march 2015 - horseheads school district · 2015. 3. 4. · -consolidation feasibility study minutes...
TRANSCRIPT
Dear Gardner Road Families-
Now that we have made it through the coldest February/month on record, we can
start looking forward to spring at Gardner Road. Despite the cold, a lot of exciting
things happened at Gardner Road this past month. Our school was first nominated
and then chosen as one of 1000 schools across the country to win 1000 dollars
from Labels for Education (http://sweeps.labelsforeducation.com). We will
certainly be able to use that for our school. We also collected and donated almost
1000 pounds (969 to be exact) of food for the food bank with our 100 cans for the
100th day drive. Thank you to our wonderful community for showing caring and
kindness. We also had a number of classes make valentines cards for veterans. To
find out more read the article at the following link:
(http://www.redcross.org/news/article/ny/corning/Showing-Love-to-Veterans).
As you can see our main entry has been completed. If you are entering the
building, please be sure to enter into the main office and sign in. We look forward
to seeing you at the upcoming events at Gardner Road this month (see calendar). If
you have any questions or concerns, please do not hesitate to contact me at the
main office.
Your Partner in Education,
Patrick Patterson- Principal
Inside the Gazette:
Page 2:
Main Office Updates
Scripps Spelling Bee Highlights
Page 3:
Talent Show Highlights
Page 4:
Character Corner
School Mission, Vision & Beliefs
Included Online:
-March Calendar
-Reading Connection
-Home & School Connection
-PTO Newsletter, Agenda and Minutes
-Facility Study Minutes and Packets
-Consolidation Feasibility Study
Minutes and Packet
March 2015 Gardner Road Elementary School
541 Gardner Road, Horseheads, New York 14845 (607) 739 - 6347
“The wisest mind has something yet to learn." George Santayana
GENERAL INFORMATION:
Gardner Road Office Hours
Monday through Friday
7:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m.
Office Phone Numbers
739-6347
Elementary Lunches (K-6) Lunch $ 1.95
Breakfast: $ 1.00
HAPPY 100TH DAY
Pictures Below: Savion S. celebrating Read Across America
Day in room 106 and pre-K celebrating the 100th day.
2
100 TH DAY
Class Placements for the 2014-2015 School Year:
In the near future we will begin to look at classroom placements for the year 2015 – 2016. We use a team approach for
class placements and it is a long process. As you might imagine, we must take many things into consideration when
making placements. Please do not write letters requesting a certain teacher. We will not honor requests for specific
teachers, but we do value parent concerns and thoughts about the needs of their children. If you have any
information/concerns about your child that we are unaware of, please put it in writing and drop it off to the main office
by Friday, April 24, 2015
NYS Assessment Dates: *3rd and 4th grade ELA: April 14 – 16 *3rd and 4th Grade Math: April 22-24 *4th Grade Science Performance Test: May 20-21 *4th Grade Science Written Test: June 1
Kindergarten Registration: Do you have a child that needs to register for kindergarten for next school year? Soon, if not already, you will receive a phone call from Mrs. Wright to set up a date for kindergarten registration between the dates of April 27- May 1. If you know of families that may have just moved in the areas, please have them contact us at Gardner Road.
Homework while on Vacation Policy at Gardner Road: Updated 2/1/2015
Before making vacation plans, please consult the school calendar if possible. If parents decide to take their child
out of school for vacations, please notify the classroom teacher and the main office. These absences are considered
unexcused; therefore, the work shall be requested and made up upon return. Students are encouraged to have
their child practice math facts, read and write in a journal during their absence from school.
Principal Chats:
Have your voice heard on what you would like to see happen at Gardner Road! Any suggestions, concerns or
compliments you would like to share are welcome. The principal chats are each month prior to the PTO meeting at 6:00
in the library. Look for dates on the monthly calendar.
Getting Ready for Fifth Grade at the Intermediate School: As we enter the second half of the school year, the Intermediate School staff will start welcoming and getting our fourth
graders ready for fifth grade at the Intermediate School. Families are welcome to attend the Intermediate School’s Open
House on April 20th. There will be a brief presentation for the 4th grade families and opportunities to walk around the
school. Families may also write placement requests to Mr. Bostwick, principal at the Intermediate School. These must
be submitted by Friday, March 27th. Please remember to not use a specific teacher’s name. The letter should include
details of how your child best learns and the traits of a teacher that your child best responds to. Please do not hesitate to
either call Gardner Road or the Intermediate School if you have any questions.
Main Office Updates:
Scripps Spelling Bee: Students at Gardner Road participated in the
Scripps Spelling Bee on 1/30/15. The top two
students, Kris Patel and Shoonfon Li, move on
to the regionals at Campbell Savona on March
5th for a chance to nationals with Joey Veres
as the alternate. Thank you to all of the
spellers on a great evening of spelling very
difficult words. Best wishes to Kris and
Shoonfon at regionals!
Noetic Math Contest: Congratulations to all students who participated in the Noetic Math
Contest in the fall of 2014! Also, congratulations to the national honor
roll winners & team leaders - David He, Yannick Leonhard, Ashwin
Senawiratne, Josh White, Nathan Zhou! For anyone interested, there
will be a spring contest this April. It will be held after school with
more details coming soon. For those who want to prepare, practice
math problems weekly. It takes between 10- 15 minutes per week and
you can visit http://www.noetic-learning.com/ for details.
3
Golden Stars Share their Talent: Our students shared their talents at the 2015 GR Talent Show on February 11th. Thank you to Mrs. Dauphinet
and Mr. Hamilton for coordinating the evening. We also had back stage support from Ms. Darmstadt and Ms.
Hall. Not only did students participate, but we had students volunteer as the stage crew. Students will be
performing an encore performance at school on March 3rd. To view more pictures and shout outs visit Mr.
Patterson’s Twitter feed on the GR website or visit twitter and search #grtalentshow @GARDNER_RD_PRIN.
PTO BINGO NIGHT – JANUARY EVENT
Students in 4th grade are learning about Native Americans this month in 4th grade. Here are photos of students
from Mrs. Bostwick’s class making corn husk Dolls with docents from the Rockwell Museum in Corning.
4
During February 283
students (67%) earned a
character awards for
displaying
trustworthiness.
March’s trait is:
Horseheads Central School District
Our Mission "Quality Education for All"
The Mission of the Horseheads Central School Community is to provide a
quality education for all within a nurturing environment, which promotes
excellence, growth, and a sense of civic responsibility.
Our Vision We, the Horseheads School Community, want a district that: is nurturing and responsive.
strives for balance in a supportive, safe, encouraging environment.
recognizes the need for continual improvement in an ever-changing world.
has a clearly defined focus on learning outcomes, collaboration,
and support systems.
creates an environment within which everyone can thrive and achieve
his/her highest potential.
Our Beliefs We believe:
• everyone can achieve his/her highest potential.
• trust is essential for growth.
• learning is cooperative.
• programs are inclusive.
• success will be nurtured and expected.
• learning is performance-based.
• decisions are data-based.
• responsibility, respect, and results guide our every effort.
Exit Outcomes The Horseheads Central School graduate will be ...
• a life-long learner
• a caring, productive citizen
• an effective communicator
• a creative problem-solver
• a quality decision-maker
• a healthy, well-rounded person
The Dignity Act Coordinator (DAC) for Gardner Road Elementary is Patrick Patterson. Complaints regarding discrimination, harassment, or bullying of any
student should be referred to Patrick Patterson at (607) 739 – 6347. The Dignity Act Coordinator for the Horseheads Central School District is Judith Christiansen. Mrs. Christiansen may be reached at One Raider Lane, Horseheads, NY 14845, 607-739-5601, x4211.
The Horseheads Central School District offers educational programs without regard to gender, race, color, national origin, or disability. Inquiries regarding this
policy may be made to Judy Christiansen, Title IX Coordinator, or Kim Williams, Section 504 Coordinator, Horseheads Central School District, One Raider
Lane, Horseheads, NY 14845, (607) 739-5601.
@GARDNER_RD_PRIN Gardner Road Elementary
Substitutes Needed:
The Horseheads Central School District is seeking applications for substitute teachers. NEW: Daily substitute teacher
pay has increased to $95.00/day for certified substitutes & $125.00 per day for retired Horseheads teachers. For information, please visit: http://www.horseheadsdistrict.com/subteach.html
Human Resources Office: 739-5601, x4211 e-mail: [email protected]
Mon Tue Wed Thu Fri
2 Day 3 3 Day 4 4 Day 5
Early Release Day
Dismissal @ 12:00
Principal Chat 6:00 Library
GR PTO Meeting 6:30 Library
5 Day 6
Poet visiting 4th grade
Special Olympics Practice 9-11
BOE Community Budget Work-
shop @ BF Community Center
6 Day 1
Poet visiting 4th grade
GR Family Fun Night
Bowling @ 6:30 PM
9 Day 2 10 Day 3 11 Day 4 12 Day 5 13 NO SCHOOL
Superintendent’s
Conference
Day
16 Day 6 17 Day 1 18 Day 2 19 Day 3 20 Day 4
23 Day 5
District Implementation Team
4:00 HS MMC
24 Day 6
Special Olympics Bowling @
Crystal Lanes—Corning
25 Day 1 26 Day 2
Board Of Education
GR 6:00 PM
27 Day 3
4th Grade Singing @ Jackals
Game
30 NO SCHOOL 31 NO SCHOOL
Gardner Road
Elementary School
Character Education Tips for Home: RESPECT
-say please and thank you
-show respect for the Earth
-be a respectful role model for your child
-point out and praise children for showing respect
-teach your child to use good manners
Upcoming Events:
Principal Chat March 4, 6:00 p.m.
PTO Meeting March 4, 6:30p.m.
Early Dismissal -
11:50
March 4th
Family Fun Night -
Bowling
March 6, 6:30 p.m.
No School -
Conference Day
March 13th
4th Grade Singing at
Jackals Game
March 27th
No School - Spring
Recess
March 30 - April 3
Box Tops Update
Thank you to everyone who sent in Box Tops and entered the online contest. Box Tops can still be sent in throughout the rest of the school year. Just be sure to include your child’s name and teach-er’s name. Gardner Road also won a bonus $1,000 in the Grand Stand for Schools Sweepstakes through the Soup Labels for Education program!
GR PTO News
A best friend is like a four leaf clover:
Hard to find and lucky to have.
- Saint Patrick
PTO Officers President: Heather Davis
Vice-President: Kelly Cook
Treasurer: Erica Mendelsohn
Secretary: Amy Crandall
Email: [email protected]
Bowling!!
Our Family Fun night in March will be
Bowling at Gardner Road at 6:30 p.m.
This is one of the student’s favorite Family
Fun Night events. There will be many
alleys set up in the halls and gymnasium
to bowl on. We hope you can join us!
Pancake Breakfast We had many people brave the cold tem-peratures to come eat pancakes and bacon on February 15th at Applebee’s restaurant. The PTO will definitely be doing it again next year. Thank you as well to all of our volunteers!
New Vice President: The PTO would like to welcome Kelly Cook to the PTO Board. She brings many good ideas to the team and we look forward to working with her!
1 of 2
Gardner Road Elementary PTO
Meeting Minutes
February 4, 2015
Number of Attendees: 6
President: Heather Davis, Treasurer: Erica Mendelsohn, Secretary: Amy Crandall,
Principal: Patrick Patterson
Opening wi th general discussions:
PTO Request: Anything involving money should include the treasurer
Erica Mendelsohn in the communications.
Kelly Cook will be our new vice president. She has also agreed to Co-
chair the Ice Cream Social as well.
Staff Requests:
4th grade teachers have requested $75 to cover cost of Rockwell
museum to make corn husk dolls – approved by board
Principal’s Report:
Front entry is in, but waiting for electronics to come in. It should
done by end of the week.
Gardner Road is one of the national winners in the Box Tops $1,000
Grand Stand for Schools Sweepstakes.
Gardner Road will be hosting the districts March Board of Education
meeting. Presentation will be a movie. PTO can do either a talk or
Power Point presentation. The meeting will be held on March 26th at
6:00pm in the school cafeteria.
2 of 2
Site Base Team:
Currently working on the presentation for Board of Education
meeting
Dagget presentation – Looking into the trends from what the 100
most improving schools are doing. Site Base Team is going to look at
the schools reports to see if their ideas will work for Gardner Road.
Parent Council:
Discussed whether students know what to do for lockdown drills
Treasurer’s Report:
January totals: deposits – $2,353.56, expenses - $2,390.24, balance
on hand $10,006.31, outstanding approved requests total - $1,551.47
Old Business:
January Family Fun Night: Bingo. The event went well with many
participants
February Family Fun Night: Swimming. Building request, payment,
and flyer are all done.
Dining Out update - February will be at Applebee’s. Flyer is out
and tickets are coming in.
Vice President- Kelly Cook is a candidate
New Business:
Ice Cream Social – Still looking for a Chairperson. Looking into
getting ice cream donated
Dining Out Update- March Pizza Hut is an option
After School Clubs- Need Parental Feedback
SCRIPP spelling bee went well –next year will do only grades 2-4.
Closing:
Follow Up for Action Items –Look into increasing the involvement of room
moms during the day. Changing Spelling Bee Family Fun Night to another
idea (Joycrest, outdoor gardening/clean up). Need September event ideas.
OVER FOR MORE 1 of 2
PTO: March Agenda 2015
Opening with general discussions: (5 min) Heather
Staff Requests: (5 min)
Principal’s Report: (5 min) Patrick Patterson
Site Base Team: (5 min) Teachers
Parent Council: (5 min) Phil Davis
• Meeting cancelled this month
Treasurer’s Report: (5 min) Erica
• See report
• 501(c) and Incorporation status
Old Business: (5 min) Heather
• Vote in Kelly Cook as Vice President
• Ice Cream Social
o Chairperson Ideas- Kelly Cook and Heather Davis
o Donation of Ice Cream
• After School Clubs
• Dining Out Update- March will be at Pizza Hut
2 of 2
New Business: (20 min) Heather
• Dining Out Update- April
• Ice Cream Social (April Family Fun Night)-
o Ice Cream Donation
o Baskets- Coordinated by Room Moms
o Start Getting Volunteers
o Decorations for Out Front
• Room Mom Get Together
o During Basket Set Up for Ice Cream Social?
o Other ideas for how and when
• Looking Ahead:
o Teacher Appreciation Week
o May Family Fun Night
Closing: (5 min) All
• Follow Up for Action Items
• Anything for Next Meeting
Hunt Engineers, Architects & Land Surveyors, P.C.
Horseheads CSD Facility Utilization and
Grade Configuration Study
February 12, 2015
© 2015
Yellow Option
Yellow OPTION Building
Changes Estimated
Capital Construction
Cost
Estimated District Share
after State Building Aid
Estimated Net Annual
Savings
Grade Configuration
Yellow Closes: Center Street, Gardner Road
$12,125,583 $3,078,685 $920,598 Pre K-2 at Big Flats and Ridge Road; 3-6 at the Intermediate/Middle Building; 7-12 at the High School; District Offices at Center Street
Yellow
Within this option Gardner Road School would be closed. As part of this closing a BCS cost avoidance has been realized in the table above as follows: Gardner Road School: $2,846,480; Broad Street: $3,945,760 Total: $6,792,240.
Yellow Closes – Center and Gardner Schools Cost Impacts • Capital Cost (One Time – State Aided) $12,125,583 • Estimated 90% of scope aidable $10,913,025 • At 82.9% (Current) State Building Aid $9,046,898 • District Local Share of Cost +/- $3,078,685 (+ Interest amortized over 15 to 30 years)
• Staffing Savings (Per current 2014 projections) $867,913 • Utilities/Building Supplies $120,904 • Cost to maintain closed buildings -$68,219 • Net Annual Savings $920,598
• Estimated Savings over a 15 year period $13,808,970 (Less local share cost of capital project)
Yellow
CONCEPT / FACILITY
5 year BCS Items Cost
Incl. (Contingencies
, inflation & Incidentals)
Square Footage of Renovation
Square Footage
of Addition Reno Additions Site
Implementation Project Const.
Cost Incl. (Contingencies,
inflation, Incidentals)
$24,190,530 18,850 20,000 $4,763,250 $7,229,500 $133,333 $12,125,583 Big Flats Elementary $2,542,540 Broad Street (District Office) Center Street Elementary (5-6) $1,465,100 Gardner Road Elementary Ridge Road Elementary $1,872,780 Middle-Intermediate School (Pre-K-4) $4,630,080 High School North Wing (Grades 7-12) $6,728,540 20,000 $7,229,500 $133,333 $7,362,333 High School South Wing (Grades 7-12) $4,832,100 18,850 $4,763,250 $4,763,250 Bus Garage $1,343,160 Maintenance Shop $316,680 Field House $459,550
Yellow Pre-K-2
SCHOOL CURRENT
CLASSROOMS ANCILLARY
CLASSROOMS
CLASSROOM INCREASE VIA RENOVATIONS
NEW CLASSROOMS ADDITIONS
TOTAL CLASSROOM
COUNT BIG FLATS 23 8 0 0 31 RIDGE ROAD 20 6 0 0 26 GENERAL USE CLASSROOM 43 14 0 0 57
Grades 3-6
SCHOOL CURRENT
CLASSROOMS ANCILLARY
CLASSROOMS
CLASSROOM INCREASE VIA RENOVATIONS
NEW CLASSROOMS ADDITIONS
TOTAL CLASSROOM
COUNT IS / MS 58 23 0 0 81 GENERAL USE CLASSROOM 58 23 0 0 81
Grades 7-12
SCHOOL CURRENT
CLASSROOMS ANCILLARY
CLASSROOMS
CLASSROOM INCREASE VIA RENOVATIONS
NEW CLASSROOMS ADDITIONS
TOTAL CLASSROOM
COUNT HIGH SCHOOL 64 20 10 10 104 GENERAL USE CLASSROOM 64 20 10 10 104
Yellow
Yellow
Yellow
Yellow
Yellow
Yellow
Yellow
Yellow
HORSEHEADS CENTRAL SCHOOL DISTRICT
FACILITY CAPACITY/UTILIZATION AND GRADE CONFIGURATION
TASK FORCE
THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 12, 2015
5- 7 P.M., MULTI-MEDIA CENTER
MINUTES
Present: Ralph Marino, Jr.; Elizabeth Scaptura; Ronald Holloway; Gregg Moyer; Shawn
McDonough; Joyce Arms; Henry Farr; Dan Austin; Cynthia Massey; Kristine Dale; Joe
Atkinson; Kevin Sullivan; Jeff Robbins
Excused: Brian Lynch; Doug Johnson; Anne Marie Bailey; Karen Donahue; Lisa Early; Rebecca
Parks; Nicole Elston; Gerald Altilio;
The meeting started at 5 p.m.
Welcome—Dr. Marino welcomed all those in attendance.
Second review of Option ORANGE DRAFT Educational Impact Statement Summary was
conducted and additional changes made.
First Review of Option PINK DRAFT Educational Impact Statement Summary was conducted
and changes made.
Option YELLOW Presentation as made by:
o Jeff Robbins, Principal/Architect (Hunt Engineers, Architects, & Land Surveyors,
P.C.)
Group work: Option YELLOW Impact Statement
o Each group worked on a part of the Impact Statement for Option PINK as per Board
Policy 7810.
o A draft will be reviewed at the next meeting.
Wrap-up and next steps were discussed.
Meeting adjourned at 6:15 p.m.
Next meetings (5-7 p.m.):
March 4 (Wed.), 2015
March 19, 2015
Elmira Heights Horseheads Community Advisory Committee Meeting
January 12, 2015 6:00--9:00 PM
Elmira Heights CSD Community Room
Minutes
1. The fifth meeting the Elmira Heights Horseheads Community Advisory Committee was held on January
12, 2015 at the Elmira Heights CSD Community Room from 6:00--9:00 PM.
2. Thomas Coseo welcomed the group and provided a brief recap of the December 15, 2014 CAC meeting
that included a discussion of curriculum and instruction focused on elementary school program
comparisons. Current athletic program and extra-curricular activities were discussed along with
opportunities and challenges facing a consolidated district in these areas. Building Condition Surveys,
class size guidelines, and building capacities were reviewed at the 12/15/14 meeting. The CAC
reviewed three options for the location of a consolidated district high school. The overwhelming choice
of the CAC was the current Horseheads High School site.
3. The CAC continued their discussion of facilities. Dave Adams and Jeff Robbins, Hunt Architect,
provided additional information about the districts’ Building Condition Surveys, recently completed
capital projects, and future capital needs.
4. The CAC was divided into three groups and asked to complete the following task:
Come to consensus on a plan for housing the kindergarten through grade eight student population
in a consolidated district;
Provide a rationale for your plan;
Report out.
The following represents the consensus plan for each group and the rationale. Committee members
were also asked to anonymously select one of the options and provide a rationale for their individual choice.
Group 1
Create four pre-kindergarten through grade five elementary schools locating the schools at
Cohen ES/MS, Big Flats ES, Ridge Road ES, and Gardner Road ES. Create one grade six
through eight middle school at the Sing Sing Road location.
Rationale:
Meets capacity considerations;
Best building conditions;
Elementary students would have less travel at these locations;
Middle school location meets capacity and facility requirements;
These minutes are designed to accompany the PowerPoint presentation used at this meeting, as well as well as the Curriculum and
Instruction handout provided to CAC members.
Edison could serve as space for administrative offices, rental space for BOCES, or as a
location for advanced placement courses.
Six committee members preferred this option. Comments included:
Good for students, socially. Closes at least two buildings. Could use savings to enhance
programs.
Keeps students equal in terms of maturity by grade levels. Elmira Heights voters will be more
willing to vote yes if Thomas Edison High School is utilized.
Plan 1 or 2. All plans seemed similar. I feel we need to look at a different plan that would close
yet another building and add classrooms on to a school we would keep open.
9-12 at Horseheads HS (accelerated course work). 6-8 at Sing Sing (program modeled after
NYS middle school). PK-5 at Cohen, Big Flats, Ridge Road and Gardner Road (consistent
neighborhood schools).
Plan 1, however, Edison needs to be used so that plan would need to be modified. Keeping
elementary students closest to home base is important.
All schools meet enrollment capacity. Buildings selected are in good condition. Less travel for a
majority of the students. Use Edison for district office, rent to BOCES or use it as a “magnet”
school for advanced high school courses or make it a grade 6 school only. Second choice, plan
2 has good merits which can be combined with plan 1.
Group 2
Create five pre-kindergarten through grade five elementary schools located at Big Flats, Ridge
Road, Gardner Road and the equivalent of two elementary schools located at Cohen ES/MS.
One grades six through eight middle school at the Sing Sing location.
Rationale:
Minimum renovations required at Sing Sing Road complex to “unify” current schools;
Middle school would be centrally located for both Horseheads and Elmira Heights
students;
Middle school issue—concern with access points and traffic flow;
Plan would close Edison and Broad Street schools;
Center Street School could be closed or used for district offices or UPK program;
Plan would entail some redistricting of elementary school population.
Eight committee members preferred this option. Comments included:
We will not realize enough savings and integration of students with two grades 5-8 middle
schools. We need to close schools, including at least 1 Horseheads elementary school and
Edison. I also liked the idea of a “Freshman Academy” if we could make that work.
Best plan. I feel you have the ability to save the most money without cutting education.
Need to merge students at a middle school age. Need to close at least 2 schools in order to show
significant savings. May even consider a 5-8 at Sing Sing with renovations and classroom
additions, and then close Gardner, Center, and Edison.
I am for plan 2 with the exception of closing Edison. I believe we can adjust the grade levels and
find a use for it. I don’t believe the Heights residents will approve a consolidation plan that
includes a closing of Edison. I believe 2 schools should be closed.
Plan 2 works best due to building capacity and true consolidation of the districts and is most
cost effective. I like plan 3 and think if we can “save” Edison we should, but I don’t think it will
be a true consolidation and I agree that it will keep the students divided.
Points on the flip chart I agree with. Something I wondered if Horseheads should keep Broad
Street until this is decided so that it could be used to show the State additional savings.
Plan 2 is the most logical plan—minimal renovations, reduced travel to sites, closes buildings,
provides opportunities for renovations to improve teaching spaces, truly combines districts by
uniting students starting in grade 6.
Group 3
Create four kindergarten through grade four elementary schools located at Cohen (600 students
and include prekindergarten program and BOCES program), Big Flats (400 students), Gardner
Road (400 students), and Ridge Road (400 students). Create two grades 5-8 middle schools
located at Sing Sing (1,200 students and BOCES programs) and Edison (400 students).
Rationale:
Minimal impact on young students;
Better utilization of existing buildings.
Eight committee members preferred this option. Comments included:
I think plan 3 has the best potential, although not the best scenario. There is not enough cost
savings—just shuffling students around, closing only one school. Bottom line, there is too much
remodeling in the Horseheads district buildings to give any savings to tax payers in the Heights
district.
I prefer plan 3 using Edison and Sing Sing for a middle school with Edison used for grade 5 and
Sing Sing used for grades 6-8. This would bring all district students together in grade 5. Close
Center Street and make Cohen all elementary.
Edison can’t close! I like the idea of plan 3 the best, allowing for integrating the students before
high school. I agree it is important to bring students together at a younger age for better
cohesion…maybe do a 5-6 at Edison and a 7-8 at Sing Sing or vice versa. Sing Sing is probably
better equipped for younger students and leaves room for BOCES expansion.
I think plan 3 works best because it keeps Edison open and it is more apt to pass. I would
suggest pre-kindergarten through grade 4 at Big Flats and Ridge Road, a grades 5-6
intermediate school and pre-kindergarten at Sing Sing, grades 7-8 at Cohen, grade 9 at Edison,
and grades 10-12 at Horseheads HS.
Includes keeping Edison open, so yes.
I like plan 3 because it strikes the best balance between closing schools and using the best
buildings. Edison HS is in very good shape and it would be a shame not to use this building.
Another option with number 3 is to close another HH elementary school and make Cohen ES
larger. A third option with number 3 is to place the 5-8 students from Edison into Cohen, but
this keeps Cohen in essentially the same position it is now. It would be interesting to see if there
is any way to use Edison as a grade 5 or grade 9 school and use Sing Sing as the 6-8 school
Preference is number 3. Four prekindergarten-grade 4 elementary schools. Two 5-8 schools at
Sing Sing and Edison. Might be better to do a single grade at Edison either 5 or 8. Might better
prepare students for a 9-12 high school. Closing either Cohen or TAE would likely result in a no
vote from the Heights community. Need to minimize impact on younger students across both
communities to get support. Concern would be if savings from 1 building closure and savings in
overall administrative costs would be enough to get State approval. Additional option would be
to close a second Horseheads elementary school and add classrooms at other locations.
Three committee members did not select a particular plan but provided the following comments:
The plan I like best is number 4. Close Center Street, Gardner Road, Ridge Road, and Broad
Street. Tear down Center Street and Horseheads HS and build a new 9-12 complex. Cohen and
Big Flats would be pre-kindergarten to grade three schools. Grades 4-5 would attend Edison
and grades 6-8 would attend Sing Sing.
Plan 4—pre-kindergarten-grade 4 at Cohen, Big Flats, Gardner Road, and Ridge Road; grade 5
at Edison; grades 6-8 at Sing Sing. Merges students at an earlier age. Utilizes facilities without
too much change. Keeps Edison for athletic facilities.
Optimal plan—pre-kindergarten through grade 4 at Cohen, Big Flats, Gardner Road, and Ridge
Road; grades 5-6 at Edison; grades 7-8 at Sing Sing; Close Center Street. Least resistance from
community. Allows for extra capacity.
5. Roger Gorham provided information on employee contracts. Key points Dr. Gorham stressed included:
The consolidation of the Elmira Heights and Horseheads School Districts would require the
negotiation of new contracts.
Existing contracts would remain in place until successor agreements are negotiated.
Given differing representation models in the two districts, labor would first need to determine the
union(s) that will represent them.
The new Board of Education and labor unions are free to negotiate contracts that vary from the
existing contracts in either district.
6. Thomas Coseo provided comparative information on the districts’ transportation programs. Because of
the extensive cooperation that already exists between the two districts, merging these programs in a
consolidated district could be relatively seamless. However, one major difference that would need to be
resolved is student eligibility for transportation. Elmira Heights provides transportation service to only
those K-5 students living more than 1 mile from school and only to those 6-12 students living more than
1.25 miles from school. Horseheads provides transportation service to all students. Bus stops are placed
every ¼ mile so that no student is required to walk more than 1/8th mile to a bus stop. Adopting the
Elmira Heights policy would result in cost savings in a consolidated district. Adopting the Horseheads
policy would result in cost increases in a consolidated district.
7. Thomas Coseo provided comparative information on the districts’ food service programs. Both districts
provide the service through GST BOCES and the same person supervises both programs. It would not
be difficult to merge these services in a consolidated district. Some cost savings could be realized if
certain buildings are decommissioned.
8. A document providing responses to CAC questions developed at the September 8, 2014 meeting was
distributed.
9. The meeting concluded with a brief outline of the agenda for the next Community Advisory Committee
meeting, scheduled for 6:00 PM, on Monday, March 16, 2015 at the Horseheads CSD Multi-Media
Center. The agenda will include a discussion of staffing, fiscal conditions of the districts, and
background information.
10. The meeting adjourned at 9:00 PM.