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Haldane HS Principal Says School Programs Help Keep Students Out of Trouble
Alcohol and drug survey results paint mixed picture for District
by Allison Dunne
The Haldane Central School District Board of Education May 16, 2006 meeting began with a moment of silence for Elizabeth Bono, who had passed away earlier in the month. Bono was a cafeteria aide in Haldane for 12 years.
The meeting ended, however, on an upbeat note for BOE members and Haldane Superintendent Dr. John Di Natale, when they learned that voters had approved the proposed 2006-2007 school budget. In addition, the Board trustee votes resulted in three more years for BOE Vice President Michael Junjulas, while Bruce Campbell received the highest number of write-in votes, 147, and was to have been contacted to see if he would serve. He would succeed BOE Trustee Richard Wallin, whose retirement from the Board is effective June 30, 2006.
In between the open and close of the meeting, topics discussed ran the gamut from voting policy in future elections to air conditioning in the gym. BOE Trustee David Merandy revisited an issue he had raised during the Board's May 9 meeting, that being whether the Board could institute a rule that there be a minimum number of votes for a write-in selection to count. Board President Joseph Curto suggested writing to state legislators, and asking them to introduce such a policy. Curto and other Board members generally agreed that it was unfair to require a minimum number of petition signatures to be on the ballot at all, yet to allow one write-in vote for a person to assume a Board trustee position. They also agreed to further look into the matter of election law to see what would be possible.
Switching gears, Middle/High School Principal Andy Irvin further detailed the results of a "Communities That Care" report first issued in the fall of 2005. The report is a survey of alcohol and drug use among Putnam County's high school students. When Di Natale presented the survey results in October 2005, individual school district information was not available. During the May 16 meeting, Irvin presented a follow-up report, one specific to Haldane, and one that details the risk and protective factors most in need of attention in the Haldane community.
In general, the report revealed that Haldane students reported a lower average level of risk than other students in Putnam County, as well as a higher level of protective factors. With this, Irvin pointed out that results show Haldane students in grades 8 through 12 drinking less and smoking fewer cigarettes than their County counterparts. However, a down side, Irvin said, is that during a 30-day period, Haldane students reported a higher average level of marijuana use than Putnam County high school students as a whole.
When it comes to the percentage of Haldane high school students who turn to various protective factors (such factors are ones that decrease the likelihood that a student will engage in problem behaviors), Haldane's rate is higher than the County, with the exception of one category. This one area contains community opportunities for pro-social involvement, and Irvin said he had reached out to the local clergy, for example, sending them the packet on this report, and received no responses. Yet when it comes to school rewards for pro-social involvement, Haldane rates higher than the rest of the County.
As for risk factors (conditions that increase the likelihood of a young person becoming involved in drug use, delinquency, etc.), Haldane high school students run more or less on par with other students.
Calling it the most successful tool available, Irvin underscored the importance of hammering home the parent education program. He said the report shows just how key Haldane's programs are in keeping kids away from problem behaviors. Irvin also called for continued commitment to the student assistance program, as well plans to offer new extraand co-curricular programs.
Superintendent Di Natale said students feel very connected to Haldane, and the single, most protective factor for them is the school's offering of activities.
Separately, Irvin said the junior/senior prom held May 12 at West Point's Hotel Thayer was highly successful, and the Alco-Sensor device, which gives a positive reading for alcohol on the breath, never left its box from under a table. Trustee Merandy asked whether the prom's location at West Point resulted in such good student conduct. Irvin said yes, but stressed that security was not the sole consideration in selecting Hotel Thayer.
Moving to a different topic, Trustee Wallin, expressing concern about spending taxpayer dollars, asked with what frequency the gym was being airconditioned. BOE Vice President Junjulas also wanted the answer, and asked what the policy is for using the air conditioning. Superintendent Di Natale said the air conditioning is used when the gym is used as an auditorium, for example, during concerts, and on hot days when the gym is used as a room in which kids take tests.
And speaking of tests, Di Natale resurrected his past complaints about spending money to grade tests. He said teachers should stay in the classrooms to teach, rather than being pulled out for a few days to score mandated tests. Pointing to retired teacher Wallin's recent stepping in to score tests, Di Natale said perhaps it was time to start canvassing the community for help, as he said 100-150 retired teachers live in the community. Board President Curto called for obtaining a list of retired teachers from the New York State United Teachers, and taking it from there.
In other Board business all BOE members voted to approve the licensing and maintenance fee with Educational Data Services, Inc. for the 2006-2007 school year in the amount of $1,000. The approval also authorizes the superintendent of schools to enter into an agreement for these services.
The next BOE meeting is scheduled for June 6, during which time a draft policy from the school's religious committee is scheduled to be presented.
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