submitted by Caitlin Dederick
New Lebanon sophomore Christine Bienes won the Student Courage Award presented to her at the 26th Annual Martin Luther King Jr. and Coretta Scott King Lecture Series on Race and Nonviolent Social Change. The award honors those who actively show personal courage by taking positive actions against racism, prejudice, bias-related violence and other forms of intolerance in their community.
[Read more…] about A New Lebanon Student Wins Student Courage Award
Berlin Central School FCCLA Chapter News
Berlin FCCLA Part Of Teen Safe Driving Initiative
Berlin FCCLA will have many activities over the next few weeks celebrating May as National Teen Safe Driving Month. The chapter has teamed up with the NY State Teen Safe Driving Coalition, the National Safety Council, NYS DMV, Stewart’s and the ALLSTATE Insurance company to provide activities and resources to our teens and their parents.
The FCCLA is forming a Battle of the Belts team. We will be participating in the annual Battle of the Belts on April 28 during the annual Sean’s Run at Chatham High School. Come out and support our team or participant in Meghan’s Mile or the 5k Sean’s Run. Participants will qualify to win iTunes gift cards.
Who are smarter, parents or teen age drivers? Come find out on May 13 as the FCCLA sponsors Are You Smarter than Your Teen Age Driver? It is a game based on the show Are You Smarter than a 5th Grader. The admission is free. We are looking for teen age drivers and parents to participate in this activity. All participants will receive $10 Stewart’s gas cards. Come and be a participant or a spectator.
Kidney Foundation To Benefit For All Night Rockers
What takes place at the school overnight? The annual FCCLA Rock-A-Thon is coming up. The FCCLA has rescheduled this event for May 3. So dust off your rocking chair, get a sponsor sheet and prepare for an all night adventure as we rock to raise money for the National Kidney Foundation. There will be refreshments all night, games to keep us awake, movies and the list just goes on. See Mrs. Mosher for the sponsor sheet or pick one up in the cafeteria.
Voting Day Chicken Dinner
The FCCLA will once again hold its annual Budget Voting Day Chicken Dinner on May 21. Dinners can be picked up at the Elementary from 3 to 6 pm. Middle and high school faculty can pick up prior to that at the High School. The menu includes chicken, roll, coleslaw, baked potato, dessert and beverage. Call Dianne Mosher at 658-2515, ext. 241 or email to dmosher@berlincentral.org. The price is $8 for adult dinners, $5 for children’s dinners. The money will be used to send our FCCLA members to Summer Leadership in Owego, NY, from July 30 through August 2.
Next ADAPT Meeting – April 22
Parents/guardians of HFCS juniors interested in joining ADAPT – the alcohol and drug-abuse prevention team responsible for planning and hosting a safe, substance free, after-prom activity for the HFCS junior class and their guests – are encouraged to attend the next meeting on Monday, April 22, at 6:30 pm, in the HFCS Elementary School Library. Plans are well underway for this year’s after-prom activities, and several fundraisers are taking place and being planned. Many hands make light work!
BCS Pre-Kindergarten Program
The proposed 2013-2014 BCS budget includes funding for a district-wide Pre-Kindergarten (Pre-K) program for resident children who reach the age of four on or before December 1, 2013. Transportation for the program will be provided for all eligible Pre-K students by the school District.
The program is provided by Questar III, the Berlin Central School District and partners in collaboration with Capital District Beginnings. The site location is Berlin Elementary School and students follow the Berlin School calendar for attendance and the building arrival and dismissal times, approximately 8:40 am to 3:10 pm.
This comprehensive and enriched program utilizes the NYS Pre-K Foundation for the Common Core program and the Creative Curriculum to focus on child-centered activities, development of strong foundational skills in early literacy and numeracy, social interaction and kindergarten readiness skills.
Families of eligible children are asked to register their child by calling Questar III directly for a registration packet at 396-3520. Directions on how to complete the process will be provided in the packet. The completed packet must be returned to Questar III by May 23 for consideration in the program. Families must provide a copy of documentation to show proof of residency, a birth or baptismal certificate and, if applicable, custody/guardian papers prior to final enrollment in the program. Once the packet is received by Questar III, a letter of receipt will follow with more information regarding registration, Pre-K screening, parent/guardian orientation, etc.
If your child meets the eligibility requirements stated above and you would like a packet mailed to you, please contact Questar III at 396-3520. If you have any questions regarding residency, contact Berlin Elementary School at 658-2127 ext. 200.
Announcing Open Pre-K Registration For New Lebanon
The proposed 2013-2014 school budget includes funding for a district-wide Pre-Kindergarten (Pre-K) program for resident children who reach the age of four on or before December 1, 2013. For 2013-2014, the Pre-K program will expand from a two and a half hour program to a full school day program. Transportation by the NLCS District is available when a Pre-K child is at least four years old. The program is located at the Walter B. Howard Elementary School, and children will follow the school arrival and dismissal times, approximately 8:20 am to 3:15 pm, as well as the school calendar for attendance.
The program is provided by Questar III and the New Lebanon Central School District in collaboration with Capital District Beginnings. This comprehensive and enriched program utilizes the NYS Pre-K Foundation for the Common Core and the Creative Curriculum to focus on child-centered activities to develop strong foundational skills in early literacy and numeracy, social skills, and kindergarten readiness skills.
Families of eligible children are asked to register their child by calling the Walter B. Howard office for a registration packet at 794-8554 x3002. Phone and in-person registration packet requests are being accepted through the month of April and packets will be mailed on May 1. The completed packet must be returned to the district by May 20 for consideration in the program. Families must provide a copy of documentation to show proof of residency, a birth or baptismal certificate and, if applicable, custody/guardian papers prior to final enrollment in the program.
Once the packet is received, a letter of receipt will follow with more information regarding registration, screening, parent/guardian orientation, etc.
Registration will remain open after May 20, 2013. A waiting list may occur if more eligible four year old students apply than there is space. If the maximum enrollment number is not met, the District will pursue eligible three year-olds who will be integrated with the four year old program. Children eligible for kindergarten are not eligible for Pre-K.
If your child meets the eligibility requirements stated above and you would like an enrollment packet mailed to you, please contact Lisa Kreutziger at 794-8554×3002.
Hoosick Planning Board Action – April 2013
by Bea Peterson
It was a short meeting for the Town of Hoosick Planning Board on Monday, April 15. The entire Board was in attendance.
The only person to come before the Board was Keith Cipperly. Board member Daryl Cipperly recused himself from the Board for the discussion. Keith Cipperly told the Board that in 2001 he had applied to the Board for a one acre simple subdivision of property owned by his parents Paul and Joyce Cipperly on Cipperly Road in Hoosick. He never pursued the application. Since then the laws have changed and Cipperly requested the Board approve instead a two acre piece of the property as a family subdivision.
He will appear before the Board again in May.
Volunteer Firefighter Recruiting Day
On April 27 volunteer fire departments across New York will open their truck bays and doors to local residents as part of the annual RecruitNY campaign to increase the number of volunteer firefighters and emergency medical personnel statewide. Started two years ago, RecruitNY is part of a coordinated effort to boost membership in volunteer fire departments.
As part of RecruitNY, the Stephentown Volunteer Fire Department will hold a recruitment drive at its fire station on Saturday, April 27, from 10 am to 2 pm. The event will allow the Fire Department a chance to highlight the duties and rewards that come with being a volunteer firefighter.
The Stephentown Department responds to all types of emergency situations including fires, vehicle accidents, Hazmat, rescue and emergency medical. Our volunteers serve in various capacities. Some members become Fire Police and control traffic during incidents; others assist with scene support and patient care while others are interior firefighters or Emergency Medical Technicians (EMTs) responding to illness and injuries of all sorts. There are many different opportunities to volunteer and training is provided.
Every member of the Stephentown Department is a volunteer. There are no paid members. Filling the ranks with volunteers keeps taxes low for the entire community.
Small towns have historically been community minded, with neighbor helping neighbor. Modern life puts a strain on that concept. Joining the fire department is an excellent way to integrate back into the community-family ideal.
For more information, visit www.recruitny.org or www.svfd1.org or contact Bob Adler at 733-5749.
A list of participating fire departments by county can be seen at http://www.recruitny.org/opendoors.php.
Hoosick Grange News
The Hoosick Grange had a food drive for the Food Pantry on April 10. The Grange had its business meeting first with Master David Cornell presiding. Norma Brenenstuhl was in charge of the Lecturer’s program. She told us how a person making an application for food has to give his or her name and address, proof of residence, how many people in family, infants, infants under 18 months, children over 18 months and under 18 years, adults 18 to 65 and seniors over 65. The amount of food they get relates to how many in the family. The applicant has to fill out the different food they could use for breakfast, lunch, dinner, beverage and etc. Service is limited to one food request per 30 day period. If extreme needs exist, upon a referral, further food may be provided. Bread and bakery goods and fresh fruits and vegetables, when available, will be given any day the Food Closet is open. Food Closet hours are Monday and Friday – 10 am to 12 pm and Wednesday evenings 6:30 to 8 pm.
Food is brought in from the Capital District – 4,000 pounds a month. Also, people bring in food. Boy Scouts and Girl Scouts, churches, organizations, school children who filled the bus with 6,000 pounds of food. They have about 100 volunteers who help unload the food and help in other ways. They did back packs for school and around 225 taxes for people. Norma had a word game on different foods. She closed her program with a saying, “The world is composed of givers and takers. The takers may eat better, but the givers sleep better.”
The Lecturer thanked Norma for a very informative program. Our next meeting is on April 24. It’s Grange Week all over the United States. It is awards night, and we will be having a covered dish supper at 7 pm.
A Lost Dog In Grafton
A black Lab named Pearl was last seen on Crandall Road in Grafton on April 7. She is your quintessential black Lab so she can’t be missed. If found, please call Liz or Dan at 658-0328.
New Lebanon Grievance Information
Kimberly Cammer, Assessor for the Town of New Lebanon, has announced that the Tentative Assessment Roll for the Town of New Lebanon is completed and a copy may be seen at the Town Clerk’s Office, 14755 Route 22 North, New Lebanon, during normal business hours.
An assessor will be in attendance with the Tentative Assessment Roll on Monday, May 6, between 9 am and 1 pm, Saturday, May 11, between 9 am and 1 pm, Monday, May 13, between 10 am and 2 pm and Thursday, May 16, between 4 and 8 pm.
The Board of Assessment Review for the Town of New Lebanon will meet to hear and examine all properly filed complaints in relation to assessments at the New Lebanon Town Hall meeting room from 4 to 8 pm on Wednesday, May 29. A publication containing procedures for contesting an assessment is available at the Assessor’s Office or the Columbia County Real Property Tax Office as well as online at http://www.tax.ny.gov/pubs_and_bulls/orpts/publications/handouts.htm.