Monticello School Scene 2017

A look at activities in the

Monticello Central School District

SCHOOL SCENE

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A District redo that’s 21st Century-driven and Casino-inspired

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he entranceway into Monticello Central School District's main campus is not hard to find if you know what you’re looking for. It’s right past the wide expanse of yellow school buses in the bus yard off Route 42.

The humble welcome to a hearty district of innovative programs and energetic staff appears inauspicious. But that would change under the terms of the ambitious building plan that, voter approved, would renovate and redesign school buildings as well.

“We want to make our buildings shine as beautifully as the work we are doing every day,” said Superintendent of Schools Tammy Mangus.

Then there’s the casino factor. As Monticello, the village,

moves closer to the reality of a billion dollar casino in its midst, Monticello, the school district, prepares to usher its kids and classrooms into this new era.

“With the casinos coming, we’re ready to face big investments and big changes. We want to be a school district of choice” as new people move into the area, Mangus said.

The time is right financially for the major capital improvement initiative, officials said.

Using dollars and sense In July 2019, the District is set to pay off a bond that constructed the middle school, nearly twenty years ago.

Often, school districts that find themselves in need of serious repair go ahead and replace one debt package with another, and that is exactly what is being considCONTINUED ON 5M

Superintendent of Schools Tammy Mangus, right, is flanked by Board of Education member Stacey Sharoff, as they discuss the future needs of the District.

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STORY AND PHOTO

BY KATHY DALEY

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What are the needs?

The genesis of this capital project is rooted in the most recent New York state-required building condition survey. The results of that survey indicated that all buildings in the district were in dire need of repair and updates in order to keep the buildings functional and safe.

Mangus and Monticello School Board President Stacey Sharoff pointed out, for example, that the high school suffers from leaks and cracks that in places is compromising the building’s integrity. The school deals with flooding that has caused areas to be closed down rather than used.

Upgrades to the middle school and needed pairs to the elementary school are also part of the project, which would address plumbing, boilers, sewage smells and quality of drinking water.

Due to the extent of the necessary upgrades, the cost of repairing the buildings is comparable to the cost of a complete renovation.

“The bones of our schools are good, but there is so much need to be done on the inside,” said Mangus. “Bandaid repairs have been done rather than a systemic fix. We’ve been fixing the buildings to be safe and ‘occupi-

able,’ but we do not have the best learning spaces to heighten the possibilities of our kids.”

Upgrading classrooms and other learning areas is critically important, now that learning takes place not so much with kids staring at a teacher and a blackboard but rather in collaborative groups. The emphasis is on computer technology in learning, and the up-and-coming “maker” movement invites students to special spaces where they can work on creative projects using technology and equipment.

Keeping up with the future Sharoff said the key words are aesthetics and functionality.

“We need to rethink these (older) buildings to make our school district reflect the 21st century schools rather than 20th century schools,” she said.

In the 2014-15 school year, the District began assessment of its future building needs by forming a Facilities Committee. Professional assessments were done on what's needed districtwide. A more recent Vision and Build committee is working on “hopes and dreams” for the future vis a vis the District. Both committees include Board of Education members, district staff and administrators, and community representatives.

The District is well aware of the economic challenges of the community, particularly those of seniors, veterans and low income families, said Mangus. The District prides itself on coming under the tax cap each year, she said, referring to the law that limits tax-levy increases to 2 percent or the inflation rate, whichever is lower.

“The school board is working very hard to balance the wants and needs of our students and the bigger school community,” said Board President Sharoff, “with being fiscally responsible to taxpayers.”

Details regarding the capital improvement project will be shared on the District’s website and social media channels regularly, as information becomes available. The board of education will also provide updates at each regular board meeting leading up to the vote. The public is encouraged to email questions regarding the capital improvement project to communications@k12mcsd.net Questions will be answered within three to five business days and the answers will also be posted on the website.

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ered in terms of the Phase 1 bond of $50,000,000, the first half of the two phase project which will be presented to voters.

It is also important to note that Monticello has a $650,000 capital reserve from a referendum approved by voters during the 2014-15 school year for construction of tennis courts as well. The building of the courts had to be delayed when construction bids ballooned from the new building/ business surge following the announcement of the casino award.

New tennis courts would likely be part of Phase 1 (of a new building plan), Mangus said, and this reserve could be utilized.

The Phase Two bond, expected to be secured in 2024, will likely be offset by the district’s capital reserve fund, which is currently $8 million.

Although final bonding decisions have not been made, the District will explore and zero in on the best bonding option for both phases that would have as minimal impact to the tax payers as possible.

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Monticello-Savvy Assistant Principal values her time with kids STORY AND PHOTO BY KATHY DALEY

A

landscape scenery is so beautiful, each kid and say ‘good morning,’ and while we're just a short trip from the now they say ‘good morning’ back!” city.”

Kozachuk always wanted to be a As assistant principal, Kozachuk teacher. First step after high school interacts with people throughout the graduation was a teacher assistant middle school, but her connections position at Monticello's Kenneth L. to students themselves are deep and Rutherford Elementary School. She strong. She welcomes them to school married, had her children Katelyn each day as they pour off the buses and Justin, and studied at SUNY and into the hallway.

Sullivan, earning asso“I started off by saying ciate’s degrees in liberhello to each student al arts and in elemenand then when no one tary and nursery said hello back, I began school education. She using a wand that the then earned her superintendent had Bachelor of Science given to each of us online with Western (administrators), telling Governors University, us to ‘make magic,’” studying at night, recounted Kozachuk. “I “while I did mommy Sara Kozachuk decided to take the stuff all day.” wand and point it at Assistant Principal | Her masters degree

‘I thought it was the worst possible fate, and then I fell in love with it.’

in instructional technology is from New York Institute of Technology in Middletown.

She taught at Rutherford and eventually was invited by a friend to attend a workshop on becoming a school administrator.

“Why would you want to be an administrator?” Kozachuk chided her friend. “That's ridiculous.”

Fast forward to life after Kozachuk did accompany her friend to the workshop. “I got my administrative certificate from Long Island University, was teaching at Rutherford and got asked in February 2016 to become assistant principal at the middle school.”

“I thought it was the worst possible fate,” she recounted, “and then I immediately fell in love with it.

There's never a dull moment, never two days the same. It's amazing to

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s assistant principal at Robert J. Kaiser Middle School, Sara Kozachuk is kind-hearted but firm, passionate about what she does, and invested deeply in the wider community.

She's also very much homegrown.

She graduated from Monticello High School in 1991. Her husband, Steve, graduated from the same school in 1984, and her parents and grandparents on both sides are all Monticello alumni.

“Monticello is our home,” said Sara.

“I've always been here. I love it. I'm not stuck here. I want to be here.”

“This is a close community that rallies around each other in times of crisis or need,” she added. “And I love the diversity here. It makes you well rounded. If you can make it here, it's a real window to the world. And the

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Assistant Principal Sara Kozachuk shares a moment with sixth grader Jose Hernandez at Robert J. Kaiser Middle School. Kozachuk is a Monticello High School alumni, as are her husband Steve; her parents, Al and Sally Feller; and her grandparents on both sides.

watch kids flourish and become young adults.�

Her technique for success is honesty and firmness, leavened with a great deal of caring. “I tell it like it is. I put myself out here. I hold kids accountable and I'll not accept less than my high standards.�

Should a child wind up in her office for a behavior problem, “I ask the student what's going on, and to share their side of the story.�

She teaches each child to treat others with respect.

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“Often, they just need someone to listen,� Kozachuk said. “More often than not, there's a reason for their behavior they didn't get good sleep, they're hungry, they broke up with a boyfriend and it's the end of the world because they are 12 years old.�

Children often face difficult family situations and hardships. But in school, they find a second home that makes sense. “We're working with kids to be life ready,� said Sara, “and contributing members of the community and beyond.�

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Learning and living out words like ‘tenacious’ – persistently

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reparing students for life after high school â&#x20AC;&#x201C; in jobs, college or the military â&#x20AC;&#x201C; serves as a key focus for school districts these days.

But Monticello is taking â&#x20AC;&#x153;future readinessâ&#x20AC;? one step further by teaching kids life skills that will serve them now and in their adult lives. â&#x20AC;&#x153;We want our kids to face the world with the behavior and demeanor that allow them to be successful,â&#x20AC;? said Superintendent of Schools Tammy Mangus.

This year, the District shines a light each month on one of seven key traits for successful living: communication, awareness, tenacity, collaboration, responsibility, goal get-

ting, and integrity.

The District hand chose those particular life-ready traits after a comprehensive process that ranged from student and teacher input through outreach to partners in the community.

Student interns interviewed and presented information on skills that employers seek in job applicants.

They gathered information from researching Fortune 500 companies and connecting with area businesses. â&#x20AC;&#x153;It's all about what it takes for human beings in general to be successful,â&#x20AC;? said Mangus.

In October, the district will focus on the trait of goal getting. For instance, in any classroom throughout the district a teacher might focus on the steps necessary all along the

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s r s Life traits like goal setting, communication and collaboration are evident in courses such as Industrial Arts, taught by Monticello High School teacher Don Waddell. Above, some of e Waddell's students atop a 16-foot-long table they constructed for outdoor seating at the school. to help them succeed.

The middle school will also feature goal-setting as part of its daily public service announcements prepared by students.

Next door, Monticello High School will focus on embedding the seven character traits into what and how the teacher teaches, said High School Principal Stephen Wilder. A studentdeveloped logo illustrating the traits will be featured prominently around school hallways.

Already, students are overheard using the word “tenacious” on a fre-

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quent basis.

“I'm hearing it in the hallway,” said Wilder. “Kids are using 'tenacious' in place of persistence. They are comfortable with the word, and it's fun to see that.”

The District is also suggesting teachers keep tabs on their own 30day goals, three-month goals and nine-month goals. School-wide course goals, department goals and building goals are also being worked on, said Wilder, not to mention objectives surrounding the all-important student academic achievement.

Already, the school is engaged in stretching adults beyond their “safe” athletic boundaries. For example, a handful of teachers are newly participating in Spartan Obstacle Course Races that take place in Tuxedo.

Others are championed to go beyond their comfort zone by, in one case, delivering a speech at a convention and another, in participating in an art exhibit – new initiatives that then free teachers to try something new in their classroom.

“The goal,” Wilder said, “is to inspire us all to be our best.”

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way for a student to achieve a high grade.

“If a report is due on the 15th, for example, what are the little things a student needs to do to get there?” queried the superintendent.

At the middle school, the goal-setting emphasis invites students to compile a special binder full of their personal goals and achievements to present to their parents. One question asks them to note the actions they take before arriving at school to prepare for success. Another asks the child to list people they can count on

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Student: ‘High school internship opened my eyes’

STORY AND PHOTO

BY KATHY DALEY

T

yler Plaster is enjoying a new lease on his academic life.

“Last year, I was a C plus/B minus student,” said Plaster, who is a junior at the high school. “I was lazy. I got bored. Now my homework is on time.

I'm shooting for straight A’s. I learned that if I don't start working now, I won't get to where I want in life.”

The miracle came about after a summer internship experience this July and August, when the school district linked up Plaster and five other students with a company that is hired to test soil, water and concrete capability at the casino and resort rising on a hillside in Kiamesha Lake. The firm, Advanced Testing, based in Washingtonville, hosts a robust mentoring program for Middletown and Newburgh students, and Monticello business teacher Sue Bahrenburg reached out to them.

“It was great,” said Plaster. “The

owner, Jimmy Smith, and the people there including the lab manager, kept us working testing soil, taking samples, checking water density. HR (Human Resources) connected us with Mount St. Mary's College in Newburgh, where we worked on our resumes.”

“I learned how it is in the real world,” he said.

For years Monticello High School students have benefited from summer internships throughout the wider community through the school's Academy of Finance (AOF).

This year, 17 AOF students participated, said Bahrenburg, who is the Academy's director.

Then two years ago, the high school launched its own internship program that hires students to work around the school district itself. Bahrenburg is the career coach for that endeavor.

Over the course of the high school's

six cycles, 54 paid part-time jobs are now available for students.

They work in the main office, the athletic department, in safety and security, and in the cafeteria. The elementary school closest to the high school – Kenneth L. Rutherford – also welcomes interns as main office assistant, classroom assistant and library helper.

Some interns have researched the codes of conduct in Sullivan Student Tyler Plaster, working in his high school construction class, County schools benefited from an internship this summer with the firm doing testand throughout ing of soil and water at the casino site in Monticello. the state, and made suggestions on how to improve the school’s stu- Stephen Wilder, the students boost dent handbook. Others brainstormed their grades or change their behavior the list of life traits that students need to get into the program. to succeed in school and after they It's is a win-win for all concerned. graduate.

“The departments benefit from the Still others researched which students' work,” Wilder said, nationally known speakers would res- “because so many tasks need to be onate with students in Monticello and taken care of and the kids help the decided on inviting Erin Gruwell, the staff get caught up on the backlog.”

Southern California teacher whose For example, a student intern in the work with at-risk teens inspired the plant operations department worked movie “Freedom Writers.” Gruwell's in the bus garage organizing bluepresentation transfixed the audience prints and helped with compiling asbestos reports. at Monticello High.

In the science lab, a knowledgeable Typically, interns work Monday through Friday for two hours each day, intern – “we interview specifically for either after school or in the morning if these positions,” said Wilder – is they can fit it in to their schedule. They invaluable in preparing the classroom for experiments. are paid minimum wage.

For students like Tyler Plaster, the First, however, they must apply for a position, writing a resume and experience has been immeasurably cover letter and interviewing for the valuable.

“The experience opened my eyes,” job. Students must maintain good said Tyler, who earned an OSHA cergrades and good behavior.

The program encourages students tificate in Construction Safety and who were not accepted the first time Health on the job. “Now I'm thinking to try again. Often, said Principal of going into engineering.”

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Student designs program, writes manual and gets hired STORY AND PHOTO

BY KATHY DALEY

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ndre Frontis graduated from Monticello High School in June and now attends college. But part-time, you can find him patrolling the high school hallways and checking in visitors as a paid member of the District's security staff.

It all began with the District's internship program for high school students.

“Andre was one of our first interns when the program was created (several years ago),” said High School Principal Stephen Wilder. “He demonstrated a willingness to learn and contribute from the start.

His friendly and professional demeanor helped him to stand out and make others feel comfortable in giving him responsibility.

“This led to Andre designing and proposing an internship with our school safety team,” the principal recalled.

“He presented his proposal to me and the district safety supervisor,” Wilder remembered. “Andre was articulate, thoughtful, considerate of his role as a student intern, and clear about his intentions. He

In his sophomore year, Andre Frontis began interning with the security department at the high school. Now, above, he's a fixture at the school when he's not at college studying criminal justice.

wanted to create an experience, first for himself and later for others, that aligned to what his life goals are.

He then created a manual for student interns serving with the school safety team and made revisions based on the feedback given to him by school administration.”

Now, Frontis recommends the internship program whenever he can. He also benefited from his enrollment in BOCES’ public safety program when he was in high school.

“I gained real world experience,” the alumnus said, “learning what a paying job is and what's required. I built up my resume, and I got certifications that I needed.

“I tell kids: you have guaranteed hours, you're paid. And you don't have to commute. You're already right there, at the school.”

Frontis now majors in Criminal Justice/Police Science at SUNY Orange in Middletown and plans to serve as a law enforcement officer someday. In the meantime, he's more than welcome at his high school alma mater.

“He is a part of the fabric of our professional community and a joy to work with and be around,” said Wilder. “He has a terrific sense of humor and demonstrates respect for everyone.”

And when he's not “on the clock” Frontis even volunteers his time. All around, “He's an ambassador for our school,” Wilder said.

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Hands-on and upclose learning captures kids' minds at Chase STORY AND PHOTOS

BY KATHY DALEY

H

ow does a teacher instill a love of learning in young children?

Three veteran teachers at Emma C. Chase Elementary School took on the topic in a conversation that ranged from teaching with live caterpillars to cooking green eggs and ham for kids' breakfast.

“Teachers tap into the inquisitiveness of children, to their thirst for knowledge,” said Ann Marie Kurthy, who has taught for more than 25 years and is now an instructional coach at Chase.

“We use nature and hands-on learning,” added Christine Anagnostou, a 15-year teacher, “incorporating reading, writing and math together. Looking at and really observing nature excites the kids, rather than just reading a book or looking at a computer program.”

Terri Sager, who has taught for more than 20 years, points to the fascinating learning taking place around the life stages of the monarch butterfly. In the classroom is a small aquarium where first graders observe the larvae (the caterpillar), the pupa (the chrysalis) and finally the beautifully colored king of all butterflies. To her first graders, she compares those stages to that of an infant, toddler and school child.

Children learn about the importance of butterflies in nature's

scheme of things: the winged creatures pollinate flowers and, as caterpillars, serve as food for birds.

Another compelling project that has delighted Chase children for years is the green eggs and ham breakfast cooked by teachers and borrowed from the Dr. Seuss book of the same name.

“We then researched Dr. Seuss himself,” recounted Sager, “and, because of their high interest, the children

First graders Elliot Byrne, William Fassel and Sophia Kania learn about the monarch butterfly's stages of life by observing the vividly-colored creature, right in their classroom.

At Chase Elementary, teachers Christine Anagnostou, Ann Marie Kurthy, and Terri Sager discuss how to make school fun and productive for the younger students, providing a powerful foundation for the children's educational future.

wrote their own biographies of him.

We took that fun activity and turned them on to Dr. Seuss books in general. They enjoyed it so much, they wanted to do more.”

Gently carrying in eggs from a farm so that the classes could incubate them, the teachers lead the youngsters on another journey through the wonder of birth. The young students then write about the experience.

Even in first grade, the students learn about researching, and about asking their own questions and seek-

A Look at Activities in the

Monticello School District Published by

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(845) 887-5200 Callicoon, NY 12723 October 3, 2017 • Vol. CXXVII, No. 32

ing answers. They work often in groups or with partners so that they grow to be comfortable learning with and from each other and not always by means of the teacher.

The practice of hands-on learning that invites children into different subject areas at the same time is embraced by the entire Chase learning community. In kindergarten, for example, five-year-olds learn to plant indoor and outdoor gardens. Older students visit the nearby Bashakill wetlands with their art teacher, Publisher: Editor: Sports Editor: Editorial Assistants: Advertising Director: Advertising Coordinator: Advertising Representatives: Special Sections Coordinator: Business Manager: Business Department: Telemarketing Coordinator: Monticello Office Manager: Classified Manager: Production Associates: Circulation & Distribution:

observing nature and then sketching right on the scene.

“It's a building-wide effort for the best of the children,” said Anagnostou, adding that everyone plays a role, from teacher aides to administrators.

They praise the children with ease, valuing each child as individual and important, the teachers said.

“We want to inspire them and motivate them,” said Kurthy. All the while, the classes are having fun, “and they don't even realize they're learning.”

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TUESDAY, OCTOBER 3, 2017

Students get really comfortable as they learn math, science Sixth graders Mariyah Foreman and Rachel Zirt brainstorm a project from the sturdy bean bag seating in their classroom at the middle school.

STORY AND PHOTO

BY KATHY DALEY ypically, school children can spend up to 85 percent of their day sitting in school buses, in classrooms, in the cafeteria. But in classrooms like that of William Reed at

T

Robert J. Kaiser Middle School, students get to move around as they learn.

Using what is called a flexible seating model, Reed's large classroom resembles a comfy living room or a cozy coffee bar. Seating cushions,

bean bag chairs and big, bouncy yoga balls are all part of the furniture, a new vogue in classrooms, as teachers find that allowing kids to move away from their desks and get active actually triggers better learning.

Movement can help kids with learn-

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ing disorders and assist kids on all levels to focus when doing complex tasks, studies show.

In Reed's case, his 20 to 25 students learn in block scheduling, that is, he teaches both math and science in back-to-back sessions. Block scheduling is the way at most high schools, and it helps for middle schoolers to be exposed to that learning model early on.

But that's a long session of learning for sixth graders, as they study, for example, rules of divisibility, least common multiples and greatest common factors in math, and then in science, tackle safety rules and learning the actual branches of science.

Encouraging the kids to get up moving, and in effect, choosing where in the classroom they want to work or study, is important and effective, Reed said.

“They really need to move around and work at their own pace,” he noted.

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