New Principal For Elementary School

by Phillip Zema
At its regular meeting on August 4 the New Lebanon Central School Board and Administration welcomed Rebecca Marzeski to the District. Beginning on August 9, she will become the Principal of Walter B. Howard Elementary School.
Little Impact From State Budget
Although four months late, the New York State budget finally passed. While it is uncertain how much the budget will affect New York State’s schools, the New Lebanon administration was confident that it would have little impact on the 2010-2011 school budget. Accordingly, the 1.48% District tax levy, which was approved by voters in May, will not change. Superintendent Karen McGraw and Business Administrator Carrie Nyc-Chevrier, however, added that the 1.48% levy is only a District average – depending on the town, the tax levy may be more or less. The amount of taxes someone pays depends upon several factors, including how high the town assesses one’s property value. For the coming school year tax levies in New Lebanon and in the part of Stephentown in the NLCS District will be slightly higher than the other towns within the District.
Shared Transportation
Like many schools throughout the area, New Lebanon is looking for ways to cut costs. At a recent meeting among area school officials, it was noted that the District could save on transportation costs, especially when it comes to busing students who attend other schools. In principle, New Lebanon could share transportation duties with neighboring districts, for example, by using only one bus to transport students to the same private school. McGraw noted that the District could share such duties with East Greenbush Central. It was added that sharing such services in the future is a viable possibility, and the resulting savings could be implemented in the 2011-2012 budget.
Taking The Initiative
High School Principal Leslie Whitcomb and Assistant Principal Matthew Klafehn provided the BOE with a discipline report of the high school. They noted that the number of incidents of out-of-school suspension had dropped while the amount of in-school suspensions (ISS) increased. So the number of serious offenses has declined. The ISS room has been used to good effect; it takes disruptive students out of the classroom, but it gives them the opportunity to complete their work.
Whitcomb and Klafehn added that the small school provides a number of advantages. One is that it allows the administration and faculty to be aware of everything going on in the school. The school’s size enables them to be more attentive to each student’s needs. Klafehn also stated that the faculty’s character serves as a role model for the students. It was also claimed that by allowing students to use the gym and athletic fields during lunch, they have the opportunity to burn excess energy and gain an incentive to avoid lunch detention.
Whitcomb stated that there is a direct correlation between poor academic results and misbehavior. He said that studies have shown that students who struggle in the classroom are more likely to cause trouble. Whitcomb added that the administration and faculty can take the initiative by targeting such students and helping them achieve academic success.