Quoted Text

Teachers had it hard in old days

The Daily Gazette is reprinting excerpts of the late Larry Hart’s long-running column, “Tales of Old Dorp.” Students and teachers re-open their books this week. And if kids are complaining about homework and hard math problems, they should consider how tough life used to be for their teachers. This column excerpt originally was published May 15, 1979.

    Al Saulwater, a bowling pal of ours, came up with an interesting treatise on “School Days Gone By,” printed on a place mat in an out-of-state restaurant. It may bring back some memories for our readers.
    “Teachers were poorly paid and traditionally ‘boarded around.’ Each family had the teacher as a house guest for
    a while to help pay for their child’s schooling. Female teachers were also expected to obey rules like this:
    You will not marry during the term of your contract.
    You are not to keep company with men.
    You must be home between the hours of 8 p.m. and 6 a.m. You may not loiter downtown in ice cream stores. You may not travel beyond the city limits, unless you have permission of the chairman of the school board. You may not ride in a carriage or automobile with any man, unless he is your father or brother. You may not smoke cigarettes. You may not dress in bright colors. You may under no circumstances dye your hair. You must wear at least two petticoats. Your dresses must not be any shorter than two inches above the ankle. To keep the school room neat and clean you must: sweep the floor at least once daily; scrub the floor at least once a week with hot soapy water; clean the blackboards at least once a day; and start the fire at 7 a.m. so the room will be warm by 8 a.m.

Quoted Text

Kids need their shots, officials say
Measles and whooping cough are still a threat to unvaccinated children

BY KATHY BOWEN Gazette Reporter



    Health officials are reminding parents to keep up with children’s immunizations, warning that measles and whooping cough are causing new threats.
    State Health Commissioner Richard Daines issued a reminder that, with school set to resume next week, children will need up-to-date immunizations to attend classes.
    He said the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reported that, since January, there have been more measles cases reported in the United States than in the same period for any year since 1996.
    Pertussis, or whooping cough, is another highly contagious disease, that occurs often but could be prevented.
    Terry Stortz, director of preventive health services for Saratoga County, said her office was notified of several cases of whooping cough this summer.
    She said the illness might appear to be a sinus infection or bad cold at first but the symptoms continue for weeks.
    “We’ve had sporadic problems with pertussis,” she said. “Adults should know they can get it, and when they receive tetanus boosters, they should also be vaccinated against pertussis to avoid spreading it to children.”
    Cindy Christman, a registered nurse with the Montgomery County Public Health Department, said often measles and other diseases that are no longer common in the United States are carried by people from other countries.
    “We had an outbreak of pertussis here in Montgomery County a few years ago and we feel it was because antibodies wane as a child grows,” she said. “We encourage booster shots before sixth grade.”
    State law requires that all children enrolled in schools, day care and prekindergarten programs be immunized against measles. The state immunization schedule recommends measles vaccination be administered as part of a measles, mumps, rubella combination at ages 12 to 15 months and again at ages 4 to 6 years.
    Christman said if parents keep up a routine of recommended immunizations, the child will have had 80 percent of his or her shots by their second birthday.
    “Some kids are not getting regular vaccinations. We run health clinics here at the county for patients that don’t have health insurance, but some children are still slipping through the cracks,” Christman said.
    While state law regulates which immunizations children are to have for school attendance, Christman said some parents of home-schooled children choose not to have vaccinations kept up to regulations.
    “Home-schooled children are not required to have the immunizations,” she said. “But if the parents decide to have their children attend school in later years, the children have to be caught up on the shots.”
    Stuart Williams, spokesman for the Ballston Spa Central School District, said there are rare occasions when children come to the first day of school without immunizations.
    He said a notice is sent home giving parents a reminder and several weeks to comply with the state requirement or explain why they have not.
Christman said when the chick enpox vaccine was added to the list of immunizations for young children, some parents declined the shot because they said their child had already had the disease.
“If a parent tells the school district that their child had the chickenpox, they must show proof, from a doctor, that it is true,” she said.

Quoted Text

Enough already! with those lists of required school supplies

    It’s almost here, the time every parent and taxpayer has been waiting for. It’s midsummer, and just last week I received a reminder in the mail that the upcoming school year is fast approaching.
    Of course my kids are not all that excited, as they do not want the summer to end. I’m not all that excited, either. My “reminder” that came in the mail was a long list of school supplies that I must purchase for my seventh-grader (I haven’t received one for my fourth-grader yet, but I’m sure it’s on its way). The list is endless and even includes nonschool-related items, such as boxes of tissues. In fact, boxes of tissues and paper towels have been on every list since kindergarten. In some cases, you’re required to send boxes of snacks and extra items for other students to use.
    Now, I live in the Scotia-Glenville School District, and anyone who lives here knows that school and property taxes are high. With us paying such high taxes, which go up every year, why should we also have to purchase supplies that the schools should provide? Where are our tax dollars going? When I was in school, we were required to purchase No. 2 pencils, loose-leaf paper, and a three- or five-subject notebook at that grade level. That was it. Now, we’re required to purchase folders, binders, binder clips, different colored markers, colored pencils, pens, highlighters, pencil boxes, glue, etc., the list goes on. This really is not fair.
    Taxes in New York are out of control and as a single working mother, I think it’s disgraceful the burden placed on us and families in general who are on fi xed incomes. Our taxes are not based on our incomes, but rather go up and up even though the amount of money coming in hasn’t changed.
    I hear many parents make the same complaint about our laundry list of school items to purchase, yet no one says anything. We just take the list to the store and buy what we are told to.
    Maybe this year, parents should take their school supply lists and the receipts from the purchases and staple it to our tax bills and demand a refund! Maybe that will get our school district’s attention.
    ANGELA CAPULLO
    Glenville

Quoted Text

CAPITAL REGION
Schools would look at 4-day week
Legislative bill is introduced
BY MICHAEL GOOT Gazette Reporter

    Youngsters may relish the thought of a three-day weekend, but local educators are not so sure if a four-day school week, proposed by a downstate assemblyman, is practical or academically benefi - cial.
    With diesel prices topping $5 a gallon and the average price for heating oil currently at $4.55 and expected to go higher in the fall, school districts are feeling the pinch of fuel costs.
    Assemblyman Peter Rivera, DBronx, has proposed legislation to require school districts to develop a plan for a four-day school week. Rivera believes the state’s school districts could save millions of dollars in energy costs.
    “School taxes are going to increase ... as a result of added fuel cost, added heating costs, added electrical costs,” he said.
    The legislation would not mandate a four-day week but require that districts submit a plan to the state Education Department. The Legislature has not acted upon the bill in this session. Rivera said it was introduced too late, but he would make it a priority for 2009.
    Local school districts are somewhat wary of the concept and the disruption it would cause for child care, extracurricular activities and instructional time. A four-day school week would mean lengthening the school day from its current six hours to possibly eight.
    Fonda-Fultonville Central School District Superintendent Jim Hoffman said a four-day school week would be feasible, but it would have to overcome a lot of logistical hurdles. “It’s not something you could just snap your fingers and say, ‘Let’s go do it,’ ” he said.
THE IMPETUS
    It would definitely save fuel costs. Hoffman’s district is purchasing 50,000 gallons of diesel fuel for the coming school year. The district drafted the budget when fuel was $4 a gallon, so it is already over budget. A four-day school week would shave $40,000 off fuel expenses and get the district within budget.
    But Hoffman said he is not sure whether the district would save additional energy costs. For example, if there were no school on Friday, he wonders whether there would be an advantage to lowering heat in the buildings on Thursday and then having to increase it again for Monday. The district regulates its heat using a computer system. Through the winter, it sets the thermostat at 68 degrees during the week and drops it to 65 heading into the weekend.
    New York State Energy Research and Development spokeswoman Colleen Ryan said for every degree the thermostat is decreased, it saves about 1 to 2 percent in energy costs. However, it depends on the type of building and the fuel being used.
    Hoffman also wondered whether the students would still be alert during a longer school day.
    “How attentive are they going to be at those 4:30, 5 o’clock sessions? Kids only have an attention span of so long,” he said. After-school sporting events would also be pushed back, to 5 or 5:30 p.m.
    Four-day work weeks are gaining in popularity. Utah is starting a four-day work week program for almost three-quarter of the state’s 24,000 executive branch employees.
    Locally, the Albany-Colonie Chamber of Commerce has started a pilot program allowing employees to work four 10-hour days.
    Some school districts nationwide have been doing four-day weeks for a while.
    As of 2003, a total of 108 school districts in nine states had fourday school week programs, mostly small, rural districts. Districts that that have such programs are located in Arizona, Colorado, Kansas, Louisiana, New Mexico, Oregon, South Dakota, Wisconsin and Wyoming, according to information from the National School Boards Association.
    Last month, the MACCRAY School District in western Minnesota receive state approval to implement a four-day week plan in the fall.
PROS AND CONS
    A study by Joseph L. Daly and Robert W. Richburg showed there was almost no affect on student achievement, but there was a suggestion showing a leveling off of performance during the first year from the schools on the four-day schedule.
    The Regional Educational Laboratory, which researches educational trends, reported that benefi ts included increased attendance for teachers and students, less money spent on fuel costs, better morale, less time lost to extracurricular activities, teacher training and doctor’s appointments and fewer disciplinary problems.
    Drawbacks include complaints from working parents that need to find child care and student and teacher fatigue.
    Area school officials expressed their own worries.
    Schenectady City School Superintendent Eric Ely said changing to a four-day school week would involve a complete overhaul of contracts with teachers and administrators, as well as teaching methods.
    “Now, you’re going to have to teach five days worth of material in four days,” he said.
    The district is already extending its school day by 30 minutes, which pushes back sports programs and extracurricular activities. A longer school day would push those back even further.
    Ely said if there were a four-day week, he would likely used the fi fth to provide extra help for students. In that case, he would still have to heat the buildings, bring staff in and provide transportation. Ely also pointed out that school is the social center for many children. “We provide a safe place for kids to be five days a week, morning through evening,” he said. “This is where they get breakfast. This is where they get lunch.”
    He said another day away from school on a long weekend is another day where they may not be getting adult supervision.
BIGGEST HURDLE?
    Child care is a major issue, school officials said.
    “What do you do if you have students that are home one day a week?” asked David Alpert, spokes-‘It’s not something you could just snap your fingers and say, “Let’s go do it.”’
JIM HOFFMAN
Fonda-Fultonville Central School District superintendent
man for the New York State School Boards Association. “Do you provide some type of extracurricular activity for that day?”
    Saratoga Springs City School District Superintendent Janice White said she would worry about students not being in school for three consecutive days. It would save fuel, but she believes the working parents may end up spending money on child care.
    She said she believes it might be more beneficial to have yearround school with shorter breaks. There would be less downtime for students.
    “What schools tend to be doing now is putting in summer programs,” she said.
    Others also questioned the lengthened instructional time.
ATTENTION SPAN
    “A 5-year-old or a 6-year-old in first grade is going to have a more difficult time with the additional two hours than a high school student depending on the circumstances,” said New York State United Teachers spokesman Carl Korn.
    Korn said schools should examine how to use the hours in the day more effectively. For example, there is time lost when students are changing classes.
    Most importantly, there needs to be a full discussion among, school boards, teachers, parents and businesses before a four-day week is tried. “You’d hate to see anybody rush into it without a full exploration of impact,” he said.
    Even some of the sponsors of the bill have some questions. Bob Reilly, D-Colonie, said that there is a crisis in energy and something needs to be done.
    “Educationally, is it good to have kids four days in school and three days off? As a former teacher, I don’t think so, but that doesn’t say don’t study it,” he said.
    He said there may be more negatives than positives looking at it. The long-term solution is going to be a mix of conservation and looking for alternative energy.
    Assemblyman Jack McEneny, D-Albany, said a four-day concept may work for rural districts. However, an extended day could cut into sports and other after school activities. “I’m sure there’s a lot of coaches that won’t be real happy,” he said.
    He said the four-day school week raises as many questions as it answers.
    “The jury is still out,” he said.

Quoted Text

SCHENECTADY COUNTY
Counties howling as state squeezes
More program costs to be absorbed
BY MICHAEL LAMENDOLA Gazette Reporter
Reach Gazette reporter Michael Lamendola at 395-3114 or lamend@dailygazette.com

    Schenectady and other counties across the state will now be responsible for paying 100 percent of the administrative costs of pre-kindergarten special education services, in the latest shift of state and federal fees to local municipalities.
    The change affects the 2008-09 school year and the current county budget. In Schenectady’s case, the county will have to absorb $30,000 in unanticipated costs this year, bringing the total it will have to pay for these school-based services to $300,000, said Finance Commissioner George Davidson.
    Officials from the state education department said they are following federal guidelines and that the state will pre-approve the amounts districts can bill counties next summer.
    Cost breakdowns for other counties were not available. However, the cumulative cost to counties is expected to equal approximately $3.8 million, said state Association of Counties Executive Director Stephen J. Acquario.
    Counties pay for the complete cost of state-mandated pre-kindergarten special education program, which serves children ages 3-5 who have disabilities, he said, but they have no oversight of its costs. The program includes psychological services, speech and language improvement services, curriculum and instructional modifications and academic intervention services. In Schenectady County’s case, it has budgeted $7.9 million in preschool education program costs this year, up from $7.4 million in 2007. The total includes the $300,000 in administrative costs for which it is responsible.
    Mark Lavigne of the state Association of Counties called the $30,000 “a new cost to the county. Before, it did not have to pay for it.”
    The state Education Department took administrative action June 10, saying it would no longer provide school districts with nearly $10 million in federal funding to cover the preschool special education administrative costs, Acquario said.
    School districts used to get the federal money and apply it to their own administrative costs, Acquario said. They would then bill counties for the remaining costs, which in the past represented about 41 percent of the total. Counties, however, received a reimbursement from the states of about 60 percent.
    Now, counties will pay 100 percent of the school district’s administration costs, as the districts no longer have the federal money, Acquario said. Counties will still receive the 60 percent reimbursement under the policy change, he said.
    “So, in very basic terms, schools will now bill counties for all of their ... administrative costs,” Acquario said. He called it a cost shift to counties.
    Lavigne said the state could have found a pool of money to offset these new costs to counties. Instead, “the state government decided to shift that cost.”
    Davidson said school districts are responsible for the costs in fi rst instance and have “no incentive to control these costs.”
    The federal government created the pre-kindergarten special education program and offered it to states 20 years ago, Acquario said. When New York opted into the program, it created a mandate for every county to have the program and now to fund it as well.