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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.

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