May 20, 2012
5 Chelsea Place, Clifton Park, NY 12065 • 518-881-0600
Posted 2/25/11
Posted 2/25/11
As part of the Shenendehowa High School
celebration of languages and culture during Foreign Language Week,
Alex Torres and his Latin Orchestra will appear on Friday, March
11, 2011, at 7:00 p.m. at the Shenendehowa High School West
Auditorium. This event is being sponsored by the Shenendehowa LOTE
department as part of its annual celebration of LOTE FEST.
Founded in 1980, in Amsterdam, NY, and led by Bronx-born bassist,
Alex Torres, this eleven piece orchestra has annually presented
its original blend of Afro-Caribbean rhythms such as salsa,
merengue, cha-cha, bomba, plena and Latin jazz, at hundreds of
festivals, performing arts centers, and events. They have been the
recipient of numerous awards and have performed for notable
dignitaries, as well as shared the stage with major acts.
Tickets are $5 and should be pre-ordered at lombkris@shenet.org or
881-0330, ext. 62615. Tickets will also be sold at the door the
night of the concert. Doors open at 6:30 p.m.
Posted 2/18/11
A second student has been diagnosed with the MRSA staph infection. This time at High School West. The student is undergoing treatment. See information on MRSA below.
Posted 2/14/11
The 2011 Founder's Day
Dinner:
Date: Monday, March 28th
Place: Michael's Banquet House
Time: Meet & Greet at 6:30pm, Dinner at 7:00pm
Dinner Choices: Prime Rib of Beef, Broccoli Cheddar Stuffed
Chicken and Vegetarian Eggplant Napoleon
Cost: $29.00 per person
All reservations, along with dinner choice and payment, are due to
your school's PTA President NO LATER than Tuesday, March 1st.
Questions? Please contact committee chairs, Wendy Reynolds
371-6201 or Amy Nigriny 376-4286
Posted 2/10/11
A Middle School student was diagnosed with the MRSA staph infection. The student is undergoing treatment and is not in school. Although this case pertains to a middle school, the district is taking extra-precautions by providing this notification to all parents via the SIS Messenger and the District’s website.
The difficulty with staph is that it is present everywhere and, while students have the commonality of being in school, it is never certain where the exposure took place.We strongly encourage parents and students to contact their school physicians if they suspect any signs or symptoms of MRSA, and encouraging students to practice basic hygiene.
Below is some information prepared by a group of pediatric doctors:
* MRSA is a type of Staphylococcal aureus which has several unfortunate characteristics – it is resistant to many of the common antibiotics used for skin infections and it has the tendency to progress (worsen) rapidly. Staphylococcal aureus is a common bacteria which lives normally on human skin.
* MRSA is not a new infection! In fact, MRSA has been present in our communities for years. Your health professionals have been aware of MRSA for years and have adapted their diagnosis and treatment of skin infections accordingly.
* MRSA is not exclusively a school problem. In fact, MRSA is common throughout our local and national communities. Taking this into account, the reaction of the school district in Virginia (closing and cleaning the schools) makes no medical sense. People carry MRSA on their skin – sterilization of the school will interrupt education of our children but will not eliminate the presence of MRSA infections.
* There is effective antibiotic treatment for MRSA, though choices are limited. Most MRSA infections are treated successfully without need for hospitalization. It is true that in some cases, some of these infections can rapidly progress and require hospitalization. The few cases involving death reported in the media are very unusual – this is not the norm for this type of infection.
* People who have MRSA and are being adequately treated do not need to be restricted from work or school.
* If a person has signs of a skin infection that seems to be worsening rapidly despite good hygiene and topical antibiotic use, they should seek evaluation by a medical professional. This medical advice does not differ from what you already know.
For more information, go to:
Brochure for athletes on how to avoid MRSA
Our utmost concern is your child’s welfare and that is why, as a precaution, we are providing you with this information.
Posted 2/4/11
It is clear that the
budget problem is real and that Shenendehowa will be looking
to make some critical decisions, with a focus on preserving
quality programs and services for all students. For that
reason, the district has been diligently engaged in a
disciplined approach aimed at reducing costs without
adversely impacting opportunities for students to be
successful. This will require a heightened commitment by
district staff to operate more effectively and efficiently.
Equally, it calls for a firm commitment from our community
to become engaged and involved in the budget discussions.
The best way to be involved is to become informed.
As you see in the media and read in the newspapers, there is
a lot being said by political leaders about school budgets.
As a school district and as a community, we must be
objective in our analysis of the facts.
Over the course of the next several weeks the board of
education will have a series of meetings to develop the
proposed school budget for 2011-12. In these difficult times
it is essential that the public gain a greater understanding
of what the budget means for this community in the coming
years.
Tuesday, February 8 - The 2010-11 mid-year financial update
will be presented. This helps to provide the foundation for
next year’s budget. Preliminary budget projections for
2011-12 will also be presented in relationship to the
governor’s proposal for state aid. Please note that this a
study session, no public comment.
Tuesday, February 15 – The first draft of some sections of
the 2011-12 budget will be presented and discussed with the
board. Please note that this a study session, no public
comment.
Tuesday, March 1 – The first draft of the proposed
expenditures for the 2011-12 budget will be presented along
with a bus purchase resolution. Study session, no public
comment.
Tuesday, March 8 – Continued discussions about the proposed
expenditures for the 2011-12 budget. Business meeting with
public comment.
Tuesday, March 15 – Draft of estimated revenues for the
2011-12 budget will be presented. A draft of the complete
budget (revenues and expenses) will be presented, including
any areas of personnel reductions. Study session, no public
comment.
Saturday, March 19 -
Community Conversation with Dr. L. Oliver Robinson at High School
West at 9:30 a.m.
Tuesday, March 22 – Final budget proposal and bus
proposition presented. Study session with public comment.
Tuesday, March 29 – Board adopts formal notice of
propositions for annual budget vote without dollar amounts
(required by law). Study session, no public comment.
Tuesday, April 5 – Update on state budget and school aid.
Tuesday, April 12 – Budget adopted by the Board of
Education. Business meeting with public comment.
Tuesday, May 3 – Budget hearing (required by law).
Tuesday, May 17 – Annual school budget vote (polls open 7
a.m. to 9 p.m. in Gowana gym)
Posted 2/2/11
It is clear that the budget problem is real
and that the district will be looking to make some critical
decisions, with a focus on preserving quality programs and
services for all students. However, this is easier said than done.
This financial challenge comes at a time of unprecedented
proposals to raise standards including passing scores for Regents
examinations and grades 3-8 tests.
For that reason, the district has been diligently engaged in a
disciplined approach to reducing costs without adversely impacting
opportunities for students to be successful. Shen has a
long-standing reputation for high performance in academics,
athletics and the arts. Sustaining that level will require a
heightened commitment by district staff to operate more
effectively and efficiently, employing creative and innovative
methods and approaches. Equally, it calls for a firm commitment
and support by the community. Yes, there
is a keen awareness of taxpayer fatigue. There is also a keen
awareness that this community wants and appreciates quality
schools. The quality of the schools and the community cannot be
divorced.
The key questions become how much more or less are people willing
to pay, what are they willing to sacrifice and to what degree or
detriment should it impact the children.
If the district were to move the current budget forward there
would be an $8.2 million increase in spending. THIS IS NOT BEING
PROPOSED. In times when people all around this area are tightening
their belts, so must we.
What are the major contributing factors to the spending increase?
The district’s contribution for the teacher and employee
retirement systems is projected to increase by $2.9 million; drug,
dental and health premiums by $3 million; and contractual salaries
by $1.9 million.
Revenue shortfall
It is also important to note that the governor and legislators are
all talking about instituting a tax cap for school budgets. A 2%
tax cap would only allow the district to increase spending by $2
million, leaving a $6.2 million gap. That doesn’t even cover the
increase cost of pension payments.
In the past, the district benefited from a growing tax base. This
helped to offset increasing costs or decreasing state aid. That is
no longer the case. Looking at a trend analysis of property
valuations for the past three years, the growth of taxable
assessed value has decreased from 5.67% to 1.17%.
Furthermore, the governor’s budget proposes a Gap Elimination
Adjustment (GEA) that amounts to $8.1 million reduction in state
aid for Shenendehowa.
What is being done?
To reduce spending the district is:
• assertively pursuing negotiated concessions with employee
bargaining groups;
• hoping to mitigate staff reductions through retirements;
• evaluating efficient use of classified staff, assignment of
instructional staff, and responsibilities of administrative
personnel;
• restructuring provision of health and drug benefits, advantages
of self-funding drug plans;
• continuing to focus on the preserving core programs while
looking at the feasibility or viability of non-mandated programs;
and
• looking for cost savings through the redesign of schedules at
the middle and high schools and course/program consolidations.
“It is important that we don’t lose sight of the fact that Shen
made $4 million dollars in reductions from the roll over budget
for 2010-11 and $4.4 million was cut from the 2009-10 roll over
budget,” says Superintendent Dr. L. Oliver Robinson. In fact, in
two years, budget spending has only increased by 1.12%.
Over the next two months, the district administration will be
reviewing the budget and presenting information to the board of
education at public meetings scheduled on Tuesday nights at 7 p.m.
in the Gowana Library.
:Localities should be allowed the opportunity
to present a budget to voters, that is sound and responsible, not
one that is arbitrarily fixed. The imposition of a tax cap is not
only detrimental to the sustainability and viability of education
across the state; it is a denial of a fundamental democratic
right, the ability to vote.
The quality of Shenendehowa students and the community at large
should not be held hostage by legislative actions or in-actions.
This community must look to control its destiny of high
performance. We are indeed at the precipice of our prosperity-
this community must decide what it wants and not have it be
compelled by the actions of the governor or legislature.
