SARATOGA SPRINGS — Saratoga Springs City School District held a Board of Education meeting on Nov. 9 to discuss upcoming events and hold presentation from the music department, athletics/physical education department, and on the Legacy Project. 

The next COVID-19 vaccination clinics (Pfizer) are scheduled for Saturday, Nov. 13 and Saturday, Dec. 4. All spots are filled for the Nov. 13 clinic, but there is still availability for the Dec. 4 clinic, with spaces reserved for students ages 5-11. Parents and guardians should check their email for a link to register. For more information visit the district’s website at www.saratogaschools.org. 

On Monday, Nov. 15 there will be a BOE Budget Development Workshop from 6 to 7:30 p.m. at the administration building. The workshop is open to the public but will not be streamed. 

As of Nov. 8, a link went live for all BOE policies to be available online. The link is: boardpolicyonline.com/?b=saratoga_springs_city. The site will be updated quarterly. 

Athletics 

Both the Varsity Cross Country and Varsity Girls Swimming/Diving teams have recently finished sectional competition and are headed to states. The Varsity Girls XC team finished in 8th place for their 30th Section 2 title, while two boys from the Varsity Boys XC team are headed to compete in states this weekend – Mason Talarico and Ryan Bush. Two swimmers will also be competing in the states meet – Maddy Wood and Rachel Love. Rachel Love, who is a 3-time sectional champion in the 200m and 500m freestyle, will be signing a letter of intent to swim at Texas A&M.

The SSCSD has the most sport offerings in the Suburban Council and has been able to maintain every sport team and level throughout the pandemic. With 500 contests in the fall season, they are hoping to increase back to 1,000 contests in a regular season this coming winter and spring. Registration for sports was affected by COVID, but as winter sign-ups are underway, the number is trending back. 

Monday, Nov. 15 marks the start of the winter sports season for JV, Freshman, and Varsity teams. Nov. 29 is the start date for Modified. 

Throughout the season, the athletics department will continue to follow recommendations from the Saratoga County Health Department. The district will continue to welcome spectators to winter season contests, and masks will continue to be required for all indoor sports. Unvaccinated “high risk” athletes will be tested during the winter season; “high risk” sports include basketball, wrestling, gymnastics, and cheerleading. As rosters are finalized, students will be asked to provide proof of vaccination to their school nurse to streamline to the testing process. 

To watch the full meeting and presentations visit www.youtube.com/watch?v=8pMEYrB8OBI. For more information about the Board of Education, see the district’s website: www.saratogaschools.org. 

SARATOGA SPRINGS — Saratoga Independent School (SIS) is excited to share more information about their newest program for students in grades 5 through 8 – SIS CARES (Community and Real-world Experiences for Students). 

SIS CARES will provide students with more service-learning opportunities than ever before. Teaching students that taking care of others outside of the school community allows them to see that they have the ability to use “critical thinking, problem solving, and teamwork” to make a difference on a larger scale. The goals of SIS CARES are for students to learn more about the Saratoga community, gain experience working with different organizations, learn about resources that are available to help people in different situations, and to create the skills needed to be an active citizen in their community.

In September, SIS invited representatives from five local service organizations to attend a Community Day. Representatives were from Franklin Community Center, Saratoga Bridges, The Children’s Museum at Saratoga, The Saratoga Senior Center, and SNACpack. Students spent time learning about each organization and chose where they would like to volunteer. 

On Oct. 28, students took their first of three trips to the organization for a Service Day. Projects ranged from organizing food donations, gardening and grounds work, putting together educational kits, interacting with consumers, and more. 

“We were thrilled to have such an energetic and creative group of students from Saratoga Independent School,” said Mary Beth McGarrahan, Development Director at Franklin Community Center. “They assisted our staff with the daily sorting and organizing of incoming donated goods, food, and products. During this task, they learned what items are most urgently needed and that “food pantry” doesn’t just provide food to our community members. I am so grateful to be a part of this program and to be able to offer the experience of volunteering at a community organization. It’s definitely one that these students will remember for years to come.” 

“My reaction to this service project was wow! Look at all this food! It was really surprising how much food was needed to feed these kids that aren’t as fortunate as others are,” said 7th grade student Chloe after her experience volunteering with SNACpack. “I hope that more people will get involved in a cause like this because I think it’s important for people to know and understand that not everyone can open their pantry and be able to grab a snack.”

After each volunteer session, students will have a chance to reflect on their experience in their digital journal, and at the end of the year the students will put together a final project to share their experiences with the rest of the school. The 8th graders will also be required to complete a capstone project to showcase their four years of volunteer experience.

SIS CARES is the newest addition to the wide range of inclusive curriculum for students in grades 5 through 8 at Saratoga Independent School. For more information, please visit www.siskids.org/student-life/community-service.cfm. 

SARATOGA SPRINGS — Dine out to support Saratoga Sponsor-A-Scholar on Wednesday, Nov. 17 at Cantina (408 Broadway) from 12 p.m. to 9 p.m. Schedule a work lunch, meet family and friends for dinner, or have drinks at the bar. Dine in or take out, reservations are recommended. Make sure to mention SSAS to your server and SSAS will receive 33% of your bill. 

About Saratoga Sponsor-A-Scholar 

Saratoga Sponsor-A-Scholar (SSAS) is 501(c) (3) organization that was established to help financially disadvantaged young men and women in the Saratoga Springs School District successfully complete high school and college. 

Each year, 10 high school sophomores are chosen to enter the program. SSAS provides them with needed school supplies, weekly structured study sessions, tutoring in subjects where they fall behind or express a need for assistance, PSAT and SAT training courses, study skills classes, exam fees for Advanced Placement courses and numerous college visits. 

SSAS also provides counselors to assist them will college preparation, in partnership with Skidmore College. They also help them find part-time or summer employment. 

For more information about Saratoga Sponsor-A-Scholar, visit their website at saratogasponsorascholar.org. 

MIDDLE GROVE — Youth2 – Youth Helping Youth – is hosting their 9th Community Care Pop-UP, “Grateful Grains” cereal food drive. Donate a box of cereal to families in need on Saturday, Nov. 20 from 12-2 p.m. at Camp Stomping Ground, 3430 Boyhaven Rd, Middle Grove. 

All donations will be distributed to food pantries in Saratoga Springs, Ballston Spa, Clifton Park and Hadley-Luzerne. At the end of the collection drive, the cereal boxes will be lined up for the “domino effect” finale. 

Youth2’s “Grateful Grains” Pop-UP will help provide families with food over the Thanksgiving break that rely on school meals  for their school-aged children. Get your whole family involved by having your kids pick out their favorite cereal to bring to other kids in need. Youth2 will also be donating boxed milk to accompany the collected cereal.

The event location, Camp Stomping Ground, is located in Middle Grove on 70 acres of wild land. Youth2 appreciates the generosity of Camp Stomping Ground who has given them the COVID-safe-space to host this November Community Care Pop-UP. 

Camp Stomping Ground’s mission is to inspire the next generation of radically empathetic decision makers. Founded in 2015, Stomping Ground is an independent non-profit overnight summer camp. Additional supporters for the Community Care Pop-UP include Stewart’s Shops.

Youth2 is an organization based in Saratoga County made up of both youth and adults working together to improve the lives of people around the world. Youth2 provides financial support and guidance to youth and helps them turn their social action ideas into an impactful reality, both locally and globally. For more information on Youth2’s Pop-UP events, or to volunteer in your community, contact Youth2 at www.youthsquared.org 

BALLSTON SPA — The 4-H Open House, Halloween Extravaganza was held on Sunday, October 31. The Saratoga County 4-H welcomed 1,000 community members to the 4-H Training Center indoor facility. Attendees were invited to experience a showcase of 4-H clubs and 4-H animal projects. Each club handed out candy to the trick or treaters, provided games or crafts, and presented information about their club/ projects to the public. The Saratoga County 4-H organized hay rides for the public to tour the 4-H Training Center. 

The 4-H Clubs/ Programs included Saratoga Shepherds, 4-H 4Us, Bucks & Does, Domestic Rabbit, Saratoga Sharp Shooters, Animal Ambassadors, Dairy Princesses, Saratoga Humzingers, Middleliners, County Wide Robotics, and the Country Kids of Gansevoort. 4-H youth who displayed their animals in the Farm Animal Meet and Greet included Jade Bradley – Duck, Ryleigh Wadsworth – Dairy Calf, Kohlby Himelrick – Goats, Matthias Miller – Rabbit, Saratoga Humzingers – Alpacas, Lauryn Duell – Rabbit, Kiri Kergel – Rabbit. The Saratoga Sharp Shooters provided Hot dogs and Pulled pork to the community while fundraising for their club. 4-H Leaders stated they had many parents interested in signing up their youth for 4-H. This event would not have been possible with out our 4-Her’s, Volunteers, and 4-H Leaders.

The 4-H Open House, Halloween Extravaganza was a great way to intrigue interest in 4-H and increase enrollment after almost 2 years of the ongoing COVID-19 Pandemic. The Saratoga County 4-H continues to offer a variety of educational and fun programming, in hopes this event continues to spark the interest of youth and parents in the upcoming years. 

For more information about 4-H visit www.ccesaratoga.org or call our CCE office at 518-885-8995. 

SARATOGA SPRINGS — FlyBoy “Fly” has been with The Charlton School for eight years. He was one of the first horses that Jessica “Jess” Knapp, LMFT, PATH TRI/ESMHL, Director of Therapeutic Equine Services at The Charlton School (TCS) brought into the program. Today, the Equine Program at TCS has 9 horses in total with an indoor stable and riding center utilized by students and families throughout the year. Before Fly joined their program, the program operated out of its maintenance garage and had a total of three horses. 

Like many of the students at The Charlton School, Fly came to TCS with anxiety related to trauma. Fly has lived on a small farm for most of his life. He resided there with two other horses, four goats, and a donkey. When the couple who owned the farm decided to sell the property and move south, they could not take their animals with them, so they dispersed their unique herd to various new homes. Fly was given to a local ranch but the rocky mountain rides that ranch horses daily work were too much for Fly’s joints, which already showed signs of arthritis. As chance would have it, when Knapp contacted the ranch to see if they had any horses suited to the program, Fly was offered to her. Fly proved to be a perfect fit on campus. 

“He was afraid to connect at first due to the sudden transitions that he had experienced in going from his longtime farm to the ranch and then to The Charlton School, but he has since become a wonderful example of the amazing things that can happen when you’re in a safe enough place to take a risk and trust,” said Knapp. 

For nearly a decade, The Charlton School’s Equine Program continues to be a major part of its students’ individualized treatment plan and experience at TCS. Students participate in this unique program on a weekly basis and learn skills and relationship development with the horse they partner with throughout the entirety of their stay. 

Fly’s caseload celebrated his career at TCS with a luncheon on Friday, Oct. 29. The event was a planned opportunity for his students to share and reflect upon his role in their lives, as well as to process the transitions that he (and they) are about to make.

“Very few horses possess the skills and heart necessary to help others in the way that our horses at The Charlton School do every day,” said Knapp. “Fly is one of the special ones that ended up exactly where he was meant to be.”

Flyboy will remain on campus, his home, for all his days to come.

SARATOGA SPRINGS — Saratoga Springs City School District held a Board of Education meeting on Oct. 28 to discuss recent updates.

Board Committee Updates 

The Town of Wilton has applied for a NYS Department of Transportation grant. The funding from this grant will help improve traffic at Dorothy Nolan Elementary School with an intersection at Jones and Carr Road. The Town of Wilton won’t hear whether this grant is approved until Jan. or Feb. 2022. 

Budget adjustments have been made to spend the carry over money from the COVID-related CARES fund; a bulk of it will be going to general supplies at the school level and departmental level. The district is expecting an NYS OSC (Office of the State Comptroller) audit, as they haven’t had one in six years. 

COVID-19 Updates 

Superintendent of Schools Dr. Michael Patton announced that Saratoga County is leading the state in testing procedures, according to a recent survey done by the NYS Department of Health. Saratoga County schools are the first to implement new quarantine reduction protocols starting last week. Mandatory quarantine has been reduced to 7 days with authorization from the Saratoga County Department of Health with a 5-day test-out option. For more detailed information, visit www.saratogaschools.org/news.cfm?story=107647.

Saratoga County has submitted a proposal to the NYS Department of Health for the “test-to-stay” option, which is being highlighted in the South Glens Falls School District right now. The county is researching the “test-to-stay” option for those who are nonsymptomatic or have been in close contact. The “test-to-stay” test is a rapid test. 

The “test-to-stay” option is not a BOE decision or vote. Once the county approves it, the option will be in place. NYS has already authorized this to move forward and is not sanctioning it; the “test-to-stay” option is a local level decision made by county departments of health. 

On Wednesday, Oct. 27, NYS announced that fully vaccinated students and staff can return to school after receiving a negative rapid test result, in place of a PCR test. Essentially, a student can receive a rapid test in the nurse’s office, and upon testing negative, can head back to class. 

There have been 90 total cases of COVID-19 in the SSCSD since the beginning of the school year. There has been an increase of 17 cases in just the last week. As a result of those 17 cases there are now 90 in quarantine. 

Pathways Vision K-5 Program Report

In the Pathways Vision K-5 Program Report the recent concerns about materials in the curriculum was briefly addressed. 

“We know some people inquired about the books being used and we wanted to provide as much transparency as possible,” stated one of the elementary principals. “Our company has been clear with us in sharing that they in no way teach racial supremacy or racial hate, nor have we seen that in any of the material we are using.” 

To watch the full Pathways Vision K-5 Program Report, visit www.youtube.com/watch?v=dwLYyIYOIel 

For more information about the SSCSD BOE, visit the district’s website at www.saratogaschools.org 

ALBANY — Middle and high school students will receive a firsthand look at exciting careers in the technology sector when volunteers from CanCode Communities and Microsoft visit eight classrooms across the Capital Region during October. 

Held in conjunction with the Microsoft Employee Giving Program, the first-ever event will pair Microsoft volunteers with members of CanCode Communities. Microsoft volunteers will discuss their personal career journeys, sharing how they became interested in the tech field and the steps they’ve taken along the way. They will also highlight desirable tech careers to help open students’ minds to the possibilities of working in the high-tech sector. 

Meanwhile, members of CanCode Communities will discuss the organization’s innovative approach to training non-traditional talent – from coding and software courses to hands-on K-12 programs and community digital literacy workshops – to pursue growing opportunities in the technology field. 

“We’re thrilled to work closely with Microsoft to help students discover the exciting world of technology careers,” said CanCode Communities Founder and CEO Annmarie Lanesey. “We hope to inspire students to envision their own bright futures, and ensure they know that if they have the interest and passion, great opportunities await them in the tech field.” 

CanCode Communities and Microsoft initially began working together over the summer through the launch of Microsoft’s Accelerate: New York program, which provides a pathway from skilling to employment for community members in the tri-state area to bridge the digital skills divide and route people to diverse and equitable hiring and reemployment opportunities.

Each year Microsoft dedicates the Month of October to helping charities through its annual Giving Campaign. Microsoft matches times that its employees volunteer in the community, donating an annually designated amount per hour to the eligible organizations they serve. Through this effort, they are helping nonprofit organizations – in this case, CanCode Communities – to educate students about essential technology and skills. 

For more information, visit www.cancode.org. 

SARATOGA SPRINGS — Cub Scout Pack 4016’s Kindergarten Lions Den held their “Box Car Derby” on Sunday, Oct. 24 at High Rock Park. The boys designed their own cars and feet-powered them around the parent-developed grass oval track. During the race there were pit stops for tire air, fuel, windshield washing, driver refreshments, and a game of Red Light, Green Light. An unexpected visitor was Saratoga Springs Mounted Patrol’s King Tut.

From exploring nature year-round to racing Scout-built cars at the January Pinewood Derby to summer outdoor activities, elementary grade Cub Scouts have year-round fun with friends while learning a wide range of skills. For more information about Pack 4016, contact Unit Commissioner John Koch (saratogascouter@kochny.com, 518-644-4438) or visit www.beascout.org to see all of the local units. Youth can join Scouts at any time of the year. Adventure Awaits – start your Scouting journey!

SARATOGA SPRINGS —Saratoga Springs City School District held a Board of Education workshop on Oct. 26 to discuss the ongoing Diversity, Equity, & Inclusion (DEI) efforts in the district. 

District-Wide DEI Committee 

The District-Wide DEI Committee meets once a month for one hour. All meetings are open for the public to watch via WebEx. 

The Committee is divided into subcommittees to focus on the following: curriculum and instruction, culture and climate, communications, hiring and retention practices, policy, and a steering committee. 

There are four open community spots on the committee. If you are interested in applying for a spot, please visit the District’s website at www.saratogaschools.org to fill out the SSCSD Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Committee Interest Form by Friday, Oct. 29. 

Examples of SSCSD Past and Present DEI Work

The Board of Education was presented with examples of past and present work done by the committee aligning with the DEI framework. This includes, but is not limited to, the following: the school website and school messenger has a language translation feature for multiple languages; PSAT costs are offset by the district for all students, with 800 sophomores and juniors taking advantage of that this past year; AP classes are open enrollment, meaning no prerequisites; the district has Best Buddies and Unified Sports programs; the teacher-run Community SnackPack Program provides meals to students and their families in need over the weekend; review of hiring and retention practices; and curriculum renewal with an equity lens, meaning textbooks and materials are reflective of the student population. 

Demographics 

Leading into BEDS Day demographics, in which enrolled students and staff self-identified themselves into cohorts, from 2012 to 2021 there was a significant increase in multiracial students. There was also a 2% increase in economically disadvantaged students. 

From 2018 to 2021, there was increase in graduation rate of all students, regardless of self-identified cohort, from 91.1% to 93.8%. There was also an increase from 57% to 64.9% of students who graduated with an Advanced Regents Diploma. 

Looking at the demographics, the committee should be able to determine trends and track what programs, intervention, support, and other DEI efforts are successful. 

Generation Ready Partnership

The SSCSD had partnered with Anna Muñoz from Generation Ready to guide their work and align them with the NYSED (or NYS Board of Regents) DEI and CR-S Framework that came out in the spring. It is recommended that schools in our state adopt the NYSED framework, but it is not required. 

Some elements the district has taken from the NYS Board of Regents framework is: governance, the 1st step, to establish a DEI Committee; teaching and learning; family and community engagement; workforce diversity; diverse schools and learning opportunities; and student supports, discipline, and wellness. To view the complete framework, visit www.regents.nysed.gov/common/regents/files/421brd1.pdf. 

In the workshop, Muñoz led the board members through an activity about the power of labels and how perspective influences how we interpret and respond to situations, and the implications that has as an educator. 

What’s Next? 

During the 2021-2022 school year, the DEI Committee will continue to work on aligning the district with NYSED/NYS Board of Regents DEI and CR-S Framework. 

Superintendent of Schools, Dr. Michael Patton said they are willing to have an open forum with community members to address their concerns about the DEI policies, but that it will most likely be scheduled for the spring of 2022. 

It was also brought up that several 2nd grade teachers have concerns with two unnamed books in the current curriculum. Administrators are aware and working to address the concerns. If a teacher has any DEI concerns regarding their curriculum or teaching materials, they should address it with their respective principal.