SRP Recognition Day

In honor of SRP Recognition Day, I would like to take this opportunity to recognize and thank all the dedicated School Related Personnel of Madrid-Waddington Central School.  Thank you for your efforts, dedication and service to this district community.  We couldn’t do it without you!  Please take a moment today to especially express your appreciation to our Bus Drivers and mechanics, Custodial Workers, Cafeteria Workers, Teacher Aides, Teacher Assistants, Secretaries and monitors.  They do a great job!

Reminders

As I will be out of district on vacation for the week of November 23-27 I have a few reminders for everyone:
1.  School is dismissed for the Thanksgiving break on Tuesday of this coming week. 
2.  Come out and enjoy the MWCS Drama Club Production of Neil Simon’s “Rumors” on Friday and Saturday, Nov. 27-28.  Our talented students and staff have been working hard to put on an outstanding, comical performance.  This will be the first production to utilize the updated lights and sound system from our recent capital project.
3.  There will be an early dismissal on  Thursday, December 3 for a Staff Development Day.  Instructional staff will be utilizing the time to integrate or implement recent assessment and differentiated strategies into their curriculum.  These are the two topics discussed in our September and October professional development days.  
4.  The District Newsletter hopefully will be in the community homes for the week of Dec. 7-11. 
5.  I wish everyone a safe, healthy, Happy Thanksgiving!

Monday Morning News

It looks as if we have turned the corner regarding illness and student absenteeism in the district.  We are still awaiting word from our County Public Health Department as to the dates of the school immunization clinic.  Our hope is that we will have permission slips to go home with students before Thanksgiving with the immunization clinic to follow shortly after the break.  Indications are that due to the limited amounts of vaccine, only school age students will be immunized.  Public Health will be unable to accomodate all the students plus outside community members who request the vaccine.  Younger siblings at home and family members are asked to attend other public health clinics offered around the county.  I will continue to share the immunization news as fast as we receive it.

Winter sports practices have started even though the weather is still typical of a very early autumn.  I am confident that the North Country winter will soon be upon us.  Please check this blog for school delay or closing information.  I will try to post an announcement as soon as a decision is made.

I am also excited to work with Norm Cote, our District Supervisor for Buildings and Grounds; staff members, Jeff Stein and Larry LaMere; and five senior students on a District Wide Climate Action Plan.  I accompanied Seniors Mark Ruddy, Emily Hargrave, Kyle McGrath and Connor Loomis to the Adirondack Youth Climate Summit held Nov. 9 and 10 at the Wild Center in Tupper Lake.  We attended two days of workshops on the impact and effect of climate change.  Our goal is to create an action plan that will reduce the District’s carbon footprint.  The good news is that we confirmed that we are already doing a lot to reduce energy consumption resulting in district savings.  The bad news is there is still lots more that can be done!  Stay tuned for reports from the students in the near future.

The latest buzz….

After my own absence of two days due to illness, I returned to the encouraging news that attendance numbers have appeared to stabilize here at Madrid-Waddington Central School.  Absences are much more normal with approximately 14% out in grades 6-12 and 12% absent in grades UPK-5.  We must be aware that in addition to the new flu virus, we are also dealing with the regular colds, illnesses and influenzas that frequent a public school.  It is this combination that has caused our numbers to skyrocket.  Also, parents must note that if their child has one of the commonly known ailments to still keep the child home until they are sure of the student’s recovery and are free of symptoms.  The student’s immune system is still compromised after fighting off any illness and makes him/her susceptible to the next one.  

We are still awaiting news from the Dept. of Health regarding the immunization clinic scheduled for our school.  I am told the information is forthcoming.  We will distribute the information as soon as it is received in District.  Thank you to everyone who has assisted during the illness outbreak, who have followed the Health guidelines and for trusting us with your students.  We continue to do everything within our means to take good care of them.

H1N1 News

In addition to our H1N1 Information on our website, please check out the flu information on the Claxton-Hepburn Hospital website at www.claxtonhepburn.org.  The link is under the “handwashing” picture on the bottom left.  Dr. Adam Jarrett, our school physician, has posted there some very helpful tips and guidelines. 

 

Attendance notes

 In light of the illnesses experienced in all schools, I  wish to keep everyone informed on the absences in our district.  Today’s absences for the entire district is down slightly from yesterday’s absences.  I’m hoping that our numbers have peaked.  Staff attendance is good.  All administrators and I have developed back up plans if employee absences start to climb.  Essentially we will make every attempt to keep school open with minimal staff if necessary. 

We anticipate that we will be able to schedule the immunization clinics with Public Health beginning the 1^st week of November.  We will need to schedule 2 clinics (28 days apart) at each elementary school and 1 clinic at each of the high schools.  This is because children ages 9 and under will require 2 doses of the vaccine and children 10 and older will require only 1 dose.

 We will distribute consent forms and vaccine information sheets (VIS) to all parents once we recieve them from Public Health.  Please be watching the website and your children’s backpacks for them.  There will be a very short time frame for returning the consent forms. This vaccine is not mandatory, but it is being offered for free in the school setting for convenience.

Public Health is recommending the nasal spray (LAIV) for healthy children without a history of wheezing in the last year. This will avoid a lot of unnecessary tears.

More information will be provided as it becomes available.

H1N1 Updates

I want to respond to rumors and concerns regarding H1N1 in our District and in the North Country.  To my knowledge, in order to have a “confirmed” case of this illness, physicians or health officials  need to run tests to confirm presence of the virus.  Very few or no tests are being run because of the potential strain and cost on health resources.  Essentially, everyone is to assume that H1N1 is here in the county since flu-like symptoms are appearing earlier than the customary seasonal flu.    Subsequently, the best course of action remains:

1.  Encourage vaccination with seasonal and H1N1 to the priority groups as it becomes available.

2.  Continue good hand hygiene and respiratory etiquette.

3.  Continue good routine cleaning practices, especially high touch areas.

4.  Continue to remind people to stay home for 24 hours after symptoms have subsided.  Encourage students/staff to remain home if they are ill.

5.  Anyone in the risk groups (pregnant women, 6 mos. -24 years of age, compromised immune systems) are advised to call their doctor.

The school district is not being alerted to specific cases.  This along with our responsibility to maintain confidentiality prevents us from giving out notice that influenza is in a particular classroom, grade, etc.  Again, everyone should assume that we have H1N1 in our school and parents of high risk students must talk with their private healthcare providers as whether it is safe for the child to attend. 

I caution against hysteria or panic in this situation.  Rest assured that the District is doing everything in our means to alleviate the situation as much as possible.  As always, we must allow common sense to prevail.  More information regarding a school based clinic will be released as soon as it becomes available to us.  Do not hesitate to contact me should you have questions or concerns not addressed here.

Drill and Practice

Many thanks to students, staff, parents and emergency response personnel for participating and cooperating with the District emergency drill last Friday.  It provided us with an opportunity to review lockdown and evacuation procedures.  The District safety team will have a meeting today to evaluate the procedures and hopefully rectify issues or glitches that arose in the plan.  Knowing that one cannot anticipate every event or action,  the main goal is to minimize risk.   

The same drill and practice routine has taken place on our school buses.  All students practice emergency drills on buses.  October is Bus Safety month.  Please keep in mind safety when approaching a school bus.  Every knows to not pass when the red lights are on.  However, cars are seen passing buses when they are parked in the loading zones.  Even if the red lights are not on, please note that students may be exiting the building and cannot be seen due to parked buses.  Please avoid passing through this area. 

Student safety is always our main concern.

Lifelong learning among fiscal restraints

Learning is Lifelong.  That is a message we try to instill in our students every day.  Each job or responsibility requires constant training, updates and education in order to be the “best you can be”.  One should never rest on one’ s laurels or feel he/she knows enough!

Continuous education is required in order for me to fulfill my responsibilities as superintendent.  This obligation has taken me to a variety of state locations this past week .  On Thursday, Oct. 1, I traveled to Lake Placid to accompany a School Board Member to a required Training Academy.  The Fall foliage provided a beautiful backdrop for a day of discussions regarding the role of a Board member as a representative of the community; the relationship between the superintendent and the board; and the effective governance of a school district.  This training is invaluable for a District’s Board of Education to be able to effectively participate in the decision-making process as well as take appropriate, legal action when necessary.

My travels then took me to Rochester for the State Superintendent’s Conference where I participated in the House of Delegates, the assembly that drafts educationally related proposals for the Commissioner of Education, the Board of Regents and other governmental entities.  My own professional development included sessions on systemic District change, up to date funding issues and fostering creativity among staff and students.  All the workshops were enlightening. 

Most importantly I was able to discuss the latest news from Albany where financial issues continue to be at the forefront and talk of mid-year cuts still abound. I will continue to advocate for our district and other rural schools. Mid-year take-backs of funds that have already been allocated would have a devastating impact on the education of our students. Annual expenditures are voted on by the community voters.  These are expenditures that are offset by state revenue numbers that are given to us in April.  We work hard here at Madrid-Waddington Central School to provide an outstanding education for our students within the budgetary limitations supported by the community.  Our challenge is to continue to do so!

New District Look

LCD Display replaces older letter sign

Visitors to Madrid-Waddington Central School can’t help but notice that the buildings and grounds are sporting a “new look”.  The previously well-known bell tower that hovered over the elementary entrance has been removed.  The bell, that once graced the entrance of the former Madrid Elementary School, is now situated directly over the main doors leading to the elementary foyer.  This historical community artifact that rang in the school year of another era, now greets all visitors upon entering the building.  Please take time to notice when you next visit us.

Equally noticeable is the new LCD display that is our District sign on State Highway 345.  The masonry on the former message board was deteriorating thereby requiring immediate attention.  Additionally, we were no longer able to purchase or update letters for our message board resulting in sometimes puzzling messages.  We sincerely hope that this sign will not only announce to passersby who we are,  but will also serve to communicate District events and important dates.