Congratulations to BH-BL Drama Clubs!

Well, our BH-BL Drama Clubs artfully dodged the snowstorm and hit back to back home runs over the past 10 days!  The buzz over the exciting and highly entertaining performance of Shrek Jr. at the Middle School last weekend had not yet subsided when our varsity troupe took to the stage on Friday night. The high school musical, Legally Blonde,  was amazing. The cast and crew created a masterpiece of song, dance, comedy, acting, set design, music, sound, and lighting that just leaped off the stage and left us smiling all weekend long. 

At the risk of leaving any of the incredible student performers out, I won't name names- but if you saw the show I am sure you will agree that Director Eric Shovah and his team did an awesome job casting. We have such a deep talent pool and it seemed like each student actor developed and performed their role perfectly. I have watched these young men and women acting for five years now and yet it took me half way through some of the initial scenes before I realized who they were- they were so believable in these roles! 

The crew was amazing as well.The sets they designed were so clever and fantastic (as always). I don't remember a play that changed scenes so seamlessly. You hardly noticed that one scene was over as the next one began...  The sorority house, the Harvard classroom, the courtroom... even the bathroom seemed to appear instantly while the audience was still laughing and applauding at what had just previously occurred. The sound and lighting complimented the show perfectly. The costumes were spectacular. Oh, and thanks for the little "Easter eggs" hidden on stage. :) 

Thank you Director Shovah. Thanks also to Eric's wife Heather D'Arcy for her work as Choreographer. Thanks to Ben O'Shea and the pit orchestra, Rob Soricelli (Vocals) and Dottie Savatore (Producer/Playbill). Thanks also to Mialisa Lindholm, Marcia Szablewski, and Laura Weaver for their part in the success of the production. Thanks and congratulations to Ann Derrick (Drama Club Co-Advisor & Chief Shoulder to Cry On), Danielle Manning (The Costumer!), and, of course, Chris Lombardi (the One and Only). 

If you saw Shrek Jr. last weekend you can understand the incredible foundation that our kids have in theater. Special thanks to Suzanne and John Rayome and Amy Clark and the entire O'Rourke production staff as well! 

Thank you to all of the students involved in the cast and crew of both shows. Thank you for sharing your talent and giving us something to laugh at and learn from.  

After experiencing great productions like these, I walk away feeling like I had a chance to experience something both significant and fleeting. It is an odd juxtaposition.  Our students and staff come together for an intense period of time to bring forth a powerful and memorable product. It shines brightly for a time... and then wisps away.  But its impermanent nature makes it all the more special. 

At both O'Rourke last week and at the high school this past weekend, something very lasting was created... for just a moment in time. If you were there to experience it, you know what I mean! 

--

Patrick M. McGrath Jr., Ph.D.         Superintendent of Schools Burnt Hills-Ballston Lake Central Schools 399-9141, ext. 85002

Some Thoughts on the Season and the Winter Solstice...

A Holiday Message to BHBL Staff-

My father-in-law Fred- who lives with us- got up this morning and looked out the kitchen window into the grey December dawn. “Wow,” he said- “it’s already starting to get lighter a little earlier!” Now, it is only the first day past the winter solstice...but I guess Fred is a glass-half-full guy and I like that! I was still chuckling at the comment as I drove into work.

These are the darkest, shortest, days of the year… it is easy to get down when you look around, when you listen to the news… stories about violence, drugs, corruption, terrorism, depression... It’s easy to succumb to the bleakness of these short, dark days. 

As I pulled into Stevens parking lot, I saw the flag at half-mast. We were asked to lower it in honor of Sgt. Joseph Lemm, a resident of West Harrison, NY, who was killed in Afghanistan on Monday. A hero serving his country and dying far from home. Again, my thoughts turned toward toward the short, dark days of December.

Then I heard the sound of children gathered in the Stevens gym. They were joyful and excited, bubbling over with happiness. They began to sing carols and fun songs… songs about Christmas trees, Hanukkah candles, silver bells and golden rings. As I watched them sing- (and I mean sing! ...singing out with all their little hearts as if there was nothing in the whole world that mattered except this Holiday sing-a-long and all of the excitement it represented)- as I watched them sing, the purpose of the season once again became so clear to me. At a time when the days seem (literally) the darkest, we celebrate a season of light in the world. Hanukkah, Christmas, the New Year- all represent an understanding that light shines in a dark world. My days as a science teacher remind me that light takes away darkness. Darkness cannot take away light- In fact, darkness is nothing (literally) except the absence of light.

Light comes into our lives in multiple ways. For many of us, our faith is a source of connecting with goodness and light. Though different faiths may celebrate this season in different ways, our focus is similar- we recognize that light shines in a dark world and that light dispels darkness.

Light also comes to us through family and through friendships. As we gather for get-togethers, dinners, and parties, we celebrate the light that those closest to us bring into our worlds.

Light comes into our lives as we work to help others, as well. There is no better place to see that in action than in the classrooms and hallways of BH-BL. As Maryellen, Chris, and I walked through the district today it was so apparent that you are bringing light into the world as you work with our kids. The Stevens sing-a-long was duplicated with every bit as much enthusiasm in Pashley and Charlton Heights. In the middle and high school, kids were singing carols (in multiple languages) in the hallway, working on art projects, celebrating with friends in the lunchroom or in a class party, reading great books as a class, raising money for good causes, and even taking math tests!

Everywhere we went there were smiles on faces, a kind “hello”, doors held open, a sense of safety and contentment, and an atmosphere of respect. I could list 100 examples of ways that you are helping to bring light to the world as you work with our students. 

So, it is true... The days ARE indeed getting lighter and longer!

If you need a reminder, take a few minutes over break to watch the video that we showed at Opening Day entitled: The Burnt Hills Way. It is now posted on YouTube.

Have a great Holiday Season! Merry Christmas. Happy Hanukkah, Happy New Year. Enjoy the blessings of family and friends. For a little while, try not to think about all of the incredibly important work you do for our students each day. Rest and relax. Everything will be there for us when we return on January 4! Happy Holidays and all the best for you and your families in 2016!

What an Incredible Fall!

Thanksgiving is upon us. It is the end of Autumn. The Winter winds have already begun to blow. As we pause to celebrate with family and friends, it is fitting that we give thanks for the many, many blessings we have as members of this community.  I am particularly thankful today for the work of our middle school. Led by Melissa Capobianco and Lindsay Armbruster, our students participated in the 20th Anniversary of Community Service Day.  Every 8th-grade student, along with their teachers and many parents, went out into the community to serve and to learn.

In this era of debates over academic standards, testing, and evaluation, we want our parents and our community to know that a BHBL education involves far more than state standards and standardized testing. A BHBL education is a comprehensive education. In addition to rigorous academics, we provide opportunities for our students to excel in the areas that they are passionate about.  Their success comes through the devotion of parents and the years of hard work of teachers and coaches across the district.  Their excellence represents success for all of us!

There has been no shortage of excellence this Fall.  Earlier this month, our K-12 Drama Clubs joined together to perform Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dream Coat. The production was extraordinary. The sets, the costumes, the singing and the dancing rival any show you could see in the area. Our choral and instrumental ensembles helped us to celebrate our Centennial and to honor our Veterans. Our athletes compiled an astonishing collection of sectional, regional, and even state titles! It has been a full and complete Fall in BHBL!

Please take ten minutes to watch this video compilation of some examples of the excellence that was Fall 2015 at BHBL...

Happy Thanksgiving!

>

Graduation 2015

Here is the text of my speech from graduation- a few people asked me to pass it along...

It is almost time to make this all official- Mr. Brunson has presented you to me as candidates for graduation.  In a few minutes, I will recommend to the President of the Board of Education that you be certified as graduates of the Burnt Hills-Ballston Lake Central School District. You will receive your diplomas, take pictures with your families, and leave BH-BL to go out into the world.

I want to send you on your way with two ideas… one is an idea about where you came from… and the other is an idea about where you are going.

On the front of your program, you will notice that you are the 96th graduating class of BHBL. That is because the very first graduating seniors, both of them, graduated in 1920... from a school that was created in 1915. Yes, BHBL is on the eve of celebrating its 100th anniversary as a school district.

100 years ago, in the summer of 1915, the school boards of three small one-room school houses met and discussed the possibility of combining under a law that had recently been passed by the NYS legislature. It was a matter of considerable debate. They knew it meant investing their money and the money of their neighbors and fellow townspeople to form a new school district. They knew it meant a long term commitment to future generations… a commitment to thousands and thousands of students yet to come… a commitment-  even to you. On September 22, 1915, BHBL became the very first Consolidated School district in New York State.

They built a new school building- down where Stevens school is now, and the district began to grow. Despite a devastating fire in 1930, we rebuilt what is now the current Stevens School. The district exploded in growth after WWII. Pashley was built in 1951, the Senior High, opened in 1955,  Charlton Heights and Glenhaven (where the district offices are now) opened in 1958, and O’Rourke opened in 1961… additions and upgrades continue to this day…  But the Burnt Hills-Ballston Lake School District is not brick and mortar buildings… it is much more an idea... The original school board members and parents had a vision for a better education for their children right here, not off on a train to Schenectady or Saratoga...but a complete K-12 education for every local student... right here in their own community.

The school grew based on this idea- the idea that a community, working together, can create a great school for its young people. The idea that school can provide a solid academic foundation, stress scholarship and demand excellence. The idea that the traditional subjects should be complemented by exposure to a wide variety of electives. The idea that the fine arts should be cherished and valued. The idea that young men and women should be treated with respect by their elders and that same respect should given in return. The idea that it is the right thing to teach someone to give a firm handshake, to look someone in the eye, to give a “yes” that means “yes” and a “no” that means “no”. The idea that it is right and good to honor our flag, our veterans, and our country…. The idea that pride in your community is a great thing, that the Spartan maroon and white should be worn proudly. The idea that giving back to your community, that serving others is the right thing to do.  The idea that athletes conduct themselves with class and sportsmanship no matter what. The idea that scholarship and athletics go hand in hand. The idea that differences among us should never be ridiculed… should always be celebrated. This is the idea of hope, optimism, and opportunity that is BHBL… this is the idea you come from….

And now it is almost time to go… I think I speak for your parents, your teachers, your principal, and our whole community, when I say that it is not without some anxiousness that we let you go out from the safe walls of Burnt Hills-Ballston Lake. It is easy to be concerned. The world that you are heading out into can be a difficult place. Every day we hear stories in the news about the hardships of our times. Whether it is the national economy, the global marketplace, racial strife, social unrest, terrorism, international conflict, privacy concerns and unspeakable crimes… it goes on and on. You hear people bickering and arguing- blaming one another and complaining, on both sides of the political spectrum. Honestly, it can get so tiring to hear it all…

But I want to take these few minutes I have left to remind you of another idea... to remind you that the trials of the present day… the world you are about to enter, these trials are nothing compared to the greatness of a far larger idea… the American idea … it is this idea that you now enter as adults and that you and your generation must protect.  

John Winthrop was a Pilgrim who travelled across the Atlantic seeking freedom from oppression… looking for a home... he was one of the founders of the Massachusetts Bay Colony- he described a vision of America as a “shining city on a hill”- a place that would be a beacon for hope... a place where men and women would be completely free…

150 years later, Our Founders, in the Declaration of Independence, told the world that they were dissolving bonds with Great Britain and beginning a new experiment… a new idea...a new nation formed upon the self- evident truths  “that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness.”

Many of our leaders, over the years, have sought to remind us that, whatever the faults of our nation, the idea of America was inherently good…

President Lincoln called her “a Nation conceived in liberty and dedicated to the proposition that all men are created equal.”

President Lyndon Johnson emphatically stated that America was “free and restless, growing and full of hope.  So it was in the beginning.  So it shall always be, while God is willing, and we are strong enough to keep the faith.”

President Kennedy said “the American, by nature, is optimistic... experimental, an inventor and a builder who builds best when called upon to build greatly.”

and President Reagan- often referred back to Winthrop’s image of the “shining city on a hill.”

He said ...in my mind [America is] a tall proud city built on rocks stronger than oceans, wind-swept, God-blessed, and teeming with people of all kinds living in harmony and peace, a city with free ports that hummed with commerce and creativity, and if there had to be city walls, the walls had doors and the doors were open to anyone with the will and the heart to get here. Reagan concluded:  That's how I saw it and see it still. ...after 200 years, two centuries, she still stands strong and true on the granite ridge, and her glow has held steady no matter what storm.”

And with these words, Class of 2015, I hope to remind you that despite the immediate troubles and uncertainties that you are walking out into, the idea of the America that you enter as adults now is one of hope, optimism and opportunity.

President Clinton once said “There is nothing wrong with America that cannot be cured by what is right with America.”

You are going out into America, a great shining city that leads the world… it is an idea that you have been prepared for here… an idea that you can… and must...be proud of… American Medical Schools and Research universities are among the very best in the world…  incredible technological innovations of IBM and Microsoft,  Apple and Google came from the classrooms and garages... of America… the humanitarian relief efforts of famine, AIDS, Ebola, and natural disasters... are led by America...and when the world needs security… they look to America… and to the brave men and women who have served, and who will serve, many of whom are here today… as Ray Charles once famously sang…”America...sweet, sweet,  America… God shed His grace on thee…”

And so you see, the idea that you come from... and the idea that you are heading out into are not so different...both bright and shining with hope, optimism, opportunity…  you are rooted in the idea of Burnt Hills-Ballston Lake- an idea that has been sustained by this community for 100 years… it will always be your home... you are forever a Spartan.  And you head out into the idea of this great Nation,  where you will work,  raise your own families, and ultimately, i have no doubt- where you will lead.… a nation where you are forever… an American.  

Congratulations and God Bless the BHBL Class of 2015.

A Powerful Performance

If the object of a drama troupe is to transport the audience directly into the very scenes being portrayed, the BH-BL High School Drama Club accomplished that in a powerful way this past weekend. If you were in attendance, you know exactly what I mean.

Most of us are at least familiar with The Diary of Anne Frank. The play is based on the writings of a young Jewish girl, Anne Frank, who along with her family and a group of Jewish residents of the Netherlands hid from the Nazis for almost two years in a concealed room in the building where Anne’s father worked. Abby VanNostrand did a superb job portraying Anne’s energy, kindness, and zeal for life. Ricky Noel introduced us to her intelligent and loving father Otto. These two were supported with great performances by Sarah McErlean (Anne’s mother Edith), Micaela Slovic (Anne’s sister Margot), Sam Lynch, Kennedy Jobin, and Matthew Rigby (a second family hiding with the Franks), Jacob Ettkin (a local dentist) and Maddy Hicks and Zach Ashcraft (two kindly Christians who helped the family hide).

While I was familiar with the story, I was not prepared for the power with which the students brought this history to life. To begin with, the group was masterful at portraying the friction that arose among the family members as the group spent so many long tense days together. I felt myself wanting to literally “shush” them for fear they would be discovered at several points when their arguments grew loud and heated. Woven throughout this tension was the innocent and ill-fated friendship that grew up between Anne and Peter (Rigby). The connection they created was definitely recognized by the audience when their “first kiss” produced the happiest moment of the tragic drama.

Ironically, just as the Allies were liberating Europe, country by country, the Frank family and their friends fell victim to the hatred and racism of the Nazi regime. The family’s hiding place was betrayed and they were carted off to concentration camps by three Nazi soldiers (Kyle Farmer, Liam Glading, Brandon Burt).  

The most poignant scene of the play occurred at the very end.  Otto Frank returned to the disheveled hidden apartment that had hidden his family for so long. He told us about how each of his family members had been separated and ultimately killed by the hateful Nazi regime. He was the only survivor. Anne had perished in the Bergin-Belsen concentration camp at the age of 15. An anguished Otto cried out in grief and pain. His daughter- once so full of life and optimism- was now dead and buried in a mass grave. The audience was silent.  Otto stooped down and picked up a diary off the floor… left behind by Anne. The house lights went off and the theater was silent. The words of Anne Frank appeared on the back wall of the set: “Despite everything, I believe that people are really good at heart.”

Each audience member sat in the dark,  processing what they had just seen and heard. We had formed connections with these characters through the artful work of the student actors. Now, through brutal and senseless acts, they were gone. The cast joined hands and bowed their heads and left the stage. There was no curtain call. There was no reprise.

Getting up from my seat and leaving the auditorium was very odd. Most people I looked at had tears in their eyes (so I didn’t feel out of place).  Everyone was either silent, or talking in hushed tones as they walked out.  The experience created by these young actors was not confined to the stage.  The receiving line in the lobby had the feel of an actual wake. The troupe was tired and teary. They were hugging friends and family members. There was a good deal of consoling going on.  As I greeted them and thanked them, more than one of them said to me- “the story needs to be told.”

I would be remiss not to mention the  leadership of Jen Summersell, Eric Shovah, Chris Lombardi, and Ann Derrick and the great work of the Student Crew including Trevor Tuxhill, Simon Goslin, John Lombardi, Zach Bond, Maggie Cuddihy, John DeLucia, Lilly Hogle, Rachel Johnson, Deirdre Kelliher, Nico Petel, Matt Petroski, Alissa Ronca, Alexis Van Buren, and Kayla Van Buren.  The set itself was impressive, realistic, and functional. The special effects were key in transporting the audience to World War II Amsterdam.

I am sure I join many other audience members in saying that I thought deeply about the show for hours after leaving the auditorium. It upset me, it bothered me, it affected me, and it inspired me. And isn’t that the point?

Welcome Back!

The first week is just about complete. I hope it went well!  I had a chance to visit and walk through the buildings on Thursday. Everything looks great. The floors were shiny, the O'Rourke parking lot opened on schedule. Walls were freshly painted.  The kids had smiles, new clothes, and lots of enthusiasm. Tara took a bunch of pictures that capture the moment.

Of all the things that Murray [Guest speaker Murray Banks] said on Tuesday morning, the thing that hit home the most for me was the story he told about having surgery and watching the doctor standing over him as he drifted into unconsciousness. Imagine, he mused, how he would feel if the doctor was tired...yawning... not bringing his A-game that particular day. Most days he's great... just not that day.

We all got the point and was a good one. It is worth repeating. We don't stand in front of kids teaching them 40 hours a week,  52 weeks a year.  That's not the way our profession works.  Like the surgeon, like the actor, like the pilot- we work with kids in focused periods of periods of time. It is important that when we are called upon to do our thing, we do it with passion, fervor, and skill every day.  It is critical that we get it right.

We have a school year that has ebbs and flows... times of intensity and times of refreshment. Now we begin one of those times of intensity. We will bring our A-game. As we prep our lessons, teach our classes, run our meetings, and interact with our kids, our parents, and our colleagues, we will give it our all.  We expect it of each other. We expect it of ourselves.

I have heard teachers all over the district quoting the "Showtime!" theme these last few days... and that one phrase really captures the whole point. It is showtime. Happy New Year... Break a leg!

Common Core Update

As you may have seen in the news this week, the State Board of Regents P-12 Education and Higher Education Committee adopted several measures that will adjust the implementation of the new Common Core Learning Standards and other aspects of the Regents Reform Agenda. Included are changes that will delay the impact of Common Core-related state assessments on high school Regents exams and reduce the level of local school district testing associated with the new teacher evaluation law. (View complete list of proposed adjustments.) 

In reality, most of the Regents measures were relatively minor adjustments. Perhaps the most significant development, however, was the Regents’ acknowledgement that the new Common Core Learning Standards require periodic review and updating. According to the Regents, the National Governors Association and the Council of Chief State School officers “will use feedback provided by educators, parents, higher education faculty, special education advocates, business leaders and bilingual education experts from each state to conduct reviews and make adjustments where necessary.” 

The acknowledgement that it is necessary to allow for adjustments as change is implemented is a positive step forward. In our view, the state standards should always be reviewed and revised as teachers work with students in the classroom and parents provide feedback from what they are seeing at home. In fact, in our multiple correspondences with Commissioner King and state legislators over that past several months, we have continually urged them to listen to feedback from educators, parents and students regarding all aspects of the Regent’s Reform Agenda. Now they have stated in regulations that they will.  

There have been so many state mandates thrust upon schools in such a short time. We have publicly called upon NYSED to be cautious about pushing too much change at once. In order to help our families keep up with the changes,  we recently published a position statement jointly written by the BH-BL Board of Education and the District Leadership Team. The statement covers three of the major aspects of the Regents Reform Agenda: Common Core Learning Standards, Testing, and the Collection and Use of Student Data. On January 30, we posted the statement on our website and our facebook page. In case you have not seen it, we are providing you with the link:http://www.bhbl.org/Academics/CCLS_Statement.cfm  

Please take the time to read this important statement. We are actively calling upon our legislators to limit the amount of testing that is required of our students. We are adamant about protecting student educational data and limiting the data that we share with NYSED to only that which is absolutely necessary to academics. 

Last October, we had an extensive community forum on the new NYS Common Core Learning Standards. In March, we will have a similar forum focused on testing. We also encourage you to review the extensive Common Core pages we have on our website to give you a more thorough understanding of Common Core, view the new standards, access helpful documents and links for parents, watch explanatory videos and more. http://www.bhbl.org/Academics/commoncore.cfm

In closing, I would like to thank the board and leadership of our district for their vigilance in this matter. This has been a constant topic of conversation and study for the past two years. They have invested a great amount of time and energy in learning about the Common Core, overseeing the implementation, and advocating for caution and clarification as necessary. Despite the many changes required of us, we want to assure our community that the priority of the BH-BL Central School District always has been, and will continue to be, a high-quality, well-rounded education in a caring and nurturing environment, preparing our students to reach their highest potential in their adult lives.

Season's Greetings 2.0

Over vacation, my nephew- a junior in high school at Charter School of Wilmington (Delaware)- improved the card with some new coding... Now the lights only decorate the tree, not the sky and the hills. He also added falling snow. Take a look-

CLICK CARD FOR MESSAGE...
PUT LIGHTS ON THE TREE!

Snowing Card(Click to see updated code.)

Made using: Khan Academy Computer Science.

Next step.. multiple colored lights, rather than just pink? Someone give it a try?

Happy New Year!

Patrick

Seasons Greetings!

As you may have heard, December 9-16 was Computer Science Week. BH-BL participated in the "Hour of Code" activity as our High School AP Computer Science students helped teacher Pauline White to introduce nearly 100 middle school students some of the basic elements of computer coding. I was intrigued and I decided to learn a bit of coding myself. I took the Intro to Computer Science lesson on Khan Academy and this was the result! I used JavaScript to create the picture and the message (when you click the picture).  I am trying to get it to allow the user to decorate the tree with lights but I cannot yet figure out how to restrict the "mouseMoved" function to the tree alone! As a result you get pink lights everywhere!  Hey- It's a start! Feel free to try to work on the code and help me out. I will keep at it!

Click here to see the code and work on improving it: Season's Greetings BHBL

Made using: Khan Academy Computer Science.
CLICK PICTURE

My learning curve with coding makes the following video even more impressive.  Watch it when you have a few minutes. It's a great connection between computer coding and the season we are celebrating. I hope each of you has a peaceful and relaxing time with your families. Merry Christmas, Happy Holidays, Happy New Year!!

Patrick

Here is the code I wrote to make the card:

// sky
background(0, 0, 0);
fill(255, 255,255);
noStroke();
triangle(300,50,350,50,325,115);
triangle(325,25,300,75,350,75);

//stars
ellipse(100,50,3,3);
ellipse(254,130,5,5);
ellipse(90,169,5,5);
ellipse(53,70,3,3);
ellipse(246,43,3,3);
ellipse(53,221,2,2);
ellipse(199,40,1,1);
ellipse(300,150,4,4);
ellipse(280,100,1,1);
ellipse(70,128,2,2);
ellipse(154,109,3,3);
ellipse(380,200,5,5);
ellipse(340,150,2,2);
ellipse(23,117,3,3);
ellipse(132,153,1,1);
ellipse(100,207,3,3);
ellipse(42,170,2,2);
ellipse(86,17,1,1);
ellipse(302,184,1,1);

//snow
fill(255,255, 255);
rect(0,320,400,80);
ellipse (89,323, 322,112);
ellipse (357,306, 256,120);

//move mouse to make lights

var mouseMoved = function() {fill(245, 14, 195);
    ellipse(mouseX, mouseY, 3, 3);
};

// tree
fill(8, 69, 20);
triangle(200, 100, 300, 300, 100, 300);
fill(66, 8, 16);
ellipse(200,200,5,5);
ellipse(220,223,5,5);
ellipse(171,263,5,5);
ellipse(191,136,5,5);
ellipse(225,250,5,5);
ellipse(266,266,5,5);
ellipse(148,250,5,5);
ellipse(180,169,5,5);
ellipse(211,148,5,5);
ellipse(172,215,5,5);
ellipse(196,240,5,5);
ellipse(190,290,5,5);
ellipse(239,280,5,5);
ellipse(228,191,5,5);
ellipse(139,290,5,5);
fill(51, 51, 4);
rect(190,299,20,20);

//click to reveal message
var mouseClicked = function() {
fill(117, 11, 27);
var f = createFont("cursive", 33);
textFont(f, 46);
text("Season's Greetings", 27, 353);
textFont(f, 20);
text("to the BH-BL Family...All the Best in 2014!", 17, 387);};

Happy Thanksgiving

I had the privilege of participating in O'Rourke's 8th Grade Community Service Day yesterday. Middle school teachers did an awesome job organizing dozens of service opportunities for the entire 8th grade class. Seven students and I traveled over to the Crossroads Center for Children, a school in Rotterdam that specializes in teaching autistic children. I watched a young special education teacher named Brian working with his group of 12 little people in his "kindergarten readiness" class. The classroom was filled with tangible kindness and patience. At the same time, lessons were differentiated, many behaviors were seamlessly addressed, and the class flowed beautifully.

My visit reminded me how thankful I am to be part of a profession where we can...in fact we MUST.. mix technical expertise with personal connections and relationships... I see it every day in the classrooms and workspaces of BHBL. I recently observed a high school math teacher who incorporated a rigorous lesson design and instructional technology with humor and caring questions for her students. The other day, I sat behind a bus driver who demonstrated technical skill and caution as she drove, yet told me stories about her riders that made it obvious how well she knew them and how much she cared. 

The examples go on and on... in the last two weeks alone, teachers continued professional development on incorporating Common Core Learning Standards, the Leadership team developed comprehensive instructional program reviews for the Board of Education, working teams were formed for Phase 1 of the Capital Project, our security team and the School Board worked on passing a resolution seeking improvements to the Lakehill Road high school crosswalk, and the IT Leadership team devoted significant time to discussing some exciting ideas related to classroom technology. Amidst all of the technical work, our staff and students participated in a huge community wide Thanksgiving food drive, a great Fall drama production, a robotics scrimmage, a highly successful athletic post-season, and a student-led Veteran's Day ceremony just to name a few things.  

Success in our line of work requires highly technical and precise work blended with heart, enthusiasm, and connection with our kids and with each other. That's a tall order. I am thankful to be able to work with and get to know individuals who fill that order everyday. Connecting with Kids. Connecting for Kids. 

Have a great Thanksgiving holiday with your family and friends. 

Patrick

PS: A little advice on fixing your Thanksgiving Dinner from Heather Mosall's Kindergarteners. I wonder if you can tell which part of the district each student lives in... :)

Go to the store to get a turkey. The store gets it from a farm. Get a turkey that is as big as the chair. Put it in a big pot and get a squirter to squirt juice on it. Cook it for 50 minutes. Mommy needs to get it out because it is hot. Eat your turkey with rolls, stuffing and rice. -Jayden

Get a bag. Go to the woods. They hide up in trees somewhere. So get a big ladder and go up and get them as fast as you can. Turkeys are fast. Put the turkey in the bag. Put it in the car and buckle the bag up, so the turkey doesn’t go crazy. Bring it home and cook it and eat it.

-Julia

Of Snow Days and Musicals...

Charlton Road in Charlton
at 10 am on March 19

As a kid I remember waking up on winter nights and looking out the window at the streetlight to see if it was still snowing. I remember waking up to Don Weeks on my AM radio, hoping to hear “New Lebanon Central Schools- CLOSED”. As I celebrated the free day off, my “6^th grade” self never gave a thought to the kind of intense deliberation that went into each decision to close or delay school. Now I know. :)

I apologize for the late “change in status” of these past two snow days. Believe me, the changes were not made lightly. They were both made from my van on the road, checking conditions, on the phone with (Transportation Supervisor) Rich Hewlett looking at the radar on my cell phone, and listening to weather reports. While both calls ended up being the right decision, it’s not the way it’s supposed to be done!  It leads to inconvenience, I know. I really apologize for that. For some parents it meant leaving work and going back to pick up kids from day care. Some of our teachers had already begun the commute to school.  This will not be the typical method of closing, I assure you.  Rich tells me that in his 10 years here at BH-BL, he cannot remember two back-to-back decisions that were so tough.

It all starts calmly enough… 4:30 text messages between myself and neighboring superintendents, phone calls to the bus garage… booting up the laptop to go to the school closing web page, trying make a call as close to 5:00 am as possible. Remember the dire predictions of the “Storm of the Century” earlier in the winter- the day that everyone closed and we didn’t have a flake on the ground? Well these last two storms were different. At 5:00 am it seemed like they were each about to turn into slushy spring nuisances… but they didn’t!

All day yesterday I asked myself: “why didn’t I just close at 5:00 and save everyone a lot of trouble?  As I thought about it, the answer was clear…as easy as it might be to just close school and hit “snooz” on the iPhone… I just don’t want to close school.  If at all possible, I want BH-BL to be open.

Why?  I know that kids everywhere have spoons under their pillows. I know how great a snow day feels.  I’m sure even a few high school students (and teachers?) wore their pajamas inside-out.  But we really don’t want it to happen! We don’t want to close school.  Not because a snow day isn’t enjoyable- of course it is. Not because we don’t technically have the snow days to use… we do.  We are so reluctant to close school because of the incredible things that happen when our buildings are open. We have so few days! So few days and so much happening… Every closing brings a list of lost opportunities, altered lesson plans, cancelled activities, and countless other great things… that just don’t happen.

I could list a hundred examples of the types of things I don’t want to disrupt with a snow day…. Our recent middle school and high school musicals are perfect illustrations. Last Friday, the snow day almost disrupted the Friday performance of  The Music Man, Junior. This outstanding troupe of actors and actresses put on a first rate production that exceeded anything I have ever seen from a middle school cast. Fortunately the March sun warmed up the roads and the kids played to a full house on Friday night.

With experiences like that in the middle school, it is no wonder that the level of talent we have at the high school is so strong and so deep.  I had the privilege of attending Curtains at the High School on Saturday evening. I had never seen this particular musical before. It was such a clever and complex production. The show actually began with the finale of a western-themed musical (within the musical) called “Robbin’ Hood!”  It was odd to watch a musical begin with a finale and odder yet to see the female star of the fictitious “show within a show” die on the stage…Murdered!  

TheBH-BL Cast of Curtains

The next scene revealed where the plot was headed. The director(Sam Andrew), producer(Kelsey Ward), song writing team (Kent Benwell & Gabby Rao) and financier of the show(Kris Van Nostrand) were pouring over the dismal critical reviews, lamenting the fact that “Robbin’ Hood” seemed to be a flop.  Enter Detective Frank Cioffi (Colin Foster) who announced that he was sequestering the entire cast in the theater and investigating a murder.  A killer was among them! 

In an extremely amusing twist, the detective harbored a lifelong desire to become a professional actor and he seemed as intent on fixing the failing musical as he was on solving the crime.  Of course, several more characters are murdered and several “scenes” are re-written before the detective identifies the killer, realizes his dreams,  and (spoiler alert) gets the girl (Marion Kinosian)!

The cast had the audience (which, by the way, included a very large percentage of high school students) laughing out loud throughout the performance. Each of the main characters pulled off their roles with such skill! Foster’s Boston accent and wide-eyed awe of the professional acting company was completely believable and drew us into the story.  Andrew’s British wit, Ward’s hard-nosed determination, Van Nostrand’s reckless resignation, Kinosian’s innocence and gullibility,  and Benwell and Rao’s emotional pain were played and sung out with passion and perfection. 

The depth of the BH-BL acting talent was further evidenced by the supporting performances of Vince Fulgari, Nicole Schumacher, Jesse Holland, Karl Salvatore, Nik Lombardi, Matt Rigby, Sam Lynch, and Alana Picozzi. The musical featured an ensemble of at least 25 other students as well as a stage crew of 16 that pulled off a series of amazing sets and special effects. Of course they could change the set, talk with the orchestra pit, and boss around the spotlight operator right in the middle of the scenes,  since the whole story took place on a stage!

All in all, Curtains was a complex, daring, and extremely entertaining choice for this year’s musical. The cast and crew, as well as Director Eric Shovah, Vocal Director Jean Foster, Technical Director Chris Lombardi, Orchestra Director Brian Tetlak, Producer Carol Hobday, and Advisors Stephanie Andrejcak and Mialisa Lindholm Herron should be extremely proud.

By the way… I like to think I had a tiny little role in the success of Curtains. The day after the “Storm of the Century”… yes… the first snow day… Director of Fine Arts, Mike Danis, asked me if I would open the High School Building to allow the professional orchestra to come in and practice together because time was short and they really needed to work. We figured out the details and made it happen. I am glad we were able to accommodate that. The orchestra- including several of our faculty members- was fantastic.

One more of a thousand reasons I don’t like to close school.  

The Beginning of the World...

So Friday December 21, 2012 came and went. It was the day before vacation. At Charlton Heights, kids came to school in their pajamas. Some “read the day away.” Some cooked food that helped them to bring cultural stories to life. At O’Rourke Mrs. Shell's students acted out the trial scene from “To Kill a Mockingbird.” At the High School Madame Noll's kids translated French carols. A group of talented individuals played the role of various 18^th Century giants of philosophy, economics, and religion as part of Mr. Turner's Enlightenment Dinner.  At Stevens Elementary, kids made personal gifts to give to parents and other loved ones. At Pashley, they practiced carols and gathered as a whole school in the cafeteria to sing together with their teachers and celebrate their school spirit and the coming Holiday.

The Mayans predicted the world would end on Friday. The events of previous weeks seemed to reinforce the impending doom. The days were at their darkest… Both on the calendar and in current events.  Our community lost an Olympic hero. Neighboring districts lost beloved students in a senseless accident. Tragedy in Connecticut tore at our hearts. Fears arose over school security. The media battered us with endless political bickering over the “fiscal cliff.” Like our ancestors who noticed the daylight diminishing and the cold creeping in, it was tempting to let the events around us darken our days and diminish our hope…

and yet, when the Grinch put his hand to his ear…

he DID hear a sound rising over the snow.

It started in low.  Then it started to grow...  

But the sound wasn't sad! Why, this sound sounded merry!

It couldn't be so! But it WAS merry!  VERY!         

He stared down at Who-ville!        

The Grinch popped his eyes!        

Then he shook!        

What he saw was a shocking surprise! 

Every Who down in Who-ville, the tall and the small, Was singing! 

Without any presents at all! 

He HADN'T stopped Christmas from coming!

IT CAME!

Somehow or other, it came just the same! -Dr. Seuss                                 

Friday we learned that the world would not end.  Saturday morning brought a dusting of snow and a sense of peace as BH-BL regrouped with families and loved ones to celebrate the holidays and prepare for the New Year. The world is not ending... In fact, for our kids- the world is just beginning…

Let’s not forget how critical that message is. The world… for our kids… is just beginning. To counter the doom and gloom they are bombarded with by society, we offer them knowledge… we offer them inspiration… we offer them hope.  Each day, when they sit in our classrooms, walk in our hallways, ride our buses, eat in our cafeterias and play on our teams… we remind them that they can be anything, do anything, change anything that they set their minds and their energies to. Winning State Championships, competing for science awards, and performing in incredible concerts are just a taste of what can lie ahead!

The celebrations of Hanukkah and Christmas were placed in the calendar here in late December to remind us that, in the midst of the darkest days of the year, there is light… there is hope… Faith, optimism, and love, all unique to the human spirit,  take us through the toughest times together. As we head into a brand new year, the days are getting longer. The daylight is increasing. It is our job to bring that same message of light and hope to our kids.

Thank you for welcoming me into the BH-BL community these past six months. Enjoy this Holiday time with your families. As we return in January, lets hope that the darkest days are behind us. The days are growing brighter. The world of the students looking at us each day is just beginning. My hope and prayer for all of us in 2013 is captured in the lyrics of the Goo Goo Dolls song Better Days…

And you asked me what I want this year
And I try to make this kind and clear
Just a chance that maybe we'll find better days
'cause I don't need boxes wrapped in strings
And designer love and empty things
Just a chance that maybe we'll find better days

[Chorus]
So take these words and sing out loud
'cause everyone is forgiven now
'cause tonight's the night the world begins again

I need some place simple where we could live
And something only you can give
And that's faith and trust and peace while we're alive
And the one poor child who saved this world
And there's ten million more who probably could
If we all just stopped and said a prayer for them

I wish everyone was loved tonight
And somehow stop this endless fight
Just a chance that maybe we'll find better days

Here’s to a world that begins again in 2013…