Meet the Candidates Night on May 1
The PTO Council is hosting Meeting the Candidates Night on Tuesday, May 1 at 7 p.m. in the Van Antwerp Middle School auditorium. All are welcome to stop by to meet and ask questions of the candidates for the Board of Education. Learn more about the candidates running for election to your school board: Five candidates vie for four seats on Board of Education

Niskayuna High School students know their business
Niskayuna students Cullen Briggs and Brooke Knowlton were each presented an Outstanding Business Education Student award sponsored by the New York State Business and Marketing Educators' Association. Now in its 14th year, this annual award recognizes students based on academics, community service, and character. During the celebration on May 3 at the Holiday Inn in Albany, Cullen and Brooke received a plaque, gift card from Staples, and a proclamation from New York State Assemblyman, Jim Tedisco, who was the key note speaker. The award presentations did not end there for Knowlton who, in a separate ceremony on the same day, was recognized for her potential as a future business leader during the Capital District Business Review’s annual 40 Under Forty awards. Read more

Rock band’s music is instrumental in sixth-grade English class
Students learn the art of critical and persuasive writing
Is there a connection between Scooby-Doo, alternative rock music and middle school English? The answer for Iroquois Middle School sixth-graders is yes.
The music of the Velmas – a rock band that draws its name from a character featured in the popular 70s cartoon series Scooby Doo – served as an instrument for a unit of study on critical and persuasive writing taught by middle school English teacher Heather Callagan. Callagan, who is friends with the musicians, invites the band to perform live for her students at the conclusion of the 2-3 week unit of study. On Friday, May 4, The Velmas performed an exclusive concert at Iroquois and among the songs performed was their version of the theme song from Scooby-Doo. Read more

Questions about the proposed 2007-08 school budget?
District residents will have an opportunity to learn more about the proposed $63.2 million budget and ask questions during a Public Budget Hearing on Monday, May 7 at 7 p.m. in the District Office Board Room, 1239 Van Antwerp Road. The regular Board of Education meeting will follow the hearing.

School Budget Vote Today

Tuesday, May 15 7 a.m. – 9 p.m. in the Blatnick Gym at Niskayuna High School

School district residents will head to the polls Tuesday to vote on a proposed $63.2 million budget. Voters will also consider a bus purchase proposition and elect four candidates to the Board of Education. 

More information about the proposed budget:
Niskayuna Central School District to receive additional state funding, reduces originally projected tax increase
The Niskayuna Central School District has reduced its projected tax rate increase for the proposed 2007-08 budget after receiving news that additional state education aid had been allocated to the district in the recently-passed New York State budget. Read more

Board of Education adopts proposed 2007-08 school budget
Projected tax rate and spending increases at lowest level in four years

Learn more about the candidates running for election to your school board: Five candidates vie for four seats on Board of Education

Download a copy of the Budget 2007-08 edition of Your Schools

Niskayuna High School students, teachers recognized with variety of awards from area organizations
Seniors Adam Evans and Rachel Nevins were selected as Niskayuna High School's recipients of the Capital Area School Development Association’s annual Scholars Recognition Award.
Niskayuna High School seniors Spencer Booth and Brooke Knowlton were named winners of the Sports Foundation of the Capital Region’s Scholar-Athlete Award.
Niskayuna High School junior Elizabeth Moran was recently selected Outstanding Youth of the Year for Schenectady County by the Capital District YMCA. Congratulations also to classmate Jenna Havis who was nominated for Outstanding Youth of the Year and to choral teacher Paula Brinkman who was nominated for Educator of the Year.
Photos of award winners and more about their achievements

Iroquois Middle School students celebrate Spanish Culture Day with music, dance, art and food
Middle school students experienced authentic Spanish culture without leaving the Capital Region, or for the most part, even venturing beyond the walls of Iroquois Middle School on Friday, May 11. One of several events Grade 8 Spanish students enjoyed was a flamenco music and dance demonstration by guitarist Maria Zemantauski and dancer La Nina. Spanish Culture Day kicked off with a breakfast featuring churros – a donut-like, cinnamon- and sugar-coated pastry and Mexican hot chocolate made by their teachers from scratch. Read more

High school students mark your calendars: Junior Prom is May 12
Students planning to attend the prom on Saturday, May 12, must sign a Contract for Safety before purchasing tickets. Contracts will be made available in the high school beginning April 18. More information about the prom and after-prom party is available here, including a link to download a copy of the contract.

Thank you voters!
Residents approve Niskayuna Central School District 2007-08 school budget
Niskayuna school district residents approved the proposed 2007-08 budget on Tuesday, May 15. The final tally was 1,478 yes votes to 923 no votes. Results were announced after polls at the high school closed at 9 p.m.
The $63.2 million budget for next year is expected to increase taxes by an estimated 4.25 percent for residents in the district’s four towns.
Voters also approved a $577,475 bus purchase proposition for seven new school buses. That vote was 1,631 yes votes to 685 no votes.
In the Board of Education race, incumbents David Hudson and Jeanne Sosnow and first-time Board candidate Debbie Gordon were elected to three-year terms, while newcomer Deb Oriola was elected to serve out a fourth term left vacant after a resignation earlier this year. Board candidate vote tallies were as follows:

• David Hudson — 1,601
• Debbie Gordon — 1,587
• Jeanne Sosnow— 1,537
• Deb Oriola — 1,418
• Markley Opdyke — 1,092

Community celebrates NiskaYUnity on Saturday May 19
On May 19, join family, neighbors and friends for Niska-Day — the longest-running community celebration in the area. Niska-Day kicks off with the Family Fun Run at Van Antwerp Middle School at 8:30 a.m., followed by the parade at 10 a.m. Niska-Day takes place rain or shine
More information and schedule of activities

Niskayuna High School Drama Club presents Neil Simon's "Fools" this weekend
The Drama Club performs Neil Simon's 1981 comedy, "Fools," tonight and tomorrow night (May 17-18) at 7:30 p.m., and Saturday, May 19 at 1 p.m. and 5 p.m. in Niskayuna High School's Little Theater. This light-hearted production focuses on a young teacher, Leon Tolchinsky, who arrives in the village of Kulyenchikov for his very first assignment. The problem is – the entire village is cursed with stupidity and he has only 24 hours to break the curse before he becomes stupid himself. Tickets are $6 for adults, and $5 for students and senior citizens, and may be purchased at the door or from any Drama Club member.

Music students to perform acclaimed Russian film score to benefit scholarship fund
Niskayuna High School's Department of Music Education will present a concert of music by Sergei Prokofiev from the epic 1938 film "Alexander Nevsky" on Thursday, May 24 at 7:30 pm. The Symphony Orchestra and Concert Chorale will perform this masterwork in its original Latin and Russian text. Proceeds from the concert will benefit the Niskayuna Friends of Music Scholarship Fund. Tickets are $5 for adults; students will be admitted free with a ticket. The NHS Box Office will be open May 21-24 from 10:15 a.m.-1:15 p.m. Tickets may also be purchased one hour prior to the performance. Please join us for this special evening of music performed by our talented students featuring soloist Emma Ladouceur, Class of 2007. For more information, call 382-2511 ext. 4312.

High School Art Department presents award-winning work of Niskayuna's aspiring film directors
On Thursday, May 24, the Niskayuna High School Art Department will present SHORT CUTS #6 – a video celebration showcasing outstanding productions from the 2006-2007 school year – at 6:30 p.m. in the Little Theater (use Media Center Entrance in the back). Admission is free to view the more than 25 short films created by NHS video students including award-winning entries from the Reel Teens USA Festival, the Rod Serling Film Festival, The Westport Youth Film Festival and the Capital Region Media Arts Festival. Due to mature themes in some productions, parental guidance is suggested. Contact Steve Honicki in the Art Department (382-2511, ext. 4337) for more information.

Congratulations to WNYT Educator of the Week – Barbara Cooper
Ask teacher Barbara Cooper about her second-grade class and she’ll say her students are the best in the world. That feeling must be mutual because Cooper, who teaches at Birchwood Elementary School, was recently named a 2006-2007 WNYT Educator of the Week. Parents, students and peers nominate outstanding teachers or administrators from their schools for the Educator of the Week program, which recognizes excellence in teaching, encourages creative and quality instruction and honors those educators who continuously put the educational and developmental needs of their students first. Educator of the Week was developed by the New York Lottery and is promoted locally by TV partner, NewsChannel 13. A video segment featuring Cooper was broadcast during the May 16 news.

Niskayuna Community Foundation recognizes two high school teachers for excellence in education
With video cameras rolling and digital cameras flashing, the surprised expressions of two Niskayuna High School teachers were captured as each was presented a Murray Award for Excellence in Education on May 31.
History teacher Jason Bach and art teacher Steve Honicki had just started their morning classes when High School Principal John Rickert, followed by a local TV news videographer, two local photojournalists, district administrators, two representatives of Student Congress and several members of the Niskayuna Community Foundation appeared in their classrooms with balloons and plaques announcing the good news. The award, established in 2004, recognizes outstanding educators at the high school level who themselves are committed to continued learning in order to improve and enhance the education of their students. Read more

District requests waiver for breakfast program
The Niskayuna Central School District’s five elementary schools (Birchwood, Craig, Glencliff, Hillside and Rosendale), and two middle schools (Iroquois and Van Antwerp) have requested waivers for the 2007-08 school year for the state-mandated breakfast program for children in grades K-6. More information

Board of Education welcomes new member
Niskayuna Central School District Board of Education members welcomed newly-elected member, Deb Oriola, during the May 21 meeting. At the school board election on May 15, Oriola was elected to serve through June 30, 2008, fulfilling a term left vacant when longtime board member Richard Mathews resigned earlier this year.
Oriola and her husband, Chuck Batzinger, have two children: Peter, a freshman at Niskayuna High School, and Kate, a fifth-grader at Rosendale Elementary School. She is a member of the Rosendale Elementary School PTO, serves on Niskayuna High School's Shared Decision Making Committee, and participates on the district’s Gifted Learning and Enrichment at Niskayuna (GLEAN) Committee.
Also on May 15, incumbents David Hudson and Jeanne Sosnow and first-time Board candidate Debbie Gordon were elected to serve three-year terms beginning July 1.
The Board of Education thanks Mark Opdyke for his service filling the board vacancy from February to May.

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