Van Antwerp students are reigning Middle School Science Bowl regional champs, again
They did it again. For the fourth consecutive year, a five-member student team from Van Antwerp Middle School captured the regional Middle School Science Bowl held at the GE Global Research Center in Niskayuna on March 1. With the win, the team advances to the national competition in Colorado in June.
The Science Bowl tests the academic knowledge of middle school teams during a fast-paced quiz competition answering questions in the categories of science and math. Student teams also face off in a hydrogen fuel cell car competition, which provides “hands-on” science and engineering experience and challenges students to design, build and race model cars.
Members of the 2008 team, including veterans Mike Barnes and Gabe Holodak, and newcomers Talia Salenger, Troy Manchester and Colin Sweeney, dominated the quiz show portion of the competition and finished in second with their fuel cell car. Competing with students from eight other area middle schools, VA's team won the overall competition with the best average score on the fuel cell car quiz and were undefeated in all academic competitions, which took place throughout the afternoon. Read more

Student musicians prepare for Band Festival on March 5
Renowned conductor and Schenectady native Anthony J. Maiello will serve as special guest conductor for the upcoming District Band Festival. The following bands and conductors will perform during the Band Festival on Wednesday, March 5 at 7 p.m. at Niskayuna High School:

• Grade 6 Concert Band, Philip Pandori
• Middle School Symphonic Band, Denise Lamb
• Middle School Wind Band, Joseph Lamb
• High School Concert Band, David Fisk
• High School Symphonic Band, Eric Hughes

Professor Maiello, who is Director of Instrumental Studies at George Mason University in Fairfax, VA, is a highly regarded, nationally recognized educator and author. In addition to conducting all of our bands, he will share his knowledge and skill with high school students at workshops throughout his three-day residency.
The concert program will feature selections from "Grease" and "Creed" as well as a medley of tunes titled "Superheroes R Us," featuring scores from Superman, James Bond, Batman, and Austin Powers. For ticket information, contact the high school music department at 382-2511, ext. 4310.
Thanks to Niskayuna Friends of Music for sponsoring Professor Maiello's visit. Read Anthony Maiello's bio

Niskayuna High School artwork recognized in national competition
Artwork by Niskayuna High School students Alicia Burnett, Lianna Mandia, Hana Omiya and Hannah Quaintance received awards in the fourth annual Utrecht National Self-Portrait contest. Only 18 pieces were selected from among hundreds of entries submitted from around the country. Congratulations! View the artwork on Nisk ArtNet

Nisk-Art Gallery features work of four area artists
The Nisk-Art Gallery is pleased to present LINKS, an exhibit of artwork by four artists from the Capital Region who are linked to one another not only by their friendship but also by the links on their respective Web sites. The artists are Robert Gullie, Christopher Murray, Mark Gregory and Sergio Sericolo. The exhibit runs through March 20. The artists will present a Gallery Talk to high school art classes in conjunction with the show on Thursday, March 13 at 1:30 p.m. in the Little Theater. More information

Iroquois Middle School students celebrate Pi
Iroquois Middle School students and staff celebrated this year’s Pi Day on Friday, March 14 (3.14) with a variety of events. Pi is the mathematical constant that represents the ratio of a circle's circumference to its diameter; approximately equal to 3.14159265358979323846...
As part of the school’s fourth annual Pi festivities, students memorized as many digits of Pi as they could. The two middle school students who memorized the most digits, at least 250, won the opportunity to “pie” their math teachers, and Principal Tom Buckley and Assistant Principal Vicki Palmer, as well. The public “pie-ing” was broadcast live via the WIRO studio for all the school to see. Math teacher Kateri Pogge said all students in grades 6-8 constructed a Pi chain made of beads during their math classes and throughout the day during flex time and advocacy. “We were successful in reaching our goal of 8640 digits,” she said of the bead chain that is currently hanging throughout the school. Sixth- and eighth-graders also wore Pi tee-shirts they created to commemorate the day. Seventh-grade students donned the shirts they made during last year's Pi day.

Local children's author visits Hillside first-grade class
Children’s author Christina Voth visited Hillside Elementary School on March 19 to read and sign copies of her first book, The Little Seed.
Voth read her new story to first graders in Matilda Barry’s class. Students then had an opportunity to ask the author questions. The book, released in early March, is about a small seed named Sunny who is afraid to be planted all alone in the dark soil. Throughout the story, Sunny learns to trust others, face her fears and grow. Voth holds a bachelor’s degree in elementary education and a master’s degree in educational psychology. She lives in Niskayuna with her husband and their four children.

Niskayuna student artwork chosen for prestigious exhibit
The drawings of 10 Niskayuna High School students have been selected for display at the 2008 High School Juried National Drawing Exhibition sponsored by the New Hampshire Institute of Art in Manchester. This competitive and esteemed exhibition invites high schools from around the nation to submit art for possible inclusion in the show. This year, approximately 100 works were selected, 12 of which were created by the following Niskayuna High School students: Kelsy Cioffi, Vanessa Lobo, Lianna Mandia (two pieces), Hanna Omiya, Hannah Quaintance, Annemarie Schwendler, Jacquelyn Stallmer, Julie Slotnick, Jung Tao (two pieces), and Tiffany Zal.

Niskayuna Board of Education adopts proposed 2008-09 budget
The Niskayuna Central School District Board of Education unanimously adopted a recommended $70.1 million budget for the 2008-09 school year during its March 24 meeting.
District residents will vote on the proposed plan on Tuesday, May 20 from 7 a.m. to 9 p.m. at Niskayuna High School.
Superintendent of Schools Kevin Baughman said the proposed 2008-09 budget reflects current economic trends. “The budget developed over the past three months represents both our lowest spending increase and estimated tax levy increase in the past five years,” he said. “We are cognizant and respectful of the challenges that everyone is facing given current economic conditions.” more about the proposed budget

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