District residents approve 2006-07 school budget

High school students received a hands-on lesson in civic duty after  registering to vote and then pulling the lever for the first time during the school budget vote and Board of Education election on May 16.

Niskayuna Central School District residents approved the proposed 2006-07 budget on Tuesday, May 16. The final tally was 1,808 yes votes to 1,318 no votes. Results were announced after polls at the high school closed at 9 p.m.
The $60.3 million budget for next year is expected to increase taxes by an estimated 6.59 percent for residents in the district’s four towns.
Voters also approved a $508,000 bus purchase proposition for six new school buses and one van. The vote was 2,035 yes votes to 1,020 no votes.
In the Board of Education race, incumbent Barbara Mauro and first-time Board candidate Robert Winchester were elected to three-year terms on the Board of Education, filling two vacant seats.

For complete information about the budget, download the 2006-07 budget edition of Your Schools (pdf format).

Collaborative photo exhibit between Niskayuna High School and Sunnyview Rehabilitation Hospital debuts May 25
The photo exhibit, My World and Welcome to It, debuted at the Viewpoint Gallery on Thursday, May 25.
This is the second collaborative project between students from Niskayuna High School and the Viewpoint Gallery's Studio Art Project. Steve Honicki, NHS photography/video instructor, and Ruth Hall Daly, Director of Sunnyview Hospital’s Viewpoint Gallery, conceived of and developed this project hoping to bring 30 students from different generations and different “worlds” together. By using curiosity, creativity, and interest in the art of photography as common denominators, students discovered that regardless of age or disability the enthusiasm to learn, to communicate, to relate and create provocative imagery is universal. Read more

Collaborative photo exhibit between Niskayuna High School and Sunnyview Rehabilitation Hospital debuts May 25
Mercy Jenkins had never used a camera before ― let alone a computer.
That changed earlier this spring when Jenkins and several other Studio Art Project students from Sunnyview Hospital in Schenectady worked alongside advanced photography students from Niskayuna High School on a collaborative photo exhibit called, My World and Welcome to It.
Now interspersed among the other pictures on display at the Viewpoint Gallery at Sunnyview are two photographs created by Jenkins.
Niskayuna High School photography/video instructor Steve Honicki and Ruth Hall Daly, Director of Sunnyview Hospital’s Viewpoint Gallery, conceived of and developed this project which brought together approximately 30 students from different generations and different “worlds.” Read more

Happy 250^th Birthday Mozart!
In May, the Niskayuna High School Department of Music Education is marking the 250^th anniversary of Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart's year of birth.
The high school's Symphony Orchestra and Concert Chorale will perform the composer's final masterwork, "REQUIEM," on Thursday, May 25 at 7:30 pm.
Proceeds from the concert will benefit the Alief Independent School District in Houston ― which has become home to more than 2,000 displaced students from hurricane-ravaged New Orleans.

Remember to vote
2006-07 school budget vote is Tuesday, May 16
Polls will be open from 7 a.m. to 9 p.m. at Niskayuna High School
District residents will head to the polls Tuesday to decide the proposed $60.3 million budget for the 2006-07 school year. The plan represents a 7.48 percent increase in spending from the current year's budget and, if approved by voters, would result in an estimated 6.59 percent tax rate increase in the district’s four towns.
Read more about the proposed 2006-07 school budget.
For complete information about the budget, bus purchase proposition and school board candidates, download the 2006-07 budget edition of Your Schools (pdf format).

May 16 varsity lacrosse game to be broadcast locally
Sports fans: Tune in to Time Warner Cable Channel 3 (TW3) on Tuesday, May 16 at 7:30 p.m. to see the Niskayuna boys varsity lacrosse team take on Shenendehowa.

Niskayuna media specialist receives national award
Niskayuna High School Media Specialist Melissa Bergin was selected the recipient of the 2006 Collaborative School Library Media Award. This prestigious award recognizes and encourages library media specialists and teachers to work together to further information literacy, independent learning and social responsibility using school library media center resources. Bergin will receive the award on June 26 during the American Library Association's Annual Conference in New Orleans.

Niskayuna math teacher selected for Tech Valley Externship program
Niskayuna High School math teacher Shana Keith will spend part of her summer working at one of the region’s cutting-edge technology firms through the Tech Valley Summer Externship program. She will work on a project at Infineon Technologies Corp that will require the application of mathematical techniques to a real-world high tech problem. Through the externship program, educators learn firsthand about the levels and types of skills that will be required of the future Tech Valley workforce. The program also provides experience and information about careers in math, science and technology that teachers can share with their students.

Niska-Day milestone
On Saturday, May 20, join family, neighbors and friends to mark the silver anniversary of Niska-Day — the longest-running community celebration in the area. Read more

Seventh-grade students win essay contest and chance to improve community
Thanks to their winning way with words, Van Antwerp two seventh-graders from Kathy Cutgno Surin's class—Emily Whitaker and Ryan DelVecchio, pictured right—were selected winners in the annual GE ELFUN Society essay contest. Essays penned by Katherine Pearse, Maximie Bronte Sorenson and Manvi Goyal from Kelly Millett-Wlison's class at Iroquois Middle School were also selected. This year's theme was "Imagine the Impact: How I Can Make a Difference in My Community." In their compositions, the students described how they would use $500 to enhance life in their community. Each student will be teamed with an ELFUN Society member to accomplish their project. The students and their families will also attend a special dinner ceremony at GE Powersystems in May.

Safety Bug drives home important message in time for prom season

Niskayuna High School student recognized by Capital District Business Review
Niskayuna High School senior Shannon Archer was among the five outstanding high school students – selected from a long list of nominations – recognized for their potential as business leaders during the Capital District Business Review’s 40 Under Forty awards on May 4, 2006. Read more.

 Math skills add up to success for middle school students competing in state mathematics contest
Van Antwerp and Iroquois middle schools both earned spots in the Top 26 schools competing this spring in the New York State Mathematics League contest. Students from across the state participated in the contest, which consisted of 30-minute multiple choice tests. Of the 158 participating schools, only the Top 26 are recognized. Van Antwerp placed 14th and Iroquois placed 22nd. Iroquois eighth-grader Joel Shapiro placed 14th in the Top 26 students in the league. Among regional schools from Fulton, Rensselaer, Saratoga, Warren and Washington counties, Van Antwerp placed first, while Iroquois placed second. Regionally, Shapiro captured first place and Jason Xu, a Van Antwerp student, took third place.

District requests breakfast program waiver for five schools
The State Education Department requires school districts to survey parents to determine need for breakfast programs. Read more about the survey.

2006 Niskayuna Hall of Fame inducts MIT professor
The Niskayuna Hall of Fame Selection Committee is pleased to announce that Dr. Ronald Rivest, Niskayuna High School Class of 1965, is the 2006 Hall of Fame inductee. Read more about Dr. Rivest's accomplishments.

2006 Community Role Model selected
Niskayuna Youth To Youth (Y2Y) has announced Mr. Frank Cannizzo is the recipient of the seventh annual Community Role Model Recognition. Cannizzo is a former middle school physical education teacher, coach, and programs coordinator for the Town of Niskayuna Recreation Department. Read more

Public Hearing on 2006-07 school budget scheduled for May 2
The community is invited to attend a Public Hearing on the proposed 2006-07 school budget at 7 p.m. on Tuesday, May 2 in the District Office board room. School district administrators will outline the proposed $60.3 million budget. Residents will have an opportunity to comment on the plan. A regular Board of Education meeting will follow the hearing.

Meet the Candidates Night on May 1
Residents of the Niskayuna Central School District are invited to “Meet the Candidates Night" on Monday, May 1 at 7 p.m. in the Van Antwerp Middle School Auditorium. The evening presents an opportunity for community members to learn about the three candidates who are seeking to serve on the Niskayuna Board of Education. The two candidates who receive the highest number of votes will begin serving three-year terms on July 1, 2006.
"Meet the Candidates" is sponsored by the PTO.
Read information about the candidates.

Record-breaking number of students from Niskayuna High School Speech and Debate Team compete in Forensic League State Championship
Eleven students and four alternates from Niskayuna's Speech and Debate Team qualified to compete in the New York State Forensic League Championship at Albany High School. Three Lincoln-Douglas debaters advanced to elimination rounds at the state competition including two freshman Kate Hayden and Deek Velagandula who progressed to the top 32 in the Novice division and Junior Varsity division, respectively. Junior Neal Mehrotra advanced to the final round – capturing the second place trophy for Niskayuna in Varsity Lincoln-Douglas Debate. The resolution debaters argued for and against: Juveniles charged with violent crimes should be tried and punished as adults. Other Niskayuna students who qualified for the states were: Sam Dharia, Sam Grondahl, Roshel Patel, Erin Sherman, Sohail Syed, Steven Tang, Anjana Tayi and Boyang Zhou.  Alternates included Jason D'Souza, Jennifer Moore, Steven You and Aditya Thiyagarajan.

New York State Education Department releases 2004-05 School Report Card
The New York State Education Department has released the school district report cards for the 2004-05 school year. Based on results of state tests in English language arts, math and science administered during the prior school year, the data for Niskayuna shows the majority of students continue to meet or exceed state standards. Graduation data for Niskayuna High School shows 93 percent of students receiving a diploma after four years of high school. More details of the State Report Card.

to top