Thank you for your support

Thanks to the overwhelming support of the Watervliet community, our proposed $23,136,179 school budget for 2012-13 passed with a 71 percent approval rating, 234 to 95. I thank everyone who took the time to go to the polls on May 15 and vote.

You may recall that we began the budget development process earlier this year faced with a $2.3 million deficit. By the end of March, we were able to reduce the budget gap to $1 million thanks, in large part, to the collaborative efforts of teachers and staff who agreed to changes in health insurance plans that will result in significant savings over the next several years. I thank our faculty and staff for their spirit of cooperation during these tough fiscal times. It is an honor to work with such dedicated professionals every day.

We sought community feedback to help guide our decision making and while difficult cuts were made to balance the budget, with your input, the reductions we made have minimal impact on students and keep our academic program intact. I thank everyone who participated in those efforts including parents, teachers, residents, students and the PTA.

I am grateful to everyone who e-mailed, wrote or called our local representatives in the state legislature and advocated on behalf of our schools.

I also want to thank the Board of Education for its leadership throughout the budget process and recognize longtime school board member Frank McGrouty, who did not seek re-election this year, for his years of service to our school district and our students. I congratulate Jennifer Donovan on her re-election to the board and I welcome newly-elected board member Matthew Ethier. I look forward to working with you in the coming years.

We will no doubt face challenges again next year—inequitable state aid funding, increased unfunded mandates, more rigorous accountability for teachers and administrators—but right now, I am proud to be serving the students of this district and the Watervliet community.  

Thank you!

Congratulations to the top students of the class of 2012

Congratulations to Amanda Iannone-Judge and Alysa Chartrand, who, I am proud to announce, have been named the Class of 2012 valedictorian and salutatorian, respectively.

Soon after Amanda and Alysa were told of their accomplishment, I took the opportunity to sit down with both girls to personally congratulate them and to hear their reflections on what have been four extremely busy years at Watervliet High School.

In talking with these top students, a common theme ran through our conversations. While their records make it clear that they have taken advantage of many extracurricular activities, sports, employment opportunities and more, they spoke primarily about the teachers who made a difference in their lives.

Alysa credits her math teacher, Mr. Berin, for her interest in pursuing math as her college major. Although she’s eyeing a future as a math teacher, Alysa says her favorite class at Watervliet was social studies. She says Mr. Emerson brought “something to the classroom that just makes you want to go to his class.”

For Amanda, Mr. Parisi made physics enjoyable and Mr. Dievendorf taught her to think for herself. In Spanish class, she says, Ms. DiSalvo taught her more than a language.

Studies show us that good teachers matter most in a child’s education and speaking with Amanda and Alysa made it easy to understand why.

I asked the girls what advice they had to offer younger students.

Amanda, despite her impressive list of activities, said she would have gotten involved earlier in extracurricular activities.

“Don’t take it for granted. It goes a lot quicker than you might expect. And try to have a little bit of fun along the way,” she said.

Alysa agrees with Amanda in encouraging students to engage in extracurricular activities.

“I think it’s really important. It just keeps you going,” she says.

Congratulations again to Amanda and Alysa and to all the graduates of the Class of 2012. The Class of 2012 Commencement is set for Friday, June 22 at 6:30 p.m. in the Watervliet High School Harry Tucker Gymnasium.  

Everyone will be doing more with less

As many of you know from reading this blog and the district’s website, our school district is weathering a second straight year of decreased support from the state. Even after the Legislature restored some school aid, we were still left with a $1 million dollar budget gap to close. As a result, we will all be doing more with less next year.

Despite these challenges, the sense of community in Watervliet remains strong. I know this because as a community we’ve come together and made some tough decisions in recent weeks and I want to thank everyone who has contributed their time, effort and ideas to the development of the 2012-13 school budget.

• Thank you to the Board of Education for your continued support of our teachers, staff and administration throughout this difficult and challenging budget process and for assisting with a letter-writing campaign to our representatives seeking additional state aid.   

• Thanks, too, to the Watervliet Teachers’ Association (WTA) for negotiating in good faith to move to a new high-deductible health reimbursement account (HRA) that will save the district $500,000 next year—and a projected $3 million over the next five years. The WTA was also responsible for spearheading the letter-writing campaign to our state representatives to request fair and equitable aid for our schools.  

• I am also grateful to the Watervliet Support Staff Association (WSSA) and the Watervliet Administrators’ Association (WAA) both of whom opened their contracts and agreed to make the new high-deductible HRA part of their health insurance plans, which will save the district $95,000 next year.

• I appreciate the efforts of students and teachers who attended the Rural and Small City Schools Forum in February in Albany to advocate on behalf of our schools for more equitable distribution of state education funding.

• Thank you to Mayor Michael Manning for the letters he wrote to Assemblyman Ron Canestrari and Senator Neil Breslin supporting Watervliet schools.

• Finally, I thank the public for participating in the process by attending the community budget forums, sharing their concerns, asking questions and presenting ideas—including the suggestion to eliminate or consolidate bus routes, which will result in approximately $77,000 in savings that will allow us to retain one of the seven teaching positions that was up for elimination. 

None of this has been easy. The difficult choices we made in recent weeks required a lot of careful thought and input from many different perspectives. In the end, the reductions we have proposed in the 2012-13 budget will have a minimal impact on our number one priority: our students and educational programs.

The Board of Education will adopt the 2012-13 school budget on April 17. Please plan to attend the Public Hearing on the school budget on Tuesday, May 8 and remember to vote on Tuesday, May 15.

Difficult choices ahead

I am not usually one to look a gift horse in the mouth—after all receiving an additional $203,624 in restored state aid is certainly better than receiving nothing at all. 

But to be honest, as superintendent of a high needs, small city school district, I had hoped that with the school aid restoration, Watervliet would have received a more equitable allocation. Even with the additional aid, our schools still face a daunting $1.05 million budget shortfall. This shortfall is the result of rising costs and the significant decrease of $1.5 million in state funding we endured this year. Unfortunately, it now appears the only way left to close this gap will be to reduce staff and program.

Every district across the state—many less needy or some even considered affluent— received additional aid under the recent state budget agreement. And while, I don’t begrudge those other districts, I must question how our state legislators can say that the aid restoration was fair and equitable to small urban and rural districts—and the students who would benefit most from the additional funding.

While I’m disappointed in the end result, I am proud of the valiant efforts made by Watervliet’s faculty, staff, students, Board of Education, and community members during the past few months on behalf of our district, including a letter writing campaign, trips to the State Capitol to advocate for our schools, sending e-mails and making phone calls to our state representatives.   

Over the course of the next several weeks, many difficult decisions will have to be made and I pledge to provide open, timely communication to the Watervliet community, regardless of how bad the news may be.

Despite diminishing resources, we will continue to educate every student, every day to the very best of our ability.

Time running short for state aid restoration

Shortly after I became superintendent eight weeks ago, Gov. Andrew Cuomo released his executive budget proposal for 2012-13. Since that time, I and many others have attempted to raise awareness of the devastating impact the governor’s state aid proposal would have on Watervliet and other city school districts like ours.

It appears that lawmakers are nearing a final deal and may soon adopt an early state budget. While we can’t be certain what will happen over the next few days, it appears members of the state Senate and Assembly are attempting to restore at least some aid to school districts.

I want to thank state Assemblyman Ron Canestrari and state Sen. Neil Breslin for listening to us over the last several weeks. I encourage anyone in the Watervliet community who has not already done so to make it known to our elected state leaders how you feel about education. The decisions made in Albany in the coming days will be critical for Watervliet and could save the district from making deep teacher and staff cuts to the detriment to our academic program.   

Two weeks ago, I had the opportunity to address some 900 students and teachers who gathered in Albany to advocate for more education funding for small city and rural school districts. Approximately 20 Watervliet students attended this forum together with Mr. Emerson, Mr. Strand and Mr. Dipaola.

Yesterday, I received a letter from Peta Evens, a student council member and student representative who sits on the Watervliet Board of Education, who attended the forum, which I believe was an important educational opportunity as well as a platform for advocacy.

In her letter, Peta says the forum taught her that she can help make a difference.  

“As co–president of the student council, it is my job to represent the needs of all of the students in Watervliet. I really feel that I did that when I attended the forum. I am hopeful that our efforts, the efforts of all of the people in Watervliet and elsewhere in the state, will lead to our district, and other districts, just like ours, getting the state aid money that we need,” Peta says in her letter. “This trip taught me that even though I am just a teenager, I can stand up for what is right and that I can make a difference.” 

Peta is one of our outstanding students who have taken advantage of the many advanced and college-level opportunities here at Watervliet High School that help our students to get accepted into competitive colleges. I thank Peta, and all who attended the forum, for their effort in helping to make sure that the school district receives the necessary funds to continue programs such as these. I also thank the hundreds of teachers, parents and students who have taken the time to write their elected leaders. You can download a sample letter here if you, too, want to write your representative.

Also, please remember the district has one more public budget forum scheduled for tonight (March 14) at 6:30 p.m. at the Watervliet Elementary School cafeteria. The forum will begin with an overview of the state's Property Tax Levy Cap presented by Questar III BOCES State Aid and Financial Planning Service.

Regardless of what may happen in the coming days, the budget will continue to be a topic of discussion at board of education meetings and a public budget hearing will also be scheduled in advance of the May 15 vote.

Your feedback is always welcome as we move forward in the budget development process.

Call to action; community budget forums to begin

Tomorrow, Tuesday, Feb. 28, the Watervliet City School District will begin a series of community forums designed to share information and gather feedback regarding the development of the 2012-13 budget.

In my last post, I discussed the inequitable distribution of state aid and how it hinders the efforts of school districts like Watervliet to provide the same opportunities other students in wealthier districts have. As a new superintendent, I promised my fight had only begun.  

By attending Tuesday’s forum, you too can join the fight by learning all you can about our budget and asking questions – of both the school district and our elected lawmakers in Albany.

I truly believe that public advocacy for equality in education spending is essential as we fight for students and their right to a top-notch education. In the video below, Dr. Rick Timbs, the executive director of the Statewide School Financial Consortium, urges all school district stakeholders to speak with one voice seeking equity.

I urge you to watch the video and attend at least one of our upcoming forums. Tuesday’s meeting begins at 6 p.m. in the Watervliet Junior Senior High School Administrative Conference Room.

Other opportunities to learn about the budget include a Budget and Breakfast Forum scheduled for this Saturday, March 3. There, residents can learn about the 2012-13 budget, share ideas and enjoy a light breakfast prepared by Mr. Gaddy’s gourmet food and nutrition class at the high school. The breakfast forum begins at 10 a.m. in the high school cafeteria.

Also, on March 14 at 6:30 p.m. the Watervliet Elementary School PTA and UPK are sponsoring a 2012-13 Budget Q & A in the elementary school cafeteria. The Q and A will begin with an overview of the state's Property Tax Levy Cap presented by Shelly Levings, director of state aid and financial planning for Questar III BOCES.

These public budget forums are just one way you can help. Recently our board of education members and the Watervliet Teachers’ Association began a letter writing campaign to our elected representatives in Albany. Hundreds of letters have been collected already. You can download a sample letter here to mail to your representative.

Senator Neil Breslin

Albany Office

172 State St.
Room 413, Capitol

Albany, NY 12247

Phone: (518) 455-2225

Assemblyman Ronald Canestrari

Albany Office

LOB 926

Albany, NY 12248

518-455-4474

Leading in Times of Scarce Resources and High Accountability as a New Superintendent

As I reflect upon my first three short weeks as Superintendent of Schools in the Watervliet City School District, the first thing that comes to mind is that not all communities are created equally!  I am quickly discovering the real inequalities plaguing education. As a building principal in the Watervliet Jr/Sr High School for the past seven years, I was visible, held students, staff, teachers, administrators and myself accountable for student achievement. 

None of that has changed. What has changed is the realization of having to do more with less. The fiscal crisis facing small city, urban school districts today, with the new property tax levy cap, increasing unfunded mandates, and the increased level of accountability for teachers and administrators is daunting. While I am doing all that I can to remain fiscally responsible to our tax payers of the city of Watervliet, and provide our students with a rigorous and relevant education that they are entitled to, while ensuring it is being delivered by highly qualified teachers, “tightening our belts,” is an understatement.  The inequitable distribution of state aid to needy schools is a puzzle I cannot seem to put together. I do not understand the justification of holding and/or cutting funds to schools that are already “in need.”  Money does not buy an education, however if something is a mandate that costs money, and a district greatly depends on state aid to fund mandates, when the money is not appropriated, how does a school district meet an unfunded mandate?  I am uncertain if I do not know the answer to that question because I am still green, or is it rhetorical?  The lack of state aid to low income school districts will only perpetuate the ever growing achievement gap between the schools that “have” and the schools that “have not.”

It saddens me that students in needier districts may not be afforded the same educational opportunities students from more affluent districts are, simply because of their zip code. I find it difficult to look into the eyes of students who are in advanced placement classes or college in the high school courses, knowing that next year, and years to follow, there is a strong possibility we will not have the funds to offer these accelerated programs. It is concerning to me that this community may be divided over students with special needs receiving costly services they are entitled to due to mandates, while mainstream students are denied people and programs because cuts have to come from somewhere, and the reality is, there is no money flowing from anywhere. Highly qualified teachers, some of which are Nationally Board Certified teachers, administrators and support staff who have “fire in their belly” and a passion for teaching and learning, stand to lose their jobs because now that we have cut away all of the fat…this leaves nothing to abolish but people and programs.

I am honored to lead the Watervliet City School District, even in these tough economic times, and I take my responsibilities extremely seriously.  I believe it is my duty to ensure every child in this district has the same opportunities other students in wealthier districts have. I will exhaust all possibilities and opportunities to help level the playing field and fight for the students in this district to be afforded a top-notch education, complete w/ 21st century technology that will prepare them with the skills they need to be college and career ready. My fight has only just begun!