Representing the Following School Districts
Au Sable Valley, Beekmantown, Brasher Falls, Brushton-Moira, Canton, Chazy, Clifton-Fine, Clinton-Essex-Warren-Washington BOCES, Colton-Pierrepont, Crown Point, Edwards-Knox, Elizabethtown-Lewis, Franklin-Essex-Hamilton BOCES, Gouverneur, Hammond, Harrisville, Hermon-DeKalb, Heuvelton, Indian Lake, Keene, Lake Placid, Lisbon, Long Lake, Madrid-Waddington, Malone, Massena, Minerva, Moriah, Morristown, Newcomb, Northeastern Clinton, Northern Adirondack, Norwood-Norfolk, Ogdensburg, Parishville-Hopkinton, Peru, Plattsburgh, Potsdam, Putnam, Raquette Lake, Saint Lawrence-Lewis BOCES, Saint Regis Falls, Salmon River, Saranac, Schroon Lake, Ticonderoga, Tupper Lake, Westport and Willsboro

Area Director Electronic Newsletter
Welcome to the August 27, 2007 issue of the Area 6 electronic newsletter. The electronic newsletter is designed to facilitate communication between members of your NYSSBA Board of Directors and the Areas they represent. The newsletter contains information about Area 6 and NYSSBA. I hope you find it informative. I would appreciate your sending comments and suggestions for future newsletters to me at area6director@nyssba.org. If any of your board colleagues do not have computer access, a copy will be sent to the district office for distribution. If others with email did not receive their own copy, please submit their e-mail address to NYSSBA at info@nyssba.org.
Thank you
Thank you to the Newcomb Board of Education.  It was a beautiful summer afternoon and evening drive to visit with them and to share part of their meeting time discussing shared issues.  

Membership Updates

In a review of the membership and leadership listings from Area 6 Boards of Education, we have found many of the listings still out of date and inaccurate.  New board members have been elected and placed on the list, but the former member they replaced was not named, so that the former member and the new member are both on the listing.  Also, the current Board Leadership should be kept up-to-date to be sure all of your information is accurate.  It is probably best to send NYSSBA an accurate list of the whole Board each July, either by email or snail mail, noting the current leadership members on that list. 

Area 6 Dinner

Keep September 27 open for the Area 6 Annual Dinner at Malone Golf Club.   A letter will be sent out shortly after the beginning of school.  I apologize for the conflict with those boards who have a meeting scheduled that evening, but it is impossible to find a date that has no meetings scheduled.  We appreciate the effort made by those who will be attending. 

Welcome New Member

The West Babylon School Board (Area 12) has joined NYSSBA effectively immediately.

Convention update

On August 13, 2007 a broadcast email was sent to all superintendents and district clerks notifying them that the NYSSBA block of hotel rooms at the Sheraton Hotel and Towers as well as the Sheraton Manhattan was virtually sold out.  Convention attendees are now being placed at the Hilton, which is just across 53rd Street from the Sheraton.  Rooms at the Hilton Hotel are $359 per night.  It is strongly suggested that people still attempt an online hotel registration because as rooms cancel they become available in the NYSSBA block again. 

NYSSBA is pleased to introduce its newest convention sponsors - NYSIR,  Contemporary Computer Services, Inc. and LexisNexis - and new exhibitors - Sears (schoolwear), JCPenneys (schoolwear), Mendez Foundation (drug prevention programs), SigCom Inc. (communication services), eChalk (curriculum development) and International Academy of Science (technology services)

School Board Recognition Week

The 2007 School Board Recognition Week will be October 22-26.  To help you acknowledge those who serve, NYSSBA will be offering three new items to school districts:  umbrellas, ceramic mugs and hats.  All of these items are priced below $12 per item.  Contact NYSSBA at 1-800-342-3360 for ordering information or check future editions of On Board.

Professional Standards and Practices Board

Richard Feller, NYSSBA Area 9 Director, has been appointed by the Board of Regents to the SED Professional Standards and Practices Board for Teaching for a four year term.  This is a great opportunity to bring the school board perspective to the table.

Board Officers Academy

Both Board Officers Academies - August 3 & 4 in Fairport and August 10 & 11 in White Plains -were a great success for the attendees. Many said it was the best conference they have attended because it was so focused on information that they can use as leaders of their districts. The balance of issues they will be dealing with, orientation and self assessment information along with answers to their legal questions, provided great value.

Raising the Graduation Rate Task Force

The NYSSBA Raising the Graduation Rate Task Force met recently for the third time. Lee Bordick, recently retired superintendent of the Lansingburgh CSD, held a discussion with the task force members on the obstacles facing school districts, the positive initiatives that school districts can use, and suggestions that NYSSBA can implement in raising the graduation rate.

NYSSBA Staff

NYSSBA Senior Graphic Designer Lisa Earley is judging entries for the New York School Public Relations Association’s 2007 communications contest. Award winners will be honored at the NYSPRA Luncheon at NYSSBA’s Annual Convention in October.

Along with NYSSBA Deputy Director Rita Lashway, Interim Director of Communications Barbara Bradley attended the American Society of Association Executives’ annual conference in Chicago. Both attended a breakfast where Barbara was recognized as a newly certified association executive (CAE).

Events Calendar

Check the NYSSBA website for more information on any of the events listed below – www.nyssba.org

New School Board Member Academy (single day format)
  August 17 – Residence Inn Marriott, Plainview

New School Board Member AND Veteran School Board Member Academy (weekend format)
  September 7–9 – Hyatt Regency, Buffalo

School Board Institute
  September 7 & 9 – Hyatt Regency Buffalo
  October 25 & 28 – New York City

Fiscal Oversight Workshops
  August 13-14 – Hyatt Regency, Buffalo
  August 15-16 – Crowne Plaza, White Plains
  August 18 – Hotel Saranac, Saranac Lake
  August 18 – NYSSBA, Latham
  August 20-21 –  Residence Inn, Plainview
  August 22-23 – Sheraton Syracuse University, Syracuse
  September 7 – Hyatt Regency, Buffalo
  September 9 – Hyatt Regency, Buffalo
  October 25 – Sheraton New York Hotel & Towers, New York City
  October 28 – Sheraton New York Hotel & Towers, New York City
  November 17 – Hyatt Regency, Hauppauge
  December 1 – Holiday Inn, Horseheads
  December 15 – Holiday Inn, Oneonta
 
Board Officers Academy
  August 10–11 – Crowne Plaza, White Plains

Special Education Law Workshops
  September 18 – Hyatt Regency, Hauppauge
  October 3 – NYSSBA, Latham
  October 4 – Marriott, Rochester

Pre-Convention School Law
  October 25 – Sheraton New York Hotel & Towers, New York City

NYSSBA Annual Convention
  October 25–28 - Sheraton New York Hotel & Towers, New York City

Superintendent Search Workshop
  November 15 – Holiday Inn, Suffern
 
School Law Conference
  December 12 – Albany Marriott