November 8, 2021
Dear BKW Community,
As we wrap up the first quarter of the school year, and enter the holiday season, I want to express my gratitude to our families and the community for patience and flexibility going back to the summer as we considered what the return to school would look like. Certainly, as has been the case throughout the pandemic, circumstances have shifted and changed and we have all had to adapt. Despite some positive COVID cases, we have been able to limit quarantines and keep our schools open for in-person instruction. Doing so is the best thing for our students.
Let me take a moment to review a couple of COVID things before moving to the great things happening in school with our students and staff. This weekend, Albany County districts were surveyed by Albany County Department of Health regarding pediatric vaccination and a possible process of testing to stay in school if identified as a close contact. The district has hosted four vaccination clinics over the past few months, and we indicated to AC DOH that we would host a pediatric vaccination clinic if offered in the Hilltowns.
The “test to stay” concept is being piloted in Saratoga County at this time. The idea is to use rapid antigen tests with asymptomatic close contacts to allow them to stay in school rather than be quarantined. A negative test each day, and no symptoms, would mean a student identified as a close contact with someone testing positive would be able to come to school for instruction. As a district, we are in favor of this process, and have been discussing this for a few weeks with the local health department. We are looking forward to seeing the data from the pilot in Saratoga County.
At the October meeting of the Board of Education, consultants from i-Ready made a presentation on student growth for the 2020-21 school year. In short, the data indicates that our K-6 students made tremendous progress last year, despite the pandemic. In fact the average growth for the entire population was 131%, which means the average level student grew 1 and ⅓ years in a single year. BKW outpaced every other district in our region, and many across the State. The slides from that presentation can be reviewed at the link below.
BKW elementary students outpacing peers in i-Ready achievement
Our students, and families, did an amazing job last year, and during the COVID closure in the spring of 2020. The digital platform provided targeted materials for each individual student, and students engaged those materials extremely well. Our staff has worked closely together to make sure our Math and ELA programs are aligned with State standards and that classroom lessons reflect those standards. We are proud of that work and the results.
Students have been flocking to a new Esports club in the secondary school. After an experimental period last year, Mr. Dergosits requested to teach Technology in the secondary school. We are determined to focus on ESports, gaming, robotics, and coding. As of last week, 54 students have been coming to play in ESports competitions using five comprehensive gaming setups donated to the district this past summer. Students have also been re-purposing outdated desktop computers and tinkering with creating automated solutions to various tasks around the school. These STEAM oriented experiences allow students to tap into their personal interests and talents in a way that is relevant to their future, and the process represents a key step in the process of the district’s effort to create “specialized programs” aimed at preparing students for college and careers.
Thirty of our Agricultural Science students traveled to Camp Oswegatchie, in the Adirondacks, in October for a leadership learning experience. Over the two-day experience, students had to work together in teams to solve problems and support one another while navigating the high ropes course. Successful high ropes work depends on trust and teamwork. Being 40 feet in the air and only having a rope to hold onto requires clear communication skills, problem solving, and focused attention to succeed at completing the course. Students and staff called the experience “life changing.”
The district will be transitioning to a new messaging system. You will notice school-based messages coming from “Parent Square” in the coming days. The new platform is much more efficient than our previous messaging service – Blackboard. At this point, all contact data comes out of our student information system. Our communications specialists have posted on our district website resources for parents and community members to use in customizing the system for each individual. It is very user friendly and will also allow us to easily survey stakeholders as we seek to make informed decisions on various subjects.
As we go into the coming holiday season, I am thankful for our students, staff, and community. The past 20 months have been something no one would have ever dreamed would happen, but we have been able to come through the difficulties and uncertainties without losing our focus on students and their futures. Unity in the face of uncertainty, driven by shared purpose, always yields positive results. Thank you!
Sincerely,
Dr. Timothy Mundell
Superintendent of Schools