Voters approve 2013-14
budget
Niskayuna Central School District voters
approved the revised budget on Tuesday, June 18,
by a vote of 3,689 in favor and 1,844 opposed.
Of the total 5,533 voters, 66.7 percent
supported the $75.7 million spending plan for
2013-14.
“I want to thank everyone who took the time
today to vote on the school budget for a second
time,” Superintendent Susan Kay Salvaggio said.
"We are grateful for the support of our
community in this vote. We appreciate all of the
feedback that has been provided throughout the
budget development process. The community’s
input along the way was instrumental in shaping
the revised budget and will continue to guide
the district in the future. It’s time to move
forward.”
Outsourcing transportation: Background
information and Q&A
The district is sharing information and
answering commonly asked questions about the
recent decision to subcontract for bus drivers.
READ MORE
Three Niskayuna High School students sign
National Letters of Intent for Division I
athletic programs
In recent signings, Aaron Simone committed to
golf for Rider University, Olivia Jaquith is
headed to Marist College to run track, and
Allyson Mayo will join the crew program at the
University of Buffalo.
READ MORE
Updated elementary enrollment projections for
2013-14
The district is sharing the working projections
for 2013-14 elementary enrollment as of June 7,
2013.
PROJECTIONS [PDF]
High School Summer School 2013 Information
The
district is collaborating with the Schenectady
City School District and Capital Region BOCES to
offer a high school summer school program for
the summer of 2013.
VIEW INFORMATIONAL FLIER [PDF]
Student organizers announce 2nd annual Relay for
Life event for June 14-15
The overnight event will bring the entire
community together to fight cancer.
LEARN MORE & GET INVOLVED
Deadline for facilities committee letters of
interest is June 14
The district continues to seek members for a
Facilities Utilization Advisory Committee
charged with investigating options for school
building and grade level configurations for the
future.
READ MORE
High school sports physical information for
Summer 2013
The nurse's office will
reopen in August for sports physicals only.
Physicals are scheduled for August 12 from 8:30
a.m. to 11 a.m. and on August 13 from 1 p.m.
to 3 p.m. only. Required forms
may be mailed to the Nurse’s Office or dropped
off at the Main Office during the summer break.
MORE INFORMATION is on the Athletics Page
Continuing Education announces SAT courses
beginning in late August
The Continuing Education
Department will offer an English and a Math SAT
course that will begin in late August. The
courses will each meet six times.
More information and registration flier
NHS student's 'Google Doodle' is a state
finalist
Niskayuna Freshman Veronica Liu was chosen out
of 130,000 entries to be a state finalist for
New York in the 8th and 9th grade group of the
annual Doodle 4 Google contest.
SEE THE DOODLE
Math Regents Exam review schedules are posted
Visit the department's web page
An outstanding showing for Niskayuna ensembles
at NYSSMA Majors
The Music Department picked up three golds -
including one with distinction - and a silver.
READ MORE
Deadline to file a Board of Education
candidate nominating petition extended to May 14
Under New York State Education Law, when a
candidate withdraws from the race within a
certain time period, the deadline for filing
petitions is extended.
READ MORE
Music Department Senior Banquet information and
registration
View the form for more information
NHS Drama Club presents 'Plaza Suite' to
laughter and applause
The
play was student-directed by Mandy Borges
and Kerry LeVielle, and advised by Regina Maley.
READ MORE
Academic excellence, community service earn high
school senior a Berkshire Bank scholarship
Bank
representatives surprised Niskayuna High School
senior Nikolas Dobies at school with the news on
May 7.
READ MORE
Vote, Grab dinner, and go on May 21 - to benefit
the Class of 2015
The Class of 2015 will hold an LT's BBQ Dinner
fundraiser at the high school on the day of the
budget vote, May 21.
ORDER FORM
Come learn more about the 2013-14 proposed
budget from district leaders
Budget presentations scheduled around the
community leading up to the May 21 vote. Parents, neighbors, and
community members - please join us!
VIEW THE SCHEDULE
Niskayuna High School students win Siena College
computer science programming contest
The competitions tests students programming
skills and problem solving abilities.
READ MORE/PHOTO
Assemblyman Steck announces $100,000 in
additional state aid for Niskayuna
The district appreciates the efforts of
Assemblymen Steck and community members who
continue to advocate for our children and their
schools.
READ MORE
Niskayuna High School robotics teams are
engineering a bright future
On a recent Friday afternoon at Niskayuna High
School, the week’s activities were winding down,
but inside F137, members of the school’s
Robotics Club were busy planning for a
competition that is a year away.
READ MORE
Joshua Vinciguerra withdraws from Board of
Education election
An assistant attorney general in the New York
State Attorney General’s Office, has withdrawn
form the election in order to avoid the
appearance of any professional conflicts.
Music Department announces two-week 'Summer
Sonata' program for students
This two-week summer music program opportunity
is for Niskayuna music students entering grades
5-9 in the fall.
LEARN MORE
At Hillside Children Exercise Simultaneously on
a beautiful A.C.E.S. Day
On May 1, all Hillside students and staff joined
together in the afternoon sun to walk the
neighborhood, Hillside's Nature Trail, and to
exercise together.
SEE PICTURES
Technology initiative gains STEAM
Niskayuna school leaders and teachers have been
working on a growing number of initiatives to
provide students opportunities for study,
hands-on experiences, and exposure in the
rapidly growing “STEM” fields of science,
technology, engineering, and math. Given the
creative and visual nature of these fields, the
district uses the acronym STEAM, with an “A” for
Art."
LEARN MORE ABOUT THE INITIATIVE
District launches new Facebook feature
celebrating alumni
"Niskayuna in the World" will
feature photos of Niskayuna graduates at work
and in the world - making a difference and
following their dreams in diverse fields and
geographic locations. The first graduate to be
featured was "Place Beyond the Pines"
screenwriter Ben Coccio.
READ MORE
Niskayuna graduate earns Pulitzer Prize
Congratulations to Gilbert King, a member of the
Niskayuna High School Class of 1980, for being
named the 2013 Pulitzer Prize winner for
nonfiction. King earned the honor for his book,
""Devil in the Grove: Thurgood Marshall, the
Groveland Boys, and the Dawn of a New America."
TIMES UNION ARTICLE
Niskayuna Relay For Life student organizers
announce golf tournament to benefit the American
Cancer Society
Join the Niskayuna students who are organizing
this year's second annual Relay for Life event
at the Van Patten Golf Club on Sunday, May 19.
MORE INFORMATION
Budget Fact Sheet: Community to vote May 21 on $76.3 million
budget proposed for 2013-14
Due to the parameter's of the state's tax levy
cap law, the budget will require the support of
60 percent of voters to pass. The proposed budget
calls for a spending increase of 1.31 percent.
READ MORE |
View a 1-page Budget Fact Sheet [PDF]
Birchwood
students featured on the radio
Birchwood elementary students will be featured
on WGNA 107.7 FM this week! On Tuesday, April
16, at 8:20 a.m., first grade students will be
singing on the air, and on Friday, April 19, the
station will be visiting the school.
READ MORE
Student play, Simplicity, will be performed
in June at Newburgh's Black Box Theater
Simplicity, written by Niskayuna High
School seniors Wyatt Peters, Jarrod Fowler, and
Kaitlyn Mausert for Creative Writing class,
will be one of fourteen plays performed at the
Newburgh Free Academy Drama Department's New
Plays Festival on June 5th.
READ MORE
Video for parents and families on Common
Core Standards and the new state assessments
Niskayuna's students are preparing to take the
New York State English Language Arts (ELA) and
math exams in the coming weeks. The exams mark a
time of transition for our schools and students.
This is the first year that the exams will be
based on the new Common Core Learning Standards.
The state Education Department has produced this
1 min, 55 second video about the new standards
and assessments
Jazz Fest 2013 is Thursday, April 18
The concert will feature the MS Jazz Band on
stage with guest artist and Trumpeter, Dylan
Canterbury and the highly acclaimed HS Jazz
Ensembles and Studio Singers! It starts at 7
p.m. in the Niskayuna High School auditorium,
and is free and open to the public.
READ MORE
Board of Education adopts $76.3 million
budget proposed for 2013-14
The proposed budget calls for a spending
increase of 1.31 percent. It will require
the support of 60 percent of voters to pass on
May 21 because the 5.76 percent tax levy
increase it calls for is greater than the
district’s calculated limit under the state’s
tax levy cap.
READ MORE
New, student-designed German Program t-shirts
are now available
The shirts are the product of a student contest.
See the designs and meet the winners
Scherzo Orchestra May concert change
Scherzo
Orchestra's performance originally scheduled for
Wednesday, May 22, has been rescheduled for
Thursday, May 23. All other performances for
those evenings will take place as originally
scheduled.
Calendar for 2013-14 school year is available
The calendar includes the first and last days of
the year, half days, and holidays.
2013-14 SCHOOL CALENDAR
Police to conduct drills at Niskayuna High
School and Birchwood during April recess
Niskayuna High School and Birchwood Elementary
School will be used for drills conducted by the
Niskayuna Police Department for one day each
during the April recess. The campus of Niskayuna
High School will be closed on Monday, April 1,
from 7 a.m. to 4 p.m. for the training exercise.
The buildings and grounds of Birchwood
Elementary School will be closed on Thursday,
April 4, from 7 a.m. to 4 p.m.
READ MORE
Board continues reaching consensus on budget
items
At its budget work session on March 28, the
Board of Education continued to reach consensus
on potential budget reductions for next year. As
it concluded its review of the potential budget
reduction scenarios, the Board decided that a
school closure would not be part of the budget
that is proposed to the community for the May
vote.
READ MORE AND VIEW THE MEETING PRESENTATION
Van Antwerp students and staff lose their hair
for a great cause
The annual St. Baldrick's Day event at Proctor's
has raised $64,000 and counting for childhood
cancer research.
PHOTO OF THE "SHAVEES"
NASA engineer to students: Most important mission is
following your dreams
"If you do not try, you will never succeed," Dr.
Randii Wessen, who has been involved in several deep space missions.
READ MORE
Niskayuna Spring 2013 Continuing Education
program is now available
View it right here [PDF]
School aid distributions in state budget now
available – Niskayuna to see a loss for fourth
consecutive year
The district-by-district breakdown of aid
distributions in the state budget that is now
making its way toward final approval are now
available. Under the plan, Niskayuna would
receive $18,516,034 in total state aid next year
– about $260,000 less than it is receiving in
the current year.
READ MORE
School security and safety update: A top
priority that requires partnerships and
vigilance
Efforts in the area of school safety have
included tightening some security mechanisms
earlier this year, and an ongoing review of
safety plans and procedures in partnership with
Niskayuna police and fire officials.
READ MORE
District discontinuing E-Community Bulletin
Board
As of April 15, the district will be
discontinuing the E-Community Bulletin Board.
This is being done in consideration of trends in
the site's usage, web security and capacity
issues, as well as the growth of free, online
outlets that allow community groups to publicize
events and announcements.
Middle School Band Concert rescheduled for March
27
The Middle School Band concert that was canceled
on Tuesday, March 19, due to the weather has
been rescheduled for Wednesday, March 27, at 7
p.m. in the Niskayuna High School Auditorium.
Seven Niskayuna High School artists featured in
annual High School Regional Juried Art Exhibit
Out of
90 artworks in the show, selected from 400
entries, eight are from Niskayuna High School.
READ MORE
Board of Education budget development process
continues; Updated March 19 presentation
available
At its March 19 meeting, the Board began
reaching consensus on potential budget
reductions.
READ MORE
Board of Education nominating petitions are
available
Three seats on the Board are up for election
this May.
Learn more about the nominating process and the
role of a Board member
April 1 deadline for private/parochial school
transportation is fast approaching
April 1 is the annual deadline for parents of
children who will attend private or parochial
school next year to request district
transportation.
The form is right here [PDF]
Voters approve bus garage property purchase
On March 14, voters in the Niskayuna Central School District
approved a proposal for the district to purchase
the Hillside Avenue bus garage property by a
tally of 719 votes in favor and 176 votes
against.
READ MORE |
Exit Survey Report [PDF]
March 12 budget presentation and revised
potential reduction scenarios
At the Board of Education budget work session on
Tuesday, March 12, district leaders outlined a
new list of potential program reductions. No
budget decisions have been made at this point,
and these options were presented to help shape
the Board's budget decisions in the weeks to
come. March 12 information:
Updated Potential Reduction Scenarios|Meeting
presentation Both are PDF files
District officials provide context for audit
report from the state Comptroller
At this
point, the district has begun to restore its
fund balance, which was the focus of the
scheduled state audit.
READ MORE
More than 700 student musicians to take the
Proctor's stage on March 13 for district-wide
choral festival
This
year’s featured guest artist and conductor is
Dr. Francom from the Crane School of Music.
READ MORE
Community budget forum rescheduled for Saturday,
March 16
The
forum that was originally scheduled for March 7
will be held this coming Saturday, from 9:30
a.m. to 11:30 a.m. in the Van Antwerp
auditorium.
Niskayuna Indoor Track has a strong showing at
nationals, including All-America honors
Mateo Parzych bested his own freshmen school
record, and Lexi Sciortino and Erica Wasserbach
earned All-America honors for their performance
in the Junior High School mile event.
READ MORE
High School team qualifies for Round 1 of a
national "Guerilla Green" contest with Niskayuna
Aquaponics
Over Winter Break, a team of students under the
guidance of biology teacher Chris Jennings
started building the Niskayuna Aquaponics system
in the greenhouse at Niskayuna High School.
READ MORE
Niskayuna student musicians selected to perform
at Suburban Council Festival
After their successful auditions, the 23
students will perform at April 12-13 festival.
LIST OF STUDENTS
District Elementary math night at held at Craig
School - parent resources
District teachers and administrators presented
an Elementary Math Information Night in late
February.
READ MORE & VIEW PRESENTATION
State legislators encourage more advocacy at
meeting with region's school board members
The
panel discussion at the February Capital
District School Boards Association meeting also
included a state budget update.
READ MORE
Registration for second
Engineering Institute for Young Women fills up
in less than a week
The
district is pleased to announce that in less
than a week, student interest in the week-long
experience has resulted in the program being
full. The program for female students entering
grades 7-9 in September 2013 is being held in
partnership with sponsors GE, RPI, and National
Science Foundation. Students interested in being
placed on a waiting list for the program in the
event of any cancellations should call the
Science Department at 382-2511 x21713.
LEARN MORE
School Budget Questions and Answers: What steps
have been taken to achieve employee concessions
to help the district?
The district is launching a
"School Budget Questions and Answers" page
to provide a central location to commonly asked
questions throughout the 2013-14 budget
development process.
FIND ANSWERS HERE
Next Board of Education meeting is Tuesday,
March 5
The
regular meeting will be held at 7 p.m. in the
Van Antwerp auditorium. It will be preceded by a
6:30 p.m. public hearing on the bus garage
property purchase referendum.
VIEW AGENDA AND MEETING MATERIALS
Registration for second
Engineering Institute for Young Women fills up
in less than a week
The
district is pleased to announce that in less
than a week, student interest in the week-long
experience has resulted in the program being
full. The program for female students entering
grades 7-9 in September 2013 is being held in
partnership with sponsors GE, RPI, and National
Science Foundation. Students interested in being
placed on a waiting list for the program in the
event of any cancellations should call the
Science Department at 382-2511 x21713.
LEARN MORE
March 14 Bus Garage Property Purchase
Referendum: Public hearing and more information
A
public hearing on the proposal will be held on
Tuesday, March 5, at 6:30 p.m. in the Van
Antwerp Middle School auditorium.
Complete information about the vote and property
purchase
'CATS' is coming to NHS! Annual musical will
be held Feb. 28 to March 2
The NHS Department of Music is proud to present
the Broadway smash mega-musical "CATS" February
28-March 2.
Click here for ticketing information,
including for a special behind-the-scenes tour
opportunity.
District leaders discuss cost-containment and
revenue strategies on February 26
A presentation at the Board meeting focused on
cost-containment strategies and potential
revenue ideas leaders are looking at for next
year and into the future.
View the presentation [PDF]
VA PTO and Niskayuna Fire Department to present
Fire Safety Event on Saturday, March 2
"What you need to know to keep your family safe"
will go from 9 a.m. to noon.
READ MORE
Special presentation on March 6 features John
Underwood, creator of "Life of an Athlete"
program
Parents, students and community members are
encouraged to attend a special presentation on
Wednesday, March 6 featuring John Underwood of
The American Athletic Institute, who will talk
about how young people can be more successful in
their lives. The program will be held at 7 p.m.
in the auditorium. It is recommended for
students 5th grade and above and parents of all
youth.
LEARN MORE IN THIS LETTER [PDF]
March 18 Middle School Transition Night for
parents of students with disabilities to be
rescheduled
The Department of Student Support Services will
announce a new date for the spring as soon as it
is available.
2012 NHS graduate returning to the area for free
performance with Crane Symphony Orchestra
Mike Bruns is a freshman at the Crane School of
Music. The orchestra will perform at 7 p.m. on
Thursday, Feb. 28 at Colonie Central High
School.
READ MORE
Iroquois 8th grade student wins health essay
contest: ‘The importance of a smile’
Leila Nayar was awarded the grand prize in the
local writing contest held as part of the ADA's
National Children’s Dental Health Month.
READ MORE
View the presentation from the Feb. 13 community
budget forum
The
presentation from the Feb. 13 community budget
forum includes a brief recap of budget
information, results from last month's community
budget survey, and information about advocating
for our schools with elected officials.
View the January 2013 budget survey results
[PDF]
Advocacy resources: Speaking with elected
officials about our schools
In the
wake of a 47-district advocacy event that
brought more than 400 to Niskayuna High School
on Feb. 11, the district is posting these
resources on its website:
Contact information for elected officials |
Niskayuna:
Key messages for use with state leaders |
Advocacy toolkit |
Feb. 11 regional forum presentation [PDF] |
Education Speaks blog
Seven NHS student artists' work selected for
prestigious New Hampshire Institute of Art
exhibition
Congratulations to the following NHS art
students: Alicia Bernson, Sanjukta Dutta, Seth
Farkas, Shain Goldman, Chenchun Guo, Veronica
Liu, and Nick Paquin.
More information about their accomplishment
Niskayuna musicians participated in Skidmore
Brass Festival
Members of The New
York Philharmonic Principals Brass Quintet
taught master classes, coached student
ensembles, taught private lessons for Skidmore
students, and performed in collaboration with a
festival brass ensemble made up of 140 students
and teachers from age 10 through age 70!
Read more about the event
VA students and staff 'make their mark' with
annual Read-a-thon
The event brought
students and staff members together to both
enjoy reading and do some good for the
community.
READ MORE
Niskayuna High School launches hallway breakfast
cart! Coming soon: Afternoon snacks
On Thursday, Feb. 7, the Food Service Department
launched a breakfast cart in the hallways of
Niskayuna High School to give students a new,
convenient option for "the most important meal
of the day."
READ MORE
Potential budget reductions presented at
February 5 Board of Education meeting
The district is in the early stages of
addressing a $6 million gap for 2013-14.
READ MORE AND VIEW MEETING DOCUMENTS
Niskayuna stakeholders attend massive regional education
advocacy event
Upwards of 40 stakeholders from our school
district traveled to East Greenbush
school district on January 31 for what may have
been the largest public school advocacy event in the
region’s history.
Learn more
Your Design Here: Enter the Niskayuna High
School German Program T-Shirt Design Contest
The Niskayuna German Program invites students to
enter a contest to design a t-shirt that
creatively represents our
German program and the importance of the
language in today’s world.
More information & contest flyer
Iroquois' annual read-a-thon is a fun night for
a great cause
More than 130 students participated, raising
$4,300 for the Double H "Hole in the Woods"
Ranch.
READ MORE
District leaders provide state aid update
The district would receive about $520,000 less
in state aid next year under the Executive
Budget Proposal presented by Governor Andrew
Cuomo on Tuesday, Jan. 22.
Presentation: Jan. 22 State Aid Update [PDF]
District pursues bus garage purchase to save on
annual lease payments
The community will vote on the proposal on March
14.
READ MORE
A Letter to Parents: District opts out of
National School Lunch Program
The decision is the result of parent and student
feedback and a significant decrease in students
buying lunch this year.
READ MORE
After annual geography bees at Van Antwerp and
Iroquois, two students look to statewide
competition
Geography Bees were held at Van Antwerp and
Iroquois middle schools earlier this month
READ MORE
District hosting information night for parents
of incoming kindergarten students with
disabilities
The meeting will be held on Tuesday, Jan. 29, at 6 p.m. in the Board
of Education Meeting Room at Van Antwerp Middle
School.READ MORE
Niskayuna stakeholders to attend January 31
Regional Education Forum: ‘Your Schools in
Fiscal Peril - Running Out of Time & Options'
With another year of significant state aid
reductions looming for New York State’s public
school districts in 2013-14 and more difficult
educational decisions to be made, Niskayuna
Central School District stakeholders are
participating in an important event this month
to help draw region-wide attention to the fiscal
challenges facing all public schools.
READ MORE & LET US KNOW IF YOU WOULD LIKE TO
PARTICIPATE
Bel Canto voices and Studio Singers to perform
with area school groups at First Unitarian
Society
Niskayuna High School's Bel Canto Voices and
Studio Singers, Schenectady's Chamber Choir, and
Shen's Mostly A Cappella will perform on Friday,
Jan. 18 at the First Unitarian Society of
Schenectady on Wendell Avenue. A reception will
follow an evening of fun and lovely choral music
with a culminating piece that includes the
students from all three schools. The concert
begins at 7 p.m.
Niskayuna Community Foundation and Niskayuna
Central School District announce Education
Enrichment Fund
The new fund is dedicated to creating,
preserving and enhancing programs and
opportunities for students and school programs.
READ MORE
First community budget forum focuses on state
requirements and Niskayuna offerings; View the
presentation
The Jan. 10 forum focused on the programs and
services mandated in New York State in relation
to what the district offers. The superintendent
said this is a starting point for another
challenging budget process in which the goal is
to maintain programs and services for students.
READ MORE & VIEW PRESENTATION
District mourns the loss of Van Antwerp
student Grace Kline
The Niskayuna Central School District is
mourning the loss of Van Antwerp student Grace
Kline who passed away on Friday, Jan. 4.
Immediately upon learning this tragic news, the
school mobilized its crisis response team to
notify staff and families, and to provide
support to the school community.
READ MORE
First community budget forum is Thursday, Jan.
10
Parents and community members are encouraged to
participate in the process.
The budget forum will be held on Thursday, Jan.
10, at 7 p.m. in the Van Antwerp Middle School
auditorium.
READ MORE
Van Antwerp choirs to sing National Anthem at
Jan. 11 Siena basketball game
The Van Antwerp Middle School choirs have been
invited to sing "The Star Spangled Banner" at
the Siena-Canisius men's basketball game on
Friday, Jan. 11, 2013. Discounted tickets are
available to the school community at a rate of
$14 for adults and $8 for VA students or
children under 12. For tickets, call Nate Mason
at the Siena Basketball office, Times Union
Center, 487-2235. Just say you are with VAMS.
Agenda and meeting materials for the Board of
Education's Jan. 8 meeting
The regular meeting will begin at 7 p.m. in the
Van Antwerp auditorium.
View agenda and meeting materials
Continuing Education Winter 2013 Program is
available
View and download the program [PDF]
Students and staff brighten the holidays for
others in a variety of ways
Niskayuna students and staff have undertaken a
variety of efforts to brighten the holidays for
others this year, from donating to Toys for Tots
to collecting hats and mittens to spreading
holiday cheer with local senior citizens.
READ MORE
Join us on Facebook
The district has launched an official Facebook
page as another way to communicate with parents
and community. Please join us there as we use
the page to share information and celebrate our
students and our schools.
LIKE US HERE
Niskayuna High School seeks nominees for 2013
Hall of Fame induction
Nominate a deserving graduate today!
Applications available online, at district and
high school offices, and at town hall.
READ MORE
A Message from Superintendent Susan Kay
Salvaggio
On behalf of the entire Niskayuna Central School
District, our thoughts and deepest sympathies
are with the families, children, staff, and
communities affected by today’s tragic events in
Newtown, Conn. As the coverage of the situation
there continues, we should anticipate that
children in our community will have questions
and concerns.
Read more and access resources for talking to
children about news and violence
Presentation from Dec. 18 grade level
configuration follow-up conversation
The Board of Education continued its discussion
of middle school visioning and grade level
configuration at its meeting on Dec. 18. No
decisions were made. Board members said that any
option to close a school should be evaluated in
the context of the other reductions that will be
considered during the budget process. The budget
process and configuration conversation will
continue at the Board’s meetings on Jan. 8 and
22.
View the Dec. 18 presentation [PDF]
Artists explore the meaning of 'Home' in new Nisk-Art Gallery exhibit
Selected high school and elementary students,
art faculty members, and local professional
artist Gail Nadeau share what the ever-evolving
concept of "home" means to them in a first-time
exhibit on display in the Nisk-Art Gallery
through January 24.
More details and selections from the show
District holds Dec. 10 configuration meeting;
view the presentation
The Board of Education held a community meeting
on middle school visioning/configuration on
Monday, Dec. 10. No decisions were made.
View the presentation here [PDF]. The Board
will discuss the next steps in the process at
its meeting next Tuesday, Dec. 18.
District leaders talk about revenue,
partnerships, and cost containment
The district is pursuing a variety of ideas to
help it focus limited resources on student
programs and opportunities. At the Nov. 27 Board
of Education meeting, there was a presentation
on these efforts in the area of revenue and
partnerships.
View the Nov. 27 presentation [PDF] At the
Dec. 4 Board of Education meeting, there was a
presentation on cost-containment strategies of
recent years.
View the Dec. 4 presentation [PDF]
Come explore nature at Birchwood on Friday, Dec.
7
All Niskayuna School community members are
invited to come to Birchwood Elementary this
Friday, December 7 from 4:00 - 5:30 p.m. and
explore nature with us. Touch actual animal
artifacts; see live birds of prey, snakes,
geckos, a tortoise, and more; learn about
gardening and composting; make your own solar
greenhouse project; take a tour of the nature
trail that Birchwood hopes to restore; and more!
READ MORE
Music students to spread cheer in the streets
with Caroling for CA$H on Dec. 8
Bel Canto Voices and Studio Singers will stroll
through old Niskayuna from 11:30-1:00 singing
carols and then will give a concert performance
at 1:30 at Union Cafe (Union Street). All
proceeds will benefit the Niskayuna Friends of
Music. (The snow date is Dec. 15.)
Board removes two building configuration options
from consideration on Nov. 13
At its
Nov. 13 meeting, the Board of Education removed
two building configuration options from
consideration as it discusses the future of its
middle school program amid ongoing fiscal
challenges.
READ MORE
The next Board of Education meeting is Nov. 27
The
meeting will be held at 7 p.m. in the Board
meeting room.
VIEW THE AGENDA [PDF]
Nov. 27 Nisky CARES presentation: Progress
Monitoring: What Does it Mean and What do
Parents Need to Know?
The workshop will explore the basics of progress
monitoring and what parents should expect their
child’s team to report. It will be held at 6
p.m. in the Van Antwerp auditorium.
READ MORE
International educators visit Niskayuna as a
model for special education
The visit on Nov. 13 was part of a State
Department study tour.
READ MORE
Seven Niskayuna High School Students to Sign
National Letter of Intent
Michigan, Penn State, North Carolina, Yale,
Siena, Marist and Hartford will be the next stop
for Niskayuna student-athletes.
READ MORE
Rosendale longhouse project a learning
experience on many levels
The longhouse activities, a school tradition,
establishes critical background and context for
the entire fourth grade curriculum.
READ MORE & VIEW PHOTOS
A ‘clean’ audit underscores limited reserves,
fiscal challenges
District officials correct
reports that auditors were critical of the
district's handling of reserves.
READ MORE
Middle School Visioning Documents &
Resources; Notes from October 2 and 16 community
meetings
The notes from the roundtable discussions from
Oct. 2 (program) and Oct. 16 (configuration)
are now available
at the Middle School Visioning page. Visioning will next be
discussed as part of the Board's regular meeting
on Nov. 13.
Support Birchwood's dream of an outdoor nature
classroom by voting in online grant contest
Birchwood is asking the entire Niskayuna School
community to vote for its entry into an online
grant contest to win $50,000 through the Clorox
Company. The money would fun a forest classroom
on the school's grounds, gardens, greenhouse,
computer tablets for mobile learning,
improvements to our book room, and more.
Community members
can
vote once per day online and by text right here.
Niskayuna School leaders speak about educational
funding and sustainability at regional forum
The purpose of the forum was to raise awareness
among community members and legislators about
the issues at stake – and to translate that into
action.
READ MORE
Niskayuna is first again in Albany area school
rankings
Niskayuna has been ranked No. 1 in the Albany
area for a second consecutive year in a report
from a Buffalo business publication.
READ MORE
'Place Beyond the Pines' screenwriter returns to
Niskayuna High School to speak with students
After almost 20 years, countless learning
experiences, and “twenty-something” drafts of a
script later, Ben Coccio returned to his alma
mater as the screenwriter of a major motion
picture.
READ MORE
Congratulation to 13 NHS musicians selected for
Area All-State
Students will participate in the festival at
Saratoga Springs on Nov. 16-17.
AREA ALL-STATE MUSICIANS
Food Services wins statewide healthy choices
award; Watch the entry video
The hard work of the Niskayuna Food Services
staff, led by second-year director Suzanne
Wixom, has paid off in the form of a state
award.
READ MORE
Board of Education considering the creation
of a dedicated educational fund
Niskayuna school leaders are looking into
establishing an educational fund dedicated to
preserving and enhancing opportunities for
students through contributions from
organizations and individuals.
READ MORE
Students have their say: "Voting is
important!"
The campaign that Birchwood students in Kelly
Opiela’s grade 3-4 class have been most engaged
in this fall has been learning about the
electoral process.
READ MORE
Class of '62 documentary, 'Turning Pages', to
return to Proctor's on Nov. 18
The film chronicles the reflections of twenty
five 1962 Niskayuna High School graduates on 50
years of changes, challenges, and triumphs.
READ MORE & TICKET INFORMATION
Exchange group from Spain enjoys two busy weeks
with Niskayuna students and district hosts
That was before the group
from Spain and their counterparts from Niskayuna
got to spend a few extra days together when
Hurricane Sandy disrupted travel plans.
READ MORE
Nisky CARES reschedules Oct. 30 presentation on
schedules
The Nisky CARES session about schedules for
parents of 6th grade students with IEPs has been
rescheduled to Monday, Nov. 5 after being
cancelled due to Hurricane Sandy. The meeting
will be held in the Board of Education Meeting
Room at Van Antwerp Middle School from 6 p.m. to
7 p.m.
VIEW EVENT FLYER [PDF]
VA students see geological concepts firsthand on
Indian Ladder Trail
On the hike in Thatcher Pike, their science
teacher connects classroom learning with one of
the most geologically significant sites in our
region.
READ MORE & VIEW PICTURES
Niskayuna welcomes the Potsdam Brass Quintet
The Potsdam Brass Quintet from the Crane School
of Music presented performances and conducted
workshops with high school students during the
school day on Tuesday, Oct. 23.
READ MORE
College night for students with an IEP or 504
services is Nov. 15
An event at Niskayuna High School on Nov. 15
will focus on the transition to college for
students with an Individualized Education Plan
(IEP) or who receive 504 services. It will
include a college fair.
READ MORE
District welcomes new teachers, recognizes Board
of Education members
A reception prior to the Oct. 23 Board of
Education meeting was held to formally welcome
new teachers to the district and to recognize
the volunteer service that Board of Education
members provide the community.
READ MORE
District officials look at early budget
projections for the next three years
At the
Sept. 24 Board of Education meeting, Assistant
Superintendent for Business Matt Bourgeois
presented the district’s multi-year budget
projections, which included the early forecast
of a $3.8 million budget gap for next year.
READ MORE
District contracts with Aramark for buildings
and grounds management
The
move brings Aramark Education Facility Services'
vast expertise and training resources to
Niskayuna’s schools.
READ MORE
District’s credit rating – still high quality –
drops a notch with one agency and stays the same
with another
The
district’s high quality credit rating with
Moody’s Investor Services has dropped a notch
due to reduced fiscal reserves and its relative
debt load. Its excellent AA+ rating was extended
in July 2012 by the other major rating agency,
Standard & Poor’s.
READ MORE
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