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February 2, 2012

CV-S: Positive influences abound

BY PETER FREEHAFER

Last week, the Crier published an article with several criticisms of the Cherry Valley-Springfield School District, many from anonymous sources.

We appreciate that the Town Crier has reached out to the Cherry Valley-Springfield Board of Education and invited the district to talk — for the record — about some of our successes.

Our school district is a workplace, and all workplaces have their tensions. This is an extraordinarily challenging time for schools all across the state. Over the last two years, CV-S has lost more than 10 percent of state aid. We are facing unprecedented financial pressures at the same time we are being called upon to implement a demanding reform agenda adopted by the state Board of Regents, including complex new requirements for evaluating all teachers and principals. These new requirements do place a great deal of pressure on our employees.

During this same two-year period, we have eliminated or left vacant more than 50 percent of the administrative and management level positions in the district. Through careful management, we have limited the tax levy increase over the past two years to 2.9 percent and 1.9 percent; we expect to continue that fiscal prudence with next year’s budget.

That said, state and federal regulations prevent the district from discussing individual personnel cases; however, rest assured that when complaints arise at CV-S, our district handles them by following procedures designed to ensure everyone gets a fair hearing. Teachers with grievances have the support of their local union and its statewide affiliate, New York State United Teachers.

Here are a few of the many wonderful events and activities occurring at the school. At our most recent Board of Education meeting, a faculty member updated the community about our new STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics) program for elementary students. Our students are receiving 80 minutes dedicated to STEM each week. We are fortunate to have this program supported by many parent volunteers. At next month’s meeting, our Arts and Technology teacher will be explaining how our new middle school technical art program prepares students for both AP Art and BOCES Career and Technical programs. Our Student Council has worked hard with the entire CV-S community to raise thousands of dollars to donate to the Schoharie community in the wake of the natural disaster. We were the only Section IV school to earn the prestigious scholar-athlete designation for all our sports teams during the 2010-11 school year. Finally, the entire school community is welcome to attend the upcoming Parents As Reading Partners program, which is scheduled for the evening of Feb. 15.

I can assure every reader that the overwhelming majority of our teachers and staff — aides, bus drivers, maintenance employees, and cafeteria workers — get up every morning knowing that they have a job that allows them to make a positive difference in the lives of children, and they do their best every day to make that difference. I am proud of our district, our administrators, our employees, our children and our parents, and I thank you for the opportunity to tell you about Cherry Valley-Springfield Central School.

PETER FREEHAFER, president of the CV-S Board of Education

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