Math Leaders
Did you know? Our East Williston School District teachers not only successfully support our students with learning, but are also acknowledged leaders in their various fields, sharing knowledge and collaborating with professional colleagues from across the region and beyond. This month at Molloy College, our North Side teachers , Donna Casano, Lisa Minerva, Henry Kupstas, Herman Lim and Tracy Kasschau, presented workshops for Long Island educators at the “How To Make Math Count Conference” sponsored by the Nassau County Mathematics Teachers Association and the Nassau County Association of Mathematics Supervisors.
Math for Families
Here is a great opportunity for parents and children in grades K-6. The Nassau County Mathematics Teachers Association and Nassau County Association of Mathematics Supervisors with the support of 12 Long Island sponsoring districts, including East Williston, is hosting The Sandy Cohen Family Math Day, a conference for parents and children, on March 2, 2013, at Bethpage High School.
The conference provides a day of excitement and adventure in mathematics for children and their families. Our own East Williston teachers are among the presenters: Joyce Bernstein, curriculum associate for Math; North Side teachers: Susan Soliman, Henry Kupstas, Herman Lim, Tom Greeley and Jessica McGee; and Wheatley teachers: Danielle Calvagno and Peter Crisci. You can find out more about the conference and how to register on both the North Side and Willets Road school websites.
Board of Education Monthly Business Meeting, Tuesday, Jan. 22
The meeting included a first reading of the new district Concussion Policy. The policy is posted on the district website > District tab > School Board > Policies Under Review. The Board will also discussed the 2013-14 School Calendar.
East Williston School District Calendar 2013-14
We have just received final information from New York State on the official testing and grading dates for the 2014 Regents exams. Regents Rating Day is later than usual next year, taking place on June 26. This means that school will end on June 26, 2014. Other specifics and decisions about the calendar were discussed at the January 22nd Board of Education Meeting.
Faculty Award Winner
Congratulations to Tom Fitzpatrick who has received the Athletic Administrator Award from the Council of Administrators for Chapter 8 (Nassau County).
Strategic Planning Update
The Strategic Planning Committee is having its first meeting on Jan. 29. The committee’s first charge will be to establish additional avenues for the initial school community input phase of the process, before the prioritization survey occurs. In the meantime, you can continue to provide initial input on our website regarding present and future programs by going to the district homepage and clicking on the Strategic Planning Initiative page, highlighted in the news box or clicking on the District tab > About Our District > Strategic Planning Initiative.
2013-14 Budget
Over the past couple of months, the district has been busy working on budget projections. The first public budget workshop is scheduled to take place on Wednesday, Feb. 27 at 7:30 p.m. This will be a very challenging budget year for us, as it will be for all school districts. The district will be facing limited revenues, as a result of a second year of the property tax cap levy, diminishing state aid and the taxpayers’ limited ability to pay. At the same time, districts must pay for new state educational mandates and increases in costs to health insurance and other state mandated benefits. The budget planning process will certainly require us to prioritize and be creative as we work together to maximize program effectiveness in the most economical manner possible. I encourage you to be informed and participate in the budget process by attending upcoming budget workshops.
Code of Conduct
A reminder: The Code of Conduct, Board Policy 5300, was revised this year to meet new DASA (Dignity for All Students Act) requirements. The revised policy is posted on our district website (district homepage > District tab > About Our District > Code of Conduct). Please make sure that you and your child are familiar with these guidelines that define district expectations for a safe and caring community.
As always, please email me at kanase@ewsdonline.org or call 333-3782 with any questions, suggestions, and or any topics you would like to see for this newsletter.
