January 2004 Vol. XVIII, No. 1  

ASSOCIATION
STANDING
COMMITTEES
MEMBERSHIP
DRIVE

Through the years, much of the work of the Association has been accomplished through the active participation of its members serving on standing committees. Each year the Association attempts to encourage additions to these committees and in particular to encourage involvement of new board of education members and new superintendents. Generally the committees serve three functions:

1.      review of newly introduced legislation and regulations

2.      development of positions on these issues

3.      and development of legislative and regulatory hearing testimony.

Virtually all routine committee work is accomplished via e-mail and conference calls. Below is a listing of the committees. Please contact Beth Biggerstaff at 518-462-5300, 518-436-0210 or ebiggerstaff@degraff-foy.com if you wish to be added to a committee. We welcome your participation.

AD HOC COMMITTEE FOR CONSTITUTIONAL DEBT CEILING REPEAL

Norma Barton, Board Member Canandaigua CSD
Vito DiCesare, Superintendent Beacon CSD
Bob Libby, Business Official Cohoes CSD
Scott Wexler, Board Member Albany CSD

ADVISORY COMMITTEE:

AREA: Legal
Robert E. Biggerstaff NYSASCSD Counsel DeGraff, Foy, Kunz & Devine

AREA: Administration
Joseph Stoner, Superintendent Geneva CSD

AREA: Labor
Tom McGowan, Superintendent Glens Falls CSD

AREA: Capital Projects
Vito DiCesare, Superintendent Beacon CSD
 
 

EDUCATIONAL PROGRAM COMMITTEE:

Norma Barton, Chair Board Member Canadaigua CSD  

Raymond Fashano, Superintendent Jamestown CSD  

John Lutz, Superintendent Cortland CSD  

Nick Johns, Superintendent Newburgh CSD  

Thomas McGowan, Superintendent Glens Falls CSD 

Joseph Stoner, Superintendent Geneva CSD  

Fred Watchmeister, Board Member Plattsburgh CSD

FINANCE COMMITTEE:

Carmen Granto, CHAIR Superintendent Niagara Falls CSD 

Vito DiCesare, Superintendent Beacon CSD
 

PROGRAM COMMITTEE:

Sue Skidmore, Chair Board Member Elmira CSD 

Michael Egan, Superintendent Fulton CSD 

Raymond Fashano, Superintendent Jamestown CSD 

Dr. Ronald Friedman, Superintendent Long Beach CSD 

Daniel Lowengard, Superintendent Utica CSD

Thomas McGowan, Superintendent Glens Falls CSD 

John Lutz, Superintendent Cortland CSD 

Joan Purtell, Board Member Binghamton CSD 

Joseph Stoner, Superintendent Geneva CSD
 

REAL PROPERTY TAX COMMITTEE:

Richard Stutzman, Chairman Superintendent Batavia CSD  

Peter Michaelson, Business Official Tonawanda CSD  

Charles Winters, Consultant chasawinters@aol.com 845-373-9289 FAX
 

SCHOOL GOVERNANCE REFORM COMMITTEE:

Carmen Granto , Chairman Superintendent Niagara Falls CSD

Theresa Bennett, Board Member Plattsburgh City School District 

Jack Cole, Board Member Ogdensburg CSD

Vito DiCesare, Superintendent Beacon CSD

Dr. John Falco, Superintendent Schenectady CSD 

Thomas McGowan, Superintendent Glens Falls CSD 

Michelle Kavanaugh, Assistant Superintendent for Learning & Assessment        Lockport CSD 

Ronald Limoncelli, Superintendent Amsterdam CSD 

Roy Rogers, Business Administrator Niagara Falls CSD

Armand Reo, Superintendent    Troy CSD 

Dr. Donald B. Trombley, Superintendent Corning CSD

STATE AID COMMITTEE:
"FUNDING FOR ACHIEVEMENT"

Charles A. Winters, Chair

Margaret Boice, Assistant Superintendent Norwich CSD 

James Chadwick, Business Manager Ogdensburg CSD 

Thomas Fitzgerald, Board Member Newburgh CSD 

Bob Gosden, Assistant Superintendent for Management Services Elmira CSD

Lynn Hill, Assistant Superintendent Canandaigua CSD 

Judith Johnson, Superintendent Peekskill CSD 

Bob Libby, Business Official Cohoes CSD 

Daniel Lowengard, Superintendent Utica CSD 

Thomas McGowan, Superintendent Glens Falls CSD 

Marianne O'Connor, Business Executive Auburn CSD 

Mike Pacella, Business Official Newburgh CSD 

Joan Purtell, Board Member Binghamton CSD 

Michael SanAngelo, Superintendent of Business Schenectady CSD 

Sue Skidmore, Board Member Elmira CSD 

Mark Ward, Superintendent Salamanca CSD

Fred Watchmeister, Board Member Plattsburgh CSD 

William Winans, Board Member Norwich CSD 

John Zappia, Assistant Superintendent Canandaigua CSD

ASSOCIATION
BOARD
MEETS
WITH
COMMISSIONER
 MILLS

Association board of directors met with Commissioner Mills on December 5^th to discuss a series of issues of particular concern to small city schools. Issues covered included middle school re-evaluation, reform of state aid to education including the Association’s aid proposal, Funding For Achievement, the new Regents exams and graduation requirements and grant programs including the Reading First Grant. In attendance representing the Association were Carmen Granto and Jim Ingrasci from Niagara Falls CSD, Tom McGowan from Glens Falls CSD, Sue Skidmore from Elmira CSD, Norma Barton from Canandaigua CSD, Joan Purtell from Binghamton CSD, Dan Lowengard from Utica CSD, Dave Gleason from Fulton CSD and Association counsel Bob Biggerstaff. The following are some of the highlights of the more than one and one half hour meeting.

Dan Lowengard began the discussions with his concern over his district’s loss of Reading First grant money now that the district’s test results had improved.  He said those funds were essential to the improved performance and the loss is even more critical now that the district is faced with the decline of other resources. Bob Biggerstaff added that some districts have not applied for the grant because of how onerous the application process is and he suggested a pooling of applications. Tom McGowan said that while the department staff is excellent a grant for his district had been promised in 30 days but took 4 months instead. The Commissioner responded positively to these issues and promised to respond in the near future.

The Commissioner stated that the Regents will be conducting a re-evaluation of the middle school. New regulations will be discussed by them in February and adopted in March. He said that research shows that middle school works “depending on the degree of penetration or level of resources”. The issues that will be addressed in the new regulations include grade span, curriculum, relationship to parents and curriculum flexibility, i.e. seat time vs. learning goals. With accountability already in place, the Regents will allow flexibility so that programs that work won’t necessarily have to change.

Norma Barton raised the issue of grade span. The Commissioner said they are looking at grades 5 to 8, but not necessarily in the same building. Dan voiced his concern that with the committee dominated by NYSUT, the regulations will be prescriptive. The Commissioner observed that where the research basis is solid the regulations should be prescriptive, but otherwise not. He asked that we stay “engaged” with the Regents on this.

Bob briefly summarized the Association’s state aid reform proposal, Funding For Achievement. He said that the reason for developing a separate proposal was two fold- to focus attention more vividly on the issues in small city schools and their similarities with the larger cities, and to create a template of funding based upon the true cost of achievement of the standards against which any Legislative solution can be measured in the form of a Legislative Report Card. The Commissioner commented that the Regents would be approving a foundation grant based formula to include in its recommendations to the Legislature for 2004-05 but will not require a mandated local effort.

 The discussion then became more animated over the new standards and assessments. On the issue of 55or 65 for a passing grade, the Commissioner stated that the issue wasn’t one or the other but rather how to get to 65. Tom said that 15% won’t be able to pass, but for the others he thought 65 was reasonable and that it should be phased in. Sue Skidmore said that 16% are identified as needing special education services in her district and that they want to try to reach the new standards, but she believes 6 to 9% will not.

Carmen Granto offered that the 1940 car, which is our education system, runs “great” but will not win a race in 2003. The problem isn’t the kids, it’s the system. More AIS is needed as well as a drastic over haul of the Taylor Law. The Commissioner concluded, saying that today’s economy demands that we provide a better education for all children.

Tom added one final comment regarding the Math A and B curriculum. He said that the curriculum was too broad and results in only superficial teaching at best. The base course should include algebra, geometry and trigonometry…only then should calculus be added.

Note: The Association meets with the Commissioner approximately three times per year. Anyone with suggestions for topics of discussion should contact Robert Biggerstaff at 518-462-5300, 518-436-0210 (fax) or rbiggerstaff@degraff.foy.com.

DATES TO REMEMBER

January 11, 2004
Board of Directors meeting in conjunction with NYSCOSS conference
Desmond Hotel, Albany 

March 23, 2004
Legislative Breakfast
Albany 

August 8-9, 2004
Summer Conference
Ramada Inn, Geneva