Massena Central School District

Massena Central School District type graphic

Roger B. Clough II, Superintendent • 84 Nightengale Ave., Massena, NY 13662 • Phone (315) 764-3700 • Fax (315) 705-2075

The Pajama Game, March 25-27, 2010

Tickets are on sale now in the box office in the High School Lobby, every week day after school from 3:30-5:30 p.m. and from 11:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. this Saturday, March 20th.

The story takes place in a pajama factory in Cedar Rapids, Iowa. A strike is imminent: the Union is seeking a wage raise of seven and a half cents an hour and management won't budge. Babe Williams (Elizabeth Mauch), head of the Union grievance committee, falls in love with the plant's new superintendent, Sid Sorokin (Sawyer Clausen), but she insists she intends to fight as hard as she can for the Union, regardless of how she feels about Sid personally.

In order to save his love life, Sid asks for help from Gladys (Erin Girard), President Hasler’s (Colin Bronchetti) secretary, and gains access to the firm's books. What he finally discovers just may save the show!

Get your tickets now, for 8:00 PM shows Thursday through Saturday. Refreshments will be on sale by CASP-E-R before the show and during intermission.

6th grade Baby-Sitters

Massena Central School District 6th graders recently completed a baby-sitting course in home and career skills class. Mrs. Root trained with the American Red Cross over the summer, and taught the students using American Red Cross materials and techniques. All sixth grade students were required to read, study, demonstrate techniques, and pass a comprehensive test for a home & career skills grade. The topics covered were: Leadership, Business Techniques, Ages and Stages of Development, Decision Making, and Emergency Care/First Aid. All students completed the training, and had the option to pay for "Red Cross Certification."

Pictured above, Kate Derouchie, Rickey Hamlin and Abbey Paduano practice techniques with Red Cross Mannequins to care for a choking infant.

Music In Our Schools Continues

The annual “Pops” concert was held Thursday, March 4. The show featured the select groups from the upcoming tour of the elementary schools and JW Leary Junior High. The groups include the HS Jazz Ensemble, Show Choir, Men’s Ensemble, Harmonettes, Vocal Jazz, and a selection from the upcoming musical, The Pajama Game. March is the national celebration of “Music In Our Schools Month.” Massena celebrates this by participating in several musical events and performances throughout the month. MORE

A Hero Among Us

Pictured: Principal Duane Richards, Counselor Wendy Serguson, TA Sherry O’Brien, Teacher Dee Cook, Aide Deb Moncibiaz, Teacher Cathy Dix, and Nurse Deb Prashaw.

Family Literacy Night

The Title I and Reading Teachers of the three elementary schools held a Family Literacy Night on Thursday, February 11, at the St. Lawrence Centre Mall.

The presentation included information about helping children choose books that are appropriate for their reading ability, as well as, procedures that help to increase a child's comprehension and engagement in a book through simple, fun steps. Participants also learned about the benefits that the public library has to offer and had an opportunity to sign up for a library card.

Quality Assurance Focused Review

The New York State Education Department’s (NYSED) Office of Vocational and Educational Services for Individuals with Disabilities (VESID) has initiated a Special Education Quality Assurance focused review in Massena Central School District during the 2009-2010 school year. The purpose of the review is to assess the school’s compliance with federal and State laws and regulations governing the education of students with disabilities as well as its ability to meet key performance indicators identified by the State Education Department related to the percentage of students with disabilities earning a Regents or local diploma. »MORE

Announcements

• Staff Development Day, March 19, 2010

No school for students

• School Board Meeting, March 25, 2010

Meeting will begin at 6:30 pm in the high school library

• High School Musical, March 26-27, 2010

"The Pajama Game" 8:00 PM in the high school auditorium

From the Superintendent's Office...

• SED Facing Tough Budget Choices; Exam Reductions An Option

The State Education Department is developing contingency plans to close a large projected deficit in its operating budget, resulting partly from the threat of a deep cut under Governor Paterson’s proposed state budget.

One option would be to reduce the number of standardized assessments it administers, including Regents Exams. But no decisions have been made.

At their meetings this week, the members of the Board of Regents wrestled with the implications of the proposed state budget for SED’s services. The budget would reduce General Fund support for SED’s operating budget by $7.9 million, or 15.6 percent, leaving just 7 percent of its operations funded by state taxes, with 62 percent supported by federal grants, and 31 percent by other revenues, chiefly fees.

SED’s capacity to use federal grants or fee revenues to support alternative priorities is limited — grants come with strings, and for the most part, people who pay fees expect their fees will pay for services which they use.

A large share of what flexible resources the Department retains goes to pay for assessment and data-related activities ($40.8 million for assessments and $13.5 million for data activities this year alone). The Department estimates that over 60 percent of the flexible funding available to its Office of Elementary, Middle, Secondary, and Continuing Education (EMSC) is going for these two areas this year, and that the share will climb steeply, especially as administrative funds from the federal stimulus package disappear.

The Department projects a 15 percent gap between expenditures and revenues for its EMSC Office next year. The Regents discussed a number of options to address the gap, including advocating for more state and federal support, using more current federal aid for staffing, and shifting from vendor contracts to in-house staff. But they also had a discussion exclusively devoted to possible reductions in the state’s testing program because of its prominence as a cost center.

The options for the Board of Regents.

»Among those presented are elimination of all Regents high school foreign language exams and the January and August administrations of Regents Exams.

»The Regents will be seeking data on which districts’ students are the most prevalent users of the January and August exam opportunities.

» The Department’s background paper also explains that moving to an on-line assessment program would achieve some long-term savings, but an upfront investment of around $1.5 million would be required.

Visit the link above to deposit money into your child’s school meal account or view your child’s account balance online.

►Free and Reduced Meals

Just a reminder: households can apply for meal benefits at anytime throughout the school year. If you have had a change of income or if your household size has changed, please feel free to contact the School Lunch office for an application at (315)764-3700 ext 3114.