It never ceases to amaze me. Living in a small town and working in a small town–the rumor mill is lightning fast and intermittently accurate. I know it and it still amazes me.
We offered the NYS Part A retirement incentive to our eligible employees and five additional teachers took the incentive. While it means the loss of some of our best educators, it is a good financial decision for the district. Replacing a teacher at the top of the salary schedule with a new teacher cuts the cost of that teacher about in half.
Two of the retirees to take the incentive last week are not being replaced with new teachers. One of the two has been teaching part of the day while supervising our In School Suspension program the other part of the day. Our plan for this position is that the Math Department can cover the classes and we plan to hire a teaching assistant to supervise ISS, with at least two hours of teacher coverage in ISS per day. I can hire a teaching assistant for $11.00 per hour versus a new teacher at about $36,000.
The other position is in Technology. This is where the rumor mill has been charged up. We have had three (3) full time Technology teachers at Randolph for the last several years. When the state budget was better, this was a program that the District expanded to offer opportunities for our students. It was done under the leadership of the previous superintendent and the idea was a good one at that time.
With things the way they are in Albany and with our commitment to keeping the tax levy where it is for our taxpayers, we had to consider if it was prudent to keep three full time technology teachers plus an Ag teacher on staff.
There is no other district of our size which employs three full time tech teachers. The opportunities afforded our kids through our amazing Ag program and through our two remaining technology teachers will be ample and rich. And I would argue that they will still be equal to or more than any other district of our size.
Are we eliminating wood shop after we just built that addition? Are we going to have a big, brand new addition sitting there empty? No sir, just utilizing the faculty we have to our best advantage. I’m certain that Mr. Freeman and Mr. Perison will do a fine job of teaching the technology classes that our children need and want at RCS.
Posted by
Kimberly Moritz on June 29th,2010
Budget |
2 Comments
A Guest Post from Tonia McAllister:
Hi. As some of you may know, my cousin Casey Craumer, who graduated from RCS in 2003, was injured in Afganistan a few weeks ago. He is thankfully doing well and will be coming home for a few days later this month.
We are planning a Welcome Home Parade (very short, like we do for the sports teams) on Saturday June 26th at 1pm. The fire trucks will meet at the fire hall and leave from there and do a loop up the school drive and back around the village.
We are hoping that we can get the word out, I know that the high schoolers are gone, but would like to maybe announce it a time or two if possible. We are hoping people will make up signs, and we are getting flags to wave and hopefully a banner or two.
I have attached a flyer, if you can open it and print it and hang it wherever that would be great.
Also knowing that school is out but hoping against hope that we may be able to get a few band members together to be playing downtown as they come thru would be awesome.
Also, can we get it added on the sign asap to get the word out, and then on that Saturday could the sign say something like “Welcome Home Casey”
I believe there will be news stations here as well.
If you have any questions please let me know, and just let me know if we can get any musicians down there please.
Thanks for your help. It’s pretty awesome to have a hometown hero to celebrate instead of mourn!!
Tonia McAllister
As some of you may know, my cousin Casey Craumer, who graduated from RCS in 2003, was injured in Afganistan a few weeks ago. He is thankfully doing well and will be coming home for a few days later this month.
We are planning a Welcome Home Parade (very short, like we do for the sports teams) on Saturday June 26th at 1pm. The fire trucks will meet at the fire hall and leave from there and do a loop up the school drive and back around the village.
We are hoping that we can get the word out so everyone comes out to welcome Casey home! We are also hoping people will make up signs, and we are getting flags to wave and a banner or two. I believe there will be news stations here as well!
Thanks for your help. It’s pretty awesome to have a hometown hero to celebrate!!
Tonia McAllister
Posted by
Kimberly Moritz on June 17th,2010
Blogging |
1 Comment
Business First continues to provide new rankings each day this week. Today brought us the elementary school rankings, tomorrow the middle school, Thursday the high school, and Friday the district rankings.
So how’d we do? In 2009, our elementary school ranked 199 out of 287 private and public elementary schools. In 2010? We moved up 26 spots to rank 173. Nice work Randolph!
Let’s keep asking “this is good, but how can we be better?”
And also found on Business First, a Special Mention Designation for Innovation goes to Mr. Jessie Perison and our Middle School Lego Robotics Program. Way to go Mr. Perison and our Innovative MS Students!
Business First announces its many “lists” all this week as the publication ranks everything and everyone within the public school systems of Western New York.
Congratulations to our sports teams, coaches and community for our outstanding rank in the top ten again this year attaining 8th Place among top sports programs!
You can read more by linking here.
I’ve been writing here since 2006, largely for our school community and I’ve also contributed occasionally to LeaderTalk, a blog written by educators on the Education Week website. A couple of month ago, Jay Goldman, Editor, The School Administrator, contacted me about writing a guest column for the magazine. The American Association of School Administrators is an international organization for educational leaders.
It was exciting for me to receive an advance copy of the June 2010 issue of the School Administrator which included my guest column. Distribution of the magazine is to roughly 20,000 individuals in school system administration and is also available on the magazine’s website.
I got a kick out of seeing my name and article in print and my mom will be proud of me, which is always a good thing. So thanks Jay, for asking me to share my thinking. And for those administrators or teachers who are still “thinking” about blogging—there’s no way Jay would have known I existed if I wasn’t out here writing on the blog every month. Blogging truly is a way to get your word out and to collaborate with others. It’s one of the most worthwhile professional practices I’ve encountered which enhances my own learning and helps me to better communicate.
This post is of a more personal nature but I’m thinking a lot lately about graduation. I’m picturing all of the families who come to graduation and celebrate the accomplishment. For years as a senior class advisor and then as a high school principal, I was responsible for commencement. Every time I told the kids, “yes, this is your graduation but we do this the right way for your parents, that’s why you take it seriously.” For us as parents, it’s a rite of passage, a significant symbolic event, an end to childhood. A big change.
Our son, Tallon, graduates from high school next month. Our daughter, Bryna, graduated from college in December and is planning a wedding for Spring, 2011. I know I’m always going to be a parent, but parenting changes when they leave for school or the military or workforce and go out on their own.
Now just for the record, I’m not some psycho helicopter parent by any stretch. We’ve raised our kids to be strong and independent, and I fully support them as they go out to make their own way, in their own way.
But I’ve been a full time working mom for half of my life now and I’m not sure how to adjust my thinking. I feel overwhelmingly sad that this time in our lives is ending at the same time that I’m enjoying the time and attention with my husband. How I’ve always defined myself–working MOM–that’s changing.
I already miss them. And the family of four that we were. We’ll just never be that little team again. We have Cory, Bryna’s fiancé now, and it’s already adjusted our thinking–he’s part of us, I plan for five now, not four. But mostly, I plan for two and when Tallon leaves for St. Bonaventure, that will be even more true.
I’ve thoroughly enjoyed every part of my life. I loved high school, while others couldn’t wait to get out. I had a blast in college. I thought teaching was going to be my whole life–couldn’t imagine doing anything but teaching at Pine Valley forever. And now at Randolph, I feel like the RCS superintendent of schools is what I’m meant to do. We have wonderful friends who I adore and I still love my husband after 23+ years, what more could I ask for?
To do it all over again. With bells on. For every parent who cries at graduation, for every mom who starts to enjoy doing the kid’s laundry more than you complain about it, for every dad who gets home from work a little earlier because you know your teenager is going to be home that evening–I get you. We’ve got precious little time left in this stage, before they walk the stage–I’m going to savor it and pay attention to it and enjoy.
And I bet the next part’s going to be pretty darned good too.
I know it’s not very exciting for the rest of the world, but May 18 is a big day when you’re a superintendent. I’d say it’s like the Super Bowl for us, but I’m thinking that’s probably overstating it a bit. I’m grateful and delighted to see that we overwhelmingly passed our budget yesterday and our purchase and refinancing of vehicles. Thank you Randolph.
We worked hard to put forth a budget that is responsible to our taxpayers while maintaining our educational programs. Passing Proposition #1, the Budget, 436 to 122 is gratifying.
This morning I’m also thinking about the eleven candidates who put themselves out there in the public eye by running for the Board of Education. To each of you, I say a huge thank you. It takes courage and dedication to the children of our school district to throw your hat into the ring, particularly in a year with eleven candidates running–it’s more likely you’ll lose than win with four open seats and eleven candidates.
Here are the results:
- Proposition #1, Budget Yes 436, No 122
- Propostion #2, Purchase and Refinancing of Vehicles Yes 378, No 156
Board Member Vote Results:
338 Michael Evans
318 Daniel Jackson
307 Julie Milliman
271 Thomas Shields (completes the 3 year term vacated by Dan Philblad)
267 Tonia McAllister
147 Carol Luce
144 Timothy Pence Jr.
133 Elizabeth Lerow
113 Robert Gebhard
63 Thomas Deacon
56 Timothy Plaskett
Again, thank you to all of our outstanding candidates and to our community for once again, supporting RCS!
As I sat in our auditorium last night, listening to our eleven BOE candidates interview at the PTA’s Meet the Candidate Night, I was again thankful to be the superintendent of schools HERE. In what other superintendency would I possibly find this kind of support for the school? The vast majority of residents in Randolph and our surrounding communities truly love our school and our community.
Candidates were randomly asked questions about everything from making BOE decisions, to their position on tenure, to integration of technology, to the economic crisis, term limits, collective bargaining agreements, and substitute coverage. They had potential questions sent to them in advance from the PTA and then had numbers drawn to determine which four each would be asked. Their answers were thoughtfully prepared and showed much about who the candidates are and what they stand for in this election. You can watch the event on our school website by linking here so if you couldn’t make it last night, you can watch and be an informed voter on Tuesday, May 18, 2010.
So why did last night’s interviews remind me of how thankful I am to be the superintendent here? The majority of the candidates were overwhelmingly positive about the school and the community in their answers to “what would you say to a family who is considering a home purchase in Randolph to persuade them that this is where they want to raise a family and educate their children?” I could hear the pride that many have in everything that we are at RCS and I understand the responsibility that I have personally to perpetuate our RCS success.
Last night I listened to candidates who want to be involved in our school through BOE service for many reasons but most of all, I heard residents who want to be a part of a winning team. Busy residents who are taking the time to say I support our school and I want to be a part of seeing to its continued success. I don’t see how we can lose with that kind of support!
I received an email last week from 1997 RCS graduate Bradley E. Walters. Mr. Walters is now Technical Sergeant Bradley E. Walters and he’s stationed in Kabul, Afghanistan with the United States Air Force.
Why did he write to the RCS school superintendent, someone he’s never met? In Bradley’s words,
I’m motivated to help the children and people of Afghanistan get clothing and school supplies. I recommend that you read the book Three Cups of Tea by Greg Mortenson and David Oliver Relin. This book explains, in my opinion, the way to really make an impact on this country; that is, through education. If these children are lucky enough to go to school, they usually are sitting on the ground with virtually no school supplies. These kids desperately need flash cards and books to start learning English. Books at the elementary level are what are really needed.
Randolph has a history of being #1, so hopefully RCS can come through and give these children over here some school supplies and clothes to wear. We will take pictures delivering the donations provided and I will ensure that Randolph sees them.
I have made a personal decision to dedicate my deployment to helping the Afghan people through charitable outreach. I believe we have an incredible opportunity to make a difference in the lives of the Afghan people. That’s why I have joined Operation Outreach Afghanistan (OO-AFG). OO-AFG is a Soldier led volunteer organization at a base located in Kabul, Afghanistan. OO-AFG was founded more than four years ago by a former Soldier serving in AFG. It has a mission of empowering the Afghan people through humanitarian assistance and medical mentorship.
We would appreciate your support of OO-AFG by donating a gift to the people of Afghanistan. OO-AFG needs material items like shoes (Ages 0-20); school supplies/book bags, English spelling and grammar books, numbers and spelling flash cards, fleece blankets, first aid kits. You can ship your gifts to me at Bradley E. Walters, 855 AES, Camp Phoenix, APO, AE 09320.
Let me thank you in advance for your generous support and gifts. Your contributions will enable us to show the Afghan people the love and compassion that America is known for around the world. Together we can heal the hearts and minds of the Afghan people!
Please know that as a public school system, we cannot donate items to this effort. However, as individuals we can do much to support Bradley’s efforts. Randolph, I know many of you will have your wheels turning when you read this about what we can do to help. . . please post your ideas and your plans here so that others can contribute to your efforts. For example, I know that our elementary teachers, Mrs. Beaver and Mrs. Kobinski, are collecting books and clothing that they can send. Casual Friday contributions in the future can be used to help pay the costs of shipping the items over—but more help will be needed to pay for this.
Please post here if you’d like to help or contact Mrs. Kobinski or Mrs. Beaver in the elementary and Ms. Carnahan or Ms. Albano in the high schools. Or me!
