Voters approve 20232024 school budget

By kAtE hill Staff writer

On Tuesday, May 16, Cazenovia Central School District (CCSD) put forth its proposed 2023-24 school budget for voter approval.

The voters authorized the district to expend the proposed $36,529,529 as general fund appropriations for the 2023-24 school year and to levy the necessary tax. They also approved two additional propositions and reelected Dr. Jan Woodworth and Meghan Kelly to the CCSD Board of Education (BOE).

The budget, which passed by a vote of 427 to 258, represents a 6.28 percent increase over the current school year’s budget and is supported by a tax levy increase of $1,437,472.

According to the CCSD Spring 2023 Budget Brochure, the budget maintains all existing academic, fine arts, athletics, and extracurricular opportunities for students, and it allows for continued innovation of pre-K-12 curricula and technology infrastructure improvements that will help maintain internet reliability and safety and enable the district to remain vigilant against vulnerability to cyber threats.

On May 18, the Cazenovia High School Unified Sports Basketball Team played its final home game of the season. Cazenovia Central School District added Unified Basketball to its athletic programs last spring.

Unified Basketball team shines in final home game

By kAtE hill Staff writer

On Thursday, May 18, the Cazenovia High School (CHS) Unified Sports Basketball Team played its final home game of the season in the Buckley Gym against Baldwinsville.

The Lakers were victorious with a final score of 32 to 22.

Unified Sports join students with and without intellectual disabilities on the same team to train, play together, and compete for their school.

Cazenovia Central School District’s (CCSD) 12-student, co-ed Unified Basketball team is coached by CHS Special Education Teacher Todd MacIntosh.

“The Cazenovia Unified Basketball Program is an inclusive opportunity for students with disabilities and gen. ed. students to learn, develop, and collaborate as basketball players [and] community members while developing friendships/relationships that will benefit them throughout their future in school and the real world,” said MacIntosh. “This opportunity allows them to build confidence, patience, and creativity in order for the team to be competitive, successful, and for [it to be] a fun experience.”

CHS also has a Unified Bowling team, which is coached by CHS Physical Education Teacher Brian Ellithorpe and plays from February through March. This year, the team finished first in the season-end tournament.

The district added Unified Basketball to its athletic programs last spring.

According to CCSD Athletic Administrator Mike Byrnes, CHS is one of the smallest schools in Section III to sponsor Unified Bowling and Unified Basketball teams.

“I am very proud that CCSD’s district administration and board of education have supported our school joining the Special Olympics New York Unified Sports Program partnered with the [New York State Public High School Athletic Association],” said Byrnes. “. . . Unified Sports allow all students to demonstrate their abilities in a competitive arena and learn from success and failure. Lessons of teamwork, responsibility, sportsmanship,