March 6 Budget Workshop #2 Report
At the March 6 Workshop, Assistant Superintendent for Business Jacqueline Fitzpatrick presented a summary of the previous week’s budget presentation, ‘A Budget Overview’. (For the full budget presentation go to the district website www.ewsdonline.org and click on 13-14 Budget Info in the News Box and then click to get to the Budget page.)
Building Budgets
North Side Principal Jim Bloomgarden, Willets Road Principal Stephen Kimmel and Wheatley Principal Sean Feeney each presented their proposed building programs and budgets for next year. As you know, the district needed to cut about two-million dollars from this year’s budget in order to fall within the property tax-levy cap. As a result of restructuring and realigning resources, as well as leveraging educational grants and cost sharing with other districts, the building presentations highlighted the maintenance of our class sizes and extra curricular activities for next year, as well as some program enhancements.
Some new programs at the high school include a Junior and Senior Year College Seminar, which include SAT prep, SUPA Forensics (a partnership course with Syracuse University) and World History through Film. (For the full budget presentation go to the district website www.ewsdonline.org and click on 13-14 Budget Info in the News Box and then click to get to Budget page.)
View ONLINE Budget Information
If you can’t make the budget workshops, you can still be informed about the 2013-14 budget. After each budget workshop the budget presentations and other documents will be posted on the district website. I encourage all of you to be informed. The presentations and documents will be posted on the 13-14 Budget Info page, which can be found on the District Business & Finance page. Start at the district website www.ewsdonline.org and click on the District tab > click on Departments > click on Business & Finance > click on Budget Info in the left-hand navigation bar (in red) > click on 13-14 Budget Info. For a short-hand method, most days you can just go to the district home page at www.ewsdonline.org and click on 13-14 Budget Info in the News Box > click on ‘click here’ and you will be taken directly to the 13-14 Budget Info page.
New York State ELA Content Advisory Panel
On March 4 and 5, I had a meeting in Albany at the State Education Department. As a member of the English Language Arts Advisory Panel, I, along with my fellow panelists, considered the common core performance indicators for each grade level and recommended draft performance level descriptors for each of the reading and writing standards. These descriptors will help the state determine scoring benchmarks for “exceeding,” “meeting” and “not meeting” standards on the New York State ELA tests for grades 3-8. This year’s spring assessments will be the first to measure student performance on the new common core curriculum in New York State.
Boys Varsity Basketball
As I was driving back from Albany, the Long Island Championship game was being played. However, I had a very exciting ride home. Tom Fitzpatrick, the athletic director, kept me apprised of all of the events of the game via cell phone. Congratulations to the great East Williston crowd that provided so much spirit to our team and inspiration for the amazing fourth quarter comeback. Though the win went to the other team, we came SO………close! Congratulations to the boys varsity basketball team for a great season. Congratulations is also extended to Coach Jim Curcio for a great season and to JV Coach Vinnie Maffatore and JV2 Coach Joe Virgilio who helped out after their seasons ended.
The Wheatley School Orchestras and the Long Island Philharmonic
What a treat! It was my first time experiencing the Wheatley-Long Island Philharmonic program in action. Our school district partners with the Long Island Philharmonic in a student mentorship/in-school performance and instruction program called Performance Partners.
Professional musicians from the Philharmonic coach and mentor our Wheatley student-musicians. The program culminates in a joint concert with our student-musicians and members of the Philharmonic performing side-by-side. In addition to the Philharmonic musicians, our very own East Williston music faculty members, Peggy Ho, Angela Luftig, Stan Orlovsky, Steve Fitzko, Rachel May, Scott Hoefling and Denise Giuliano, wonderful musicians in their own right, perform in the concert with the students and Long Island Philharmonic musicians, as well.
The concert sounded magnificent. This is a terrific experience for our student-musicians to stretch and grow their talents. Many thanks to Angela Luftig, Wheatley music teacher, for coordinating this program. The Long Island Philharmonic program continues to be supported in the 2013-14 proposed budget.
Newspaper Award
I am pleased to inform you that the Wheatley Wildcat, the high school newspaper, was named Best Newspaper at the first annual Long Island University/C.W. Post Best of High School Journalism Awards. Additionally, Editor-in-Chief, Wheatley senior, Daniela Czemerinski was awarded Best Commentary/Editorial. Congratulations to the Wheatley Wildcat staff and their advisors Jennifer Fatone and Jo Beth Roberts.
Mock Trial Team
Additional congratulations belong to the Wheatley Mock Trial Team which, over the last month, has competed against an impressive field of 50 Nassau County high school teams. With their latest win, the team advances to the “Elite Eight.” I am looking forward to attending their March 13 Mock Trial at the Nassau County Supreme Court and seeing them in action. The dedication and hard work of the students and their advisor, John Staudt, Wheatley Social Studies teacher and their mentor, Bob Bernstein, a retired Wheatley teacher, are to be commended.
Books Alive
What fun to have been included as a performer in this year’s Books Alive performance! I had a great time. I could tell how thrilled the students were to see their North Side staff, and members of the parent community, up on stage making their favorite books come alive. Congratulations to all who participated and worked on this special production. A big round of applause to Co-Directors Bonnie Klein and Amy Potter for their amazing expertise in pulling together this entertaining and enlightening extravaganza which continues to be supported as one of the District’s cultural arts offerings in the 2013-14 budget.
Upcoming Events
Purchase your tickets online for the Wheatley Theatre Company production of “Legally Blonde, the Musical.” The performances are April 11, 12 & 13 at 7:30 p.m. There is a Saturday, April 13 matinee at 2 p.m. Tickets are $10 and senior citizens are free. To purchase tickets go to the district website and click on Online TKTS in the News Box. Follow the directions.
Please email me at kanase@ewsdonline.org or call me at 333-3782 with any questions, suggestions and/or any topics you would like to see in this newsletter.
