Submitted by Kelly Cary
Baldwinsville Central School District
School begins on Wednesday, Sept. 7, for students in the Baldwinsville Central School District. It will be a full day for grades K-12. There are several changes in the district for the 2016-2017 academic year.
Construction update
A new turf field was installed at the stadium and will be ready for use for the new school year. ADA compliant bleachers and a new press box have also been installed, and the stadium’s 30-year-old lights have been replaced with ones that are more energy efficient. The district is planning a dedication of the new turf field this fall.
The district would like to remind the community that the Baker High School auditorium is still closed for renovation. School concerts and other performances typically held in the auditorium have been scheduled for other locations in the district. Check with your school or the district’s online events calendar for performance dates and locations.
Over the summer, the Durgee Junior High School bus circle received a much-needed expansion. The bus circle was widened and a sidewalk was installed on both sides of the circle in order to create a safer environment for loading and unloading students. All of the buses (about 30 to 40) that service Durgee now fit in the circle.
Meningitis vaccine now required for grades seven and 12
Beginning with the 2016-17 school year, all students entering grades seven and 12 grade in New York state must have the meningococcal vaccine. Without it, they can’t start school in September. The vaccine is not new and has been recommended for a decade, and most parents already choose to vaccinate their children. What’s new is that the vaccine will be required for school entry for grades 7 and 12 as of Sept. 1, 2016.
Students entering grades seven and 12 for the 2016-17 school year will not be allowed to attend school until proof of the vaccination has been received by the school nurse. Speak with your doctor regarding the vaccine. Even children who have had a shot before may need a booster. More information can be found at health.ny.gov/diseases/communicable/meningococcal/.
District addressing mental health and substance abuse
For the 2016-17 school year, the district is continuing to make mental health issues and substance abuse education priorities in order to support our students. The district’s Mental Health Committee that was formed in the spring of 2016 will continue to meet this school year. The district held a mental health training session for school psychologists, social workers, guidance counselors and nurses in August. Training for administrators and the rest of the district staff will be completed by Sept. 20.
The district’s Heroin and Opiates Committee that was formed last winter will also continue to meet. The committee is planning a community forum for the fall. At this time, the date has not been finalized, but the forum will most likely be held in late October. Once the date is set, information regarding the forum will be posted at bville.org.
Editor’s note: According to Baldwinsville Police Chief Michael Lefancheck, the forum is set for Monday, Oct. 17, at Word of Life Assembly of God.
New newsletter, name and masthead
The district has updated and renamed its bimonthly newsletter, which is now officially “The Hive.” Last April the district held a contest for students to assist the Communications Committee in renaming the newsletter. The district received 223 student submissions and “The Hive” was the winning name. The August issue of “The Hive” was the first issue to feature the new name and new masthead.
New administrators
There are several new administrators this school year, but most of the names and faces are familiar to the community.
• The board of education has appointed Renee Burnett as the director of secondary curriculum and Instruction. Her previous experience includes the position of ELA instructional specialist at the Homer Central School District, and she was a shared curriculum coordinator for OCM BOCES.
• Tony Cardamone, who was the Principal of Elden Elementary School for 11 years, is now the director of elementary curriculum and instruction. Cardamone has been with the district for more than 20 years.
• Thomas Coughlin, formerly an assistant principal at Baker High School, is now Elden’s principal, replacing Cardamone. Coughlin joined Baker’s administrative team in 2013 and was previously a principal in the Syracuse City School District.
• David Kilcourse, formerly the assistant director of special education, has been appointed as the director of pupil and personnel services. This position provides services in both the Office of Special Education and the Office of Human Resources.
• Danielle Nahorney completed her administrative internship at Durgee Junior High School in June 2016 and has joined the district’s administrative staff as principal of Van Buren Elementary School. Before her internship, Nahorney was a teacher at Palmer Elementary School. She replaces Kara Shore, who left the district in June to pursue other opportunities.
• Donald Root, who was an assistant principal at Baker High School from 1999 to 2008, is returning to Baker as principal. He was most recently the principal of Mexico High School.
• Jennifer Sawyer rejoins the district as an assistant principal at the high school, replacing Coughlin. She most recently worked as a district data coordinator for the Central New York Regional Information Center. Before that position she was an administrative intern at Durgee Junior High and a K-12 instructional technology/curriculum specialist with Baldwinsville.
• Jennifer Terpening joins Baker High School as an assistant principal, replacing Jennifer Cambareri, who left the district to pursue another opportunity. Terpening was most recently an interim principal for Liverpool High School. Prior to her administrative roles, she taught high school science courses at Liverpool as well as at Jordan-Elbridge High School. She is a New York State Master Teacher. The Master Teachers Program was developed by Gov. Andrew Cuomo and the SUNY system to strengthen STEM education statewide.
