School Board: Minew, Heidcamp and Hyatt win seats
School Board of Trustee unofficial results in the May 21 vote were as follows: Angie Minew 985 votes, Geroge Heidcamp 797 votes, Florence Hyatt 571 votes, Michael MacIsaac 504 votes, Robert Davies 204 votes, and Vincent McLaughlin 15 votes. Minew and Heidcamp were on the ballot while the remaining candidates were write-ins. School Board trustee...
Saugerties school budget passes
Voters approved a $55.9 million budget carrying a 1.9 percent tax increase by 1259-827. Votes for three open trustee spots are still be counted. On the ballot were George Heidcamp and newcomer Angie Minew, while at least four candidates were asking for write-in votes.
What happens if voters nix school budget
At the May 14th board of education meeting, Superintendent Seth Turner said that a contingency budget is “not something which has been discussed at great length at the board of ed. level.” With a glint in his eye, Turner attributed this to “the power of positive thinking,” and added, “We know that the community is going...
School budget & trustee vote today
This year’s school budget and trustee vote will be held Tuesday, May 21 from 6 a.m. until 9 p.m. in the district’s four elementary schools. All registered Saugerties voters are eligible to vote. On the ballot: a $55.9 million budget carrying a 1.9 percent tax increase and two candidates for three open seats on the...
St. Mary of the Snow families face choices
After months of meetings and planning with parents, teachers and pastors, the Archdiocese of New York called off a plan to merge Kingston Catholic and St. Joseph School in Kingston while St. Mary of the Snow School in Saugerties will close in June as planned. The plan, announced late in April, calls for Kingston Catholic...
Student leadership conference
Eleventh grade students Jaclyn Greco and Hunter Igoe recently attended the Students Inside Albany Leadership Conference organized by the League of Women Voters of New York State Education Foundation. The 13th annual event took place at the Albany Hotel from April 14–17. Fifty-five students from across the state were brought together to get a firsthand...
No contest for School Board
Woody Allen said 80 percent of success is showing up. For this year’s School Board election, it was everything. Just two candidates filed petitions for three open seats in the May 21 trustee election, so by default Angie Minew and sitting board President George Heidcamp will be elected to three-year terms. The third open seat...
Test of wills
Parents of third through eighth grade students in Saugerties have been warned by state education officials that the new, tougher standardized testing their kids began undergoing this week is going to result in low test scores and that parents should expect poor results from their children. “What kind of message is that sending to our...
High school play takes on 21st century politics
Even the election of a class president is not immune from the influence of Super PACs and media pundits in the fast-paced political satire The Election, presented by the Saugerties High School senior class. Performances will be held at the high school Friday, April 19 at 7 p.m. and Saturday, April 20 at 2 and...
Superintendent addresses high-stakes testing
Saugerties school district Superintendent Seth Turner took the April 9 meeting as an opportunity to address “a flurry of discussion on Facebook” about testing prompted by a Saugerties Times article about opposition to high-stakes standardized testing. Turner differed with some teachers in the article who said the district has been less forceful in advocating for...
Saugerties teachers get 3% raise over 3 years
The contract negotiations that have been underway since the previous teacher’s contract expired in 2010 have come to a close. The Board of Education and the Saugerties Teacher’s Association voted to ratify a new contract on Tuesday, April 9, following on the heels of an agreement reached late the previous month. According to a report...
Standardized test rebellion
After a decade of high-stakes standardized testing, a revolt is brewing. Many local parents and — more quietly — teachers don’t like the effect that constant test prep has had on our local schools. Such tests measure a narrow band of intelligence, and schools should diversify the curriculum to allow for more creativity and hands-on...