The Middle Ground receives national recognition
Congratulations to Niskayuna's middle school students and teachers responsible for creating the 2006 edition of The Middle Ground! This middle school anthology of literature and art received a ranking of Excellent from the National Conference of Teachers of English (NCTE) in its annual Program to Recognize Excellence in Student Literary Magazines. Read more

Board of Education appoints new Administrator of Physical Education Health and Athletics
The Niskayuna Central School District Board of Education has appointed Lawrence Gillooley as Administrator of Physical Education, Health and Athletics, effective January 2.
Gillooley will oversee physical education and health, as well as coordinate the district’s athletic program. He will manage daily administrative operations such as hiring teachers and coaches, observing and evaluating physical education staff and health educators, providing staff development opportunities, and appropriating equipment and supplies for his departments. Read more

Members of the Class of 2006 return for Alumni Visitation Day to discuss college experience, share advice with high school students
A little more than six months after graduation, approximately 36 members of the Class of 2006 returned to Niskayuna High School for Alumni Visitation Day on January 5.
The now second-semester college freshmen were on hand to share advice and answer questions about college life – both social and academic.
Some of the most prestigious schools in the country – including Boston College, Cornell University, Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), New York University, Princeton and Stanford – were represented by alumni who explained why they chose certain schools.
Rachel Lieberman, who studies creative writing, offered her number one reason for choosing Chester College, a small liberal arts school in New England.
“Chester has a good internship program and that is important to me,” she said. “I want to have the work experience an internship provides, and eventually be able to make money doing something I like.”
Elena Lecce chose Drexel University because of its reputation. “It is one of the top two fashion design schools in the country,” she said.
Read more about Alumni Visitation Day

Second Community Budget Awareness Forum scheduled for Jan. 10 at Iroquois Middle School
Community members, parents and staff are invited to the second Community Budget Awareness Forum on Wednesday, January 10 at the Iroquois Middle School library at 7 p.m.
This forum concludes a two-part series designed to increase understanding of the often complex school budget development process. During the 90-minute presentation, district officials will provide a review of the factors that affect school budgets, including key areas that drive expenditures and efforts by the district to stabilize or reduce costs and generate additional revenue.
The program will follow up on discussions from the first budget forum in December and provide answers to questions raised during that event.

Longtime school board member steps down
Board of Education bids fond farewell to Richard Mathews
Niskayuna Central School District has bid its longest tenured school board member, Richard L. Mathews, a fond farewell.
Mathews, who served on the board for the past 30-plus years, handed in his resignation during the Board of Education meeting on January 22. The veteran school board member decided to step down mid-term after his wife was injured in a fall at their home several weeks ago, prompting the couple to decide to move to Pennsylvania to be closer to family.
Board of Education President Barbara Mauro called Mathews' three decades on the school board unprecedented in the history of the school district.
“More impressive than the number of years Dick served on the board is the quality of his service,” Mauro said. “His compassion for students and his commitment to education and this community are extraordinary.” Read more

Parents of preschoolers may get a "Peek at Kindergarten" on Jan. 30
By popular demand, the "Peek at Kindergarten" forum for parents of incoming kindergartners returns to Rosendale Elementary School on Tuesday, Jan. 30 at 7 p.m. The 75-90 minute program will provide parents with additional strategies to help prepare children to become lifelong learners and develop a love of reading and learning. The information to be presented is also designed to relieve some anxiety parents may feel during their child's first days of school.

Nominations being accepted for Niskayuna High School Hall of Fame
Niskayuna High School is currently seeking nominees for its 2007 Hall of Fame, a gallery of Niskayuna alumni who have made significant contributions to their professions or communities.
A committee of students, faculty and administrators will select the inductee from nominations submitted by members of the public. Nominating forms are available in the Niskayuna High School Main Office at 1626 Balltown Rd., the District Office at 1239 Van Antwerp Rd., or at the Town Supervisor's Office at Town Hall, 1 Niskayuna Circle. Completed forms must be returned to High School Principal John Rickert by Wednesday, January 31, 2007. Read more about the Hall of Fame.

Readathon nets close to $10,000 for Double H Hole in the Woods Ranch
Many brought sleeping bags and pillows – some even dressed in their comfiest pajamas – but all 110 students brought a favorite book to Iroquois Middle School’s first readathon on Friday, Jan. 26.
The charitable event was divided into three 40-minute reading blocks during which the auditorium was silent except perhaps for the turning of pages as students read to raise funds for the Double H Hole in the Woods Ranch in Lake Luzerne—a summer camp that provides services for children with serious and chronic illnesses.
Participating students were treated to two 20-minute breaks to play games and enjoy refreshments provided by the Iroquois Parent Teacher Organization.
Students collected a total of $9,980 in donations from family and friends.
“They did an awesome job,” said reading teacher Lynn Connors, who helped organize the readathon with fellow teacher Lauren Kvam. “Several parents and staff members joined the students in reading for the ranch, and fun was had by all!”

Van Antwerp Middle School students create pillows designed to provide comfort to ailing children
At first, Van Antwerp Middle School sixth-graders found threading bobbins and stitching fabric challenging, but all agreed that their efforts with needle and thread were more than worthwhile. After all, the students had created approximately 40 pillows in their Home and Careers classes that will be given to children in Albany Medical Center’s Child Cancer program.
At the end of January, students presented the pillows to Tracy Pitcher, the director of patient and family services for the local chapter of the American Cancer Society, who will place them in comfort baskets containing other personal care items. Read more

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