, "until things get really dire like this. Everyone has to step up."

Game plan

BMAA welcomes all community members with a passion for arts and a desire to see keep them kept alive and well in the schools. The only people who would not be accepted into the group are those who are currently teaching art and music in the Batavia schools, as this would create a conflict of interest.

People with various talents and skills are invited to join and to help out in whatever way they would like.

One way to help BMAA is to do research on various topics, such as:

• what music/arts programs are in school districts comparable in size to Batavia and how they are maintained;
• data and charts demonstrating the importance of music and the arts in relation to core subject areas and brain development;
• rules of conduct at school board meetings;
• and even something as simple as finding out which locations the school board will use for upcoming meetings and letting everybody else in the group know.

If you have a gift for public speaking, there is also room for people who would like to speak at board meetings or other events.

And that's another thing: BMAA is designed to foster a positive relationship with the school board, as opposed to the community vs. board mentality a lot of people seem to have.

"We are being reassured that they are looking at everything," Kolb said.

In other words, the board is examining options for making necessary cuts more equitable, keeping in mind that the arts and music have suffered disproportionately for a few years.

Other ideas

Another one of the key ideas presented at Wednesday's meeting was that of giving school arts and music programs more visibility in the wider community. Someone raised the question of how, for example, student art shows could be opened up so that it's not just the students and their parents who come, but also school board members, legislators, etc.

DeMare said that in many of the wealthier school districts, local businesses support arts and music programs. Batavia businesses already sponsor sports programs, and everyone agreed that this could be extended to the arts and music as well.

One of the most fundamental questions raised was this: "How can we get people out there to vote?"

A very small percentage of those eligible to vote in school board elections and budget votes actually vote. Picarro-Hoerbelt and Kolb feel it is important to encourage everyone to recognize their role in the lives of our community's children.

"Even if you no longer have a child in the district," Picarro-Hoerbelt said, "please come out and support the programs that meant a lot to your kids 20 years ago."

BMAA is drawing on information from the NAMM Foundation on how to effectively implement grassroots organizations in support of music in the schools. For more information, go to www.nammfoundation.org.

For more information on BMAA or to get involved, e-mail artsadvocacy14020@yahoo.com. The group's next meeting will be held at the GoArt! building, on the corner of Main and Bank streets, at 6:30 p.m. on Wednesday, Sept. 14.

This evening, 10 young women who are about to graduate from high school were awarded scholarships totaling well over $5,000 from the Batavia Zonta Club.  

Kasey Edgerton, from Oakfield-Alabama High School, who was described as “a scholar, an actor, a feminist…a volunteer,” was awarded the Young Women in Public Affairs Scholarship.

Kasey will study English and Japanese at SUNY Albany with plans to become a teacher of English as a Second Language.

The Winnie Legg Business Award was given to Amy Schmidt, who will begin her studies in International Business at Elmira College after graduating from Batavia High School. As she wrote in her application, Amy enjoys traveling abroad as well as interacting with people of different cultures and hopes to incorporate these interests in her career.

Aimee Hurlbut, also a student at Batavia High, was awarded the Muriel Pies Art Scholarship. 

Aimee plans to study in a 2+2 program through Genesee Community College and Roberts Wesleyan College, where she will major in Business Administration and Graphic Design. A recommendation letter from her coach explained that, “(s)he feels that she must not only take time to improve her own life but also to improve the lives of others.” 

The Sis Babbage Scholarship for music was awarded to Maryssa Peirick from Batavia High School, who will study Vocal Performance at SUNY Fredonia in the fall. Maryssa aspires to sing with the New York Metropolitan Opera. 

She wrote, “I know that perseverance and dedication are what will make me successful.”

Justine Saraceni of Notre Dame High School was given the Education Scholarship. 

Justine will study Childhood and Special Education at St. John Fisher College. She was described as being very active in the community, including extensive volunteer work. She was quoted as having written in her application, “I need to be willing to fight through any obstacle that comes my way.” 

A Batavia High School Student, Nicole Guilds, was presented with a Math & Science Scholarship. She will study Nursing at Genesee Community College, with plans to transfer to D’Youville College.

Nicole aspires to work in the oncology ward of a hospital like Women’s and Children Hospital in Buffalo. She wrote that she “will be able to educate less fortunate women.”

A Scholarship for Math & Science was awarded to Kelsey Scott of Elba High School, who will be attending SUNY Geneseo to study Biology. The valedictorian of her class, Kelsey participates in numerous activities including SADD, the Big Buddy Program and Pageturners. 

In a letter of recommendation, her library club advisor explained, “I have found her to be a mature young lady with great potential.”   

Alexis Kegler from Pavilion Central was given the Mabel Ellis Memorial Scholarship in Math & Science. She will be studying Nursing in a 2+2 program with Genesee Community College and SUNY Brockport. 

In her application, Alexis expressed her motivation to succeed in the sciences, a field that remains somewhat male-dominated. 

A Math & Science Scholarship was also awarded to Nicole Bailey of Byron-Bergen High School. Nicole will attend Clarkson University to study Environmental Engineering. She plans to help companies to “go green.” 

In a letter of recommendation, Nicole’s Social Studies teacher and coach stated, “I have no doubt…she will make her community proud.”

Brittani Scharlau from Alexander High School was presented with the Ann Robertson Memorial Scholarship in Math & Science. In the fall, she will be attending the Rochester Institute of Technology with a major in Diagnostic Medical Sonography. 

Brittani’s Advanced Placement English teacher wrote in a recommendation that she “thrives when challenged” and cited her character as one of her greatest strengths.      

Zontanian Patti Pacino explained, “That’s what our group does; we take care of women all around the world and in our very local area.”

All of the award recipients were described as being very involved in their schools, activities in their communities and volunteer work. 

This year, there were also many qualified applicants who could not be awarded scholarships; so, the Zonta Club is planning to add more scholarships. Patti Pacino closed by encouraging members to “get out there and work” in order to make even more scholarships available to young women in the community. 

The cafeteria at John Kennedy School was transported back in time today to the 1950s, when Beatniks ruled the poetry world.

The second grade class dressed in tie-die and berets for poetry readings and multi-media presentations for an audience of parents and teachers.

Not all of the poets represented in the readings were Beats, but the list included Shel Silverstein, Langston Hughes, John Gardner, Vachel Lindsay and Jeff Foxworthy.

Guest readers included Superintendent Margaret Puzio and school Principle Mr. Kesler.

The annual event was organized by second-grade teachers Ms. Mancuso, Mrs. Hallman and Mrs. Calandra. 

Pictured above are five of the students who participated, Juan Martinez, James Cooley, Ben Skalny, Haylee Thornley and Clair Griffith.

Construction has begun on the new playground for Robert Morris School. The funds for the new playground were the result of the school applying for and winning a grant from Pepsi Co. Today, crews are taking care of heavy-constructions issues, such as stone bedding and grading. Next Saturday, teachers and parents will get involved in installing equipment.

It's Studio Day at Robert Morris School -- a day when community members come into the school to share what they know with students, whether it be about fire fighting, skating, mask making, tennis or just having fun.

Teacher Liz Mundell said the day exposes students to career options, different kinds of hobbies or a chance for a little extra play.

"It's a different way for them to learn rather than just what they would find in a book," Mundell said.

News release from Jason Smith:

The Elba Central School Class of 2011 was honored to welcome Lt. Col. Paul Birch and 1992 Elba graduate as their guest speaker for the Sixth Annual Top Ten Dinner on June 6.

The event is held annually for the top 10 graduating students from Elba and their families to recognize their academic achievements.

Lt. Col. Birch was the guest speaker and shared with the students the importance of staying true to their values and never forgetting their hometown roots in Elba.

In his speech, he encouraged the students to apply all they learned and use their small-town values as an advantage in life.

The Elba Student Council graciously sponsored the event.

Principal Jason Smith awarded each student an honor pin in recognition of their top 10 status.

Lt. Col. Birch is an evaluator pilot with more than 1,200 combined hours in the F-15SE and was promoted to the rank of Lt. Col. on March 1, 2010.

His military decorations include the Air Medal, Air Force Commendation Medal, Air Force Achievement Medal, National Defense Service Medal, Iraq Campaign Medal, and Global War on Terrorism Medal.

On June 1, Lt. Col Birch took command of the 4th Operation Support Squadron.

Past  speakers at the annual banquet have included Maureen Torrey-Marshall, Dorothy Coughlin, Samuel Giansante, Colleen Contant and Charles Zambito.

The top 10 students this year (second row, from left): Jarad Kogut, Phil Casper, Lt. Col. Paul Birch; (first row, from left) Elizabeth White, Jenna Bird, Kelsey Scott, Crosby Lamont, Molly Geissler, Jessica Pcionek, Ashley Crnkovich. Megan Schwartzmeyer was absent.

Below, with Paul Birch and Jason Smith, is Class of 2011 President Phil Casper.

Above, President Stuart Steiner delivers his commencement speech to the 2011 graduates of Gensee Community College.

Steiner is finishing out his final academic year as president of GCC.

After the jump, a list of graduates highlighted by the college.

UPDATE: We've added Dr. Steiner's speech after the jump.

Djibril Gueye -- An international student from Dakar, Senegal, Djibril came to GCC for a degree in Sports Management and to learn how to apply business principals to the vast sport industry. After graduation, Djibril plans to transfer his credits to Brooklyn College and continue his education. Ultimately, he wants to use his education along with his love of sports to become a professional athlete’s agent. Djibril played on the Men’s Soccer team at GCC, proudly wearing #24 on his jersey throughout their victorious 15-1 season. His favorite instructor at GCC was Business Professor Barb Shine, and his favorite class will remain BUS 225, Entrepreneurship. After graduation, he says he will miss spending time in the college’s library.

Krystie Mary Laurey -- A stellar student-athlete, Krystie hails from Horseheads, NY, where she graduated from high school with Honors and was a member of the National Honor’s Society. She is earning her General Studies degree from GCC also with Honors, and she plans to transfer to a yet-to-be-named four-year college or university. Alongside her academic achievements, Krystie has made significant contributions to the Lady Cougars Basketball team where she played guard and small forward with the team going 18-12 this past season. She was awarded “Player of the Year” in 2011, and received the Coaches Award, Scholar Athlete Award and was the 2nd Team All-American Nominee. While her dream is to play with the Women’s NBA, she also has her sights on becoming a sports agent.

Lori A. Mould -- As a nontraditional student at age 48, Lori embraces every educational opportunity that comes her way. With dual GCC degrees in Communication and Media Arts and Fine Arts, Lori has been involved with numerous college activities and received numerous awards. She currently is the student representative to the college’s Board of Trustees, but previously she served as SGA president. She received: the SUNY Chancellor’s Award for Student Excellence 2009-2010; GCC Board of Trustees Award; SGA Award; Phi Theta Kappa International Most Distinguished Regional Officer (2009-2010); Phi Theta Kappa International Most Distinguished Regional Officer Team (2009-2010); Phi Theta Kappa International Most Distinguished Chapter Officer (2010-2011); Phi Theta Kappa International Most Distinguished Chapter Officer Team; Omega Nu Chapter Award for the Quiet Hero; New York Phi Theta Most Distinguished Regional Officer (2009-2010); and All-USA New York All Academic First Team. She was on the President's List for all eight semesters; Who’s Who Among Students in American Universities and Colleges for seven semesters; RACCE Outstanding Adult Student for two years; GCC Student of the Month, Student of the Semester, and  Volunteer of the Month. She plans to continue her education at Empire State College as well as her volunteer work in Louisiana, which includes increasing awareness about the environmental and social issues in that area.

Thao Hoang Phuong -- An international student from Ha Noi, Viet Nam, Thao is earning a degree in Business Administration from GCC. She has remained on the President’s List since the Fall of 2009. Thao is a member of Phi Theta Kappa Honor Society, undertaking responsibilities of the Public Relations secretary. She was also a founding member and the vice president of Education for the college’s newly formed Toastmasters International Club. She is a member of Who’s Who Among American Students in American Universities and Colleges. Thao completed the Leadership Certificate program along with the Student Development Series for which she received the Student Development Award. As a resident assistant at College Village and a member of the Student Government Association, Thao was given the Respect Award at the college for her trustworthiness, dependability, cheerfulness and willingness to go above and beyond expected tasks. She plans to transfer to a four-year school to major in Finance and one day return to Viet Nam to continue to develop her family’s business while working in finance, banking and education.

Leah Reino -- As the first Biotechnology student from GCC to study in Brisbane, Australia, Leah is an overachiever with numerous accomplishments, including several honors for her writing skills. She gives credit to her first English professor at GCC for challenging her to be a better writer. Last year, her entry was chosen for First Place in the David A. Garfinkel Essay Contest, sponsored by the New York State Court of Appeals. She’s a two-time winner of the GCC Student Poetry Contest and also took home First Place in the Literary Art Category in the Earth Day Art Contest. She placed in the top 10 (out of 1,300) in the nationwide NISOD Student Essay Contest for her piece, “Professor Weston and the Last Crusade.” Leah has been in Who’s Who in American Universities and colleges from 2009 to 2011. She’s made the President’s list and the Dean’s list for a number of semesters during her studies, and was awarded Student of the Semester in the spring of 2008 at the Arcade Campus Center. Perhaps most prestigiously, was her receiving the SUNY Chancellor’s Award this spring. Formerly a homeschooled student in Franklinville, Leah came to GCC for the Abilities to Benefit program, which allowed her to get her high-school equivalency. She plans to transfer to a four-year school to ultimately earn a Ph.D and pursue a career in biomedical sciences, cancer, and/or genetic research. Leah is also a graduate of GCC’s Honors Program, which prompted her to complete a number of projects including a paper on World War II, an anthology of poetry and artwork, and a research project on the genetic diversity of red-tailed hawks. Her blog -- including some stellar photos from her travels in Australia and New Zealand -- are available at: http://gccblogs.wordpress.com/

Joseff James Brockmann Smith – As his family is from Albion, NY, Joseff came to GCC because he wanted to stay close to home to remain involved in local church ministries. While Joseff remains open to change, for now, he plans to transfer to a four-year school to obtain his bachelor’s degree after studying at GCC for Teacher Education with a Coaching Certificate. Along with his faith, Joseff has dedicated himself to being a scholar-athlete, earning Male Scholar Athlete of the Year and Academic Athlete of the Week awards. Although he’s quite humble about his achievements, Joseff has also been Student of the Month, NJCAA Academic All American, Academic All Region, and named to the NYS 2nd All Academic Team. He is also a recipient of the SUNY Chancellor’s Award as well as the Nicolas J. Georgian Scholarship Award. As a member of the Men’s Soccer Team and the Christian Students United group, Joseff says he always does his best to serve others, practice his faith, and consistently looks for opportunities to make a positive difference. He has three siblings who have also chosen to study at GCC.

Dr. Steiner's speech:

GENESEE COMMUNITY COLLEGE
COMMENCEMENT 2011
KEYNOTE SPEAKER:  DR. STUART STEINER
MAY 22, 2011

FIRST AND FOREMOST, I WANT TO THANK THE MEMBERS OF THE GRADUATING CLASS FOR INVITING ME TO BE THIS YEAR’S COMMENCEMENT SPEAKER.  THERE ARE FEW HONORS THAT A COLLEGE PRESIDENT CHERISHES MORE THAN RECEIVING THIS TYPE OF INVITATION.  IT IS ESPECIALLY MEANINGFUL TO ME AS I CONCLUDE MY FORTY-FOURTH YEAR AT GCC AND MY THIRTY-SIXTH YEAR AS PRESIDENT.

SINCE THIS IS YOUR GRADUATION, I ASKED A NUMBER OF YOU WHAT YOU WOULD LIKE ME TO TALK ABOUT.  MANY OF YOU ASKED ME TO TELL YOU ABOUT MY TIME AND EXPERIENCES AT THE COLLEGE AND OTHERS ASKED ME TO SHARE THE ROAD MAP I FOLLOWED IN MY LIFE AND CAREER.

SO, I WILL SHARE SOME OF MY STORY WITH YOU.   BUT I WILL ALSO TELL YOU THAT I DID NOT HAVE A ROADMAP AND I NEVER EXPECTED TO HAVE A CAREER IN HIGHER EDUCATION, AND I CERTAINLY NEVER EXPECTED TO BE A COLLEGE PRESIDENT.

LET ME SHARE SOME FAMILY BACKGROUND WITH YOU SO YOU MIGHT BETTER UNDERSTAND WHY MY PARENTS PLACED SUCH A HIGH VALUE ON EDUCATION.   MY MOTHER’S PARENTS IMMIGRATED TO THE US FROM RUSSIA IN THE LATER PART OF THE 19TH CENTURY.  THEY CAME THROUGH ELLIS ISLAND AND LATER SETTLED IN BALTIMORE.  THEY LIVED AND WORKED IN WHAT WAS CALLED A “BLUE COLLAR” NEIGHBORHOOD.  MY FATHER’S PARENTS LIVED IN AUSTRIA AND WHEN HE WAS TEN YEARS OLD, THERE WAS MUCH POLITICAL UNREST IN HIS TOWN.  THE SITUATION BECAME SO BAD THAT HIS PARENTS PUT HIM ON A SHIP, ALONE, SO HE COULD COME TO THE UNITED STATES AND LIVE WITH AN UNCLE.  HE GREW UP IN CHICAGO AND AS A TEEN ENLISTED IN THE US ARMY.

MY MOM’S PARENTS WERE WORKING CLASS PEOPLE AND MY MOM AND DAD WERE THE SAME, DOING HARD WORK AND WORKING LONG HOURS.  HOWEVER, THEY ALWAYS EXPRESSED TWO DEEP BELIEFS THAT I WOULD CONTINUALLY HEAR AND I NOW PASS ON TO YOU – FIRST, EDUCATION IS THE KEY FOUNDATION FOR WHATEVER YOU DECIDE TO DO,  AND WHATEVER YOU DECIDE TO DO – DO SOMETHING THAT YOU FEEL IS SATISFYING AND THAT YOU HAVE A PASSION FOR DOING. 

I WAS THE YOUNGER OF TWO BOYS, BORN DURING THE GREAT DEPRESSION.  WE HAD VERY MODEST RESOURCES – BUT I NEVER FELT “POOR” SINCE ALL OF OUR FRIENDS LIVED IN A SIMILAR FASHION.  WE DIDN’T HAVE ANY CENTRAL HEATING, BUT WE HAD A COAL STOVE.  I THOUGHT THAT WAS HOW MOST FAMILIES LIVED.  WE DIDN’T HAVE A GREAT DEAL OF MONEY SO WHEN I WAS IN HIGH SCHOOL AND LATER IN COLLEGE, I HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO WORK IN A BREWERY DURING SUMMERS, SELL NEWSPAPERS, SELL PROGRAMS AT THE NAVY FOOTBALL GAMES, WORK IN A PHARMACY, WORK AT THE POST OFFICE AND, BEST OF ALL, BE A SCORECARD VENDOR WHEN THE BALTIMORE ORIOLES RETURNED TO THE MAJOR LEAGUES TO PLAY BASEBALL IN THE MID 1950’S.  THERE WAS NO PATTERN OF PLANNING HERE.  WE DID WHAT WAS NECESSARY TO GET TO THE NEXT DAY, WEEK OR MONTH.

WHEN I GRADUATED HIGH SCHOOL, I HAD NO IDEA OF WHAT I WANTED TO DO BUT MANY OF MY FRIENDS WERE EITHER GETTING THE TYPE OF JOBS THAT DIDN’T ESPECIALLY APPEAL TO ME OR GOING OFF TO COLLEGE.  COLLEGE SEEMED THE BETTER OPTION AND, AT A COST OF LESS THAN $100 A SEMESTER, I ENROLLED AT BALTIMORE JUNIOR COLLEGE – NOW BALTIMORE CITY COMMUNITY COLLEGE.  I STILL DIDN’T KNOW WHAT I WANTED TO DO, BUT WHAT I DID ACCOMPLISH WAS TO MAKE MY PARENTS VERY HAPPY --- THEIR SON WAS GOING TO COLLEGE – AND SEEING THEM HAPPY ABOUT THIS GAVE ME A DEEP SENSE OF PRIDE AND SATISFACTION. 

GRADUATION FROM BJC WAS AN EXCITING TIME FOR MY FAMILY.  MY BROTHER HAD JOINED THE AIR FORCE AND NOW I WAS NOT ONLY THE FIRST ONE IN THE FAMILY TO GO TO COLLEGE, BUT I WAS THE FIRST COLLEGE GRADUATE IN THE FAMILY.  I THINK BEING THE FIRST PERSON IN THE FAMILY TO GRADUATE COLLEGE MAY BE A SIMILAR STORY FOR MANY OF YOU WHO ARE GRADUATING TODAY.

NOW I WAS FOCUSED IN ON A PLAN – RIGHT.  SAD TO SAY THE ANSWER WAS STILL NO.  I WAS NOW LOOKING AT MY OPTIONS.  I WAS FORTUNATE – I HAD DONE WELL ACADEMICALLY AT BJC WHILE ALSO PLAYING ON THE BASKETBALL AND TENNIS TEAMS.  AS A RESULT, I RECEIVED SOME SCHOLARSHIP MONEY OFFERS AND SINCE I HAD FRIENDS THAT WERE GOING TO THE UNIVERSITY OF MARYLAND AND MARYLAND WAS WILLING TO TRANSFER ALL OF MY CREDITS AND ACCEPT ME WITH THIRD YEAR STANDING AS A BUSINESS MAJOR, I ENTHUSIASTICALLY ACCEPTED THE OFFER.  I WAS NOW 20 – AND I STILL LACKED A CLEAR PLAN FOR THE FUTURE.  TWO YEARS LATER, I WAS GRADUATING FROM THE UNIVERSITY – WITH MUCH EXCITEMENT AND THE PLEASURE OF ONCE AGAIN SEEING MY PARENTS SO EXCITED AND PROUD OF THAT MOMENT.  I THINK THEY ENJOYED THIS SUCCESSFUL COMPLETION OF MY COLLEGE WORK SO MUCH BECAUSE IT WAS SOMETHING THEY HAD TALKED ABOUT MY ENTIRE LIFE. 

NOW HERE IS WHERE CIRCUMSTANCES CAME IN AND IMPACTED ON MY FUTURE FAR MORE THAN ANY DETAILED PLANNING ON MY PART.  THE DRAFT WAS IN EFFECT AT THE TIME I GRADUATED, AND I HAD BEEN SERVING IN THE ARMY RESERVES AND AT SOME POINT I HAD TO GO INTO THE ARMY FOR SIX MONTHS OF ACTIVE ARMY DUTY – BUT THEY COULDN’T TELL ME WHEN I WOULD BE CALLED TO SERVE.

I LIKED WORKING WITH PEOPLE SO, WHILE WAITING FOR THE CALL TO ACTIVE DUTY, BECAUSE I NOW HAD A DEGREE IN HAND, I WAS OFFERED AND I TOOK A JOB AS A SOCIAL SERVICE WORKER IN THE CHILDREN’S DIVISION OF WHAT WAS THEN CALLED THE BALTIMORE WELFARE DEPARTMENT.  I ENJOYED THE WORK I WAS DOING THERE, ESPECIALLY WORKING WITH THE CHILDREN AND THEIR FAMILIES.  AFTER TAKING A LEAVE FROM MY JOB TO DO MY SIX MONTHS OF ACTIVE ARMY DUTY, I RETURNED TO MY WORK AT THE WELFARE DEPARTMENT.  I WANTED TO DO MORE THAN JUST BE A CASE WORKER BUT FOUND THAT TO HAVE ANY POSITION THAT COULD HAVE REAL IMPACT IN TRYING TO CHANGE SOME BASIC THINGS AND OPERATIONS OF THE DEPARTMENT, YOU NEEDED TO HAVE YOUR MASTER OF SOCIAL WORK DEGREE.  NOW A PLAN WAS STARTING TO FORM.

I ENROLLED IN GRADUATE SCHOOL AND EARNED MY MSW FROM THE UNIVERSITY OF PENNSYLVANIA.  GRADUATION DAY AND CEREMONIES ONCE AGAIN BROUGHT GREAT JOY TO MY PARENTS AND MY WIFE ROZ WHO I HAD MARRIED A YEAR EARLIER.  WITH MY NEW DEGREE, I WAS NOW QUALIFIED TO ASSUME A POSITION WITH INCREASED RESPONSIBILITY AND WAS ASKED TO SERVE AS THE DEPARTMENT’S DIRECTOR OF JUVENILE COURT SERVICES.  WITH MY NEW RESPONSIBILITIES, I WAS BEING URGED TO GO TO LAW SCHOOL AND TAKE AT LEAST SOME LAW CLASSES IF I REALLY WANTED TO HAVE A LARGER IMPACT IN HELPING THE CHILDREN AND FAMILIES THAT WERE MOVING THROUGH THE SOCIAL SERVICE AND COURT SYSTEM.  MY PARENTS ALWAYS SAID TOO MUCH EDUCATION WILL NEVER HARM YOU – BUT TOO LITTLE COULD POSSIBLY LIMIT YOUR OPPORTUNITIES AND, IN MY CASE, THEY WERE RIGHT AGAIN.  I STARTED TO TAKE LAW COURSES IN THE EVENING WHILE MAINTAINING MY JOB IN THE DAY –THEN CHANCE STEPPED IN AGAIN.  ON A TRAIN RIDE TO A MEETING IN PHILADELPHIA, I MET UP WITH A PERSON THAT WAS THE DEAN OF STUDENTS AT BALTIMORE JUNIOR COLLEGE WHEN I WENT THERE.  SHE INTRODUCED ME TO A FRIEND WHO WAS THE DIRECTOR OF THE BALTIMORE JUNIOR COLLEGE’S EVENING PROGRAM.  HE SAID IF I WAS INTERESTED, HE HAD SOME PART-TIME TEACHING OPENINGS FOR SOMEONE TO TEACH INTRODUCTORY SOCIOLOGY COURSES. 

I TOOK HIM UP ON HIS OFFER AND WAS NOW TEACHING AN EVENING SOCIOLOGY COURSE, TAKING EVENING COURSES AT THE UNIVERSITY OF BALTIMORE LAW SCHOOL, AND DOING MY WORK AS THE DIRECTOR OF JUVENILE COURT SERVICES.  MY WIFE’S PATIENCE AND TOLERANCE IN AGREEING TO ALLOW ME TO DO ALL OF THESE THINGS MADE IT ALL POSSIBLE. 

AS A SIDE NOTE, THE PERSON THAT I MET ON THE TRAIN AND WHO HIRED ME WAS DR. ALFRED C. O’CONNELL, WHO LATER BECAME THE FIRST PRESIDENT OF GCC.  I TAUGHT FOR SEVERAL YEARS AT BJC AND ONE DAY RECEIVED A CALL FROM DR. O’CONNELL ASKING IF I WOULD CONSIDER CHANGING MY CAREER DIRECTION AND JOINING HIM AT HIS NEW COLLEGE IN MARYLAND WHERE HE WAS JUST APPOINTED PRESIDENT.  HE OFFERED ME A POSITION AS DIRECTOR OF ADMISSIONS AND PLACEMENT.  WE NOW HAD TWO YOUNG CHILDREN AND IT WAS GOING TO BE A SERIOUS CAREER MOVE, BUT I ACCEPTED THE JOB.  I FINISHED MY LAW SCHOOL CLASSES, AND GRADUATED FROM LAW SCHOOL AND WAS CONTEMPLATING EITHER A LAW CAREER OR CONTINUING TO WORK IN THE STUDENT SERVICE AREA.  I LATER EARNED MY MASTERS AND DOCTORATE IN HIGHER EDUCATION FROM COLUMBIA UNIVERSITY.  NOW I HAD A CLEAR CAREER PLAN – RIGHT.   WELL, NOT EXACTLY.  THE OPTIONS FOR MY FUTURE PLANS BROADENED WHEN DR. O’CONNELL TOOK A NEW POSITION AS THE FIRST PRESIDENT OF GENESEE COMMUNITY COLLEGE AND ASKED ME TO JOIN HIM AS GENESEE’S FIRST DEAN OF STUDENTS.  I NOW HAD THREE PRESCHOOLERS, HAD NEVER WORKED IN NEW YORK, AND HAD NO IDEA WHERE BATAVIA, NEW YORK WAS LOCATED.  DR. O’CONNELL WAS A MASTER SALESPERSON AND HE CONVINCED MYSELF AND ROZ THAT THE CHANCE TO BE PART OF STARTING A NEW COLLEGE WAS THE OPPORTUNITY OF A LIFETIME.  HE WAS CORRECT ABOUT THAT.

A YEAR AFTER GENESEE STARTED OPERATIONS, DR. O’CONNELL ASKED ME TO ACCEPT THE POSITION OF CHIEF ACADEMIC OFFICER AND EXECUTIVE DEAN.  IT WAS AN EXCITING TIME.  SEVEN YEARS LATER, IN 1975 WHEN THE PRESIDENT RESIGNED TO TAKE ANOTHER POSITION, THE BOARD SELECTED ME TO BE THE PRESIDENT OF GENESEE COMMUNITY COLLEGE.  ALL OF THE THINGS THAT WERE SEEMINGLY UNRELATED, SUCH AS MY PAST WORK EXPERIENCE AND MY EDUCATIONAL BACKGROUND HAD NOW COME TOGETHER. 

NOW, STANDING UP HERE TODAY, 36 YEARS LATER, I CAN HONESTLY SAY THAT THIS EVENT WAS TRULY BEYOND ANY EXPECTATIONS THAT I HAD FOR MYSELF WHEN I TOOK MY FIRST JOB IN A COMMUNITY COLLEGE.  MY DEEPEST HOPE IS THAT EACH OF YOU WILL ALWAYS BE READY TO REACH BEYOND THE INITIAL GOALS AND EXPECTATIONS THAT YOU MAY HAVE ESTABLISHED FOR YOURSELF.

YOU ARE PART OF A COLLEGE THAT HAS SUCCEEDED AND GROWN BEYOND THE WILDEST EXPECTATIONS OF ITS FOUNDERS.  SUCCEEDING BEYOND EXPECTATIONS IS PART OF OUR HERITAGE.

TALK ABOUT GOING WELL BEYOND EXPECTATIONS – LOOK AT THE HISTORY OF GENESEE COMMUNITY COLLEGE.  ALMOST NO ONE, EXCEPT COMMITTED CITIZEN VOLUNTEERS, THOUGHT THAT GENESEE COUNTY WOULD APPROVE FUNDING FOR A COLLEGE OR THAT IT WOULD BE A SUCCESS.  WHEN I MOVED HERE IN 1967 AND MY FIRST OFFICE WAS IN A CONDEMNED URBAN RENEWAL BUILDING IN A FORMER LIQUOR STORE, I WAS STILL EXCITED ABOUT RECRUITING STUDENTS FOR OUR FIRST CLASS BUT MY EXPECTATIONS WERE VERY MODEST.  WHEN WE CONVERTED A FORMER DISCOUNT STORE INTO OUR FIRST COLLEGE CAMPUS BUILDING, MY EXPECTATIONS WERE STILL MODEST – BUT I WAS GETTING EXCITED.  THEN WE OPENED OUR DOORS FOR THE FIRST TIME IN SEPTEMBER 1967 AND 378 FULL-TIME STUDENTS AND 217 PART-TIME STUDENTS ENROLLED FOR THAT FIRST SEMESTER.  AT THAT POINT BOTH MY EXCITEMENT AND MY EXPECTATIONS BEGAN TO GROW.

IN THOSE FIRST FEW YEARS, SOME OF MY FRIENDS IN HIGHER EDUCATION AND EVEN IN THE STATE UNIVERSITY’S CENTRAL OFFICE TOLD ME IN CONFIDENCE THAT THEY HAD NO EXPECTATION THAT THIS NEW COLLEGE WOULD GENERATE ENOUGH STUDENTS OR FINANCIAL SUPPORT TO SUCCEED.  THAT’S WHAT THE ‘EXPERTS’ SAID.  BUT MY EXPECTATIONS KEPT GROWING – WITH OUR FIRST GRADUATING CLASS OF 78 STUDENTS IN 1969, THEN WITH APPROVAL OF FUNDING FOR OUR NEW CAMPUS, NEW PROGRAMS, AND ENROLLMENT GROWTH WITH STUDENTS ENROLLED FROM COUNTRIES AROUND THE WORLD THAT TODAY MAKES US THE 16TH LARGEST SUNY COMMUNITY COLLEGE IN TERMS OF SIZE.  I AM PROUD THAT TODAY’S GRADUATING CLASS IS MADE UP OF CITIZENS OF NINETEEN DIFFERENT COUNTRIES FROM AROUND THE WORLD – THE FLAGS BEHIND ME REPRESENT EACH OF THOSE 19 COUNTRIES. 

THE AWARDS AND RECOGNITION THAT OUR FACULTY, STAFF, AND STUDENTS HAVE EARNED NATIONALLY, STATEWIDE, AND LOCALLY EXCEEDED THE EXPECTATIONS OF EVEN THE MOST ENTHUSIASTIC COLLEGE SUPPORTERS.  ALL OF THESE THINGS AND MANY MORE WERE BEYOND EXPECTATIONS FOR ALL BUT A FEW TRUE BELIEVERS.  AS I SAID, MY SELECTION AS PRESIDENT IN 1975 AND MY INAUGURATION WERE WAY BEYOND THE EARLY EXPECTATIONS THAT I HAD FOR MYSELF WHEN I BECAME INVOLVED IN COMMUNITY COLLEGES.  FOR MY PARENTS, IT WAS ONCE AGAIN A CONFIRMATION THAT A GOOD EDUCATION FOUNDATION CAN HELP TAKE YOU TO THE TOP OF YOUR PROFESSION.  IT WAS ALSO A TIME THAT MY WIFE AND FOUR CHILDREN COULD ENJOY. 

I ONLY REGRET THAT MY WIFE ROZ, WHO PASSED AWAY SEVERAL YEARS AGO, IS NOT HERE TO ENJOY ALL OF THE ACCOLADES THAT HER UNSELFISH SUPPORT OF ME AND THE COLLEGE HELPED TO GENERATE.

I ALSO WISH WE WERE ABLE TO HAVE SPACE TO BRING ALL 22,500 OF OUR GRADUATES TOGETHER TO HEAR ABOUT HOW THEY PLANNED AND USED THEIR GENESEE EDUCATION AS A FOUNDATION FOR THEIR LIVES.  YES, I SAID OVER 22,500 GRADUATES AND THIS YEAR YOU ARE PART OF THE LARGEST GRADUATING CLASS IN THE HISTORY OF THE COLLEGE – TOTALING ALMOST 900 GRADUATES. 

WHILE I WILL LEAVE MY JOB AS PRESIDENT OF GENESEE COMMUNITY COLLEGE,   I CAN ASSURE YOU THAT I WILL FIND MY WAY BACK TO THE PING PONG TABLES IN THE STUDENT UNION, AND MY MEMORIES OF YOU, THE STUDENTS, WILL NEVER FADE NOR WILL THE MEMORIES OF THE 39 BOARD MEMBERS I HAVE WORKED WITH OR OF THE HUNDREDS OF FACULTY AND STAFF MEMBERS THAT HELPED BUILD THE COLLEGE.  BUT WHEN EVERYTHING IS SAID AND DONE, IT IS YOU, THOSE GRADUATING TODAY, AND YOUR PREDECESSORS THAT HAVE MADE LIFE FOR MYSELF AND THE OTHERS THAT HAVE WORKED WITH YOU SO

ENJOYABLE.  I CAN ONLY HOPE THAT YOUR EDUCATION WILL SERVE AS THE FOUNDATION FOR HELPING YOU SUCCEED IN LIFE, GOING INTO A FIELD OF WORK THAT YOU FIND ENJOYABLE AND WORKING AT SOMETHING THAT NOT ONLY EARNS YOU A LIVING, BUT SOMETHING YOU ENJOY AND HAVE A PASSION FOR DOING.

REMEMBER, YOUR GRADUATION TODAY FROM GCC, LIKE MY GRADUATION FROM BALTIMORE JUNIOR COLLEGE, OVER FIFTY YEARS AGO, SHOULD NOT BE LOOKED AT AS THE END OF YOUR FORMAL EDUCATION, BUT MERELY AS A FOUNDATION UPON WHICH TO BUILD YOUR FUTURE CAREER.  

HOW DO I KNOW?   BECAUSE MY MOM TOLD ME THAT SAME THING 54 YEARS AGO AND SHE REMINDED ME OF THAT ON THE EVENING OF MY INAUGURATION – VERY SUBTLY AND ONLY AS A MOTHER COULD DO IT.  I SAID YES MOM, YOU WERE RIGHT. 

EACH OF YOU HAS GOOD REASON TO TAKE PRIDE IN YOUR ACCOMPLISHMENTS TODAY.  MANY OF YOU HAVE MET OR EVEN EXCEEDED YOUR OWN EXPECTATIONS AND, THUS, YOU HAVE A SPECIAL REASON TO CELEBRATE.  MAY THIS DAY BE THE BEGINNING OF THE FULFILLMENT OF THE GREAT EXPECTATIONS THAT YOU HAVE FOR YOURSELF AND THAT WE HAVE FOR EACH OF YOU.  WE WISH EACH OF YOU MUCH SUCCESS AND HAPPINESS.

I THANK YOU AGAIN FOR GIVING ME THE PRIVILEGE OF SPEAKING TO YOU TODAY AND ALLOWING ME TO SHARE SOME MEMORIES WITH YOU.

PHOTO CAPTION: Genesee ARC Mary Anne Graney Memorial Scholarship recipients Alyssa Cole (seated), Justine Saraceni and Jennifer Wright (standing) with Charles Graney and Molly (Graney) George.

BATAVIA -- Three teens from Oakfield-Alabama, Notre Dame and Pavilion high schools are the recipients of the 2011 Genesee ARC Mary Anne Graney Memorial Scholarships. The $1,000 scholarship awards were presented at the Genesee ARC Annual Meeting & Awards Banquet to: Alyssa Cole, Justine Saraceni and Jennifer Wright.

A member of the Oakfield-Alabama Class of 2011, Alyssa plans to attend SUNY Geneseo to become a Special Education Teacher. Justine, a resident of Le Roy and senior at Notre Dame High School, will study Childhood and Special Education at St. John Fisher College and senior Jennifer, of Pavilion, is planning to become a social worker and will begin her studies at Genesee Community College.

The Genesee ARC Mary Anne Graney Memorial Scholarship is open to area high school seniors, planning to further their studies in human services, special education or related fields. It is in honor of Mary Anne Graney, a special education teacher, who died in 2004. According to Genesee ARC Scholarship Committee Chair Charles Graney, “The scholarship is a living memorial, honoring Mary Anne’s commitment to Genesee ARC and enriching the lives of people with disabilities.”

The scholarship program is funded by the Genesee ARC Friends & Family 5K, scheduled for Sept. 24 at the Genesee ARC Day Habilitation Center in Elba.

Voters will be asked to go to the polls today to cast ballots in all eight school districts for or against proposed budgets.

In Batavia, three candidates are also on the ballot to fill two board seats.

The Batavia budget calls for $39.6 million in spending and would increase school taxes by 5.75 percent.

Polls for Batavia City Schools are open from noon until 9 p.m. at Batavia Middle School, Jackson Elementary and Robert Morris School.

In Elba, Oakfield-Alabama, Pavilion and Pembroke, polls are also open from noon until 9 p.m.

In Alexander, polls are open from 1 p.m. to 9 p.m.; Byron-Bergen, polls are currently open and will stay open until 9 p.m., same as Le Roy.

Fewer than a dozen people showed up to Jackson Street School on Tuesday night to hear, and have a chance to be heard, on the proposed 2011-12 Batavia City Schools' budget.

It's a budget that would, if passed, increase the tax levy by 5.75 percent, or about $1.14 per $1,000 assessed valuation.

The $39.6 million spending plan eliminates several staff positions as the district struggles to meet the demands of shrinking state aid and growing personnel costs.

Voters will be asked to approve the budget May 17.

If voters turn out against the budget,  it doesn't necessarily mean local property owners will avoid a property tax increase.

The district has two choices if the budget isn't ratified: propose a new budget for voters or pass a contingency budget.

In the case of a contingency budget, the state mandates certain budget expenses be removed -- equipment, some instructional and extra-curricular programs and public use of school buildings.

Even if those items are cut from the budget, Superintendent Margaret Puzio explained, it would only decrease the tax levy by about $100,000.

Even a contingency budget would lead to a property tax increase.

About 75 percent of the district's budget is taken up by personnel costs.

Employee benefits account for $8.8 million of the district's expenses. The state mandated employee retirement system contribution has gone up more than 16 percent, an increase of 39.6 percent over 2010-11. The district's contribution to the teacher retirement system has gone up 11.11 percent, a 28.9 percent increase over the previous budget year.

“Those are significant expenses and completely beyond the control of anybody in the district,” said Board Member Gary Stich (inset photo).

Most of the revenue for the district comes in the form of state aid, which is being cut for the fourth straight year.

In 2008-09, the district received $20.1 million in state aid. The estimated aid for 2011-12 will be $17.9 million.

In that time, state aid has decreased from 49.92 percent of the district's revenue to 46.83 percent.

The district is getting a little help from the federal government, Puzio said. It's a one-time grant of more than $500,000. The district is using that money to help offset reduced state aid.

"The good thing is it (the grant) helped us plug a little bit of the hole from that loss in state aid," Puzio said. "The bad news is, next year it will be gone. We don’t know what we’ll get in state aid next year, but we need to realize that we are already a half-million dollars down.”

The budget reduces non-instructional staff time and eliminates six non-instructional positions.  

Six full-time instructional positions are eliminated, including three teacher aids.

The only audience member to speak was David DiSalvo, and he questioned the seemingly high salaries of some staff and district administrators.

Board Member Patrick Burk defended administrator salaries saying that current administrators are earning less than they might make elsewhere and that the district must offer competitive salaries in order to hire and retain the best personnel.