HFCS Finalizes Budget

by Alex Brooks
The Hoosick Falls School Board finalized its budget for the 2011-12 school year. Overall spending is $19,959,228, down by $761,887 from last year. This is a reduction in spending of 3.7%. State aid is down by more than 10% from last year. The tax levy will be increased by $213,415, which is 2.5% more than last year’s levy. The budget proposes to use exactly the same amount from the fund balance as last year.
Notable cost drivers this year were increases in health insurance premiums and State retirement assessments, which were blunted by reductions in staff of about a dozen people. At this meeting the Board abolished eight teaching positions and one teaching assistant position and reduced three positions from full time to half time. The eight positions abolished were two special education teachers, an elementary school teacher, a Spanish teacher, a business teacher, a social studies teacher, a reading teacher and a math teacher. The positions cut to half time were a speech teacher, a teacher of the deaf and an English as a second language teacher.
A Public Hearing on the proposed budget will be held on May 5, and the budget vote will be held on May 17.
Also on the ballot that day will be a proposition to buy three school buses at a total cost of $308,500. It should be noted that approval of the bus proposition does not add to the tax levy. The buses are paid for by borrowed money, which gets repaid when the State reimburses the District for 87% of the cost of the buses. The remaining 13% is paid from an existing bus reserve which already has enough money in it to fund this purchase.
PTA News
Laurie Gormley said a grant of $500 from the Stewart’s Shops Holiday Match program, secured through the leadership of Paula Kamperman, will be dedicated to the purchase of books for the Elementary School library. In addition, the PTA itself donated $2,000 to the school for the same purpose, so there will be a significant infusion of new books to the Elementary School library. Elementary School Librarian Lynne Schumacher said she was overwhelmed by the phenomenal effort made by the PTA to upgrade the library’s resources and was very happy to have these funds.
Project Ignition
Students taking part in Project Ignition made a presentation to the Board about their efforts to encourage safe driving by teens. Auto accidents, they said, are the number one cause of death for teenagers. The program they put together encourages teens to be responsible drivers and respectful passengers. Last week they held an assembly with a skit and a Power Point® program they created. Outside their program was supported by the NY State Police who demonstrated the dangers of not wearing seat belts and of driving while intoxicated. The students designed T-shirts, posters and bags for locking up cell phones. They held a raffle with gas card prizes for those who drove into the school parking lot wearing seat belts. They participated in the Battle of the Belts contest. They did a survey in their school and at Cambridge and Hoosic Valley high schools.
A representative of State Farm Insurance presented the students with an oversized check for $2,000 for participating in State Farm’s Project Ignition. She told the Board that kids will listen to other kids. Their success at this level could lead the team to the national level. She told them, “I am completely rooting for you!”
Key Club
Ellie Danforth has been advisor to the Kiwanis sponsored Key Club at the school for eight years. They said this year they have 52 members. Some of the members described their fund raising projects for UNICEF and other charities, raising over $200 each time.
ADAPT
Junior class parents told the Board of the after prom event planned by ADAPT (Alcohol and Drug Abuse Prevention Team). They need to raise between $10,000 and $12,000 overall. Since the prom is being held at the Desmond in Albany, the parents didn’t want to have any long drive for those attending. They said their goal is to give the kids a memorable night. All activities, including a hypnotist, Boogie Bodies and a casino, following the prom theme of Viva Las Vegas, will take place at the school. There will also be a buffet and breakfast before the prom go-ers return home in the morning.
Springfield Music Festival
High School Music and Chorus teachers Robert Allen and Ambigay Yudkoff told the Board of their plans for 76 chorus and band students and seven chaperones to attend a Trills and Thrills event in Agawam, MA, on May 27. The students will travel by charter bus to have their singing and playing critiqued. Afterwards they will go to Five Flags amusement park. The cost for each student is $80. Both teachers said it is a great performing experience for the students. It’s also the first time the band and chorus have participated in something together. “It’s a true collaboration of chorus and band,” they said.
Each student is paying $80 to participate. That covers the bus rental, the performance, tickets for Five Flags and a meal there.
The teachers said that on Saturday, April 30, at 6:30 pm they will be holding a fund-raising Cabaret in the high school gym. Tickets cost $5 for adults and $3 for children.
The Board approved the trip.
Board President Dave Sutton and Superintendent Ken Facin had high praise for the wonderful performances of The Sound of Music last week. “I was blown away by our students,” said Sutton. “It was just fantastic.”
Facin thanked the PTA for Teacher Appreciation Day. He said the school is grateful to the PTA for all they do.
Board Member Ric Ferrannini said he was told by a local resident that the appearance and cleanliness of HFCS was second to none. The person told him they had been to many schools and this one was the best.
Facin said Paul Baker has been recognized for the outstanding work he has been doing in not using pesticides or herbicides on the lawns.