SUNY Cobleskill Unveils Budget and Enrollment Projections

By Tyler James

SUNY Cobleskill President Marion Terenzio unveiled a look at SUNY Cobleskill’s budget and enrollment figures and projections. The new President plans a number of reforms to increase student retention and improve student services. Dr. Terenzio sent her thoughts in a letter to campus faculty and staff.

The efforts are part of the efforts to make SUNY Cobleskill a Destination College. In the letter, President Terenzio states that the college is part way on its path to this goal.

Cobleskill’s budget was described as “shrinking” and affecting parts of the college’s functions. Overall, the college’s enrollment has fallen 9% since 2014. Of all college revenue, 21% comes from state support. This percentage is projected to decline. Tuition represents 47% of all revenues, which is expected to increase as the college implements its strategies.

The college has been able to increase its returning students in the next year with slight declines in transfers and freshman students as seen below.

As a result of these cumulative factors the 2016-2017 is $1 million lower than the previous year. Tuition received in the 2015-2016 was a half million under projections. Tuition rates for students did not increase this year. Original projections factored in such an increase.

Terenzio lauded an effort by faculty and staff to quantify student concerns and aid in convincing students to return. Offices on campus cooperated on this endeavor. This reduced red tape and paperwork for students before they began classes in August.

The president ran down issues that affected decision making and budgeting. This included the fact that 80% of all funds go to personnel costs and 10% for utilities. Only about $2.5 million of the budget can be actively changed.

Dr. Terenzio outlined a series of proposals to aid the school’s budget. These included working with other organizations to share costs and expanding credentialing. The school also seeks to develop summer programs, including cooperation with local groups and camps. Cobleskill also looks to expand and refine its marketing efforts. The President requested an expansion of programs for students, including online coursework.

MCS to Host Elementary Festival May 19

The Middleburgh Central School district will be hosting its annual Elementary Festival of the Arts and Education on Tuesday, May 19th starting at 5:00 p.m. 

Located this year in the Junior/Senior High School, the event will include a science fair in the gymnasium and a series of band and choir concerts in the auditorium.

Elementary art projects will be on display throughout the hallways. The school website explains that "it will be a wonderful opportunity to see the talent of our young scholars."

The schedule of evening events are as follows:

Science Fair - 5:00-7:00 p.m.

Band & Choir Concerts - 7:00 p.m.

Order of Performances - 4th Grade Band, 3rd/4th Grade Choir, 5th/6th Grade Band, 5th/6th Grade Choir.

Senate to Consider Companion Measure to Gibson Testing Bill

Washington, DC – The Senate will consider a companion to a bill authored by Congressman Chris Gibson (NY-19) that would empower state and local school systems by reducing the frequency of federally-mandated assessments.

The Senate bill was introduced this week by Senator Jon Tester (D-MT), a former teacher.

“Families and educators across the nation agree the federal government’s testing regime is onerous and unfair, shifting classroom focus away from teaching and learning to testing,” said Congressman Gibson. “As thousands of New York parents opt to have their children sit out of these assessments, and as the Senate prepares to vote on updating our main federal education law, I am extremely grateful to Senator Tester for taking action. Our bill in the House continues to gain bipartisan support, and I am hopeful our efforts will finally put an end to the one-size-fits-all approach to testing.”

Congressman Gibson, whose military career included several years of teaching at West Point, re-introduced the Student Testing Improvement & Accountability Act in January with Congresswoman Kyrsten Sinema (AZ-9).

“The way to ensure good jobs and a strong economy is through an education system designed to teach students the skills they need to fill the jobs of the future,” said Congresswoman Sinema. “Teachers should focus on the content their students need to master—not simply material for an upcoming standardized test. This common-sense legislation puts the focus back on learning and ensures students are ready to step right into the jobs we’re working hard to create.”

The House legislation currently has 32 bipartisan co-sponsors representing 19 states, including New York Congressmen John Katko (NY-24), Tom Reed (NY-23), Lee Zeldin (NY-1), and Chris Collins (NY-27) and Congressman Fred Upton (MI-6), chairman of the House Energy and Commerce Committee.

“As a co-sponsor of the Student Testing Improvement & Accountability Act, I want to thank Senator Tester for offering a companion bill in the Senate,” said Congressman Zeldin. “This legislation will roll back federally mandated testing in our Long Island schools. I believe in higher standards, but we need to stop the over testing in our schools. Challenging our students is important, but they aren't guinea pigs. This is an important next step to shift the focus in our classrooms from testing to teaching and ensuring our children never lose their love of learning. I strongly urge Congress to pass this bill.”

The Student Testing Improvement & Accountability Act replaces current annual testing requirements for math and language arts with the exact same grade-span testing requirements in current law for science classes.

This returns federal testing requirements to the once-per-grade-span standards in place before No Child Left Behind, when math and reading assessments were conducted once in grades 3-5, once in grades 6-9, and once in grades 10-12.

The National Education Association (NEA), which represents three million educators across the country, announced its support for Congressman Gibson’s bill and the companion legislation introduced by Senator Tester this week as the Senate prepares to reauthorize the Elementary and Secondary Education Act.

Independent School Seeks New Direction in Education

Inspired by the passion of two longtime teachers, a new type of school that emphasizes teachable moments outside of the classroom as well as teaching instructions on the blackboard is coming to Schoharie County.

Founded by Theresa Heary-Selah and Tracy Manning, the Country Classroom - set to begin classes in mid-September with a focus on young learners - is now accepting students into its independent program, which includes a homeschooling component. 

Explaining that the school is "being started by a group of educators and parents interested in making an awesome experience for our kids," Ms. Manning traced the Country Classroom's origins to the teaching backgrounds of both herself and Ms. Heary-Selah. 

A Masters in Education graduate at Antioch University New England, Manning gained invaluable experience over the past seventeen years of teaching, but perhaps none more than when she worked at The Farm School, where she was employed as a farmer educator.  

Tasked with educating children on basic, everyday skills outside of the four room classroom that modern schooling has evolved into, Ms. Manning is bringing that mindset, in addition to her co-educator's sixteen years of middle school experience, into their new endeavor. 

An endeavor that currently has three local children enrolled, with five more in the application process to attend the independent school, which places emphasis on children experiencing teachable and real world moments beyond just the classroom cornerstones.

The school is currently accepting students ages 4-8 as part of its pioneer class.

Enrollment is presently set at $5,000 annually for full-time students and $3,000 per year for students that are signed up for classes half-time. Eventually, as it becomes more economically feasible, a sliding income scale will be implemented to determine the cost of schooling.

Commenting that, "We're all in this because we believe in this, not because we're being paid," Ms. Manning was stirred by a conviction that education and life are connected and intertwined, and should be encouraged as such.

Located on Huntersland Road in the Town of Middleburgh, the Country Classroom is beginning small in a rented space within a farmhouse. Hopeful of growth to come, Manning believes the school will be epitomized by, "Kids that love going to school."

For more information please visit the school's website here.

Lopez Calls for Common Core Opt-Out

Assemblyman Peter Lopez (R,C,I – Schoharie) joined fellow assemblymembers, senators, and educators for a press conference at the state Capitol recently to announce legislation that would ensure parents are aware of their ability to decide whether their children will partake in Common Core standardized testing.

"We are fortunate to have such a passionate group of people who care about their children and their futures. It is our duty and obligation as people and a legislature to engage in this bill. Parents need to know they don’t need to force more undue stress on their children,” said Assemblyman Pete Lopez, who is a member of the Committee on Education.  

            The Common Core Parental Refusal Act (A6025) is currently being considered in the Committee on Education, and has bipartisan support in the Assembly and the Senate. The bill would require schools to notify parents of students in New York of their ability to opt out of taking Common Core standardized tests. Students opting out of these exams would not negatively impact the students, teacher or schools.

“We want teachers and parents to do what they were meant to do, which is inspire young people to reach their full potential. They cannot do that if they are forced to teach to a one-size-fits-all test or send their children into unnecessary, stressful situations,” concluded Assemblyman Pete Lopez.

New Cuomo Ad: No Common Core Scores for Five Years

In what appears to be an about face from the fast-tracked implementation of Common Core in New York, Governor Cuomo has released a commercial saying that no Common Core scores will be at least for five years. After that, it will only be used if it 'works.'

The governor also criticizes overtesting of students.

Lopez, Gibson to Attend Education Forum in Oneonta

This Saturday at 2pm at the Oneonta High School a presentation rebutting recent education reforms will be taking place. In attendance will be Assembly members Peter Lopez, Bill Magee, and Cliff Crouch and Congressman Chris Gibson. There will be a presentation from Carol Burris, a long time educator and two others. They will discuss the effort to "provide a voice to concerned parents and teachers about  implementation of the Common Core, APPR, high-stakes testing, data privacy, and the Regent Reform Agenda."

The event is being sponsored in part by the NYS Union of Teachers and the local Oneonta Teachers' Association. The event is free to attend.

Assemblyman Lopez to Host Two "Open Forums for Education" This Week

Assemblyman Peter Lopez's (R-Schoharie) office announced last week that he will be hosting two separate "Open Forums for Education" that will allow members of the community, parents, teachers and school administrators to address education-related concerns to the assemblyman directly.

 

The first will be held on Wednesday, December 11th, 7pm at Grand Gorge's ONC BOCES located in the Northern Catskill's Occupational Center and the other is scheduled for Thursday, December 12th at the same time inside of Cobleskill-Richmondville's high school auditorium. (Senator Seward will be attending both forums, although he will be joining the Cobleskill-Richmondville event in progress due to a prior commitment.)

 

Neither forum will focus exclusively on the controversial Common Core program, but will provide the community with an opportunity to discuss testing procedures, teacher evaluations, Race to the Top, and other education associated topics.

 

Saying that local schools continue to operate on "shifting sands - from state budget challenges, to the property-tax cap, to Regents and the impacts of Race to the Top," Assemblyman Lopez is "very distressed by the impact these rapid-fire changes will have and are having on our schools." Which is the reason why he is hosting the two upcoming forums.

 

 

 

 

 

Education Forum Tuesday at Schoharie Central

All are invited for an Education Forum at Schoharie Central School on Tuesday, November 19th at 4pm to discuss issues revolving around the field of education. Assemblyman Peter Lopez and Senator James Seward have assisted in setting up the event meant to bring in more perspective on modern teaching.

There is no formal format but much of the conversation will likely revolve around two upcoming bills in the State legislature regarding Truth in Testing and Common Core. There will be an opportunity for educators to speak about the issues and ask questions. These concerns in particular have grown since New York State became involved in Common Core.