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The Eastwick Press Newspaper

Eastern Rensselaer County's Community Newspaper

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Ayla Senecal Wins Bronze At The Empire State Games

February 28, 2014 By eastwickpress

by Kieron Kramer

Ayla Senecal is a freshman at HFCS and skates and trains year round at the Vietnam Veterans Memorial rink in nearby North Adams, MA. Her mother, Sara Senecal, wrote in an email, “Ayla misses out on hanging out with friends and doing normal teenage things because of all of her traveling and training required, but all of that hard work paid off this past weekend.” [Read more…] about Ayla Senecal Wins Bronze At The Empire State Games

Filed Under: Front Page, Hoosick, Sports Outdoors

Kay ten Kraft – The Glue That Holds

February 28, 2014 By eastwickpress

by David Flint

Kay was the glue that held this group together,” said Laurie Kimmelstiel. Apparently the glue was strong enough that the group, the Heritage Spinners and Knitters, is still thriving after the tragic death of Kay ten Kraft last June.

[Read more…] about Kay ten Kraft – The Glue That Holds

Filed Under: Front Page, Local News, Stephentown

Helen Ellett Honored By County

February 28, 2014 By eastwickpress

by Bea Peterson

The Valentine’s Day Birthday Celebration scheduled for February 14 at the Grafton Senior Center had to be postponed because of a snowstorm that made traveling almost impossible. The celebration was held on Friday, February 21, however, with balloons, a great dinner, birthday cake and table favors in honor of anyone celebrating a birthday in February. And there were plenty of folks celebrating February birthdays! Among them was Helen (Babcock) Ellett who is now 100 years old!

[Read more…] about Helen Ellett Honored By County

Filed Under: Front Page, Grafton, Local News, Rensselaer County

Fact-Finding Task Force Visits HFCS

February 28, 2014 By eastwickpress

by Alex Brooks

The Alliance For Quality Education (AQE), is doing a statewide fact-finding tour to document the effects of what they believe is chronic underfunding of education in New York State, and one of their first stops was a two hour meeting with Hoosick Falls Central School Superintendent Ken Facin and his staff on Monday, February 24.

The delegation from AQE included members of their staff, an expert on educational policy such as an academic or retired administrator, and senior attorneys who are preparing to file a lawsuit against the State for inadequately and unfairly funding education.

The fact finders are documenting the trajectory of State aid in individual districts and the effect that has had on educational resources offered to students.

“It was a great meeting,” said Facin. He presented the AQE group with a detailed account of the reduced State aid the Hoosick Falls District has received over the past five years, and the staff reductions the District has undertaken in response, to keep its budget in balance. “We did tighten our belt. We did downsize. And we also improved our performance at the same time. We have done more with less. But now we need to have enough resources to maintain what we have,” he said.

Facin noted that the Hoosick Falls District has been a leader in implementing the Common Core curriculum and the APPR teacher evaluation system and that this has been an enormous effort requiring additional staff time and additional costs. He said since the State is requiring these things, they should help to pay for them with at least a little increase in State aid or, at the very least, protecting Districts from cuts in State aid.

“If the State would just give us the same aid we had in 2008-09, our budget would be finished, and the local tax levy increase would be 0,” said Facin.

Facin noted that a lot of schools are getting more aid than they did five years ago, and most government agencies are funded at a higher level than they were five years ago.

“We should not be facing the worst budget cycle in seven years at a time when the State no longer has a deficit,” said Facin. He noted that the State is projecting a surplus this year and the Governor is talking about tax cuts.

Facin cites a report released in January 2014 by Dr. Bruce Baker from Rutgers and two co-authors, which studied school funding fairness in all fifty states. New York ranks near the top in total spending per pupil but near the bottom in distributing it fairly. The report gives NY an A for funding education generously but gives it an F for fairness of its distribution because the State gives a lot more dollars per pupil to wealthy districts than it does to districts of limited means. This results in a gross disparity in educational opportunities between public school students in wealthy communities and those in financially struggling communities.

Facin said he is talking to anyone he can about this problem, hoping to influence the final budget agreement on aid to education. He has said many times that he is not asking for more money overall. New York is one of the most generous states in that respect. He is asking that high-needs districts not be shortchanged. He is asking that all students in the State have equal access to educational resources distributed by the State.

Facin said if things continue the way they are going, all non-mandated programs would eventually be on the chopping block. He waxed eloquent about the wonderful arts programs going on in the Hoosick Falls District – the art, the drama, the music – and says he can’t imagine being faced with dismantling those programs.

The AQE fact-finding tour will be going on all this week, visiting two Districts each day. The information gathered will be used first to make the case to State legislators to roll back the Gap Elimination Adjustment for the upcoming budget year and later to make a case in court that the State is violating its Constitutional duty to provide a “sound basic education” to all students in the State.

Filed Under: Hoosick School Dist., School News

Panthers Claw Their Way To Semifinals But Come Up Short

February 28, 2014 By eastwickpress

by Steve Bradley

Friday evening, February 21, the #2 Panthers boys basketball team traveled to Shenendehowa High School to face the #10 Schalmont High School Sabres. Schalmont defeated #7 Taconic Hills, and Hoosick Falls defeated #18 Coxsackie for the right to play in this game. Panther fans came out in good numbers to lend the team their support. The gym was the perfect size for the game with room for plenty of fans and the game was not lost in the sheer size of the venue.

[Read more…] about Panthers Claw Their Way To Semifinals But Come Up Short

Filed Under: Hoosick School Dist., School News, Sports Outdoors

Mountaineer Boys Basketball Loses A Close Sectional Game

February 28, 2014 By eastwickpress

by Jen Burhans

The Berlin boys basketball team was seeded 9th in the Section and were scheduled for an away game with 8th seeded Canajoharie on February 18.  Coming off a winning season the team prepared to endure the long bus ride to Canjo by getting in a game with Germantown over the weekend.  A strong showing against Germantown gave them hope going into Canjo, but a delay in getting the game started might have thrown them off in the first quarter of play in this Sectional game.

[Read more…] about Mountaineer Boys Basketball Loses A Close Sectional Game

Filed Under: Berlin School Dist., School News, Sports Outdoors

Panther Ladies’ Basketball Season Ends

February 28, 2014 By eastwickpress

by Steve Bradley

The #6 HFCS Panther Ladies basketball team was defeated Saturday evening. Playing against #3 Johnstown (14 – 6) at the Watervliet High School gym, the Panthers gave up 24 points in the first quarter and could not overcome the deficit. The first quarter ended at 24 – 15.

Doing everything possible to make up the deficit, the Ladies outscored the Lady Bills in the second and third quarters. After three quarters, the Panthers cut the lead to five, 40 – 35.  In the fourth quarter, Johnstown outscored the Panthers by three and held on for the win, 53 – 45.

Rachel Pine had 17 points; Carsen Williams added 12. Olivia Schneider had 7; Megan Flynn had 6, and Kelly Pine added 3 points.

The Ladies ended the season with a fine 12 – 7 overall, 9 – 5 league record.

Seniors Carsen Williams, a four year starter, and Olivia Schneider, along with Ashley St. Onge and Hannah Lilac participated in their last high school game. Junior Rachel Pine, sophomore Megan Flynn and freshman Kelly Pine will provide an experienced nucleus for next year’s team. Those three combined for 481 points this season. Junior Chelsea Stevens, who led the team with 21 three-pointers in a limited role, will be returning. Some excellent JV players will be moving into the mix also. The future looks bright for Lady Panthers basketball.

Filed Under: Hoosick School Dist., School News, Sports Outdoors

HFCS Wrestlers Competing At States

February 28, 2014 By eastwickpress

by Steve Bradley

The New York State Wrestling Championships will be held this weekend, Friday, February 28 and Saturday, March 1, at the Times Union Center in Albany. Two HFCS wrestlers will be vying for a State title.

Nolan Foster, a sophomore, will be competing in the Division 2 – 113 pound weight class. This is the first time Foster has earned his way to the State finals. Foster’s first match will be against Tanner Lapiene, of Ogdensburg, Section X.

Luis Weierbach will compete in the Division 2 – 120 pound weight class. In 2013, Weierbach was the State champion in the 106 pound class. In his first match, he will meet Dylan Baker of Ausable Valley, Section VII.

Gates open at the Times Union Center at 8:30 Friday. Tickets cost $12 for each session or $33 for a three session pass. In Session 1 The Parade of Champions will begin at 9:30 with preliminaries for both Division 1 and 2 to be held from 10 am – 2 pm. The Quarterfinals will be from 2 to 4 pm.

On Saturday, March 1, Session 2 semifinals, wrestlebacks and consolations will be held from 10 am to 3:30 pm. For Session 3 the gates re-open at 5 pm. Finals are scheduled to begin at 6:30 pm.

Filed Under: Hoosick School Dist., School News, Sports Outdoors

The Courtney Carelli And Ryan Gardner Memorial Scholarship 2013–2014 Recipients

February 28, 2014 By eastwickpress

submitted by Patrice Nash

Berlin Central High School students who are enrolled in Hudson Valley Community College “College in the High School” classes are able to apply for a scholarship in memory of Courtney Carelli and Ryan Gardner. Courtney Carelli and Ryan Gardner attended both Berlin High School and Hudson Valley Community College. Since its inception in 2004, this scholarship has encouraged and assisted students in being able to obtain hundreds of college credits in a high school setting. Scholarships are awarded for both the fall and spring semesters.

This past fall the scholarship was awarded to ten students who were enrolled in Hudson Valley Community College classes such as CADD (full-year), Calculus with Precalculus I and Spanish 4. They are Rachel Barnum, Jeffrey Curtis, Alessa D’Alessio, Carter Dawes, Kodi Day, Kaitlyn Goodermote, Josh King, Matthew Mears, Cullen O’Brien and John Schatz.

For the spring semester, the scholarship was awarded to seven students who are enrolled in Hudson Valley Community College classes such as Calculus with Precalculus II and Spanish 5. The recipients of the Courtney Carelli and Ryan Gardner Memorial Scholarship spring semester are Alessa D’Alessio, Kodi Day, Kaitlyn Goodermote, Josh King, Melissa Mandel, Matthew Mears and Cullen O’Brien. Congratulations to these students!

We would like to thank the Carelli and Gardner families for this opportunity in honor of Courtney and Ryan.

Filed Under: Berlin School Dist., School News

FCCLA Talent Show At BCS To Feature Olympic Trivia

February 28, 2014 By eastwickpress

This Saturday, March 1. the FCCLA will hold its annual talent show, “Secret Garden of Talent.” Mixed with the singing, piano playing, etc. will be a 2014 Olympic trivia contest. Prizes will be awarded to the winners. All attending the show will receive Olympic trading cards with USA athletes on them.

The show is Saturday March 1 at 7 pm at the High School in Berlin. Admission is $5 for adults and $3 for students. Refreshments will be on sale. Proceeds send members of the FCCLA chapter to the State leadership conference.

Filed Under: Berlin School Dist., School News

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Local News

February 3, 2023 Edition

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38th Annual Ice Fishing Contest Rescheduled

Submitted by GLSP Due to warmer than usual temperatures, the 38th annual ice fishing contest at Grafton Lakes State Park has been rescheduled for Saturday, Feb. 11, from 5:30 am to 2 pm. Join in on the fun as several-hundred anglers brave the cold temperatures for their chance to make a winning catch on several […]

Celebrating Retiring Board President Deborah Tudor

On Tuesday, January 25, Cheney Library honored Ms. Deborah Tudor for her 12 years of service on the Cheney Library Board of Trustees. During her tenure as a trustee, Ms. Tudor made immense contributions to physical improvements of the library’s property. Some of these projects include the installation of a propane fireplace, creation of the […]

School News

February 3, 2023 Edition

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Powers Claims Runner-Up

At Inaugural NYSPHSAA Girls Wrestling Invitational Submitted by BNL Varsity Wrestling Coach Wade Prather Tallulah Powers was runner-up at 165 pounds in the inaugural NYSPHSAA Girls Wrestling Invitational held at Onondaga Community College. She was one of only three finalists from Section 2, and the only Runner Up. The meeting of 204 of the State’s top female […]

November 25, 2022 Edition

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