Area 6 Director Dana Smith Represents 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, Saranac Lake, Schroon Lake, Ticonderoga, Tupper Lake, Westport and Willsboro

Area Director Electronic Newsletter

Welcome to the June 6, 2008 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 area06director@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.

Presenting Testimony

NYSSBA’s Director of Advisory Solutions Dr. Joseph Natale presented oral testimony before the NY State Senate last week on behalf of NYSSBA relative to the topic of Preparing Today’s Youth for the Workplace, Career and Technical Education programs and initiatives, with the purpose to ascertain the extent to which young people are leaving high school ready to assume employment.  You will find his testimony posted on www.nyssba.org.

Tax Cap Commission Report

NYSSBA’s press release statement on the state Property Tax Cap Commission’s report and an On Board release that included NYSSBA’s Senior Writer Marc Humbert’s interview with Senate Majority Leader Joe Bruno, were picked up by a number of media outlets across the state. NYSSBA Executive Director Tim Kremer also appeared on Capital Tonight (Capital News 9) to debate the tax cap commission report with E. J. McMahon, well-known Albany pundit.  On June 5, NYSSBA e-mailed an SLN News analysis of Governor Paterson’s program bill to introduce tax cap legislation.  We are much opposed.

Pulse Poll

Have you responded to this month’s three question, 30-second Pulse Poll on the property tax cap proposal made by the NYS Commission on Property Tax Relief yet?  Make your opinion count by  clicking here - http://www.nyssba.org/clientuploads/PulsePoll/PulsePoll0608.html.

Budget Vote Follow-up

Staff scrambled to put out a budget vote press release early on May 21 (the day after the statewide budget vote day) showing an initial budget rate passage of 93 percent, and beating NYSUT to the punch. Tim Kremer did 25 broadcast interviews, including appearances on Capital News 9 and public television’s New York Now, with the NYSSBA Communications staff handling print inquiries before and after the budget vote date.

Readership Satisfaction Survey

Look for an On Board readership satisfaction survey online beginning the week of June 9.

New Member Kits

Letters have been sent to newly elected board members congratulating them on their recent election. A NYSSBA Welcome Kit, containing a packet of information regarding NYSSBA programs and services, is also included in the mailings. Letters of congratulations have also been sent to board members who have been reelected to their school boards.  Please see that new board member contact information is sent to NYSSBA immediately.  This can be done online or by calling or e-mailing NYSSBA.

Distinguished Service Award

The number of Distinguished Service Award nominations submitted has doubled from 2007. The Committee will meet June 24 via teleconference to choose a winner, who will be honored at the 2008 Annual Convention.  The nomination process is now closed; thank you to everyone who submitted a nomination.

3020-a Introduced

NYSSBA's Governmental Relations Representative Julie Marlette recently met with Assemblyman Bill Magnarelli to finalize plans for legislation regarding 3020-a.  This important bill, drafted by NYSSBA and addressing one of the association’s legislative priorities, has been introduced as Assembly bill 11337.

Annual Convention Update

Online registration is open for the Annual Convention.  Go to the NYSSBA website - www.nyssba.org - for more information and to register.

School Law Conference

The 14th Annual School Law Conferences will be held July 18 in Albany and July 25 in North Islandia.  These conferences are jointly sponsored by NYSSBA and the Law Youth & Citizenship Program (LYC) of the New York State Bar Association.  Topics include: A review of this past year’s school law decisions and adopted legislation, navigating the intricacies of New York state’s tenure system, evaluating staff members for proper tenure determinations, school attorneys, physicians and other professionals-employees or independent contractors, and public use of school facilities and resources.  Brochures have been mailed recently; information is also available on the NYSSBA website - www.nyssba.org.

Tobacco Control Program

NYSSBA’s Deputy Director of Policy Services Linda Bakst recently met with a representative of the State Health Department’s Tobacco Control Program to discuss policy implementation in schools as follow-up to a recent Health Department panel discussion regarding training for their staff who work with school districts on tobacco policy.

Value-Added Conference Recap

NYSSBA partnered with NYSCOSS, SAANYS, Capital Region BOCES and Batelle for Kids to present “Ready, Set, Grow”, a full day conference regarding the Value-Added
process for measuring student achievement, which was held on May 28.  More than 260 education leaders from across the state attended and comments regarding the conference were very positive. 

NYSSBA’s New Homepage

NYSSBA’s home page (www.nyssba.org) has become more welcoming and easy to navigate with the addition of graphics representing upcoming workshops and the annual convention. 

New NYSSBA Intern

Kelly Phillips will be working as an intern at NYSSBA this summer, assisting our marketing and trade show efforts this year.  Kelly Phillips is a junior at the University at Albany. 

A Great Loss…

We just received word that Marion Elliott, a long-time member of the Salmon River School Board and former NYSSBA Area 6 Director, has passed away.  Marion most recently worked on the Salmon River 50th Anniversary Committee and although she was no longer on the school board, she was a true supporter to the end. 

Good luck, Janet, and Thank You…

NYSSBA Past President Anne Byrne, NYSSBA Area 10 Director Tom Knight and Rita Lashway attended the Westchester-Putnam School Boards Association Annual Dinner, presenting an award to Janet Walker on behalf of NYSSBA for 16 years of dedicated service to children.  Janet is retiring from her position as executive director of W-P SBA.  Congratulations on a job well done.

On the Road Again…

President Wayne Schlifke has been on the road quite a bit lately.  Wayne attended the Value-Added Conference in Albany, then headed to Geneva for the Four County School Boards Association Annual Meeting.  After a brief rest at home, he was back on the road, first to Ulster County School Boards Association for their Annual Meeting, followed by a trip up the Northway to Saratoga for the NYS Association of School Business Officials Annual Conference, back downstate to Orange County School Boards Association for their Annual Meeting, then on to Rockland County School Boards Association for their meeting.  Wayne will finish his eastern NY “tour” by stopping in Latham for the upcoming Board of Directors meeting before heading home.

Resolutions

The deadline for submitting a resolution to be considered at the Annual Business Meeting is June 16.  The 2008 Resolutions Kit has been mailed to all districts. The kit is also available online at www.nyssba.org.  If you have any questions about a potential resolution, please contact Christine Decatur at christine.decatur@nyssba.org or 518-783-3740.

NYSSBA Area Elections

Nominations for the Area 6 representative on the NYSSBA Board of Directors must reach NYSSBA offices by 5 p.m. on July 31.  Candidates are required to obtain nominations from five separate member board.  Nominations should be sent to:

Mary Metheny, Executive Assistant
NYSSBA
24 Century Hill Drive, Ste. 200
Latham, NY  12110
If you have any questions, please contact Mary at 518-783-3709, 1-800-342-3360 or mary.metheny@nyssba.org.

Upcoming Events
 
Fiscal Oversight Online course schedule
  June 11 thru July 23
  June 18 thru August 6
  September 3 thru October 15
  September 17 thru October 29
  October 8 thru November 19

Fiscal Oversight Workshop
  July 18, Buffalo, Adams Mark Hotel (during the New and Veteran Academies)
  August 11-12, Hillburn, Suffern High School
  August 13-14, Syracuse, Onondaga-Cortland-Madison BOCES
  August 18-19, Holbrook, Eastern Suffolk BOCES
  August 23, Rochester, Marriott Airport Hotel
  September 5, Albany Desmond (during the New and Veteran Academies)
  October 16, New York City, Sheraton New York Hotel
  November 15, Fairport, Woodcliff Hotel
  November 15 - Ronkonkoma, Cortland by Marriott Long Island
  November 22 – Elmira, Holiday Inn Elmira
  December 13 – Oneonta, Holiday Inn Oneonta

Special Education Law Conference
  June 12, Plainview, Marriott Residence
 
Media Relations Boot Camp
  June 13, Latham, NYSSBA Headquarters
  July 11, Rochester, Marriott Airport
  September 12, Plainview, Marriott Residence Inn
 
New School Board Member One-Day Academy
  July 11, Latham, NYSSBA Headquarters
  August 1, Saranac Lake, Saranac Lake BOCES
  August 8, Garden City, Nassau BOCES Admin Center
  August 15, White Plains, Crowne Plaza White Plains
  August 22, Rochester, Marriott Airport Hotel

New and Veteran School Board Member Academies
  July 18-20, Buffalo, Adams Mark Hotel
  September 5-7, Albany, Desmond Hotel

School Board Institute Courses
  July 18, Buffalo, Adams Mark Hotel
  September 5, Albany, Desmond Hotel
  October 16, New York City, Sheraton New York Hotel

School Law Conference
  July 18, Albany, Desmond Hotel
  July 25, Long Island, Islandia Marriott

Board Officers Academy
  August 9, Fairport, Woodcliff Hotel
  August 16, Ronkonkoma, Courtyard by Marriott Long Island
  September 20, Latham, NYSSBA Headquarters
  September 27, Binghamton, Broome-Tioga BOCES

32nd Annual Education Law Conference
  September 11, Syracuse, Syracuse University

Pre-Convention School Law Seminar
  October 16, New York City

89th Annual Convention
  October 16-19, New York City, Sheraton Hotel and Towers

Policy Workshops
  November 7, Rochester
  November 14, Latham, NYSSBA Headquarters
  November 20, Long Island

School Law Conference
  December 10, Albany