Superintendent Update January 22, 2025

 

I want to provide an earlier weekly update with a focus on state/federal policy and the state budget process. First I want to say I am proud to work in a district with these established beliefs: diversity is our strength, every student deserves an equitable education, and we prioritize a culture of care in every building. Thank you to all of our staff, students, and families who help make these beliefs part of our daily work. 

 

Policy Updates/Reminders:

On the policy front, New York State issued a reminder/update to all NY schools last Friday about safeguarding the rights of immigrant students and families. This has been our policy and procedure for years. You can read it here if you are interested: https://nysed.gov/sites/default/files/oag-go-sed-immigration-students.pdf

 

That guidance affirms that under state law, all children ages 5-21 who have not received a high school diploma are entitled to a free public education and that districts may not refuse admission based on national origin or immigration status. Federal and state law set forth protections for student personally identifiable information, which includes immigration status, citizenship, and national origin. Further, this guidance and our District Code of Conduct limit law enforcement’s access to students during the school day. We will continue to consult with our legal counsel and the State Education Department for more guidance with all unique situations as this evolves. As always, we will continue to prioritize the safety and well-being of our students and staff.  I should also note that we have a very collaborative relationship with local law enforcement and they are in our buildings frequently for drills, school walkthroughs, and athletic and other events and we welcome that.  

I am also including some information regarding the New York Dignity for All Students Act and the New York Framework for Transgender and Gender Expressive Students. If there are updates from the state level, I will keep you posted.

Here is the link to the New York State Department of Education Dignity For All Students Act information page: https://www.nysed.gov/student-support-services/dignity-all-students-act-dasa

Each of our building principals is the school-based DASA coordinator and Dr. Sagrario Rudecindo-O’Neill is the District DASA coordinator.

Here is the link to the New York State Department of Education’s Framework for Safe, Supportive, and Affirming School Environments for Transgender and Gender Expansive Students: https://www.nysed.gov/news/2023/state-education-department-releases-framework-safe-supportive-and-affirming-school

This was issued in June 2023 as an update to the 2015 state guidance on transgender students. These frameworks have guided our school work since their inception.

In my weekly messages, I will keep you updated on policies from the federal or state level that impact our students, families, and staff.

Budget Update:

I want to provide some budget and policy updates from this week’s budget proposal. Governor Hochul proposed her budget and included information for each district. In her proposal, Beacon would receive close to a 2% increase in state aid, which is good news for us. To put this in perspective, last year Beacon received no increase in state aid. The state budget itself is not finalized until later in the school year and I will keep you updated. I appreciate all of the people who participated in advocacy efforts with the Governor and Legislature last year regarding our aid allocation. I think it made a difference for us and the other districts that were impacted.

Aid from the state represents about 37% of our budget, with local property taxes and other revenue sources accounting for about 60.5 %. The remaining 2.5% of our budget comes from the federal government. This money funds our Title I reading support teachers, materials for our English as a New Language program, professional development, and some special education funding. There is some uncertainty about federal funding with the new administration. If there were ever a decrease in funding in this area, we would work to maintain these hugely important positions/items within our budget. But a reduction would have a very negative impact on us. I will keep you updated if there is a change with that funding, and the Board of Education will let you know if/when there is a need for advocacy.

Thanks for your attention to this information and let me know if you have any questions.

Matt Landahl

Superintendent Weekly Update January 17, 2025

Important Community Update- The Martin Luther King Jr. Community Celebration is postponed to Monday, February 17 due to anticipated winter weather conditions.

 

Martin Luther King Jr. Day- Schools are closed on Monday.  Here are some great resources for the holiday:

 https://thekingcenter.org/

https://kinginstitute.stanford.edu/king-resources

https://www.nps.gov/malu/index.htm

Star Student- Amelia Mawson- Glenham

This week, we’re excited to spotlight an exceptional student, Amelia Mawson, who truly exemplifies dedication, passion, and a love for learning. Not only is Amelia an outstanding academic performer, but she is also involved in a variety of extracurricular activities. As a member of the STEAM Club, Student Council, Coding Club, Art Enrichment, Yearbook Club, and the school newspaper, she actively contributes to both the creative and leadership aspects of school life.

Beyond her involvement in clubs, Amelia serves as a student helper in other classrooms, offering support to both teachers and younger students with enthusiasm and kindness. In addition to her academic and club commitments, Amelia also takes piano lessons and has a deep love for reading, showcasing her well-rounded interests. Her ability to balance so many activities while maintaining a positive attitude and strong work ethic makes her a true role model. Keep an eye on this rising star—there’s no doubt she’ll continue to shine brightly in everything she does!

Star Employee  Amber Wiercinski-Long- South Avenue

Amber's role is important to our South Avenue Community! She keeps everything running smoothly and brings the best mix of kindness, efficiency, and calm to the office. She makes South Avenue a place where everyone feels supported!

Her positivity shines through no matter what. She is always smiling, focuses on finding solutions, and tackles any challenge with ease. Her presence and incredible organization make her such an invaluable part of our team. We are so lucky to have her here and she embodies the best of South Avenue Vibes!

Changes in Leadership Positions in the BCSD

 Alexis McKoy-Yakle began a new role as Director of Recruitment, Retention, and Equity in the Kingston City School District on January 13, 2025. We thank Alexis for her dedication to the Beacon City School District and wish her success in this next chapter.

While we actively recruit for the Assistant Director of Pupil Services position, we are pleased to welcome Angela Sternbenz, former Assistant Director of Special Education in Kingston, who brings extensive experience to support our students and staff during this transition. She can be reached at sternbenz.a@beaconk12.org.

Amber Klemman, School Nurse at Rombout, was appointed by the Board of Education last Monday to be the Nurse Manager for the district.  Congratulations Amber!  I want to thank Hannah Aakjar for her hard work and leadership as our Nurse Manager for the past few years.

As many of you know, Karen Pagano our Director of Food Services, retired a few months ago and has been staying to help us as we find her replacement.  We are pleased to share that our new Director of Food Services, Anthony Rollins, will begin on February 3.  Anthony is currently the School Lunch Manager at both Liberty and Fallsburg School District.  We hired Anthony through an agreement with the Capital Region BOCES.  The BOCES will also help us with food ordering, menu planning, and reporting.  

I want to thank Karen for her dedication to the Beacon City School District over the past 12 years.  She has brought innovative ideas and healthy meals to our community.  Everyone will remember how Karen and her team fed us during the COVID shutdown.  Thank you, Karen for all that you have done for us!

Check out the Beacon Players Younger Company!

Friday, January 17 @ 7pm

Saturday, January 18 @ 2pm

BHS theater

$10 General Admission

Upcoming Home Athletic Events

Friday, January 17 

Girls Modified Basketball RMS 4:30

Tuesday, January 21 

Modified Wrestling RMS 4:15

JV Girls Basketball BHS 4:30

Wednesday, January 22

Modified Girls Basketball RMS 4:15

Boys Swimming and Diving BHS 4:30

Thursday, January 23 

Girls JV Basketball BHS 4:30

Girls Varsity Basketball BHS 6:00

Have a great weekend!

Matt Landahl

 

Superintendent Weekly Update- Addition and Correction and a Free Community Event

PowerSchool Breach- Beacon City School District Not Impacted

Beacon uses PowerSchool as its student information system along with thousands of school districts across the country. Earlier this week, PowerSchool announced there was a data breach in some districts over winter break.  PowerSchool communicated with us that we were not one of the districts impacted.  We also conducted a thorough review of our internal systems to confirm that we were not impacted.  Thanks to our technology department for staying on top of this.

Date Change-  I mentioned in my earlier update that my community Zoom session on the stakeholder survey and budget development was tentatively scheduled for January 29. It is tentatively scheduled for Thursday, January 30.  I will confirm closer to the date.

The Beacon Sloop Club is holding a free event as part of their lecture series on Thursday, January 16.  The lecture is on Pete Seeger and the information is attached to this email.  

Thanks and have a good weekend.

Matt
Attachments:
 Chopping_Wood_Talk_Jan_16%2C_2025.pdf (386.5 KB)