Fallsburg School Scene 2017

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“Fallsburg Central School District is a safe, nurturing environment where excellence is expected, diversity and individuality are celebrated, and learning prepares students to face the challenges of an ever-changing global society.� Fallsburg Vision statement

SCHOOL SCENE A Special Supplement to the Sullivan County Democrat

A look at activities in the Fallsburg Central SECTION F, School District JANUARY, 2017 CALLICOON, NY

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FALLSBURG SCHOOL SCENE

SULLIVAN COUNTY DEMOCRAT

JANUARY, 2017

Fallsburg Schools chief: ‘What we are fighting for is about kids’ D

r. Ivan Katz, Superintendent of Schools for the Fallsburg Central School District, fielded questions from the Sullivan County Democrat on his job, his students and his schools. What are the new initiatives this year at Fallsburg Central School District? We are nearing completion on our parent engagement strategic plan and are aiming for a publication date in late January. We are excited about this because a number of our staff, students and parents worked hard to identify key strategies and resources to improve how our schools engage parents in student learning. We are also developing a partnership with Mount Saint Mary College in Newburgh that will expand and

diversify the teacher applicant pool, increase teacher mentoring opportunities and provide professional development opportunities for our instructional staff. Our students will also be able to explore teaching as a college course of study at Mount Saint Mary. This is all made possible through a My Brother’s Keeper Teacher Opportunity Corps grant awarded to the college. We are also in the first full year of implementing our Learning Technology grant. This initiative has allowed us to provide teachers with high-quality Google Classroom professional development, including a Google Summit that took place in June, and training in October by renowned instructional technology expert Alice Keeler. We have increased the number of

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A Look at Activities in the Fallsburg School District

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Chromebooks available to students and staff, as well as our internal Wi-Fi network capacity, so more can utilize Google Classroom and other learning applications to enhance student learning. Is there good news academically on state tests or other ways of gauging student success? When a little more than 20 percent of our third through eighth grade students opted out of New York State assessments in English language arts and mathematics, we began looking at other assessment results to measure improvement. The Northwest Evaluation Association’s (NWEA’s) Measures of Academic Progress and MAP for Primary Grades measure student growth in reading and math and are adaptive to students’ ability levels: students are given more or less

challenging questions depending on their responses. Students in grades K-10 take the NWEA assessments three times per year, and the results provide parents and staff with meaningful and immediate data on student progress. We then use the results in a myriad of ways, the most important of which is for teachers to use them to adjust their instruction to meet student needs. When we looked at student growth in grades K-10 reading from fall 2015 to spring 2016, we noticed that all but one grade (10th), on average, exceeded expected growth. The growth results in math, fall 2015-2016, were a little more dynamic: we had dramatic growth well above what was expected in grades K- 6. But in grades 7-10, student growth was below normal. We shared this data with our board

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FALLSBURG SCHOOL SCENE

SULLIVAN COUNTY DEMOCRAT

JANUARY, 2017

Fallsburg High School graduation rates are on the climb, and new this year is a program that links a regional college with high school students to explore teaching as a profession, notes Superintendent of Schools Dr. Ivan Katz.

language learners to approximately 15 percent of our student population. You are a veteran Superintendent, how do you personally stay fresh and excited each year? To begin with, I believe that I have the greatest job on this planet! Anyone who asks me that question gets that same response from me. I stay fresh and excited because I have been and remain a student of learning. I love having the opportunity to work with my staff, my Board of Education and the community at large. The changes that are part and parcel of education today in New York State are chock full of obstacles. To address the constantly changing educational landscape requires drive, excitement and knowing above all else that what we are doing, what we are fighting for, is about kids. The one question I always ask as a superintendent is: "’What, if anything, does this have to do with educating our kids?’ The answer to that question drives my decision-making in budgeting, hiring, purchasing and all things related to the running of the school district. In short, I love, love, love what I do!”

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and staff, and have taken immediate steps to continue growth trends and to correct deficiencies. In terms of good news, we are also seeing gradual improvements in our graduation rates, with 76 percent of the Class of 2016 graduating within four years. This is the second-highest rate for our district since I began in 2006 (78 percent of the Class of 2013 graduated in four years). By contrast, the graduation rate at Fallsburg for the year 2005 was about 50 percent. Though our graduation rate is consistent with national trends, we credit our entire school community for working hard to improve opportunities for students. While we realize that we have a load of work to do to get our graduation rate higher, the vast improvement speaks volumes about what teachers, staff, students and parents have done through commitment, motivation and focused drive. I believe these strengths will bring our graduation rates higher in the near future. This improvement has happened while we have simultaneously seen increases in the numbers of students living in poverty, as well as an increase in the number of English

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SULLIVAN COUNTY DEMOCRAT

Building bridges to wider community through new volunteer program STORY AND PHOTO BY KATHY DALEY

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or Stephanie Phillips, the idea of inviting local volunteers into the classrooms began on the campaign trail. Before she was elected to the Fallsburg Board of Education last May, Phillips spoke to some 150 residents, asking for their comments and

suggestions about the school district. Many residents were positive. Others showed little or no real knowledge of the teaching and learning that go on each day in Fallsburg classrooms. “My perception was that we needed more of a connection between the community and schools,” said

JANUARY, 2017

Phillips, who is retired Some 70 Fallsburg from a career in medical teachers responded to communications and a questionnaire about who holds a doctorate in the proposed program biology. “We have very and how they might good schools and wonwant to incorporate derful facilities.” the new adults into the The District is in the curriculum. process of recruiting, “This program was screening, selecting and designed with particiinterviewing Volunteer pation from teacher in the Classroom candisuggestions to support dates, with an eye to our improvement of launching the program Stephanie Phillips instruction efforts,” in late January. explained Dr. Ivan Board of Education | “Right now, we have Katz, superintendent eight volunteers, from of schools. “Teachers recent college graduate have offered a variety to retirees,” said Phillips, who has of opportunities for new volunteers spearheaded the initiative. “We're to take part in the educational expehappy to have all kinds of people.” riences of our students.” School leaders are enthusiastic The volunteer help might include about the connection between com- “skill drills,” that is, helping students munity and kids which, studies show, practice what they have learned in can actually benefit student achieve- English, math or science; assisting ment. When adult volunteers help outdoors with projects; or reading out in the classroom, students often and writing with students. take learning more seriously – and Organizing classroom materials, better attendance, improved grades helping with the classroom bulletin and less misbehavior often follow. board, walking with students on the

‘My perception was that we needed more of a connection between the community and the school.’

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nature path, and assisting in foreign language learning are all possibilities. Phillips said the first steps for interested volunteers include an in-person meeting and a screening. All will be fingerprinted as part of a background check. “We have a very high level of consciousness on security,” Phillips said. The program is flexible in terms of time – volunteers can serve once a month, once a week, or more. And there just might be a few perks for those interested: Sullivan County's RSVP Program will offer reimbursement for travel expenses for seniors. In addition, the Foster Grandparent Program reimburses for travel and pays an hourly wage for low-income seniors who volunteer more than 15 hours per week. Already, “we've had marvelous applicants” of various ages, Phillips said. One of them is Jonathan Schlosser, who graduated from Fallsburg High School in 2011. “I want to give back to my home community,” said Schlosser, who earned his Bachelor of Science Degree from Binghamton University

and his Masters in Environment and Development at Lancaster University in Lancashire, England. “I was fortunate to have support and resources when I was in (Fallsburg) schools,” Schlosser said. “I want that cycle to continue for today's students.” Schlosser said he gained much from the Fallsburg District, particularly from the varied backgrounds of its student population. “When I went to college, a lot of my contemporaries were unexposed to the diversity of the world – to students from different cultures,” he said. He said he wants to help today's kids understand that success is something they define for themselves, that there are varied paths to reach their goal and that they must picture the kind of life they want and then create it. Schlosser himself will begin work soon on a Ph.D., and then he plans to teach. “I want to be a professor,” he said, “and inspire college students to go out and change the world.”

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Board of Education Member Stephanie Phillips compliments third grader David Cole as he finishes a drawing at Benjamin Cosor Elementary School. Phillips spearheads an initiative to invite community residents to volunteer in classrooms.

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FALLSBURG SCHOOL SCENE

SULLIVAN COUNTY DEMOCRAT

JANUARY, 2017

Old nature trail gains and gives new life at Benjamin Cosor School STORY AND PHOTOS BY KATHY DALEY

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allsburg teacher Leah Exner had squired a group of Girl Scouts on a nature trail behind Benjamin Cosor Elementary School when suddenly they spied a bald eagle circling the sky. “We had been looking at deer prints when we saw the eagle,” said Exner. “A hush came over the group, and the girls seemed lost in amazement. The look on their faces was precious. It gave me goosebumps.” Special moments and unexpected thrills accompany the hard work taking place on what was an overgrown nature trail behind the school. Ten years ago, teacher Lee Smassanow spearheaded the making of the trail with Cosor's Environment Club, but Smassanow retired and the trail languished. Enter Exner, who teaches second grade, and colleague Mark Spina, who teaches third and fourth grades. They decided to collaborate on redoing the wild little path. With a $2,500 grant from Sullivan Renaissance through its CONTRIBUTED PHOTO Healthy Community Initiatives Girl Scouts from Troop 767, all Fallsburg students, work on the trail with Colleen Emery of Sullivan program and with hands-on help Renaissance. The Scouts are, from left, Julianna Scott, Carissa Ciorciari and Hannah Johnson. from Sullivan County Cornell

Cooperative Extension (CCE) things just “naturally” started to happen along the trail. “They don't just give you the idea and the funds, they show up,” said Exner, speaking of Sullivan Renaissance's Executive Director Denise Frangipane and Project Coordinator Colleen Emery, as well as Cornell's SueAnn Boyd and Emily Devore, who are CCE's Healthy Schools Coordinator and Healthy Communities Coordinator, respectively. The Renaissance grant covered the costs of materials and equipment for the first phase of the project: clearing the first onehalf mile of the old trail. Grants for three or four subsequent phases of what will be a two-mile project are very likely, said Renaissance's Emery. CCE has cleaned the trail, provided signs and a kiosk for information purposes, and donated eight benches that convert into tables for students to work at. Snowshoes for winter walking and exploration are on order, said Boyd, and in January “we will be building birdhouses,” she added. The Cornell donations and assistance are made possible through a New York State

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FALLSBURG SCHOOL SCENE

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Department of Health grant entitled Creating Healthy Schools & Communities. But the project also involves the work of numerous committees and groups. For example, the Fallsburg High School wood-working class is building access steps down into the trail's creek for science experiments. Girl Scouts have donated clipboards and binoculars and are clearing brush and fallen tree branches. Monticello's Home Depot donated 100 railroad ties, and Fallsburg school district groundskeeper Mike Gallo is doing much of the trail clearing. Recently, an assembly line of students painted railroad ties for use on the trail. “The trail will have museumtype displays,” said Exner, “and markers for mileage that can be part of math lessons along the trail.” And retired teacher Teachers and trail coordinators Leah Exner and Mark Spina received training from Project Learning Smassanow is a continual presence, most recently assembling Tree, an environmental education program of the American Forest Foundation that uses forests as a window to the world and offers environmental education curriculum resources for teacher lesson plans. the new benches.

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Depending on the season, students and other workers may experience the sight of bluebirds, or a tree felled by a beaver, or trees and shrubs that actually have names – and that students are beginning to learn. Some kids are coming up with great ideas for the trail, such as a memorial plaque for teachers who have died, or a plaque with the names of Fallsburg High School graduates who now serve in the Armed Forces. Meaningful experiences along the path are particularly pertinent to today's kids, said Exner and Spina. “The trail lends them the opportunity to step away from paper, pencil, computers, iPads, cellphones,” said Exner. “The kids need to be connected with nature,” said Spina. “It's also great for their physical well-being to get outside, walk and participate in healthy activity. All subjects are involved – math, science, reading, social studies. We could even teach about Native Americans out on the trail.”

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SULLIVAN COUNTY DEMOCRAT

JANUARY, 2017

Salad bars tickle palates of elementary, middle, high school eaters The salad bars are made possible through a “Let’s Move Salad Bars to Schools” grant program sponsored and funded by The Chef Anne Foundation and the Whole Kids Foundation.

STORY AND PHOTOS BY KATHY DALEY

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ourth grader Yeliana Maldonado believes in eating healthily.

“I like salad with lettuce, tomatoes, cumbers and olives,” she said with gusto. Fully-stocked salad bars at Yeliana’s school, Benjamin Cosor Elementary, and at Fallsburg Junior/Senior High School are getting thumbs up from hungry students. “I’ve received a lot of positive feedback about the salad bars from both students, teachers and parents,” said Fallsburg Food Service Manager Dara A. Smith. “Between the two schools we are ordering 8 to 10 cases of lettuce per week to keep up with the demand.” “Studies do show that kids that eat better are able to concentrate better on their studies, do better on standardized tests and are absent less often,” Smith pointed out. The salad bars offer five basics each day: romaine lettuce, tomatoes, cucumbers, baby carrots and broccoli florets. “But each day we change the additional offerings to provide variety and to keep interest piqued,” said Smith. For example, at the high school on Mondays, students can also top their salad plates with kidney beans, mushrooms, peas, mandarin oranges, apple slices, raisins, diced ham, chicken salad, shredded cheddar cheese, string cheese, whole wheat bread, wheat crackers, sunflower kernels and Asian noodles. On Thursdays, a taco salad menu provides meat, whole grain corn chips and jalapeño peppers. In Fallsburg, Smith finds that students use the salad bar as both the source of their entire meal or to supplement a main entree or sandwich. For example, a student taking a burger might use the salad bar to build a garden salad to complete her or his

Yeliana Maldonado is enthusiastic about cucumbers and other tasty treats at her school's new healthy salad bar.

meal. The salad bars are made possible through a “Let’s Move Salad Bars to Schools” grant program sponsored and funded by The Chef Anne Foundation and the Whole Kids Foundation. Smith, who works for Sullivan BOCES and who serves as food service manager for the Liberty School District as well, spoke to Fallsburg

administrators about the opportunity to fund salad bars, and she then submitted grant applications on the Lets Move Salad Bars to School website. Fallsburg was awarded two salad bars through the program. “Then, after the news spread and Cornell Cooperative Extension (CCE) began getting involved in school wellness through its Healthy Schools

initiative, we were awarded a third salad bar from CCE,” said Smith, explaining that junior/senior high school operates one salad bar, and Cosor Elementary has two. Smith guides cafeteria staff through the process of setting up and maintaining the salad bars. “Little hands have a hard time using tongs,” she said, “so we place items in portion cups that make it much easier for them to handle. I also provided salad bar etiquette information to faculty for students to follow.” What's ahead in the healthy eating department? “Currently we are working on a USDA Farm to School Grant with CCE as the lead agency. Sullivan Renaissance is participating in the effort,” Smith said. “Public school districts are required to follow very specific procurement procedures,” she explained. “Issues such as (special) training for farms have to be resolved so that schools and other institutions in the area can purchase from farmers directly or from the food hub scheduled to be opened in Liberty in the near future.” “We're also talking about ideas for educational opportunities for students,” she said, “such as Meet the Farmer – field trips to farms to teach students where their food comes from.”

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Cafeterias at Benjamin Cosor Elementary and at Fallsburg Junior/Senior High School boast salad bars that offer great eating and good nutrition, notes Food Service Manager Dara Smith. Salad bars opened at Cosor this school year, and at the junior/senior high at the end of last school year.

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FALLSBURG SCHOOL SCENE

SULLIVAN COUNTY DEMOCRAT

JANUARY, 2017

Kindergarten students Liam Doyle, Raymond Bolding III, Julian Hist and Amelia Forman represent the future for Fallsburg Central School District, which is backed by a vision that celebrates diversity and individuality.

School district makes a statement with its vision for the future STORY AND PHOTO BY KATHY DALEY

hey call it the “north star” of organizations, companies and even school districts – a vision statement that defines an entity and gives it direction for the future. Fallsburg worked long and hard last spring and summer on its first-ever vision statement, which is on display now in the schools. “Fallsburg Central School District is a safe, nurturing environment,” the vision statement reads, “where excel-

lence is expected, diversity and individuality are celebrated, and learning prepares students to face the challenges of an ever-changing global society.” That powerful declaration now guides the creation of District goals, noted Superintendent of Schools Dr. Ivan Katz. “This statement was months in the making,” he said. Various members of the school community worked with Katz and submitted drafts that would ultimately be considered by the District's

Visioning Committee. Twelve in-district committees met with the superintendent during March, April, May and June to create the statement submissions. The vision statement became effective on July 1 and has influenced the development of the District's primary District Comprehensive Improvement Plan goal of increasing the number of advanced Regents diploma graduates to 25 percent by June 2018, Katz said. “It has also influenced grant opportunities we have sought like the My

Brother’s Keeper grants and the 21st Century Community Learning Centers grant,” he added. “It has also influenced our college-in-the-classroom offerings so that our high school students can achieve up to 33 college credits – through SUNY Sullivan – at no cost to them.” Dr. Katz said the most important thing for the District in terms of the vision statement is “... where we take it from here.”

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