The Town of Webb UFSD Board of Education held a meeting on Tuesday, February 18, where it took the actions summarized as follows (not official minutes).

Approved the Minutes of February 4, 2014 meeting.

Approved the Warrants and Claims.

Approved the Treasurer’s Reports for January 2014.

Approved the Committee on Special Education Recommendations.

Approved the 2013-2014 spring sports coaches:

• Girls’ Varsity Softball – Travis Kiefer

• Girls’ Modified Softball – Kristen Armendola

• Boys’ Varsity Baseball –Douglas Riedman

• Boys’ Modified Baseball – Nate Smith

• Coed Varsity Golf – John Ehrensbeck

• Girls’ Varsity Track – Don Allen

• Boys’ Varsity Track – Tim Leach

• Volunteer to Assist Varsity Golf – Don Haehl

Special Topics included: 

Reviewed the 2014–2015 School Lunch Budget

Principal’s Report: 

• The Adirondack Museum came to visit on Tuesday 2/11 with their exhibit Gadgets and Gizmos. Each grade level K–5 were able to spend almost an hour at this exhibit.

• The Webb Way Challenge for the second semester: Students in grades 6-12 have two opportunities to enter the end-of-the-year Webb Way raffle.

If you do not get a discipline referral during the second semester, your name will be entered in the raffle for prizes.

If you do not get put on the Mandatory After School Study Hall in any of the 5 week progress report periods, your name will also be entered.

That means that you may have as many as 5 chances to win a prize at the end of the year!

• We had 11 students qualify for the NYS Ski Racing Championships after their strong Section III performances. From Alpine Boys: C. Down, C. Barkauskas, C. Lawrence, H. Lawrence, C. Glasser, G. Kleps and J. Gaffney as alternate. From Alpine Girls: C. Barkauskas, M. Gaffney, A. Cooper, and alternate L. Beckingham.

• From Nordic we had 5 students qualify the the NYS Ski Racing Championships. Nordic Boys: T. Williams. Nordic Girls: M. Green, E. Green, A. Brosemer, O.Phaneuf. The girls won distance event on Wednesday, 2/12 and the relay on Saturday.

The boys finished third place on Wednesday in the distance event and second in the relay (T. Williams, T. Rudolph, M. Ritz-Kinney).

• Mr. Cunningham/Miss Plumley traveled to View with the 10th grade class along with seven other students to take part in a creative writing workshop on Tuesday, 2/11.

• Mr. Fountain along with the Independent/Advanced Art, Drawing-Painting and Studio Art students traveled to View to evaluate the “Winter Air” exhibit on Thursday, 2/13.

• Our Kindergarten class traveled to the Senior Living Center in Old Forge to sing a collection of songs on Valentine’s Day under the direction of their teacher, Hannah Payne and their music teacher, Val Gaudin.

• A. Brosemer won the Principal’s Art Award for the second quarter marking period. Miss Brosemer’s art piece is displayed in the main office.

• The band concert on Thursday, 2/6 was a success with our Junior Band, Stage Band, and Senior High Band performing.

• The Superintendent’s conference day was a success today. The schedule of the day included instruction from trainers at Model Schools as well as help from our own Tim Leach and Megan Plumley.

Superintendent’s Report included the topics: 

• Consulting Agreement – Dates for the consultant to meet with the union heads have been chosen. They are planning on meeting twice during the month of March.

• Veteran’s Tax Cut – We are hearing a number of different things across the state. Many schools are holding off as they can’t possibly gather all the information by the deadline.

The potential breaks have much more impact than just the veterans as the other tax payers would have to take on the burden of the lost revenue.

The loss in Star monies is also problematic and would have further impact.

Although conceptually the tax credit is admirable but there was not enough time given by the state to fully allow districts to make a fully informed decision at this time.

• GEA (Gap Elimination Adjustment) – There is a request that has gone out across the state to have all schools take action demanding that the GEA be repealed and restore full funding to districts.

In the 5 years GEA has been in place we have “lost” $745,080 of funding from the state. In our BOCES there are 3 schools that have lost over $10 million with everyone else in the $1.5 to $8 million range.

• Changes at State level – We are continuing to keep our ears open regarding changes to APPR and Common Core implementation.

The Board of Regents has taken action to make changes and have since gone back on one area.

Final guidance is yet to come and full impact on the school is not yet known.

• Counseling – We want to extend a thank you to Adirondack Central School for providing us with extra counselors to help work with our students who encountered an accident February 7th on their way to school. Their help is greatly appreciated!

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On Tuesday, March 4, 2014 at 6:30 p.m. the next meeting is scheduled in the Library.

*Once minutes are approved you may find them at www.towschool.org