New school year begins at WVSD

By Abby Wolf
WARWICK — As the 2018-19 school year gets under way, the Warwick Valley School District administration offered the public an overview of curriculum changes and expectations for students and teachers; security changes in the district; an update on ongoing capital projects; and particulars on current enrollment and new hires/staffing changes at Monday evening’s regular meeting.
SecurityThe School Board adopted an updated district-wide emergency response plan, in accordance with New York State law.
• Other changes: Both middle school and high school are closed to visitors between 10:30 a.m. and 11:30 a.m. According to Schools Superintendent Dr. David Leach, this is “a security enhancement and an effort to minimize unnecessary visitor traffic in the school.”
Students who need to leave those buildings at that time will be escorted to the door to meet their parents.
• Also: The middle school and high school will see an after-hours police presence. This is, according to Leach, “to support students and the community at extra-curricular activities and athletic events.” Leach added that the high school’s new single-entry double door vestibule in the main lobby is functioning.
Capital projectsLeach said that Park Avenue Elementary School’s air conditioning project is “ahead of schedule.” Contractors are connecting piping inside the building. He added that concrete pads have been installed for the transformer, the switch gear and the chiller. The district said that the system will be up and running until mid-October – “about six months ahead of schedule.”
Work on the high school’s pool project is coming into the home stretch: the pool is filled and “most of the general construction work, plumbing and electrical are finished,” Leach said. He added that the district is hopeful that the pool will be ready for the girls’ home swim meet this Friday, Sept. 21..
The school board declared that Phase II projects under way at Park Avenue, the middle school, bus garage and bus wash will have no adverse impacts on the environment, in accordance with SEQRA (the state Environmental Quality Review Act).
CurriculumBoth the middle school and high school are reviewing their homework practices, its purpose and how to weight and grade it, as well as deciding what constitutes quality homework.
The district met with PIE teachers to discuss teaching math in a multi-age classroom setting.
The school district bought fine- and gross-motor equipment for the kinesthetic labs at the elementary schools, including shoe-tying kits, hanging bars and cup stacking kits. Leach said that training for the academic portion of the labs will take place during Superintendent’s Conference Day, Nov. 6.
The district now offers virtual golf, which – Leach said – allows the golf team and students “to experience golf courses from around the world.”
PersonnelIn addition to a raft of appointments of teacher’s aides and substitute teachers, the school board approved 75 individuals for hire as school bus drivers in the district. The latter is a change to district policy, where district drivers will now be subject to approval by the school board annually.
The district also hired five school security supervisors, who will each work 4.25 hours per day.
EnrollmentThe total number of students in the district this year is 3,590, breaking down as follows:
Park Avenue (K-4): 490
Sanfordville (K-4): 710
Middle school (5-8): 1,080
High school (9-12): 1,310
Average class sizes in the Kindergarten are about 18 kids; in first grade, about 19; second-, third- and fourth-grades each average about 22 students per class.
Other businessThe school board approved the establishment of The Laura Breitman Promising Artist Award, in the amount of $1,000. The award was created by Michael Needleman in memory of his wife, Laura Breitman, to be given to a Warwick Valley High School senior who is a gifted art student, to encourage him/her to pursue a career in the arts, with the selection of three finalists to be determined by the Warwick Valley High School Art Department and the recipient to be chosen by Needleman.
Public commentThe one ripple during an otherwise placid meeting occurred during the public comment session, when “lifetime resident” and Warwick Valley parent of five children, Joel Benedict, raised his concerns regarding the hiring of security personnel in the district.
Choosing to “exercise [his] rights as a taxpayer,” Benedict asked the board why the positions for security officers “were not posted,” as they are civil service positions. Benedict maintained that he “made two requests” of the board on this issue, and added that he had hoped that the board would not approve the new hires for these positions before the issue was resolved.
The superintendent responded by saying that “Mr. Benedict can present his concerns that pertain to adult wants to his union. If he has concerns that pertain to children, we have more hours of security and police presence than any other year on record.”
Striking a balanceHow to maintain a secure school environment without making it feel like prison?
Leach said: “(By) providing children with an education that focuses on their emotional well-being, including helping them regulate their emotions and helping them feel safe, that they belong and that people care about them.”
“Reassuring” kids on the one hand, he added, while making schools “less of a ‘soft target’.”
Next Regular meeting – Oct. 15, Dorothy C. Wilson Education Center, 7 p.m.
Work Session: Community partnerships – Oct. 29, Dorothy C. Wilson Education Center, 7 p.m.