Board of Education Meeting Report for March 18, 2008












	Board of Education Meeting Report for March 18, 2008 ADMINISTRATIVE REPORTS: PK-6 principal Harold Leve and 7-12 principal Jill Slavny gave their monthly presentations about recent and upcoming activities. Mr. Leve showed several photos from the first-graders' hallway parade to celebrate the 100th day of school Sixth-grade Student Council members loading up some of the almost 4,530 books collected for the Monroe County Family Court Children's Center the second- through sixth-graders participating in the "Jump Rope for Hearts" and "Hoops for Hearts" programs in their phys-ed classes (coordinated by PE teacher Jennifer Copp), through which they raised almost $3,000 for the American Heart Association several National TV-Turnoff Week events, sponsored by the PTA (including Family Art Day and after-school bowling at Fairview Lanes) said the sixth-grade NYS math exams will be scored soon Mrs. Slavny showed photos of the eighth-graders' "Marble Run" group project in Ann Marie VanGelder's science classes rehearsals of this year's musical, "Grease" the Kaleidoscope Concert, which had a "Music of Africa" theme and at which $255 was raised for the Water for Sudan organization the new members of ER's chapter of the NYS Math Honor Society, advised by Chris Billings: juniors Jessenia A., Chloe B., Jeff C., Anna E., Theresa G., Rachel G., Christian G., Kristen J., Claire K., Ashley M., Shea P., Dan P., Tom Q., Michelle S., Paula S., and Meghan V., and seniors Shanna B. and Emma J. the February Students of the Month: seventh-grader Angelique P., eighth-graders Stephanie N. and Chris R., freshmen Ashley B. and Charles Y., sophomores Craig C., Nolbert V., and Kyle V., juniors Christian G. and Tommy Q., and seniors Nina Quintero and Chris S. seventh- and eighth-grade social studies teachers Gretchen Oechsle and Bob Hendy taking a practice walk down the hallway for their students and co-workers the day before their wedding the varsity cheerleaders competing in the previous weekend's Cheer Ltd. CanAm tournament, at which they were division champions for the third straight year (bringing them their seventh straight national-level title), and being welcomed back to campus students in grades 4-10 being tutored by students in a graduate-level Nazareth College class taught by seventh-grade teacher Tim Allyn congratulated participants in the Middle-Level Science Olympiad the boys' varsity basketball team on their Section V title, and seniors Anthony D., Sean M., and Katie C. on being chosen for the Ronald McDonald All-Star Game thanked those who helped with the Junior Prom noted students are now able to take the DMV permit test online at school, in a program supervised by Diane Koska Wellness Week, to be run in collaboration with U of R medical residents, is scheduled for April 7-11 Celtic Music Society, led by Mark Gowman, played at the Eastman School of Music on St. Patrick's Day and are recording their second CD Assistant superintendent for instruction Catherine Terrell showed several photos from, and presented student feedback on, an SAT-preparation course 21 juniors took over two consecutive weekends in February District superintendent Dr. Howard Maffucci discussed a two-day lobbying trip to Albany he, board president Kim Jackson, and board members Terry Brown-Steiner, Lafayette Eaton, and Sally Malone had just returned from, sponsored by the Monroe County School Boards Association, noting the state budget's education funding remains uncertain, but the board will keep the 2008-09 tax rate as low as possible said a health-insurance consortium organized several years ago by the MCSBA's labor-relations committee has allowed the district to contain its insurance costs noted the county's flat tax rate is "an illusion" because of the tax-intercept plan BOARD MEMBERS' REPORTS and COMMENTS: Student representative Courtney B. congratulated the winter sports teams, especially varsity cheerleading and boys' basketball on their Section V titles the cast and crew of "Grease" those involved with the Kaleidoscope concert seniors Aaron D., Aaron K., Nina Q., and Amanda R. on being named to All-County chorus and band said the National Honor Society is sponsoring a Red Cross blood drive from 8:30 am - 1:30 pm Wednesday, April 2 Board president Kim Jackson noted ER, despite being the smallest school board in the county, had the largest contingent on the Albany lobbying trip said the general mood in Albany seemed to be positive and optimistic noted the board has been meeting to develop the 2008-09 budget almost every week said she recently attended an MCSBA information-exchange committee program on working with colleges to help ensure they're providing new teachers trained and certified in the academic areas in which they're most needed Lafayette Eaton said the NYS senators and assembly members seemed receptive to the MCSBA lobbyists Tim Henry noted he's on the village's image task force, which is starting a "Village Living Sunday" program, in which the district will play a significant role said he and his fellow board members are committed to spending taxpayers' money responsibly, noting they rejected a proposed budget presented to them, deciding instead to look at additional ways to keeping spending as low as possible Terry Brown-Steiner pointed out that because of geographic constraints, ER's tax base can't grow, as opposed to other districts', thus ER can't "bury" a levy increase in its tax rate Sally Malone said of the several lobbying trips to Albany she's been on, this was the first that was "a truly positive experience" noted the district has had to hire three part-time employees to comply with new state auditing and record-submission requirements COMMENTS from DISTRICT RESIDENTS: Sam Morabito reminded the board that in light of the economy, they need to control spending and stabilize the tax rate said a handout at a recent village meeting indicating school taxes are higher than village or county taxes is somewhat misleading, because STAR exemptions weren't figured in asked if there are any anticipated major spending cuts in the 2008-09 budget the board can discuss Art Lagendyk said the Rochester Crusaders Drum & Bugle Corps will be performing at the school at 7:30 pm Saturday, March 29 Charlotte Buttle thanked the board for their work to develop a budget asked if two new courses approved the previous month (Design and Innovation and Food for Fitness) will cost the district money; Dr. Maffucci said they won't cost any additional money asked about use of the district's fund balance asked what a "school resource officer" is; Mrs. Slavny replied in ER's case, it would be an ERPD officer working in the school part-time in a variety of functions asked about fifth-grade NYS social studies test scores Anthony Gonzalez asked about the process of hiring a new superintendent, including aspects such as community input and candidate requirements NEW BUSINESS: The board approved * the 2008-09 school calendar * the updated Plan for Participation * the purchase of new geometry textbooks, based on current NYS curriculum guidelines UPCOMING MEETINGS: 7 p.m. Tuesday, April 22 and May 6 (with budget public hearing) Meeting length: one hour, 45 minutes