NLCS District Consolidates Bus Routes

by Phillip Zema
At the New Lebanon School Board meeting on September 1, Transportation Supervisor Mary Mabb announced that the number of District bus routes has been reduced from 19 to 15. She added that while some of the routes might become slightly longer, the time difference would not be substantial. And since Mabb is also the Transportation Supervisor for Schodack Central School, she is developing a system where New Lebanon and Schodack can select substitute bus drivers from the same pool. By doing so, both Districts would have more driver options and substitutes would receive more opportunities to work.
NLCS Is Preparing Its Students For Future Economy
The New Lebanon School District is enthusiastic about preparing its students for the 21st century global economy. Several faculty members talked about the need to integrate 21st century skill-sets into the classroom. In a PowerPoint® presentation, Principal Leslie Whitcomb highlighted the radical changes taking place in the workforce. With advances in technology and entrepreneurship, the job market is changing; the top 10 fastest growing jobs in 2010 did not even exist in 2004. The demand for students with degrees, especially Associates Degrees in technology and science, is growing rapidly. She emphasized that even with Associate Degrees students in these fields are earning lucrative salaries.
Whitcomb said that students need to enhance their skill-sets in order to meet the demands of the new job arena. Not only must students be well grounded in the basics (reading, writing and arithmetic), but they must also demonstrate the “four Cs” – creativity, corroboration, critical thinking and communication. That is, students must be diligent, have a great work ethic, be able to work in teams and be able to adapt to a rapidly changing work environment. Advances in science and technology require students to be adaptable to different job markets. She added that having a 21st century skill-set will help them thrive in the workforce. The District, accordingly, must take further measures to integrate such skills into the curriculum.
Also, Technology Teacher Rick Jason gave a presentation regarding the growing field of nanotechnology. This hundred billion dollar industry is only growing, as nanotechnology is used extensively in computers, technology and other practical industries such as blemish-free paint and scratch-free eyewear. Area schools are implementing this science into their curriculum, and Jason was optimistic that New Lebanon could have its own nanotechnology course by next year. The course will either last 20 or 40 weeks.
Update On The Union Free School
Debbie Gordon, of the Lebanon Valley Historical Society (LVHS), discussed the latest developments regarding the Union Free School. She informed the Board that while the Union Free School Committee (UFSC) – a subcommittee of the LVHS – did not receive the Lowe’s grant, it was still in the running for the Environmental Protection Fund Grant. The Committee will likely hear in January or February whether it is awarded the grant. The committee is striving after several other lucrative grants and is establishing a fund raising campaign.
Gordon also said the building would likely function as a community center. Ideally, the building would provide a myriad of community services. For example, it could be used to mentor students, house after-school activities and host large community gatherings. It could even serve as a home for the historical society and its collection.
A recent State inspection revealed that there is little asbestos remaining in the old school building. The building’s furnace and windows (with asbestos glazing) contain the only remnants of the substance. The District was already aware that the furnace contained asbestos, so the window glazing was the only new discovery. If the District decides to demolish the building, asbestos abatement must take place first. It was discussed that abatement and demolition would cost an estimated $35-36k, and this figure could go higher.
There was concern over how long it would take to stabilize and/or renovate the building. There was also discussion about whether the Board ought to lay aside room in the budget to cover demolition costs. It was suggested that more information was necessary before any crucial decision was made.
Superintendent Karen McGraw said that the issue should be on the BOE’s agenda for the September 15 meeting. She said that at that time, the BOE will discuss whether it wants to further support the UFSC’s goal of restoring the school building by co-signing grant applications, etc.
Soccer Schedules Set For Fall Sports
Athletic Director Matt Klafehn provided an update on the upcoming sports season. He announced that the girls varsity soccer team will open its season with a scrimmage at Chatham on September 7 and the boys will have their home opener on the 8th against Greenwich. In coordination with New Lebanon’s opponents, he was able to schedule a number of nighttime home games. Some schools, however, due to time constraints, could only play their away games at 4 pm. Also, Klafehn announced that the NL tournament will be held on October 14-16, and the boys varsity basketball team will participate in the Coaches vs. Cancer tournament in Glens Falls.