Bedford Central School District
Dr. Manno's E-Brief, January 2019, Edition #9
Superintendent's Scoop
2018 - 2019, Edition #9, January 2019
Inspiring and Challenging Our Students
A Message from the Board of Education and Superintendent of Schools
Dear BCSD Families and Residents,
Happy New Year! We hope your families had an enjoyable holiday break. We are optimistic that 2019 will bring success, achievement, and pride for our students, faculty and staff, and school district.
Our school leaders, teacher leaders, faculty, and staff are focused on achieving the goals and objectives crafted in our BCSD Success Plan. For the past several weeks, we have been evaluating progress on our action plans and will report to the Board of Education during a public Board meeting in February. Success Plan Action Plans have been updated and are available to the public on our website under the "About BCSD" tab, "Continuous Improvement Plan." Also, this month our Annual Student Achievement Report (for 2017-18 data) was presented to the Board of Education and Community.
While the work is well underway, we are now turning our full attention to the creation of the 2019-20 School District Budget. The budget is being designed with goals and objectives directly connected to our Success Plan. We are evaluating the many variables that contribute to our ability to continue program restorations and/or growth. We will have a better handle on this in the coming weeks as certain data points become available. The Office of the New York State Comptroller has announced the property tax cap’s allowable levy growth factor will be 2 percent.
We received some good fiscal news this month. The Office of the NY State Comptroller uses a Fiscal Stress Monitoring System to examine annual financial information reported by government entities. For the second year in a row, BCSD has "no designation" of Fiscal Stress. BCSD's score reduced as follows:
- 60 in 2016 - Moderate Fiscal Stress (BCSD was the third most fiscally stressed in NYS, #1 on the "Moderate" List, with 2 districts designated as "Significant."
- 21.7 in 2017 - No Designation
- 6.7 in 2018 - No Designation
One of BCSD's BIG Forever Goals is to continually improve school climate, safety, and school culture for students. In this year's BCSD Success Plan, this is being addressed in several ways:
- We are working to continue to improve safety, security, supervision, and emergency management. This year we are focusing on enhancing communications and tightening school building perimeters.
- We are working with our accreditation organization, the Tri-States Consortium of Schools, to cultivate student social and emotional wellness and student membership and voice. We know that when students feel a part of something and have a voice in important matters, they have a more positive experience in school.
- We are soberingly aware of the increase in student substance abuse, anxiety, depression, and other psychological challenges. We are working to support students to help them grow and thrive.
- In collaboration with our Communications and School Life Committee, we continue to work to constantly improve communication with school community stakeholders. Our attention has been focused on the actual experiences of our students and ways we can improve student life through effective programs and practices.
- Finally, we are working to promote consistent elementary character education programs and practices across our District. Our school leaders and faculty have been working to apply the Eleven Principles of Character Education in our schools.
This edition of our monthly E-Brief includes:
- An article about a sensitive topic - Weight-based bullying. Although there have been some efforts to reverse deeply ingrained and unrealistic media conceptions of body image, these damaging notions still exist and can negatively impact children as they grow and develop.
- An overview of some of the important work BCSD is doing to continue to improve and increase the use of instructional technology across the District.
As always, to keep informed, check out our District Facebook Page, Twitter Feed, and our school and parent association web pages/newsletters. Also, subscribe to our events calendar and athletics calendar.
We thank you for your continued support for the BCSD.
Sincerely,
Colette Dow, President
Michelle Brooks, Vice President
Michael Bauscher
Bill Canavan
Pam Harney
Edward Reder
Beth Staropoli
Dr. Christopher M. Manno, Superintendent of Schools
BCSD Reduces NYS Fiscal Stress Level
Preventing Weight-Based Bullying
Being perceived as different - such as being overweight or underweight - is a common reason why children are bullied. In fact, bullying happens to youth of all sizes.
Some children could perpetuate a fear of becoming larger among their peers, or may bully those they perceive to be too skinny. Children and youth who are self-conscious about their weight or express sensitivity about their body image may be especially prone to the negative fallout from this kind of bullying. For example, they may engage in unhealthy weight control behaviors, putting them at risk for developing an eating disorder.
It is important to remember that bullying is the problem - not a person's body size or appearance. Focusing on changing someone's body should never be considered the solution to bullying behavior. Read this full blog post for some important dos and don'ts to prevent weight-based bullying.
StopBullying.gov has resources for parents on bullying prevention and ways to support children involved in bullying. Find out how pediatricians and healthcare providers are important allies in identifying and treating bullying in the related fact sheet. Integrated health care provides many opportunities for discussing bullying during well-child care visits, annual school physicals, sports physicals, and acute care.
Twitter Chat January 31, 2019 on Bullying Laws and Policies #BullyingLaws
Save the date! Join Stopbullying.gov for a Twitter Chat on bullying laws and policies with partners to be announced in January. Use #BullyingLaws to join the chat and ask questions on January 31, 2019 from 12:00 - 1:00 p.m., ET.
Latest Bullying Research Highlights
- High school bystanders motivation and response during bias‐based bullying
- Understanding the relationship between cyber-victimization and cyber-bullying on Social Network Sites: The role of moderating factors
- Traditional Bullying, Cyberbullying and Mental Health in Early Adolescents: Forgiveness as a Protective Factor of Peer Victimization
- An investigation of the effectiveness and determinants of seeking support among adolescent victims of cyberbullying
In the News
- New Laws: Responding to Trauma with Social-Emotional Learning
- King’s students fight bullying in the age of social media
- Melba students learn bystander training to stop bullying, sexual assaults, dating violence
Watch for Upcoming Events, Resources, and eBlasts in the Future!
Subscribe to StopBullying.gov and like and follow us on Facebook, Twitter, Youtube and Instagram for the latest news, information, and resources.
Consistent High-Quality Communications
To acknowledged emails from parents, guardians, or students
within 24 hours, and respond within 48 hours.
Keeping BCSD on the Technology Forefront!
Technologies are powerful tools to support good teaching and learning. Keeping up-to-date and aware of current technologies is more than a full-time job. BCSD employs two individuals fully focused on this work. Ms. Margaret Browning-Barnickle is BCSD's Assistive Technology Specialist and Ms. Erica Rogan is BCSD's Universal Design for Learning (UDL) Facilitator. Both Margaret and Erica spend their time researching new technologies that can assist our teachers and students, providing training for our teachers, and introducing these technologies into the classroom.
"A decade ago, smartphones (as we know them by today’s standards) didn’t exist. Three decades earlier, no one even owned a computer. Think about that—the first personal computers arrived about 40 years ago. Today, it seems nearly everyone is gazing at a glowing, handheld computer. (In fact, two-thirds of Americans own one, according to a Pew Report.)" (Technology Feels Like It’s Accelerating — Because It Actually Is, Alison E. Berman and Jason Dorrier, Mar 22, 2016)
The Technology Department is launching a Beta Tech Team focused on testing new technology. This new group will bring together teachers who have demonstrated a strong use of instructional technology. These early adopters will help us test new technologies and be a part of planning the implementation of new technology tools.
"POSITIVE PARENTING - Bridging the Communication Gap between Parents and Teens"
What: A special event sponsored by FLHSA
Who: Parents of FLHS students
When: Tuesday, January 29th 7-8:30pm
Where: FLHS Large Cafeteria
Agenda
- 7 - 7:15 Parent Networking
- 7:15 - 7:30 FLHS Update from Principal Dr. Miller & FLHSA Update
- 7:30 - 8 Special Guest, Dr. Benna Strober, Psychologist
- 8 - 8:30 Conversation
Local Live - Enjoy Fox Lane Sporting Events Anytime, Anywhere!
Enjoy the Action No Matter Where You Are
- Games streamed live and for free.
- Everything is recorded and available for replay.
- Watch on laptops, tablets and smart phones. No app needed
Student and Faculty Achievements
- In December, FLHS students Emily Zullo and Gabi Sussman spent the day participating in a Master Writing Class at PNW BOCES, co-lead by FLHS English teacher Diane Sarna. They worked with professional editors to publish work for the Young Authors Anthology.
- FLHS Hillside Program Faculty member, Debbi Stewart, was selected as a recipient of a 2019 Target Field Trip Grant! She will be using this grant to take her zoology class to the Wolf Conservation Society.
- In December, twelve FLHS Model Congress students attended Yale Model Congress with approximately 600 other high school students. Students presented and debated bills, gaining valuable experience in leadership, public speaking, compromise, and parliamentary procedure.
- Superintendent, Dr. Manno, and Principal, Dr. Miller, received flags from International Exchange students Xenia Forst from Germany, Pauline Marechal from Belgium, and Selima Terras from Tunisia, as a symbolic gesture of the sharing of cultures. The flags will join those already hanging in the high school Commons.
- On November 13th, twelve 8th graders at FLMS participated in our first annual American Mathematics Competition (AMC). Daniel Agnello earned the top score for the school as well as Honor Roll. Isabella Weidmann placed second and Julian Getz and Margaret Kuo Reed tied for third place.
Amoolya Menon, Grade 4 at WPES, competed in the prestigious U.S. Open Table Tennis tournament in Orlando, Florida, having only been involved in competitive Table Tennis for less than a year. She won a bronze medal in the Girls 10 years and under singles event and a silver medal in the Girls 10 years and under doubles event.
- Bedford VIllage students Rejna Caku, and Chloe Siddons (5th grade), and Emily Kalarchian (4th grade) auditioned for the Westchester Children’s Chorus and were accepted for the spring semester.
- Congratulations to Mr. Brian Dalton, BVES Physical Education teacher, who has been inducted to the Springfield College Athletic Hall of Fame for Men’s Lacrosse.
Bedford 2020 Greenlight Award Round One Expo
AVID-9 students from FLHS, under the leadership of Ms. Rivera, competed in the Bedford 2020 Greenlight Award Round One Expo on Saturday, December 15. Nineteen teams from eight high schools showcased their green change ideas for a sustainable future.
The FLHS Straw Free team comprised of Marjory Lopez, Alva Crisostomo, Mireyli Morales, Karen Carchipulla, Melany Hernandez, Melany Giron, Josh Ortiz, Rudy Perez, and Daniel Rojas advanced in the competition. This team will work to reduce the number of plastic straws used at FLHS.
The Worm Warriors team made up of Sophia Trejo, Nataly Naranjo, Lesli Rodriguez, Daisy Quijada, Eric Sagastume, Heber Perez, Renzo Romero, Amy Guerra, Ariana-Jade Ford, and Vanessa Lopez also advanced. Their project will decrease food waste at MKES and turn it into a useful product that can help grow food.
Parent Resource on the BCSD Website - Parenting for Prevention
What happens when bad weather is expected?
When inclement weather is expected, the process of evaluating BCSD's opening status begins many hours prior to that phone call. The day and evening prior, the Superintendents receives frequent notices from Fleet Weather, the District's weather service, and utilizes other weather forecasting tools, including the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), Weather.com, and other local sources.
The morning of a potential weather event begins at 3:30 a.m. with the Superintendent of Schools again reviewing weather data from various sources. The District Facilities Director collects information about road conditions from town road/highway departments, and about conditions at each district school facility. The Superintendent communicates with local and County police departments about road conditions and with the Facilities Director all before 4:30 a.m. The Superintendent participates in a regional Conference call with Northern Putnam-Westchester Superintendents at 4:30 p.m. The Superintendent not only needs to consider conditions in BCSD communities but also must consider decisions of surrounding school districts.
A decision is made by approximately 5 a.m., and then the work begins. The Superintendent prepares the appropriate message to be sent in English and Spanish. A complex communication system is enacted, including text messages, emails, and phone messages to administrators, service providers such as transportation services, food services, and buildings and grounds staff, news media, private schools, before-school program providers, and of course notification to families via phone, email, text, BCSDTV, and the District website. Each of these steps is assigned to specific individuals and are carefully coordinated and executed.
If all goes well, the Superintendent and others involved in the decision are enjoying a cup of hot coffee by about 5:30 a.m. or so. Decisions and correspondence must occur at this early hour because buses begin to roll on a normal day by 6 a.m.
We hope this is helpful to our families and community members to know and understand what is involved in a weather decision.
Emergency Closings, Delays, or Early Dismissals
Families and staff members will get notified via phone, email, and text using our School Messenger system. Please make sure your school has up-to-date contact information .
The District also posts delay, early dismissal, or closing information on the District Website, BCSDTV, and uses WHUD, News 12, NBC-TV, CBS-TV, FOX 5, and ABC-TV to broadcast school closings, late arrivals, and early dismissals.
On days when inclement weather is predicted, the decision to close school could be made the evening prior. If not, the decision-making process begins at 3:30 a.m. and includes research on weather conditions, assessment of site conditions for our schools, consultation with the highway departments of our towns, and a conference call with regional superintendents of schools. A decision will be made by approximately 5 a.m. and the communication process will be initiated.
Some important information:
- A "Delay" means a 2-hour delay for students and staff. Students report to their bus stops or arrive at school 2 hours after normal time.
- When a "Delay" is called, please continue to be alert for communications, as a "Delay" can become a "School Closing."
- For "Early Dismissals," the earliest dismissal bus runs for the high school/middle school begin at 10:20 a.m. Elementary students are dismissed at 11:30 a.m.
If schools are closed, facilities are not available for after-school or evening activities by internal or external organizations; therefore, all after-school activities and meetings are cancelled, with the exception of after-care occurring in schools.
For "Early Dismissals," staff members are dismissed after students have left a campus.
If schools are closed or there is an early dismissal on a Friday, please check the District website for the status of weekend activities.
What you need to know
New and Revised Board of Education Policies
Cultivating curiosity and passion for learning.
Providing challenging educational opportunities.
All students achieving their full potential.