October 2015 - Issue 141 www.bville.org

District Considering Capital Project forFebruary 2016 Vote

BOE & District Updating Strategic Plan

Superintendent’s Message

Student Learning 2

BEEcon On Achievements 6

Around the District 8

Buzz on Business 9

The Road Ahead 11

Calendar 12

IN THIS ISSUE

During the district’s budgetdevelopment for the 2015-2016school year, district staff dis-

cussed long term capital project plan-ning and began identifying neededrepairs and upgrades at buildings. TheFacilities Committee has been review-

ing these items to possibly include ina capital project. Under considerationfor the scope of the project are:

4New transportation facility – the

I n the 2014-15 school year we began an extensive listening process to defineexactly how to reach our mission. The district worked with local companyResearch Marketing Solutions on a comprehensive study including focus

groups and phone surveys. In addition, Dr. Hamilton conducted hundreds ofhours of interviews, meetings, and informal conversations. These and otherdata were used to uncover what we valued about our schools and what made aBaldwinsville education unique. You can find more infor-

The district is considering building a new trans-portation facility due to inadequate space, especial-ly in the bays where mechanics work on the buses. Continued on page 10

Continued on page 11

ACHIEVING OUR FULL POTENTIAL - TOGETHER!

tWork underway to accomplish the district’s mission to help all students achieve their full potential

tReplacing 70-year-old bus garage, school roofs, school kitchen, andlockers among items Board of Education considering

I t is an exciting time for theBaldwinsville schools! In this issue ofthe totally revamped district newslet-

ter we are highlighting the work under-way to fulfill our district’s mission - tohelp each student reach his or her fullpotential. Fulfilling that mission willrequire new levels of focus, teamwork,and commitment from our entire dis-trict. This school year we are workingtoward our mission in three importantways.

First, we are working to update our

strategic plan based on the extensiveinformation we gathered last year fromstudents, parents, staff and communitymembers. The strategic plan will befocused on student learning both insideand outside of the classroom. Second,we are organizing all of our teachers intohigh-performing collaborative teams tomake real-time improvements in what weteach and how we teach it. These teamswill be part of a shared commitment tohigh levels of learning for allstudents. Third, we are making sure that

our budgeting, facilities, and operationsare efficient and effective. We mustfocus our resources on giving our staffand students the tools they need to besuccessful.

This year we are committed to givingyou more information about the districtthan ever before. We are committed toensuring you know about the amazingwork of our students. And, most of all,we are committed to achieving our fullpotential - TOGETHER!

GO BEES! - Dr. David Hamilton

tStrategic plan will continue district’s tradition of educational excellence

Page 2 www.bville.org

Student LearningFocusing on Our Teaching Staff, Curriculum and Instruction in Our Schools

New District Wide4Tonya Buda- LearningCoach 4Julie Jones-Beckwith -Learning Coach4Jenna Koskowski -CPSE/CSE/504 Chairperson

New at Baker HighSchool4Rani Dotterer - Science4Gretchen Rooney - Spanish4Benjamin Gerardi - German

New at Durgee JuniorHigh School4Stephanie Ager - LivingEnvironment Teacher4Kaitlin Dahl - Spanish 1and 2 4Lindsey Knecht - Spanish 4Kelly MacCollum - Art 4Corey Wolfe - LivingEnvironment

New at Ray MiddleSchool4John Kowalski - Sixth-Grade Math

New at EldenElementary School4Jennifer Jasewicz - FourthGrade 4Kate Zwecker - K-1 SpecialEducation

New at McNamaraElementary School4Kristin Dixon - Third Grade 4Nicole Leader - FourthGrade

New at PalmerElementary School4Danielle DeRoberts - FifthGrade 4Amy Di Bari - Fifth Grade 4Amy Klymkow - Third Grade 4Lynnette Planck - LibraryMedia Specialist

New at Van BurenElementary School4Kristy Hall - Fourth Grade 4Katie Seeley - First Grade

District Continues to Attract Talented Educators

Several new faces have joined the teaching staffs at ourschools. The district hired 25 new instructional staff membersfor the 2015-2016 school year. The district continues to

attract a substantial number of outstanding applicants for teachingpositions. The chart at right outlines the open positions and thenumber of applicants we received for 2015-2016 vacancies.

The district’s new teaching staff members are: (back, l to r)Danielle DeRoberts, Kristin Dixon, Tonya Buda, Kristy Hall, JulieJones-Beckwith, Amy Di Bari, Lindsey Knecht, Nicole Leader, andJohn Kowalski.

(Front, l to r) Jenna Koskowski, Amy Klymkow, Jennifer Jasewicz,Stephanie Ager, and Kaitlin Dahl. Missing: Rani Dotterer, BenjaminGerardi, Kelly MacCollum, Lynnette Planck, Gretchen Rooney,Katie Seeley, Corey Wolfe, and Katie Zwecker.

Applications for Teaching VacanciesApril 15, 2015 to September 1, 2015

Elementary - 9 vacancies

Learning Coaches

4 vacancies

Library Media Specialist

1 vacancy8 applicants

50 applicants

35 applicantsScience - 3 vacancies

1 applicantGerman - 1 vacancy

Spec. Ed. - 2 vacancies

Art - 1 vacancy

Spanish - 3 vacancies

Psychologist - 1 vacancy

25Total Vacancies

487Total Applicants

21 applicants

23 applicants

119 applicants

11 applicants

219 applicants

tDistrict received 487 applications for 25 instructional vacancies

Average GPA for under-graduate degrees forapplicants

Average GPA for graduatedegrees for applicants

3.373.37

3.813.81

2121

Meet the New Teaching Staff Members

21 of the new hireshave already completedtheir graduate course-work

Page 3www.bville.org

Student LearningFocusing on Our Teaching Staff, Curriculum and Instruction in Our Schools

New Assistant Principals forRay & Durgee

Kinder Kids Say “Thank you,Class of 2015!”

The school year began with a newassistant principal at Ray MiddleSchool and at Durgee Junior High

School.Kris Denton joined Ray Middle School

as the sixth-grade assistant principal,replacing Melissa Chiodo-Miller, who isnow the principal of Reynolds ElementarySchool. He was previously an assistantprincipal at Cazenovia High School andalso spent 12 years at the high school

teaching English. Prior to his teaching career, Mr. Dentonworked in college textbook publishing and with A Better Chance,a college prep residence program in Connecticut. The class-rooms of Ray Middle School are veryfamiliar to Mr. Denton. He attended theschool for grades six and seven.

Sondra Bergquist is Durgee JuniorHigh School’s new assistant principal foreighth grade. During her 21 years as aneducator she has worked for theSyracuse City School District and theLiverpool Central School District. Duringher 14 year tenure in Liverpool, Mrs.Bergquist taught at Donlin Drive ElementarySchool and Nate Perry Elementary School, where she gainedexperience in second, third, and fourth grade.

Mrs. Bergquist comes to Baldwinsville after completing herinternship at Soule Road Middle School, and most recentlyserved as the principal for the 2015 K-12 Extended School Year

Special Education Summer Program. Sheis a graduate of the University at Albanyand Syracuse University.

Danielle Nahorney joins the junior highschool as an administrative intern whileshe completes her Certificate of AdvancedStudy (CAS) in Educational Leadershipthrough Le Moyne College. Nahorney hastaught for the last eight years in the dis-trict, primarily at Palmer ElementarySchool as a fourth-grade teacher. She also

has experience teaching third grade and sixth grade. She com-pleted her undergraduate and graduate work at SUNY Oswegoand is certified in Early Childhood Education, ChildhoodEducation, and Literacy Education.

Kris Denton

Sondra Bergquist

Danielle Nahorney

Baldwinsville’sClass of2028 says,

“Thank you, Classof 2015!” The Classof 2015 purchasedshirts for all of thedistrict’s 394kindergarteners,wishing them luck.The shirts are bigenough for thekinder kids to grow into and wear when they are seniors. Keepyour shirts in a safe place, Class of 2028!

STAY INFORMED!GET THE DISTRICT APP!

Look for Baldwinsville Central SD

in the app store

Dowload the free Baldwinsville Central

School District app today for access to

school news, notifications, a district directory,

and much more!

Page 4 www.bville.org

Student LearningFocusing on Our Teaching Staff, Curriculum and Instruction in Our Schools

District Rolls Out Regents Prep Program in 6th & 7th Grades

This school year the district will continue topost report card grades online and won’t beissuing paper copies. Report cards for all students ingrades K-12 will be available online each marking periodthrough the district’s parent portal, SchoolTool. You canfind a link to the portal on the district website,www.bville.org. Report cards for the first marking periodwill be in the parent portal on November 13. If you’ve neverused the parent portal and need to have an account set up,please call your child’s school.

Report Cards OnlineNovember 13

Like theBaldwinsvi l leCentral SchoolDistr ict

This fall the district hasintroduced a compre-hensive Regents

preparatory curriculum in mathand science for all students ingrades six and seven. Thisprogram will prepare all stu-dents to earn up to 4 of the 22required High School credits in8th grade which will allow stu-dents to take more advancedcourses and electives ingrades 9 through 12. It willalso ensure all students arebeing challenged together incourses with clear demandingcurriculum and high teacherexpectations.

Alexander Ewing, principalof Ray Middle School, saidthat the transition to theRegents prep curriculum isgoing smoothly in his schoolthis fall “Students and teach-ers are enjoying their experi-ences in math and sciencethis year,” he noted. “Our staffcontinues to work hard to pro-vide the best educationalexperiences possible to allstudents.” Mr. Ewing alsoechoed the comments of hisstaff and added “Teachers andcounselors share that classesare running smoothly, studentsare engaged/challengedaccordingly and there is a verymanageable distributions ofregular and special educationstudents.” Walking throughthe classrooms it’s exciting tosee small groups of students

working together to solve chal-lenging problems that will pre-pare them for Regents examsin the future.

To provide students withsupport and enrichmentbeyond their regular classroominstruction, additional time wasbuilt into the Ray MiddleSchool schedule. In seventhgrade students who need extrahelp have an additional periodscheduled with their regularclassroom teacher. In thesixth grade teachers designeda schedule to offer math sup-port at multiple times duringthe day. This was to offeropportunity for students toseek math help that suitedindividual students’ schedulesbe it with their math teacher oranother available at their con-venience.

During the 2014-2015school year the district made acomprehensive review of themiddle school and junior highschool math and science pro-grams, conducted a communi-ty perception study regardingquality educational outcomes(see page 11 for informationon the survey), and listened tothe perspectives of districtparents and educators on whatthey believe is necessary for aquality education. Sixty-sevenpercent of those surveyed saidthey “somewhat” or “stronglyagreed” that students shouldhave more opportunities to

earn college credit. Based on the data from thecommunity perception study, review of the cur-riculum, and information from educational stud-ies regarding the acceleration of curriculum, thedistrict determined that the 2015-2016 schoolyear was the best time to expand studentaccess to the eighth-grade Regents program.

As the district monitors the program andstudent progress, staff and administrators will make adjustments tothe program to ensure student success. The district will highlight theprogram’s progress in future issues of the Beecon and on the districtwebsite. The Board of Education will review the progress of the pro-gram at its November 9 regular meeting.

You can find a list of frequently asked questions about the curricu-lum changes, links to the education studies information, and a breakdown of the Community Perception Survey results on the district web-site at the following links:

Frequently Asked Questionshttp://bit.ly/1idcsKv.

Education Studieshttp://bit.ly/1VjdlCN

Community Perception Survey Resultshttp://bit.ly/1QMD4N9

No Access to a Computer?If you do not have access to a computer, butwould like hard copies of the above information, contact Kelly Cary, School Information Officer,at (315)638-6180.

tCurriculum changes will provide students with more time to take college-level courses in high school

Page 5www.bville.org

Student LearningFocusing on Our Teaching Staff, Curriculum and Instruction in Our Schools

Teachers Model Teamwork to Increase Student Achievement

The Baldwinsville Central SchoolDistrict is committed to providingevery student with educational experi-

ences and opportunities to foster his or herfull potential. At the heart of our mission asa school district are four basic questions:

1. What do we want students to learn?2. How will we know that they have

learned?3. How will we respond if they do not

learn?4. How will we respond once they have

learned?

Focusing on the answers to thesequestions requires that we organize our-selves into highly effective and collabora-tive teams of educators who can ensurequality, effectiveness, and alignment acrossschools and grade levels in a continuouscycle of improvement.

A steering committee of teachers andadministrators has been working togetherwith Superintendent Hamilton sinceJanuary 2015 to look at our curriculum andinstruction processes. Those ideas werereviewed and shared with larger groups ofeducators over the past few months result-ing in what we call the Collaborative

Curriculum Process. The goals of the process are as follows:

4Ensure a consistent curriculum fromgrade to grade and teacher to teacher for allsubjects;4Establish higher standards that areunique to the district;4Empower educators to make real-timeimprovements in curriculum; and4Engage students by focusing learning onmeaningful real-world tasks.

The new process involves three typesof interlocking teams: K-12 program com-mittees; grade-level curriculum committees;and school-level teaching teams. Theseteams will work to define what meaningfultasks or performances students should beable to do in each subject and grade, cre-

ate units of study and common assess-ments, and measure student progressacross the grade/course for each subject.Once fully established in the fall of 2016,the Collaborative Curriculum Process willbe on a continuous cycle from that pointforward as our primary method to ensurewe are making real-time adjustments in theclassrooms to help all of our studentsachieve the highest levels of learning. Thedistrict began using this collaborativeprocess with K-12 English Language Arts(ELA) teachers this summer.

District Seeks Volunteers for BudgetCommittees

The district is beginningthe developmentprocess for the 2016-

2017 budget and is seekingcommunity input throughbudget advisory committees.The district is still takingnames of volunteers to serveon these committees toreview specific areas of thebudget and to provide inputon the budget componentsas well as recommendationsfor cost savings prior to thebudget components being

presented to the Board ofEducation for review. Thebudget advisory committeesare as follows:

4Athletics;4Facilities;4 Instructional/Technology;4Special Education; and4Transportation.

Committee members willmeet with the administratorsresponsible for these budgetcomponents in November

and December (no meetingdates have been establishedyet). If you are interested inserving on any of the budgetadvisory committees, pleasecontact Kelly Cary, SchoolInformation Officer, atkcary@bville.org or 638-6180with your name, emailaddress, a phone number,and the committee(s) onwhich you are interested inserving. The district will betaking names until October26.

REMINDER: Early Dismissal forSheltering Drill onNovember 25

The district will conduct a shelteringdrill in every school building onNovember 25. Students in eachschool wil be dismissed 15 minutesearlier than usual on this day. K-5will dismiss at 11:15 a.m. for a half-day for parent-teacher conferences.Ray, Durgee and Baker will dismiss15 minutes earlier than their usualtimes.

Baker Drama Club Presents

Murder MysteryDinner Theatre

November 6 & 76 P.M. - Baker Cafe

Tickets are $20 and can beordered by calling the box

office at 638-6039.For menu and more information, visit

www.bville.org

Page 6

Baldwinsville Students Earn AP Scholar Awards

Seventy-four students from theBaldwinsville Central School Districthave earned AP Scholar Awards in

recognition of their achievements on the col-lege-level Advanced Placement ProgramExams. Students take AP Exams in Mayafter finishing their studies in college-levelcourses at Baker High School.

Forty-five students qualified for the APScholar Award by earning a score of 3 orhigher on three or more exams. Studentswho qualified for this award are: EmmaAtkinson, Kevin Atkinson, Emily Bayhan,Miranda Berkebile, Jessica Blake, KatherineBulger, Cole Burchill, Lucas Butchko, DorinaCibotaru, Suzanna Damato, Adam DaPrano,Megan Dwyer, Anthony Emmi, TashaFarsaci, Morgan Felberbaum, Erik Ferrari,Mitchell Gage, Marcus Grabowski, EthanGreene, Andrew Guido, Lauren Guild,

Andrew Hahn, Michael Joncas, ArdenKellner, Brennan Laque, Robert Liedka,Jason Liu, Rachel Lockwood, ColleenMagowan, Kyle Mascara, Molly McKeigue,Claire McMahon, Kyle Micho, Jared Miller,Hannah Olds, Samuel Pandossi, RyanRadicello, Kayleigh Sattler, Noah Siddall,Nicholas Stanton, Rachel Troy, NicholasWalker, Katherine Walsh, Jarrett Winders,and Michael Zucco.

Eleven students qualified for the APScholar with Honor Award by earning anaverage score of at least 3.25 on all APExams taken, and scores of 3 or higher onfour or more of these exams. These stu-dents are: Antonio Bottos, MadeleineDarstein, Austin Dukat, Cicely Ekross,Eugene Kim, Christina Lake, HannahMoyer, Danielle Piontkowski, SamanthaSmith, Samuel Stone, and Cecilia Vacanti.

Eighteen students qualified for the APScholar with Distinction Award by receiv-ing an average score of at least 3.5 on allAP Exams taken, and scores of 3 or high-er on five or more of these exams. Thesestudents are: Brooke Atkinson, MatthewBinns, Michael Boyce, Maya Bryant,Alexander Burrer, Lauren Conley, MichaelConnolly, Scott Dickson, Maizy Ludden,Katelyn Malecki, Emily McComb, MahaMian, Evan Murphy, Samuel Smith,Samuel Thurston, Alexander Travers,Shelley Verma, and Gregg Welcher.

Three students qualified for the NationalAP Scholar Award by receiving an averageof at least 4 on all AP Exams taken, andscores of 4 or higher on eight or more ofthese exams: Matthew Binns, MaizyLudden, and Samuel Smith.

BEEcon on AchievementsShining a Light on Successes in Our District

E ugene Kim, a senior at Baker High School,has been named a 2016 National MeritScholarship semifinalist. He is one of the

highest scoring students in the state on lastyear’s PSAT/NMSQT, and one of 16,000 semifi-nalists nationwide who have the opportunity tocontinue in the competition for National MeritScholarships.

A aron DuBois, a student atBaker High School, per-formed with singer Josh

Groban at three of Groban’s NewYork State shows this October.DuBois played a trumpet soloaccompaniment at Groban’sAlbany, Syracuse, and Buffaloshows. He was chosen for theprestigious performance based on a video audition. DuBois, a junior, is amember of the high school band and is the trumpet section leader of theBaldwinsville Marching Band.

Senior Named NationalMerit Semifinalist

Baker Junior Performs withJosh Groban

J oan Reeves, amember of theBaldwinsville

Central School DistrictBoard of Education,has won the 2015Everett R. Dyer Awardfor DistinguishedSchool Board Service.The award is the New

York State School Boards Association’s (NYSS-BA) highest honor for school board service, pre-sented annually to a current or former schoolboard member in recognition of extraordinaryservice to public education and children.

Reeves has been a member of the Board ofEducation since 1981, serving as vice presidentfor 13 years and as president for 6 years.“Joan’s more than three decades of service tothe board are a reflection of her deep commit-ment to public education and to the welfare ofthe students and members of the school districtcommunity,” noted Dr. David Hamilton,Superintendent of Schools.

Board Member Honoredby State Association

Continued on page 7

www.bville.org

Photo

by S

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As a board member Reeves hasgiven her time and talent to theschool district community to protectand improve the quality of educa-tion and the district’s assets. Shehas been active on numerousboard committees including but notlimited to Long Range Planning,Facilities, Legislative, andNegotiations. “Joan’s extensiveparticipation on board committeesand her years of service to theboard demonstrate her commitmentto providing students with a qualityeducation,” stated Victor Jenkins,Board of Education President.

While serving the local schooldistrict, Reeves also serves on theOCM BOCES Board of Education,is a member of the Board ofDirectors of the Central New YorkSchool Boards Association, and isa member of the Board of Directorsof the Onondaga Madison SchoolBoards Association.

Ten Baldwinsvillestudents havebeen accepted

into the SyracuseYouth Orchestra (SYO)and the SyracuseYouth String Orchestra(SYSO). The orches-tras are part of theCommunity MusicDivision of the Schoolof Music in SyracuseUniversity’s College ofVisual and PerformingArts. Central New Yorkmiddle school and highschool students areselected for theorchestras based on anaudition process.

Selected for theSYO are BryannaDiGregorio andVictoria Speight,Baker High School,and Alivia Speightand Olivia Richards,Durgee Junior HighSchool.

Selected for theSYSO are Ian Callard,Lauren Lammers,Ryan Hulchanski, andJoshua Tapia, DurgeeJunior High School,and Bianca Gasconand RebeccaMantione, Ray MiddleSchool.

Ten B’ville Students Picked for Select Community Orchestras

Durgee Junior High School: AliviaSpeight, left, and Olivia Richards

Durgee Junior High School: (L to r)Joshua Tapia, Ryan Hulchanski, LaurenLammers, and Ian Callard

Baker High School: BryannaDiGregorio, left and Victoria Speight

Ray Middle School: Rebecca Mantione,left, and Bianca Gascon

BEEcon on AchievementsShining a Light on Successes in Our District

Board Member HonoredContinued from page 6 Up, Up & Away!

t Interest in science soars atMcNamara

McNamara Elementary Schoolstudents were treated to a hotair balloon demonstration in late

September to learn about the scienceconcepts related to ballooning –physics, meteorology and chemistry.Superintendent David Hamilton, as wellas Principal Jane Nadolski and severalteachers took to the skies as part of thedemonstration. The activity wassponsored by the school’s PTA.

www.bville.org

Page 8 www.bville.org

Around the DistrictNews from the Principals About the Great Things Happening in Our Schools!

At Durgee Jr. High School

At Ray Middle School

At Baker High School

At Elden Elementary School

At Palmer Elementary School

Durgee Junior High School students are encouraged to use theirfree time (study hall, lunch, WIN time) to drop into the library

to participate in the library’s makerspace, a type of drop-in, tinker-ing lab. Lindsay Cesari, Library Media Specialist, leads students ina different activity or challenge each week. “At the beginning of theweek I might show students how to use a special maker/ink tomake a circuit board for a light up greeting card,” said Cesari. “Therest of the week they can use thosesame supplies to create whatever theywant.” The makerspace provides stu-dents with time to collaborate withpeers, share insights and use andstrengthen skills as they work on aproject that extends student learningbeyond the classroom.

Elden Elementary School instituted a new character/behavior pro-gram in September. The Three Bees of Character outlines

expectations for students in all school settings, including the cafete-ria, hallways, buses, and classrooms. The Three Bees are: beerespectful; bee responsible; and bee safe. The Elden LeadershipTeam collaborated with school staff members last school year to

This fall, PalmerElementary School is

focusing on respect andresponsibility in the school’sPenguin Showcase (monthlyschool assembly). To empha-size the school motto,“Together, We Learn!” stu-dents are becoming morefamiliar with the greaterBaldwinsville community andthe elements involved inbeing a community member.

Palmer is promoting studentawareness of the resourcesaround them and exploringtopics such as health andwellness and financial litera-cy. Principal MelissaPietricola said it’s a specialtime for the school as a learn-ing community to explore ele-ments that affect the wholechild and his/her role in thecommunity.

C

At McNamara Elementary SchoolC

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At Van Buren Elementary SchoolC

At Reynolds Elementary SchoolC

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Baker High School’s library media specialist, Leslie Cartier, hascreated a Baker Genius Bar, an Apple-Store-like Genius Bar, at

the Learning Commons. This fall she recruited students interestedin volunteering to provide technology support to their peers and tostaff in an informal, friendly manner, even traveling to classrooms toassist teachers.

Ray Middle School sixth-graders are learning their

way around the school while theseventh-graders are finding outwhat it means to be the studentleaders in the building. Teachershave establishd routines andsupport structures to ensurestudent success. Collaborationis the name of the game at Ray.

Teachers will use data fromSTAR reading and mathassessents that the studentstook in September to assist indetermining learning needs andin developing instructional inter-

ventions.The sixth-grade open house

featured a display with thetheme, “Everybody isSomebody… and We Fit RightTogether!” The display featureda puzzle piece with informationon each sixth-grader.

The seventh-grade studentleadership team has alreadymet several times and membershave determined what theywould like to learn and theactivities they would like to pur-sue as a team this school year.

Students at Van BurenElementary School signed

a recycling pledge inSeptember when a represen-tative from OCRRA visited toteach students about theimporatance of recycling.

At the end of September,

the Ride for Missing Childrenstopped at the school for abrief rest in a 100 mile ride toraise awareness for missingand exploited children. Thewhole school gathered out-side to cheer for the cyclists.

The Reynolds Elementary School cross country team kicked-off its season with a guest speaker, Tyler Jean, a fitness

professional with Impact Martial Arts & Fitness and a senior atBaker High School as well as the student ex-officio rep on theBoard of Education. He spoke about healthy habits for runners.The team meets on school mornings for workouts before class-es begin and participates in weekly fun runs at the school.

create the program, the goal of which is to provide all gradeswith a common program so that students do not have torelearn expectations each year.

McNamara Elementary School started the year with itsWelcome Back Assembly, at which staff members intro-

duced themselves. Principal Jane Nadolski talked to studentsabout the character traits of respect and responsibility, fol-lowed by the entire school reciting the McNamara Pledge.Several fifth-graders shared their definitions and examples ofeach part of the pledge: citizenship, achievement, responsibili-ty, and education. We are proud of our students at McNamara!

Principal Robert Edwards

Principal Tony Cardamone

Principal Jane Nadolski

Principal Melissa Pietricola

Principal Melissa Chiodo-Miller

Principal Kara Shore

Principal Bonnie Van Benschoten

Principal Alexander Ewing

Page 9www.bville.org

The Buzz on BusinessAn Update on District Business, Finances & Facilities

Two exciting con-struction proj-ects this school

year will bringfacelifts to the BakerHigh School auditori-um and to the Pelcher-Arcaro stadium.Renovations at theauditorium began overthe summer and theBoard of Education’sFacilities Committeeis currently looking atoptions for turf instal-lation at the stadium,which is scheduled tobegin in the spring of2016. These projectswere part of the 2014Capital Project thatvoters approved inFebruary of 2014.

Because of renova-tions, school concerts

and other events typi-cally held in the audi-torium will take placein the schools thisyear. Please checkwith your school orthe district’s onlineevents calendar fordates and locations.

Over the summerasbestos was removedfrom the auditorium’sceiling, the seats wereremoved, the stagewas dismantled, andthe whole space wasstripped down to thebare concrete walls. Ifwork progresses asscheduled, the districtexpects the auditori-um to be open by theend of September2016 and ready forwinter 2016 concerts.

The stadium isscheduled to close atthe end of the fall ath-letic season. Nospring games or trackand field events willbe held at the stadiumin the spring of 2016as work takes place toinstall a turf field andnew bleachers. Homegames have beenscheduled at otherfacilities, and springteam schedules will beposted on the AthleticDepartment’s webpage closer to thebeginning of thespring season. Thedistrict expects thestadium to be openand the turf field to beready for play in thefall of 2016.

Facelifts on Schedule forAuditorium and Stadium

Over the summer the Baker High School audi-torium and stage were stripped down to thebare walls as renovation work began.

Installation of turf is scheduled to begin inspring 2016 and should be complete in timefor fall 2016 sports, such as girls soccer.

The district expectsto save over $1million dollars by

increasing its energy effi-ciency.

An EnergyPerformance Contract(EPC) approved by vot-ers in the May 2015budget vote will save theschool district roughly$75,000 to $100,000 peryear in energy costs for18 years. The EPC is acapital project thatallows the district tomake energy efficient

improvements, district-wide, including relatedrenovations, reconstruc-tion, site improvements,retrofitting light fixtures,and replacing pumps,controls and other olderequipment. Votersauthorized the district touse up to $3.5 milliondollars for the EPC. Thedistrict expects state aidto pay for 84% of theproject, and the balancewill be paid for with themoney the district savesin its energy costs.

District to Save Over $1 Million WithEnergy Performance Project

In August, the Board ofEducation adopted a bondresolution permitting theproject and approved theawarding of the project toJohnson Controls, Inc., aninternational energy man-agement company. Thecompany will be monitoringthe district’s energy con-sumption for about sixmonths through the use ofdata recorders and by sur-veying all district devices

that use electricity such asfurnaces, pumps and lightfixtures.

Johnson Controls, Inc.will study the data on thedistrict’s energy consump-tion and present the Boardof Education with a propos-al to save energy over an18-year time period. If theboard approves a proposal,it will be sent to the StateEducation Department forits approval.

tDistrict to saveup to $100,000per year in energycosts

t84% of projectto be paid forwith state aid

tBoard of Ed willclosely monitorproject

Follow Us On Twitter@BCSDBEES

Page 10 www.bville.org

The Buzz on BusinessAn Update on District Business, Finances & Facilities

current facility is a 70-year-oldwooden roofed structure that thedepartment has outgrown (see relat-ed article – “District Looking IntoNew Transportation Facility” atright).

4Roof replacements – The roofs atthe public library (which is owned bythe district), Elden ElementarySchool, and Van Buren ElementarySchool are all over 20 years old andare at the end of their expected lifespans.

4Baker High School kitchenupgrades – The kitchen and most ofits equipment is original to the build-ing, which was built in 1957.

4New lighting at the stadium – Toprovide more cost-efficient lighting.

4New press box at the stadium -The current press box is original tothe stadium, circa 1982, and needsto be replaced to match the layout ofthe new bleachers being installedthis spring.

4Locker replacements – Lockers atRay Middle School are original tothe building, circa 1976. Those atDurgee Junior High School are alsooriginal to the building, which wasbuilt in 1959, and at Baker HighSchool the lockers range in age from11 years old to 51 years old.

4Paving – Various locations aroundthe district.

James Rodems, AssistantSuperintendent for ManagementServices, expects the project pricetag to be roughly $30 million but atno additional cost to taxpayers. Thiscan be accomplished through a com-bination of 84% state aid reimburse-ment and use of the district’s exist-ing Capital Reserves.

At this time, the scope of a

proposed capital project has notbeen finalized or approved by theBoard of Education. The FacilitiesCommittee is still in the exploratoryand discussion phase of the processand is scheduled to present a capitalproject proposal to the Board ofEducation at its November 9 meet-ing. The board is scheduled to voteon a proposal at its December 21meeting. The meetings will be heldin the cafeteria of Durgee JuniorHigh School and begin at 7:00 p.m.

If you have any questionsregarding a capital project vote orthe possibility of a new transporta-tion facility, please contact Mr.Rodems at jrodems@bville.org or638-6055.

We will keep you up-to-date onthe possible scope and sequence ofa capital project in upcomingnewsletters and on the district’swebsite, www.bville.org. Look for thelink to the 2016 Capital Project onthe home page.

Capital Project, Continued from Page 1

District Looking Into NewTransportation Facility

The district is exploring the possibility ofbuilding a new transportation facility. Thecurrent transportation building is a 70-year-

old wooden roofed structure that was originally aschool building, located on the district’s maincampus. It includes a bus shelter across thestreet from the main building. When the districtrepurposed the building for its transportationdepartment, the student population was muchsmaller than it is today, and the district had fewerbuses and other commercial vehicles needingmaintenance.

Besides its age, other reasons the district islooking into a new facility are:

4The district has 108 buses and 30 commercialvehicles that must be maintained in a crampedspace;

4The current facility is not energy efficient;

4There is limited storage for supplies - Becauseof inadequate storage the department cannot pur-chase parts and supplies in bulk to save money;and

4Building a new facility is more cost effectivethan making the necessary renovations andrepairs to upgrade the existing facility.

The Board of Education’s Facilities Committeeis investigating several sites at which to build anew transportation department. James Rodems,Assistant Superintendent for ManagementServices, said the sites include land in theRadisson Corporate Park, an empty plaza onSmokey Hollow Road, and district-owned land onthe main campus, north of Durgee Junior HighSchool. “We are still in the exploratory phase,”said Rodems. “No site has been chosen and theBoard of Education has not approved a capitalproject proposal,” Rodems noted.

The Facilities Committee is scheduled topresent a project proposal to the board at theboard’s November 9 meeting in the Durgee JuniorHigh School cafeteria. The meeting begins at 7:00p.m. and is open to the public.

Assistant Transportation SupervisorDana Nelson demonstrates how tightspace in the bus garage is for hismechanics to work.

Floor tile in the Baker kitchen isoriginal (58 years old) and needs tobe replaced.

Page 11 www.bville.org

The Road AheadA Look at Future Plans & Trends

Survey Indicates Community Believes District is Doing Well

mation on the study, below,and on the district’s website athttp://bit.ly/1QMD4N9. As welistened to all of those diversevoices and perspectives, a fewcommon themes began toemerge.

It was evident thatBaldwinsville values high levelsof learning for all students. Wevalue equity, opportunity, andreal-world application. We also

recognize how both academicand extra-curricular workenhances the lives of our stu-dents and community.

The development of arevised strategic plan will bethe Board of Education’s chieftask for the 2015-2016 schoolyear. The strategic plan willhelp district stakeholders setpriorities, develop long-rangeplanning, and create goals to

improve the various functions ofthe district. Even more impor-tantly, it will continue the tradi-tion of educational excellencethe Baldwinsville communityexpects and our studentsdeserve.

The Board has begun theprocess of engaging an inde-pendent consultant, via BOCES,to guide the district in the nextsteps for revising the

plan. Updates will be providedat upcoming Board meetings, inthe district newsletter and onthe district website.

-Dr. David HamiltonSuperintendent

-Victor JenkinsPresident, Board of Education

Strategic Plan - Continued From Page 1

In the spring of 2015, the district con-ducted a stakeholder community percep-tion study through local firm Research &

Marketing Strategies (RMS). The district’smain objectives in conducting the survey,besides determining stakeholder and com-munity perceptions, were to explore learn-ing concepts (including internships, collegecourses, and career specialization) and toidentify the district’s other strengths and

areas of opportunity.RMS completed 400 telephone surveys

in a random sample of district householdsand conducted three focus groups with theBoard of Education, instructors, and par-ents. The survey data indicated that theoverall belief among district stakehold-ers is that the district is doing well. Thedistrict and the Board of Education will usethe survey data as they determine how to

further improve curriculum and instructionacross all grade levels to provide studentswith the courses, opportunities, and toolsthey need to be career and college ready.The data will also be used as the districtand board update the district’s strategicplan to guide the district in decision makingin all facets of its operations, from financialto instructional. Below is a sample of someof the results of the survey.

How does the district compareto other districts?

73%of those surveyed stated thatthe district is better than other

area districts due to the following factors:

81%of those surveyed agree orstrongly agree students are

ready for college.

61%of those surveyed agree orstrongly agree students are

ready for the workforce.

67%of those surveyed somewhator strongly agree that stu-

dents should have more opportunities toearn college credits.

What makes the district unique?

Great Instructors4

Quality Education4

How Success is Measured4

Extracurricular Activities4

Community Involvement4

Individual Attention4

More survey results are online:

http://bit.ly/1QMD4N9, or call Kelly

Cary, School Information Officer, at

(315)638-6180 for a paper copy.

4October 26, 20154November 9, 2015

4November 23, 20154December 7, 2015

4December 21, 20154January 11, 2016

B oard of Education meetings are held in the cafeteria of Durgee Junior High School and begin at 7:00 p.m. unlessindicated otherwise. You can view the agenda for each meeting at www.bville.org. Under the District tab, look forthe Board of Education and click on BoardDocs.

Upcoming Board of Education Meetings

School News ForPOSTAL PATRON

(dated material)

ACHIEVING OUR FULL POTENTIAL - TOGETHER!

Non-profit org.

U.S. POSTAGE PAID

Baldwinsville, NY

Permit No. 5

The BEEcon is an official publication of

the BaldwinsvilleCentral School District.

29 E. Oneida St.Baldwinsville, NY 13027

(315) 638-6043www.bville.org

Dr. David HamiltonSuperintendent of Schools

Matthew McDonaldDeputy Superintendent

Joseph DeBarbieriAssistant Superintendent forCurriculum and Instruction

James RodemsAssistant Superintendent forManagement Services

BALDWINSVILLE CENTRAL SCHOOL DISTRICT29 E. Oneida St.Baldwinsville, NY 13027

School Board Members:Victor Jenkins, PresidentJeff Marier, Vice-President Christy BondSally DaygerJames GouletKimberly McIlroyJoan ReevesSteven SchweitzerMatthew YagerTyler Jean, Ex-officio StudentMember

Ray Spooktacular - CANCELLEDOctober 22

October 26 Board of Education Meeting, Durgee Cafeteria, 7:00 p.m.

November 23 Board of Education Meeting, Durgee Cafeteria, 7:00 p.m.

November 9 Board of Education Meeting, Durgee Cafeteria, 7:00 p.m.

November 6 & 7 Baker Drama Club Murder Mystery Dinner Theatre - See Page 5

November 11 NO SCHOOL - Veterans Day

November 13 Report Cards in Parent Portal

October 29

October 30

Half Day for K-5 for Parent-Teacher Conferences Dismissal: 11:30 a.m.

Half Day for K-5 for Parent-Teacher Conferences Dismissal: 11:30 a.m.

November 3 4NO SCHOOL - Professional Development Day4Beginning Band Instructional Night at Durgee* Brass & Percussion - 6:30 p.m. * Woodwinds - 7:00 p.m.

CALENDAR All events are subject to change and cancellation. Please check with the schoolfor the most current information.

DURGEE JR. HIGHMusical Review

November 20 & 21 - 7 P.M.

Durgee Cafeteria - $5 at the door

The variety show will feature songs from Broadway

musicals including Hairspray & Pippin!www.bville.org

November 24

November 25

Half Day for K-5 for Parent-Teacher Conferences Dismissal: 11:30 a.m.Half Day for K-5 for Parent-Teacher Conferences Dismissal: 11:15 a.m. for sheltering drill

See page 5 for information on a sheltering drill in ALL schools on November 25.