Berne-Knox-Westerlo Central School District
Berne-Knox-Westerlo Central School District
Berne-Knox-Westerlo Central School District
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BERNE - KNOX- WESTERLO<br />
WINTER/SPRING 2013<br />
CENTRAL SCHOOL DISTRICT<br />
Cheerleaders take on national competition<br />
On the weekend of Feb.<br />
9, 2013, there was<br />
an unusual amount of<br />
cheer in Orlando, Florida — even<br />
for Walt Disney World — as the<br />
National High <strong>School</strong> Cheerleading<br />
Championship brought over 500<br />
teams from more than 30 states to<br />
its annual competition. If you’ve<br />
never been to Disney World, perhaps<br />
you should ask the BKW cheerleaders<br />
if it really is where dreams come<br />
true; they’ll most likely tell you,<br />
“Yes!”<br />
For many of the students<br />
in the BKW varsity cheer<br />
squad, it was their first time<br />
in Florida, in Walt Disney<br />
World and even being on a<br />
plane. Another first was for<br />
the district itself, as BKW<br />
has never had a team attend<br />
this invitation-only event,<br />
or any other national sports<br />
competition.<br />
But it wasn’t an easy task for<br />
the team to make this dream a<br />
reality, as they needed to raise<br />
$7,000 in a very short time<br />
span: a little over a month.<br />
Thanks to the support of the<br />
Hilltowns community, the<br />
team was able to raise enough<br />
money to head to Florida.<br />
“We couldn’t have done it<br />
without the support of the<br />
The BKW Varsity Cheerleaders in Orlando, Florida for the UCA National<br />
High <strong>School</strong> Cheerleading Championship (NHSCC).<br />
school and community,” said<br />
Cheer Coach Amanda Allen.<br />
“It wasn’t announced that we<br />
qualified until the beginning<br />
of December, so we didn’t<br />
turn on the major fundraising<br />
until then. In a month, the<br />
generocity of our community<br />
helped us raise what we<br />
needed. We’re so lucky to have<br />
the community support this<br />
dream of ours.”<br />
Some of the fundraisers the<br />
team held were a bottle drive,<br />
hosting concessions at boys<br />
games, a pancake breakfast at<br />
the <strong>Knox</strong> Fire House, organizing<br />
and holding an alumni<br />
basketball game and holding<br />
raffles and coin drops.<br />
Quickly enough, the money<br />
was raised, and it was time<br />
to head to Florida. The team<br />
arrived in Orlando on Friday,<br />
Feb. 8, and went right into<br />
practice for the competition<br />
at Hollywood Studios on<br />
Saturday.<br />
With over 500 teams at the<br />
competition, the teams were<br />
separated into divisions; first<br />
by tumbling or non-tumbling,<br />
then by J.V. or varsity, and<br />
finally by the size of the<br />
squad. BKW was placed in<br />
the “Medium Varsity Non-<br />
Tumbling” division with a<br />
CONTINUED ON PAGE 5<br />
Contents<br />
MEET YOUR<br />
ADMINISTRATORS........ 2-3<br />
SCHOOL CHANGES........ 2<br />
PBIS INTRODUCED.......... 3<br />
APPR............................... 4-5<br />
COMMUNITY<br />
CONNECTIONS............... 6<br />
ATHLETES BREAK<br />
RECORDS.......................... 7<br />
BUDGET TALKS BEGIN... 8<br />
What is APPR<br />
10 things to know<br />
about the new teacher<br />
evaluation system<br />
Just like students,<br />
teachers and principals<br />
will now be given a<br />
number grade at the end<br />
of every year that represents<br />
their effectiveness<br />
rating. This is thanks to<br />
the new state-required<br />
evaluation system called<br />
the Annual Professional<br />
Performance Review (or<br />
“APPR”). Teachers and<br />
principals have always<br />
been evaluated and held<br />
to standards, but the new<br />
system is more governed<br />
by rules set by the state –<br />
and, for the first time ever,<br />
a portion of teacher<br />
CONTINUED ON PAGE 5<br />
www.bkwschools.org
BERNE - KNOX- WESTERLO<br />
WINTER/SPRING 2013<br />
CENTRAL SCHOOL DISTRICT<br />
New faces and roles bring change to BKW schools<br />
Meet the new administrators of BKW<br />
While many roles at BKW are<br />
changing this school year, the<br />
district’s core values stay the same.<br />
Meet the leaders who believe in<br />
and uphold BKW’s mission of helping<br />
students be all they can be.<br />
Brian Corey<br />
Secondary <strong>School</strong> Principal<br />
After 13 years with the BKW<br />
district, Brian Corey is serving<br />
an entirely new role this school<br />
year. After teaching music in the<br />
secondary school for six years<br />
and spending the last six years as<br />
the elementary school principal,<br />
Mr. Corey now leads BKW’s<br />
secondary school.<br />
“My time as elementary school principal<br />
was a great professional experience, but<br />
I’m excited to get back to my roots in<br />
BKW,” said Mr. Corey. “I want to help<br />
middle and high school students develop<br />
into productive adults and citizens, which<br />
includes preparing them for college.”<br />
Student development is a passion of Mr.<br />
Corey’s but so is teacher development; this<br />
principal still teaches! He is currently an<br />
adjunct professor for the Hudson Valley<br />
Community College’s teacher preparation<br />
program.<br />
“I am glad to still be here and see the<br />
growth of this district even during education’s<br />
challenging financial times,” said Mr.<br />
Corey. “It’s wonderful to continue to work<br />
with families in the BKW community.”<br />
Capital project construction brings more changes to BKW<br />
Construction has brought many changes<br />
to the secondary school since the end of<br />
last year. Previously located on the far wing<br />
of the second floor, the new library and<br />
guidance office are now located on the<br />
first floor. The library is next to the music<br />
Secondary <strong>School</strong> Principal Brian Corey and Director of<br />
Special Education Susan Casper<br />
room near the school auditorium and the<br />
guidance office is in room 111 (previously<br />
the art room).<br />
The new art room is in the far wing of<br />
the second floor, previously home to the<br />
guidance office. Next to the new art room<br />
Need help finding a<br />
room Contact the<br />
<strong>District</strong> Office at<br />
(518) 872-1293.<br />
Left: Students learn in BKW<br />
Secondary <strong>School</strong>’s new<br />
library.<br />
Right: BKW’s new guidance<br />
office, located on the first<br />
floor of the secondary<br />
school in room 111.<br />
2<br />
Susan Casper<br />
Director of Special Education<br />
She may be new to BKW this year, but<br />
Susan Casper has spent her whole career<br />
working in special education. After a career<br />
as a school counselor and administrator,<br />
she joins the district poised to advocate for<br />
overall student success.<br />
One of her strongest beliefs as an educator<br />
is understanding student learning styles<br />
and having a collaborative environment<br />
that considers and fosters the whole child.<br />
“Working with parents to meet a<br />
student’s needs at school and at home<br />
is important to me,” said Mrs. Casper.<br />
“Everything in a child’s life will influence<br />
their educational experience.”<br />
In prior roles she has implemented<br />
co-teaching between regular education and<br />
special education teachers.<br />
“It’s a win-win for teachers and students<br />
because it employs different teaching<br />
styles,” explained Mrs. Casper. “The focus<br />
and implementation of curriculum between<br />
the two may vary, but both styles help<br />
all students and diversifies their learning<br />
experience.”<br />
CONTINUED ON PAGE 3<br />
will be a computer lab, which is under<br />
construction.<br />
The Superintendent’s office has also<br />
moved and is located in the elementary<br />
school, across from the school’s main<br />
office.
BERNE - KNOX- WESTERLO<br />
www.bkwschools.org<br />
CENTRAL SCHOOL DISTRICT<br />
New faces and roles bring change to BKW schools<br />
CONTINUED FROM PAGE 2<br />
Regina Yeo<br />
Elementary <strong>School</strong> Principal<br />
Regina Yeo joined BKW back<br />
in November and comes to the<br />
Hilltowns from western New<br />
York. Since 2007, Mrs. Yeo has<br />
worked directly in elementary<br />
education, first as the assistant<br />
principal and then principal of<br />
Holley Elementary <strong>School</strong>.<br />
Mrs. Yeo’s experience<br />
goes hand in hand with her<br />
personal philosophy of not<br />
just enriching a young child’s<br />
mind with knowledge, but<br />
educating the whole child.<br />
She has a strong background<br />
in community and character<br />
development, which will<br />
aid her in her journey as BKW’s elementary<br />
school principal.<br />
“My personal focus toward learning is to<br />
create a student-centered environment that<br />
encourages all children to become risk-takers<br />
while appreciating individual differences,” said<br />
Mrs. Yeo. “I believe that education encompasses<br />
all aspects of student life and want to enable<br />
students to work to their full potential.”<br />
One way Mrs. Yeo will help achieve this<br />
Dean of Students Len Kies & Elementary <strong>School</strong> Principal Regina Yeo<br />
mission is by working with Director of Special<br />
Education Susan Casper on instituting a new<br />
Positive Behavioral Interventions and Supports<br />
(PBIS) program in BKW. [Read more about<br />
PBIS below.]<br />
Len Kies<br />
Dean of Students, grades 6-12<br />
Four years as an intercollegiate athlete and<br />
several years as a college baseball coach have<br />
taught Len Kies great discipline techniques and<br />
allowed him to be a part of so many teams,<br />
he’s seen what great things they can do.<br />
With 17 years in education (seven as an<br />
elementary and middle school classroom<br />
teacher followed by a decade of administrative<br />
responsibilities) he joins BKW this<br />
school year as the new Dean of Students.<br />
At BKW, Mr. Kies has a major role in<br />
creating a positive school climate for both<br />
the students and the faculty. While he has an<br />
integral role in BKW’s discipline programs<br />
and in student safety, the overall goal of<br />
his role is to build positive relationships<br />
with students while maintaining high<br />
expectations. He also has a hand in teacher<br />
evaluation, curriculum development, and<br />
budget preparation and implementation,<br />
working with many people on BKW’s staff.<br />
“I’m a team-minded person,” said Mr.<br />
Kies. “I’ve been lucky enough to work with<br />
many great educators and visit over 250<br />
colleges and universities across the country<br />
as part of my participation in educational<br />
athletics. Because of this, I know exactly<br />
what our students will face after leaving<br />
BKW. I can only hope to help the faculty<br />
here prepare them as best as possible for<br />
their future.”<br />
Stay tuned for more new faces in<br />
the May newsletter when we’ll<br />
introduce BKW’s new business<br />
official and technology director!<br />
BKW introduces PBIS program to address student behavior expectations<br />
At the Jan. 22 Board of Education meeting, Elementary <strong>School</strong> Principal Regina Yeo and Special Education Director<br />
Susan Casper presented on the introduction and implementation of a potential PBIS program in grades K-8.<br />
PBIS is short for Positive Behavioral Intervention and Supports and is based on the premise that rather than disciplining<br />
students for negative behavior, staff does more reinforcement of positive behavior and teaches students specifically<br />
what the expected behaviors are across all environments in school. The PBIS environments extend beyond the<br />
walls of the classroom, to hallways, gymnasiums, buses, playgrounds and wherever students are together participating<br />
in “school oriented” events.The PBIS model has been successfully implemented in thousands of schools in more<br />
than 40 states, resulting in dramatic reductions in disciplinary interventions and increases in academic achievement.<br />
The Board unanimously approved the introduction of PBIS and aims to have the program rolled out by September<br />
of 2013. As the program model stresses a district’s own individualized and data-driven strategy, Mrs. Yeo and Mrs.<br />
Casper have already begun assessing how to implement the program at BKW. Training for staff would begin some<br />
time this spring and continue throughout the summer in order to reach the September 2013 rollout goal.<br />
3
BERNE - KNOX- WESTERLO<br />
WINTER/SPRING 2013<br />
CENTRAL SCHOOL DISTRICT<br />
BKW’s APPR plan approved by NY State<br />
Plan lays out guidelines for teacher, principal performance evaluations and scores<br />
In mid-January, BKW’s Annual Professional<br />
Performance Review (APPR) plan received<br />
approval from the New York State Education<br />
Department. The approval satisfies a requirement<br />
of the federal Race to the Top (RTTT)<br />
education initiative and makes BKW eligible<br />
to continue receiving federal Race to the Top<br />
and state education aid.<br />
BKW’s Teacher Score Makeup<br />
20%<br />
20%<br />
60%<br />
BKW’s Principal Score Makeup<br />
20%<br />
20%<br />
60%<br />
Student growth based on state tests or<br />
comparable measures when state testing<br />
growth is not available for a specific<br />
grade.<br />
<strong>District</strong> developed assessments and/or<br />
achievement on the MAP (Measures of<br />
Academic Progress).<br />
Multiple measures aligned with the<br />
New York State Teaching Standards<br />
including administrator observations,<br />
peer observations, and lesson plan<br />
evaluations, among other factors. The<br />
<strong>District</strong> and the <strong>Berne</strong>-<strong>Knox</strong>-<strong>Westerlo</strong><br />
Teachers Association have chosen the<br />
Danielson’s Framework for Teaching<br />
(2007 Edition) as the rubric for this portion<br />
of the score.<br />
Student growth based on state tests or<br />
comparable measures when state testing<br />
growth is not available for a specific<br />
grade.<br />
Achievement on the MAP (Measures<br />
of Academic Progress) assessments by<br />
NWEA (Northwest Evaluation Association).<br />
Multiple measures aligned with the<br />
New York State Leadership Standards.<br />
The <strong>District</strong> and the Helderberg Administrators<br />
Association have chosen the<br />
Multidimensional Principal Performance<br />
Rubric as the rubric for this portion of<br />
the score.<br />
The approval is the result of months of<br />
collaboration between the BKW administration,<br />
the BKW Teachers Association, the<br />
Helderberg Administrators Association and<br />
the BKW Board of Education to craft the<br />
district’s APPR plan.<br />
What is APPR<br />
APPR is a teacher and principal evaluation<br />
system that rates educators<br />
at the end of every school<br />
year with a number grade<br />
that represents the effectiveness<br />
of the educator.<br />
The number grade is<br />
between 0 and 100 points<br />
and is calculated based on a<br />
set of standards developed<br />
by the district in coordination<br />
with requirements<br />
mandated by the New York<br />
State Board of Regents.<br />
For the first time ever,<br />
New York state requires<br />
that a portion of teacher<br />
evaluation is directly tied to<br />
student performance.<br />
APPR is just one of<br />
the many reforms put in<br />
place by the New York<br />
State Board of Regents<br />
(NYSBOR) to improve<br />
student learning. It was<br />
developed to improve the<br />
state’s educational system<br />
and support the professional<br />
growth of educators in<br />
APPR Score Ranges<br />
4<br />
the state, which, according to the NYSBOR<br />
should ultimately lead to students being<br />
better prepared for college and career.<br />
What is in BKW’s APPR plan<br />
BKW has had an APPR plan in place since<br />
September 2011, but has, with the guidance<br />
of the State Education Department, updated<br />
and refined the plan to its current form.<br />
As mentioned, New York now requires<br />
that student performance on state exams<br />
factor into individual teachers’ evaluations.<br />
Other factors will include growth<br />
in students’ work and assessment of<br />
classroom skills through observations by a<br />
trained evaluator. Administrator evaluations<br />
will consider factors like growth toward<br />
determined goals, a supervisor’s (or other<br />
trained evaluator’s) assessment of leadership<br />
and management, and other additional<br />
benchmarks.<br />
When will the APPR scores be<br />
released<br />
Although the New York State Education<br />
Department has said teacher ratings will be<br />
released to the parents of students in each<br />
teacher’s classroom (or in each principal’s<br />
school), it is not yet clear how the release<br />
of these ratings will be implemented by<br />
NYSED. The ratings for the 2012-13 school<br />
year are anticipated in the fall of 2013.<br />
Read BKW’s full APPR plan at:<br />
http://bkwschools.org/Academics/PDFs/<br />
BKWAPPRPlan.pdf<br />
0-64 Ineffective (Performance is Unacceptable)<br />
65-74 Developing (Not Performing at Level Expected)<br />
75-90 Effective (Performing at Level Expected)<br />
91-100 Highly Effective (Performing at a Higher Level)
BERNE - KNOX- WESTERLO<br />
www.bkwschools.org<br />
CENTRAL SCHOOL DISTRICT<br />
What is APPR<br />
10 things to know about the new teacher evaluation system<br />
CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1<br />
evaluation is directly tied to<br />
student performance.<br />
There are many details to understand<br />
about APPR, so here are 10<br />
helpful facts:<br />
1. In order to receive federal<br />
Race to the Top and state education<br />
aid, all school districts in New<br />
York were required by Jan. 17, 2013,<br />
to have adopted and received state<br />
approval of APPR plans. BKW’s<br />
APPR plan was approved by the<br />
Board of Education on Nov. 28,<br />
2012, and by New York State in<br />
early January.<br />
2. Each teacher and principal in<br />
grades K-12 will receive a rating of<br />
either: highly effective, effective,<br />
developing or ineffective – every<br />
year.<br />
3. Teacher ratings will be based<br />
on a 100-point score. A score between<br />
0-64 would classify a teacher<br />
as “ineffective.” Those with a rating<br />
of 65-74 points are “developing,”<br />
and 75 to 90 points signifies “effective.”<br />
A rating from 91-100 means a<br />
teacher is “highly effective.”<br />
4. The 100-point score will be<br />
based on observations of teachers<br />
in the classroom, student growth<br />
based on state tests OR progress<br />
made toward meeting studentlearning<br />
objectives (a.k.a. SLOs)<br />
and on other measures of student<br />
achievement determined by the<br />
Board of Education, the BKW<br />
Teacher’s Association and New<br />
York State Education Department<br />
(NYSED). To find out what specific<br />
items make up the BKW 100-point<br />
teacher score, read the accompanying<br />
APPR story in this newsletter or<br />
visit the district website for the full<br />
APPR plan: http://bkwschools.org/<br />
Academics/PDFs/BKWAPPRPlan.pdf.<br />
5. The exact details of the ratings<br />
will vary by district as a result<br />
of district policies and negotiations<br />
that are included in local teacher<br />
and administrator contracts. So,<br />
ratings for BKW teachers may not<br />
be based on exactly the same<br />
measures as other districts in the<br />
area.<br />
6. The majority of the APPR<br />
must be bargained locally, but must<br />
also follow the extensive regulations<br />
from the NYSED.<br />
7. For subjects without a state<br />
assessment test, teachers must use<br />
a Student Learning Objective (SLO)<br />
to gauge student growth. This is an<br />
academic goal for students set at<br />
the start of a course that represents<br />
the most important learning of<br />
the year. SLOs must be based on<br />
student learning that is measurable,<br />
and must also be aligned to New<br />
York state’s Common Core Learning<br />
Standards.<br />
8. Teachers will be observed at<br />
least twice a year by the building<br />
principal or a trained administrator,<br />
and one of those observations must<br />
be unannounced.<br />
9. All APPR plans must include<br />
improvement plans and an appeals<br />
process for those who are rated as<br />
ineffective.<br />
10. Although the NYSED has<br />
said teacher ratings will be released<br />
to parents, it is not clear how the<br />
release of these ratings will be<br />
implemented. The ratings for the<br />
2012-13 school year are anticipated<br />
in the fall of 2013.<br />
Cheerleaders take on<br />
national competition<br />
CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1<br />
total of 30 other teams, among them were 5 previous<br />
national champions. BKW made a strong showing,<br />
finishing 24th and missed the finals by only a few<br />
points.<br />
“Cheerleading does not have a defined season in<br />
most states, so we were competing with teams that<br />
have been cheering since August for football,” said<br />
Allen. “There were also teams in our division from<br />
schools more than twice our size and we were also<br />
dealing with injuries and illness. Having only ran our<br />
routine a week prior to leaving, I am very proud of<br />
how well the routine came together, the effort the<br />
girls made and how well they showed at the competition.<br />
All the teams did extremely well!”<br />
After the competition, the BKW cheerleading team<br />
celebrated by going to Disney’s Animal Kingdom. On<br />
their last day in Florida, they watched the finals of the<br />
competition and finished off the trip with a visit to<br />
Disney’s Magic Kingdom.<br />
“I’m so unbelievably proud of the work and<br />
dedication of our squad,” said Allen. “Not just of their<br />
dedication to practice and pride in their community,<br />
but the hard work they had to put in just to make this<br />
trip happen. It was certainly a time to remember.”<br />
Want to see the BKW cheer squad’s routine<br />
at the national competition<br />
Visit our website:<br />
http://bkwschools.org/secondary/morenews/20<br />
1213/120214cheernationals.cfm<br />
5
BERNE - KNOX- WESTERLO<br />
WINTER/SPRING 2013<br />
CENTRAL SCHOOL DISTRICT<br />
BKW awarded for its ‘community connections’<br />
On Thursday, Sept. 27,<br />
a group of young BKW<br />
elementary students stood<br />
proud as their school received<br />
a $5,000 check for its<br />
“Community Connections”<br />
program as part of the<br />
first Be the Change for<br />
Kids Innovation Awards at<br />
the University of Albany’s<br />
College of Nanoscale Science<br />
and Engineering (CNSE).<br />
Designed to award districts<br />
that are sparking student<br />
interest in math, science<br />
and technology, BKW was<br />
also named an innovator<br />
for operating the program<br />
on a limited budget. BKW’s Community<br />
Connections program was implemented with<br />
less than $1,000, was one of three winners<br />
among 38 entries and the only elementary<br />
school winner.<br />
“We called on districts to marshal their<br />
resources, collaborate and look for new ways<br />
to deliver educational services,” said Thomas<br />
Nespeca, the president of the New York State<br />
<strong>School</strong> Boards Association (NYSSBA), the<br />
organization that co-developed the awards.<br />
“We asked them to show us innovative<br />
programs that can be replicated by other<br />
districts throughout the state at little cost to<br />
the taxpayer.”<br />
While BKW’s Community Connections<br />
program does this, it stands apart in one vital<br />
way: it relies on members of the community,<br />
harnessing their expertise to create a truly<br />
interdisciplinary and interactive learning<br />
environment.<br />
Throughout last year, the BKW second-grade<br />
teachers welcomed community volunteers into<br />
their classrooms, often requiring the teacher<br />
to plan their visits ahead of time and sync the<br />
volunteer’s demonstrations with the current<br />
lesson plan. For example, visitors from the<br />
local Emma Treadwell Thacher Nature Center<br />
BKW students, faculty and BOE members during the Innovation Awards<br />
event at the College of Nanoscale Science and Engineering in Albany.<br />
came to BKW to talk about birds and trees<br />
during the second grade’s life cycle unit, and<br />
about fossils during their rock unit. Kathy<br />
Brown, a local hobbyist, came in to teach<br />
students how to make maple syrup in conjunction<br />
with a science lesson.<br />
“It’s so encouraging to use the resources<br />
in your own community,” said second-grade<br />
teacher Molly Tiffany. “It provides opportunities<br />
for students to connect to lessons in ways<br />
only your unique environment can supply.”<br />
“Providing these extension pieces to our<br />
lessons enrich the curriculum and really helps<br />
the material sink in,” said Michelle Pahl,<br />
another BKW second-grade teacher. “They also<br />
help us align our lessons to the common<br />
core standards.”<br />
While the award from CNSE and<br />
NYSSBA focused on curriculum geared<br />
toward math and science, the Community<br />
Connections program operates on an<br />
even wider scale, providing community<br />
volunteer connections in the arts and<br />
humanities as well. Last year, Mrs. Tiffany<br />
called on a former student, who travels<br />
to Tanzania to teach about music and<br />
conservation, to come back to BKW and<br />
help teach about geography and the arts.<br />
Ms. Pahl involved a close friend and fellow<br />
6<br />
educator who recently moved to Alaska<br />
to pair up pen pals for their students<br />
and connect the classrooms via video<br />
conferencing. Many local volunteers<br />
have also come through the classroom<br />
doors, showing students how to sew,<br />
act, and create online storybooks.<br />
The $5,000 award will be used to<br />
develop more programming opportunities<br />
like these throughout the entire<br />
elementary school and also increase<br />
field trips to more local places and<br />
continue immersing students in the<br />
community. The BKW PTA has also<br />
been an integral part in supporting<br />
the initial funding of Community<br />
Connections and will continue to be<br />
involved.<br />
Helen Lounsbury, a BKW Board of<br />
Education member, worked with the<br />
second-grade teachers and administration<br />
to write the submission for this<br />
award.<br />
“Over the years, BKW teachers have<br />
offered many innovative programs and<br />
received much recognition for doing<br />
so,” said Mrs. Lounsbury. “Recently, Mr.<br />
Tidd, Mrs. Tiffany and Ms. Pahl brought<br />
further honor and recognition to our<br />
<strong>District</strong> by becoming the first New<br />
York elementary school awardees for<br />
the prestigious Be the Change award.<br />
It was my pleasure to submit this<br />
nomination on their behalf.”
BERNE - KNOX- WESTERLO<br />
www.bkwschools.org<br />
CENTRAL SCHOOL DISTRICT<br />
BKW athletes break district records<br />
The athletes at BKW have been busy<br />
this year setting district records. Below<br />
are some of their amazing accomplishments.<br />
Congratulations!<br />
The BKW varsity golf team recently won its<br />
fifth straight WAC championship.<br />
Senior Courtney Tedeschi signs her letter of intent to Dupaul<br />
University for track and cross country. Pictured (from left to right)<br />
are Courney, her parents Maria and Matt and Coach Bill Tindale.<br />
Cross Country<br />
Courtney Tedeschi, Allie Tedeschi and<br />
Adam Forti all qualified for the State<br />
Cross Country Championships early in<br />
the school year.<br />
Senior Courtney Tedeschi won her fifth<br />
championship at the Guilderland Cross<br />
Country Invitational in September and<br />
placed fifth at the State Cross Country<br />
Championships. She became the first student<br />
in school<br />
history to<br />
qualify for the<br />
State Federation<br />
Meet of<br />
Champions. This<br />
meet welcomed<br />
the best runners<br />
of private and<br />
public schools,<br />
and Courtney<br />
placed 37th<br />
out of New<br />
York’s 255 best<br />
runners.<br />
In February,<br />
Courtney Tedeschi signed her Division<br />
1 national letter of intent to Depaul<br />
University for track and cross-country<br />
[pictured below].<br />
Girls Volleyball<br />
In October, Senior Gabriella<br />
Audino was honored with a<br />
medal as BKW’s all-star player<br />
for the Lady Dawgs [pictured above].<br />
All-Star Gabriella Audino with girl’s volleyball<br />
Head Coach Jim Lemire.<br />
Girls & Boys Basketball<br />
In January,<br />
senior classmates<br />
and best friends,<br />
Liz Harvey and<br />
Garrett Pitcher,<br />
both became the<br />
all-time leading scorers<br />
in BKW basketball<br />
history for boys and girls<br />
basketball [pictured to the<br />
right].<br />
The girls basketball<br />
team finished this<br />
season 17-1 and were<br />
the Western Athletic<br />
Conference champions.<br />
They also ranked 7th in<br />
New York Sate for class C!<br />
7<br />
Varsity Golf<br />
The varsity golf team won<br />
its fifth straight Western<br />
Athletic Conference championship<br />
this past fall. In<br />
November, selections for the<br />
WAC all-star teams included<br />
BKW’s Kyle Gibbs making<br />
the first team, and Connor<br />
McDermott making the<br />
second team [team is pictured to<br />
the left].<br />
Varsity Cheerleading<br />
In December, the BKW<br />
varsity cheerleaders became<br />
the first team in district history to qualify<br />
for a national championship. In February,<br />
the varsity cheerleaders traveled to Orlando<br />
to compete against 500 other cheer squads<br />
from all over the country [see story on page 1].<br />
BKW’s girls basketball team; this year’s WAC Champions.<br />
All-time lead scorers in basketball, Seniors Garrett<br />
Pitcher and Liz Harvey.
Board of Education<br />
Vasilios Lefkaditis, President<br />
Maureen Sikule, Vice President<br />
Gerald Larghe<br />
Helen Lounsbury<br />
Jill Norray<br />
Superintendent<br />
Dr. Paul Dorward<br />
Editor<br />
Sabre Sarnataro<br />
Produced in cooperation with the Capital<br />
Region BOCES Communications Service.<br />
BERNE-KNOX-WESTERLO<br />
CENTRAL SCHOOL DISTRICT<br />
1738 Helderberg Trail<br />
<strong>Berne</strong>, NY 12023<br />
POSTAL CUSTOMER<br />
Non-Profit<br />
Organization<br />
U.S. Postage<br />
PAID<br />
Permit No. 4<br />
<strong>Berne</strong>, NY<br />
www.bkwschools.org<br />
BERNE - KNOX- WESTERLO<br />
WINTER/SPRING 2013<br />
Starting at the Feb. 4 Board of Education<br />
meeting, the <strong>Berne</strong>-<strong>Knox</strong>-<strong>Westerlo</strong> school<br />
district began discussions about next year’s<br />
operating budget and the tax levy that helps<br />
fund it. Many decisions must be made by<br />
the Board between now and the May 21<br />
budget vote in order for the Board to come<br />
to a resolution on what the budget should<br />
entail. Inevitably, the Board of Education’s<br />
decisions represent the balance between<br />
recommendations from district officials and<br />
the desires of the community – and community<br />
input is crucial to that process.<br />
To offer input on BKW’s budget and<br />
the school tax levy, please attend Board of<br />
Education and/or BKW’s Budget Advisory<br />
Committee Meetings, both of which are<br />
open to the public.<br />
The outlook for budgeting in the 2013-<br />
14 school year and beyond...<br />
Earlier this year, many districts in the<br />
Capital Region received grim news from<br />
New York State – the loss of even more state<br />
aid. While BKW isn’t expected to lose more<br />
CENTRAL SCHOOL DISTRICT<br />
Board of Education starts budget development for 2013-14<br />
Note: You can watch the current week’s<br />
Board of Education meeting on Public Access<br />
TV, Channel 18 on Thurs. nights at 7 p.m.<br />
aid next year, it’s not an unfamiliar situation<br />
to the district.<br />
Over the last four school years, BKW has<br />
lost over $1.8 million in its yearly state aid<br />
contribution to their school budget. Based<br />
on the Governor’s proposals, aid is expected<br />
to increase this year, but it won’t make up<br />
that loss, especially with the increases the<br />
district faces in costs each year. These many<br />
rising costs include those associated with<br />
new educational mandates and standards the<br />
State is adopting. Just recently, this<br />
includes the Dignity for All Students<br />
Act, the new Annual Professional<br />
Performance Review, and phasing in<br />
the use of computers for state testing.<br />
While BKW has worked carefully<br />
during the last four years to reduce<br />
expenditures and spend down its reserves<br />
and has found creative ways to<br />
maintain funding for its programs,<br />
the future of school funding still lies<br />
in peril all around the state.<br />
“While we are proud to say that<br />
the numerous cost-saving measures<br />
we have implemented have allowed<br />
us to become more efficient,<br />
8<br />
efficiency will reach its maximum eventually,”<br />
said Superintendent Dr. Paul Dorward.<br />
“Recent budget seasons have been hard as<br />
we don’t want to over-burden our taxpayers,<br />
but at the same time, we also know how<br />
important it is to provide our children with<br />
the resources they need to be prepared for<br />
higher education and the work force.”<br />
Help the BKW Board of Education make<br />
these decisions and make sure your voice is<br />
heard by coming to district meetings.<br />
Budget Input Meeting Schedule<br />
March 7, 2013<br />
March 18, 2013<br />
April 8, 2013<br />
April 22, 2013<br />
April 25, 2013<br />
May 6, 2013<br />
May 16, 2013<br />
Budget Advisory Committee<br />
Board of Education Meeting<br />
Board of Education Meeting<br />
Board of Education Meeting<br />
Budget Advisory Committee<br />
Budget Hearing<br />
Budget Advisory Committee<br />
Board of Education meetings are held at 7 p.m. in the<br />
Business Office.<br />
Budget Advisory Committee meetings are held from<br />
6-7:30 p.m. in the Business Office.