Photos by Tom Rivers
Jeff Robinson of Lyndonville spent the morning fishing in Johnson Creek with his daughters Alexa, center, and Brooke. Robinson said it’s a little early for the fish to bite, but he enjoyed the outdoors with his children. In the photo below, Alexa, right, and Brooke wait for a tug on their fishing line.
LYNDONVILLE – The Board of Education on Monday approved a $13,094,250 budget for 2013-14, a spending plan that would raise taxes by 1 percent.
Residents can comment on the budget during a 7 p.m. public hearing May 13 in the school library. They go to the polls May 21 to vote on the budget.
Residents on May 21 will also decide the fate of a proposition to reduce the size of Board of Education from nine to seven members. Lyndonville is the smallest school district in Orleans County, but it has the largest BOE.
Medina and Albion both have nine-member boards, while Kendall has five. Holley residents last year approved a referendum to shrink the board there from nine to five members. (A new referendum in Holley seeks to stop the reduction to seven members.)
The overall budget represents a slight increase over the $12,964,687 approved for the current school year. The increase in 2013-14 is driven by a $370,000 hike in employee health and retirement benefits, District Superintendent Jason Smith said
Lyndonville is offsetting some of that increase by eliminating one teacher position due to an enrollment drop. Another teacher is retiring and will be replaced with one who earns less money.
The Board of Education also made budget reductions to conferences, supplies and materials.
“We made some cuts, but we wanted to avoid things that directly touch the students,” Smith said today.
The budget calls for raising $4,666,578 in taxes, a 1 percent increase from the $4,620,374 collected in the 2012-13 budget. That keeps the district under a property tax cap set at about 2 percent by the state.
School leaders were eyeing a 1.7 percent tax hike, but state aid exceeded projections, allowing the tax increase to be 1 percent, Smith said.
The budget keeps a $100,000 college readiness program. The state approved that funding in a competitive grant process for Lyndonville last year. The three-year grant – the Advancement via Individual Determination Program or AVID – covers grades six through 11 and goes toward training teachers, salaries, supplies and materials.
Press release
LYNDONVILLE – Nine members of the Lyndonville Academic Decathlon team defended their state title, winning the small-school state championship during March 15-16.
Lyndonville earned 17 medals at the 2013 state competition at Onondaga Community College in Syracuse.
Jamie Tombari won a medal in five different categories, the most by a Lyndonville student. Tombari’s medals came in the essay, history, math, music and Super Quiz categories.
Cole Heideman brought four medals back to Lyndonville, earning recognition in art, economics, literature and music. Jessica Czechowicz was a three-category medalist, winning her medals in art, history and music.
Dakota Froman and Zac Karp each won two medalsFroman in economics and music, and Karp in interview and literature.
Sandra Clemens, Jeremy Foss, Jordyn Smith and Amanda Sullivan won in math, SuperQuiz, literature and essay, respectively.
The team, coached by Paula Reimann, will now compete electronically at the national level on April 4 and 26. Lyndonville finished 16th in the nation last year.
“We have established ourselves as a model program for small school participation at the national and state levels,” Reimann said. “Our students gain study skills, confidence and learning strategies through this program.”
The Lyndonville team has participated for more than 20 years in the United States Academic Decathlon program. Each team consists of students in grades 9 through 12. Participants compete in three groups based on grade point averages: Varsity, Scholastic and Honor.
“I am very proud of this year’s participants, their dedication, and their teamwork,” Reimann said. “I wish to thank the parents, teachers and the community for their support and encouragement of Academic Decathlon.”
Press Release: Monroe 2-Orleans BOCES
Trooper John Campanella speaks about the evacuation process as Sergeant Kelly listens on.
LYNDONVILLE, N.Y. – After students were excused early on March 6, teachers, staff and administrators were put on the learning end of a valuable lesson on school safety.
Emergency Management Sergeant Tom Kelly and New York State Trooper John Campanella presented a professional development session on school safety to a large group in the Stroyan Auditorium.
The two officers, with a combined 53 years in law enforcement, covered many topics in the presentation including protocols and processes for situations such as lockouts, lockdowns, sheltering in place and evacuation.
Sergeant Kelly visits schools to ensure there is an up-to-date emergency plan in place. He recently review Lyndonville’s plan, which was created by Orleans-Niagara BOCES, and was impressed.
“The administration here has a top notch plan in place,” said Sergeant Kelly. “All legislation for the Safe School Plan is in place. You have all the tools you need to respond to an emergency.”
Sergeant Kelly shared the standardized plan from the Orleans-Niagara BOCES throughout Troop A, which includes Allegany, Cattaraugus, Chautauqua, Erie, Genesee, Niagara, Orleans and Wyoming counties. He hopes other schools throughout the area and state adopt a similar plan.
“The same basic game plan allows emergency responders to be on the same page no matter what district, as well as helping substitute teachers,” said Sergeant Kelly.
Trooper Campanella helped give reasoning to strategies in emergency plans.
“Whether it be locking your door or huddling into areas that are hidden from view, you’re buying time for emergency responders,” said Campanella. “Every locked door means emergency responders are that much closer.”
Sergeant Kelly also reiterated the importance of wearing school identification at all times when in the district.
“These IDs help identify staff members and assist police and emergency responders,” said Sergeant Kelly. “Just wearing the ID does not mean that police wouldn’t stop the person to make sure their intent but it will help expedite the process.”
The officers also answered questions from those attending and gave examples of situations they experienced first hand.
YATES – The Orleans County Planning Board has approved a new business on Lakeshore Road where the owner will build portable “Amish-style” sheds.
Randal Stauffer is planning to construct a 50-by-60-foot pole barn for the business that will be next to his home at 11464 Lakeshore Rd. Planners approved the site plan and recommended the town of Yates give Stauffer a permit for a home business.
Stauffer will join a growing number of Amish- and Mennonite-owned enterprises in the Lyndonville area.
