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 November 19, 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.

Welcome New Member

We are pleased to report that the Windsor School Board (Area 4) has joined NYSSBA, effective immediately.

Wayne Schlifke Elected NYSSBA 2008 President

At the Annual Business Meeting in October, the delegates elected Area 1 Director Wayne Schlifke, Erie 1 BOCES, as the 2008 President, effective January 1.  Michael Masse, Fayetteville-Manlius School Board, was re-elected treasurer.  Florence Johnson, Buffalo School Board, was re-elected vice president and Tom Nespeca, Webster School Board, was also elected vice president.  Carl Onken will become NYSSBA’s Immediate Past President.  Congratulations everyone!

Annual Business Meeting

Also at the Business Meeting, delegates adopted 14 resolutions on such topics as creating a NYSSBA Cost Containment Task Force, requiring the State of New York to fully fund the writing and scoring of all mandatory state tests for grades 3-8, and support NYSSBA’s ongoing actions to prevent the reduction of federal funding for Medicaid reimbursements.  A complete listing of the 2007 adopted resolutions can be found on the NYSSBA website, www.nyssba.org.  Click on Advocacy/Legislation, then 2007 Adopted Resolutions.  For more information, please contact Christine Decatur at christine.decatur@nyssba.org.

New NYSSBA Director of Communications and Research

David Albert has begun his new job as Director of Communications and Research.
Before coming to NYSSBA, Dave had been employed as the Director of Communications for Albany Molecular Research, Inc.  (AMRI).   In this capacity, he led a global communications team that oversaw all public and media relations, advertising, publications, website development, video production and interactive media, and serves as chief spokesperson and media liaison.

Prior to AMRI, Dave was the Communications Coordinator for the Albany City School District, where he helped design a communications plan that resulted in Albany’s first successful school budget vote as well as a capital improvement bond vote.  Before that, he worked in the NYS Assembly as a special assistant and then legislative associate for the Assembly Ways and Means Committee, where he played a key role in working on legislation that affected school districts.

Dave received his B.A in English from Siena College, a M.A. in English from the University at Albany, and a M.S. in Communication & Rhetoric from Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute.

NYSSBA Website Redesign

Be sure to check the recently redesigned NYSSBA website, which features an improved search engine, a new calendar, which allows for three views of events, enhanced webpage loading time and much, much more.

Friend-of-the-Court Brief

NYSSBA has filed a friend-of-the-court brief with the New York State Appellate Division, Fourth Department in the case entitled, Consedine v Portville CSD.  The issue in this case involves whether a board of education which has appointed a probationary administrative employee is bound by the provisions of a written employment contract which is alleged to fix the duration of the employee’s term.

Help Wanted

NYSSBA is seeking a qualified individual for immediate employment as executive assistant.  To apply for confidential consideration, send resume, cover letter and compensation requirements (e-mail preferred), by December 5, 2007 to:

NYS SCHOOL BOARDS ASSOCIATION
Attn: Human Resources Manager
24 Century Hill Drive, Suite 200
Latham, NY 12110-2125
e-mail: hrmanager@nyssba.org
Fax 518-783-3540
www.nyssba.org

Upcoming Events

Superintendent Search Workshop
  November 29 - Latham

School Law Conference
  December 12 – Albany Marriott
  December 13 – Marriott Airport, Rochester
  January 10, 2008 – Hyatt Regency Long Island, Hauppauge

Educational Conference Board 3rd Annual Policy Conference
  December 12 - Crowne Plaza, Albany
 
Fiscal Oversight Fundamentals Workshops
  December 1 – Holiday Inn, Horseheads
  December 15 – Holiday Inn,  Oneonta

NSBA Leadership Conference
  February 1-3, 2008 - Grand Hyatt, Washington, D.C.

NSBA FRN Conference
  February 3-5, 2008 - Grand Hyatt, Washington, D.C.

State Legislative Network Conference
  March 2-4, 2008 - Albany Marriott