With enrollment declining, Onteora considers reshuffling grades
At their January 21 meeting, school board members heard from consultant Dr. Kevin Baughman of five potential scenarios to deal with concerns.
Education
State financial problems pose uncertainty for Kingston school officials
Kingston school officials have begun work on the 2020-21 district budget. Though they won’t be ready to reveal the preliminary figures for a few weeks, there are already areas of concern.
Highland Elementary School welcomes new assistant principal
Highland Elementary School welcomed Matthew Darling as its new assistant principal on January 6. “Since assuming my position, everyone has been so welcoming and there is a strong sense of community,” he said. “I’m looking forward to becoming a part of that community and seeing all of the learning that is taking place here.”
West Saugerties Buddhist grade school now in its second year
Enrollment is up from 17 students in the 2018-19 school year to 29 students.
Saugerties school district looks for energy savings
The Saugerties school board last month authorized a $3.15-million energy-performance contract with Honeywell, of Charlotte, NC, designed to study district facilities and look for energy savings.
New Paltz seeks community input on superintendent search
New Paltz School Board members are already deep into the process to replace Maria Rice as superintendent, with an eye on having a new person at the helm this summer. A considerable amount of time at the January 8 board meeting was devoted to striking the best balance between efficiency and transparency during this closely-watched process. A dedicated page on the district web site is being used to compile publicly available information about the search, and applications to participate in one of the focus groups were due the same day as this meeting.
Saugerties elementary school’s lunch program an ‘ice-breaker’ for kids
Students at Cahill Elementary School last month were encouraged to enjoy lunch with students they didn’t know. Mix It Up at Lunch is a program designed to break down social barriers and promote inclusion in a place where cliques are often most pronounced.
Looking back with outgoing New Paltz Superintendent of Schools Maria Rice
After 14 years on the job and two years after her official retirement, Maria Rice finished her career as superintendent of the New Paltz Central School District just before Christmas.
Saugerties school district looks at building needs
Kirk Reinhardt, in his first year as superintendent, is working to get a sense of district facility needs.
New Paltz School District opens new health and wellness center
The New Paltz High School’s wellness center was formally opened with a ribbon-cutting ceremony during the Board of Education meeting on December 9. Gleeful physical education teachers gushed over the transformation of the former weight room into a space that’s intended to finally recognize that mind and body are part of the same person.
