by Alex Brooks
The March 20 meeting of the Hoosick Falls School Board, Superintendent Ken Facin began his Superintendent’s report saying that the District had experienced a difficult week, with the passing of Bus Driver Harold “Hoss” Jones and beloved math teacher Isabel McGuire in the same week. [private]He described Mr. Jones’ contributions during his 14 years as a bus driver for the District, and he described McGuire’s “infectious smile,” passion for teaching and deep connection to her students during her 18 years teaching in the Hoosick Falls District. He said he hopes to organize a Junior Honor Society in the Middle School and name it in her honor because of her dedication to the Honor Society at HFCS.
Next Year’s Budget
At the March 20 meeting, Business Administrator Pamela Hatfield said the budget still needs $351,700 in either budget cuts or improved revenue to stay under the 1.44% tax cap. But this week, after the passage of the State Budget, the District learned that they will be getting about $320,000 more State aid than the Governor’s proposal had offered, which came close to closing the budget gap.
Back on March 20, facing a significant budget gap, Superintendent Ken Facin, frustrated with the uncertainty and the inequity in the State’s funding distribution, discussed why the Hoosick Falls District is having budget problems. He said, “We’re struggling because our foundation aid is underfunded.”
What he meant by that is the formula for equitable funding that was worked out in response to the Campaign for Fiscal Equity’s lawsuit, which was put in place in 2007-08, is not doing its job because a subsequent adjustment to that formula, called the Gap Elimination Adjustment, subtracts money from foundation aid in an inequitable way. The Gap Elimination Adjustment was supposed to be a temporary measure in response to the budget crisis in 2010, but now that the budget crisis is over, no one is talking about repealing it.
Facin said there are schools which are overfunded in their foundation aid but they are all downstate. He suggested the source of the inequitable funding when he said, “We don’t do $1,000 a plate fundraisers around here,” and concluded, “the bottom line is, we have to fight to get our fair share of education funding for this community.”
Facin said, “I wrote a letter to the Governor,” but added that he has received no response so far. He noted that the Governor has said many times that he wants to reward schools that perform well, that keep costs down and student results up, but in the Hoosick Falls District, he has not lived up to his words. Facin said, “If you want to get some attention in New York State, you have to file a lawsuit. Let’s litigate.”
Board President Greg Laurin summed up by saying, “We’re not getting what the funding formula says we’re supposed to get.”
Code Committee
High School Principal Stacy Vadney said the third quarter interim report was “the best report I’ve seen,” with a lower percentage of failure, especially in the middle school. Vadney also distributed a draft of the new student Code of Conduct put together by a committee under her leadership. She said, “The Committee is a nice cross-section of the school community,” and they have been working well together on the new Code of Conduct.
After Prom Activities
Jackie Houghton from ADAPT spoke to the Board about plans for after-prom activities this year. Buses will leave Revolution Hall in Troy at 10:30 pm after the prom and return to the school in Hoosick Falls, where there will be food, a hypnotist, open gym and a movie. Buses will leave the school at 5:30 am for a day trip to the Mohonk Mountain House, a beautiful resort in New Paltz, NY. A lot of (mostly outdoor) activities will be offered at Mohonk, and the buses will return to Hoosick Falls at the end of the day.
Houghton said their fundraising goal is $12,000. She said eight fundraisers are planned.
WASAREN League
Schuylerville has left the WASAREN league this year and joined the Foothills Council. The WASAREN League has invited the Mechanicville City Schools to join in place of Schuylerville, and they have agreed to join. Superintendent Ken Facin said he will be hosting superintendents from the WASAREN league schools to talk about league issues.
The March 20 meeting had begun with presentation of a sign designed by Art teacher Rob Viera which is to be placed at the entrances to the District by the side of the roads. It commemorates the many State Championships won by Hoosick Falls Athletic teams over the years. The Board approved the design, and now the administration will work to get the signs made and put up.
In other action the Board:
• approved appointments of Mark Benson as Boys Varsity Soccer Coach and Brittany Pine as Girls Varsity Soccer Coach starting next fall, and
• approved an overnight trip to Cooperstown for the baseball team.
The next regular meeting of the Hoosick Falls School Board will be on April 10 at 7 pm in the High School Library.[/private]