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Education
Register for Summer Programs at Galway CSD
GALWAY — Galway Central School District is pleased to announce Summer School and Summer Camp Programs for students in the district for the summer of 2022.
Children who are entering K-12 are eligible to participate in the Summer Camps, which will be held in the afternoons following Summer School.
Summer School will begin Wednesday, July 6, 2022, for all grades. It will end on Thursday, July 28 for rising K-5 students and on Wednesday, Aug. 17 (depending on the Regents schedule) for rising 6-12 students and students in the Extended School Year Program.
Schedule: Summer School with breakfast provided will begin at 8:30 a.m. and run through 11:30 a.m. Lunch, courtesy of the Salvation Army, will be from 11:30 a.m. to noon. Noon to 3 p.m. will be summer camp.
Summer Camp Selection (Choose One Per Week) Week of July 11-14:
Softball, Baseball, Theater, Art
Week of July 18-21:
Soccer, Wrestling, Theater, Art
Week of July 25-28:
Basketball, Cheer, Art, STEM for Grades 1-2
Week of Aug. 1-4:
Volleyball, Golf, Art, STEM for Grades 3-5
Parents are asked to register their children for Summer School and Summer Camps on FamilyID by April 1, 2022.
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FULL-TIME SCHOOL BUS DRIVERS
Year Round Work
Bus Driving/Light Maintenance - Landscaping Start at $33,077 per year + Full Health Insurance Membership into State Retirement System Apply by sending resume to hr@gasd.org Call 518-843-3180 x 7500 with questions.
WILTON — Looking for something to do during Winter Vacation? Wilton Wildlife Preserve & Park offers “naturally” fun programs with a full week of outdoor programs scheduled. In addition to the programs that are taking place, snowshoe and crosscountry skis will be available for rental all week at the cabin in Parking Lot #1 on Scout Road. Rentals are available from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., and the last rentals need to be returned by 3 p.m. Rentals are available for $10 per pair for adults and $5 for children/students. Programs are as follows:
Winter Nature Detectives
Monday, Feb. 21, 1-2 p.m.
Go for a hike through the eyes of an animal! Children will become animals of the winter using our five senses and learn the basics of animal tracking. Remember, just because you can’t see them doesn’t mean they aren’t there! Are you successful enough to survive through the winter?
Acting Like Animals Hike
Tuesday, Feb. 22, 1-2 p.m. at Camp Saratoga North Trailhead
Children will embrace the unique behaviors of local species and learn how these behaviors aid in terms of survival. Do you have what it takes to be an animal in New York State? This program is suitable for ages 5 and up.
Winter Scavenger Hunt
Wednesday, Feb. 23, 1-2 p.m. at Camp Saratoga North Trailhead
Photo provided.
Children will learn to use their sense to explore the outdoors during winter by working to complete a nature scavenger hunt. The program is designed for children ages 5 and up. Search the trees for an animal track. Look for a tree at your height. Can you find a leaf in the winter?
Winter Tree Identification
Thursday, Feb. 24, 1-2 p.m. at Camp Saratoga North Trailhead
With autumn long gone and a lack of leaves on the trees, how do we identify them? Find out the differences between trees with needles and ones with leaves. How do you know which tree is which? Learn simple ways to determine tree species found at the Wilton Preserve! This program is suitable for ages 5 and up.
Animal Tracking
Friday, Feb. 25, 1-2 p.m. at Camp Saratoga North Trailhead
What better time to learn about animal tracks than after a snowfall? Join educators on the trails to learn the basics of animal tracking. Program is suitable for ages 5 and up.
Registration is required. Space is limited. To register please visit wiltonpreserve.org and click on the “Our Programs” tab, then “Calendar of Public Events,” to access the online registration form. For more information, please contact the Preserve & Park office at 518-450-0321 or via email at info@wiltonpreserve.org.
For up-to-date trail conditions or program information, please visit the Preserve & Park’s website at wiltonpreserve.org. The Wilton Wildlife Preserve & Park is a non-profit organization that conserves ecological systems and natural settings while providing opportunities for environmental education and outdoor recreation.
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SARATOGA SPRINGS — The Saratoga Hospital Volunteer Guild is accepting scholarship applications from high school seniors in Saratoga County interested in pursuing careers in healthcare.
This year, the Guild will offer up to five $1,500 scholarships. To be eligible, students must be entering college in the fall of 2022 and have a GPA of 3.0 or higher. Due to COVID-19 and a subsequent lack of volunteer opportunities, the Volunteer Guild revised the essay requirement and asks applicants to discuss how they have been impacted by the pandemic.
Applications and more information are available through local high school guidance offices, as well as online at www.saratogahospital.org/aboutus/volunteering. Application deadline is March 31, 2022. Scholarship recipients will be contacted directly by Irma Somich, scholarship chairperson, no later than April 16, 2022.
SSCSD Board of Education Meeting: Updates as of Feb. 3
SARATOGA SPRINGS — The Saratoga Springs City School District held a Board of Education meeting on Jan. 3. Much like other recent BOE meetings in districts across Saratoga County, several community members addressed the Board to discuss the mask mandate ruling and what happened in our schools on Tuesday, Jan. 25.
Community members spoke on the lack of science when it comes to masks preventing the spread of the virus, the mental health crisis among children and young adults in the nation right now, and the stress placed on students to wear a mask to protect teachers.
“Masks aren’t working, masks are making the kids miserable, masks are causing social distancing and more of a divide between kids than uniting them,” one speaker stated.
They also had suggestions for the Board going forward, such as discussing the topic of natural immunity, and bringing in other doctors with different viewpoints to debate the protocols in place. On speaker also brought up the survey on masking that the Burnt Hills-Ballston Lake Central School District has sent out following their most recent BOE meeting. See Saratoga TODAY’s report on that meeting here: Discussions on the Mask Mandate Continue in the BH-BL School District.
Superintendent of Schools Dr. Michael Patton addressed the Board and statements during the public comment period, after they remarked that Tuesday morning’s letter was misleading and that following the advice of the NYS Education Department was in violation of the U.S. Constitution. Their ask was for more timely communication in the future.
“I apologize if that information wasn’t available until 8:30 a.m., but I needed to make sure that I had a clear understanding so I could communicate effectively to our parents, staff, and students,” said Superintendent Patton. “I would much rather be right in the information that I want to put out, than be wrong and confuse the community already on a contentious topic.”
On the other hand, speakers commended Patton for signing the “Pathway to Normalcy” letter advocating for a clear and comprehensive plan to unify school communities during the pandemic, with importance on in-person learning. See Saratoga TODAY’s report on the “Pathway to Normalcy” here: WSWHE BOCES Superintendents Advocate for “Pathway to Normalcy.”
“We will continue to advocate for our kids, to ensure in-person learning, and always keeping the best interest of our staff and students in mind,” said Superintendent Patton.
FINANCIAL REPORT
Also discussed at the BOE meeting were some financial figures. The District has recently earned top grades on fiscal stress monitoring report cards, and some of the following statistics are just estimates or guesses and subject to change.
The minimum proposed increase in Foundation Aid is 3%, about $880,000 more in state aid than received in the prior year. The property tax levy is still being calculated, but the statutory limit is under 3.1%, and the recommendation from the District Office is under 2.9%. The District also is taking advantage of a $3.8 million bond refunding, and their net savings as result of the refunding will be approximately $177,000 dollars. However, there will most likely be a budget gap coming up that they will have to address.
BOARD RESOLUTIONS
At the end of the meeting, the Board also brought up a resolution for discussion and changes at the next Board meeting (Feb. 15).
A summary of the resolution up for adoption is to acknowledge educators of the district for their hard work, condemn the behavior of uncivil and personal attacks against educators, and encourage community members to be mindful when using social media. It was questioned if this resolution was written as a direct response to Tuesday’s events, but it was explained that is not the case.
CLUB ABOLISHMENT
Also on the agenda was the abolishment of several Maple Avenue Clubs: Robotics Club, Performing Arts Club, RC Club, Jazz Band Club, Ukulele Club, Tri-M Music Honors Club. However, this was never discussed during the meeting.
View the agenda at saratogaschools.org, Board of Education tab (see Quick Links sidebar). Watch the full meeting here: www.youtube.com/ watch?v=ozZ2Gl6Aui8.
BSBPA Scholarship Offered Again to High School Seniors
BALLSTON SPA — The Ballston Spa Business & Professional Association (BSBPA) is once again offering a $500 scholarship to a Ballston Spa High School graduating senior.
High school students who hold jobs in the community, while maintaining good standards in their schoolwork and deportment, should be recognized for their diligence and responsibility. The Ballston Spa Business and Professional Association Scholarship shall be awarded to a graduating senior who has demonstrated professionalism in his/her place of employment and responsibility in their school community.
Students can pick up the application information sheet at the Ballston Spa High School guidance office. A printable version is also available on the BSBPA website, www.ballston. org. Completed applications can be submitted to the BSHS guidance office or can be scanned and emailed directly to the BSBPA at info@ballston.org., or mailed to: BSBPA Scholarship, PO Box 386, Ballston Spa, NY 12020. Submission deadline is Friday, March 18, 2022.
If you are a Ballston Spa area business that has a BSHS senior working for you who fits the bill, please encourage them to apply for the scholarship.
