SUPERINTENDENT’S NEWS
Dr. Daniel StarrDR. DANIEL STARR

BUDGET INFORMATION
May is here and the good weather, finally!! Our students are engaged in a variety of sports and I encourage you to get to one of the fields for track or baseball or softball this spring.

The vote on the school budget and two open Board seats is May 20th from 7:00 AM to 8:00 PM in the lobby of the HS on Oak St. The Corinth Merchants Association is sponsoring a presentation of the budget on May 15th at 7:30 at the Fire Hall for all community and civic groups. The Annual Budget Hearing for the entire community is at 7:00PM on May 13th, preceding the regularly scheduled Board of Education meeting. You have received in the mail the brochure outlining the proposed budget for the 2008-09 school year. The budget has increased, but so too has our state aid. We do not know the tax rate per $1000 because of the reassessments conducted by the Town of Corinth. Typically I try to tell you what that rate will be, but we won’t know until August. The total assessments are given to us by the end of June and NYS provides the equalization rate in August that allows the calculation of the tax rate. What we do know is that the tax levy for the school (the amount we collect in taxes) has increased by approximately $183,000 or 2.7% for next year.

Why Vote?
Here are five (5) reasons why you should vote in the upcoming budget vote and Board of Education election (provided by the NYS School Boards Association).

1. BECAUSE YOU CAN! In many nations of the world and even in other states in our country, citizens do not have the right to vote on their local school budgets.

2. BECAUSE YOU SET AN EXAMPLE. The students we serve notice whether or not the adults in their lives exercise their right to vote. We set an example when we decide to vote or not to vote.

3. BECAUSE YOU SHOW RESPECT FOR WHAT EDUCATORS DO. Working with every student who walks in our doors is a difficult challenge. When you vote, you acknowledge that challenge!

4. BECAUSE YOUR REPSONSE IS NEEDED. Your school board has developed a spending plan based on input from district employees and community members. Throughout the year these people balance the needs of our students and the financial impact of their decisions on the community.

5. BECAUSE OUR COMMUNITY AND ITS CHILDREN DEPEND ON YOU. The conventional folk wisdom that “it takes a whole village to raise a child” fits here. We all share the responsibility to see that all of our children are educated. Even though you may not actually be in the classrooms, you can make your opinion known on what we do every day by voting.

BUDGET INFORMATION-
ABSENTEE BALLOTS
Absentee ballots will be available in the Superintendent’s office beginning May 5, 2008. An absentee ballot may only be obtained due to specific reasons and an application must be completed. If you are not going to be in the area for the vote on May 20, 2008, then please pick up an application or call Helen Bardin, District Clerk to mail the application to you. Completed applications must be received by the District Clerk 7 days prior to the vote if the ballot is to be mailed to the voter, or the day before the election, if the ballot is delivered personally by the voter. All Absentee Ballots must be received by 5pm in the District Clerk’s office on May 20, 2008 to be valid. A list of all whom absentee ballots shall have been issued will be available in the office of the District Clerk between the hours of 9am to 3pm five days prior to the vote not counting holidays or weekends and will be available the day of the vote.

HIGH SCHOOL
EARLY CHILDHOOD CLASS
WANTED: 3, 4 and 5 Year Olds are wanted by the Early Childhood Class. They will be conducting their annual Play School on May 28-30 and on June 3-6. The Play School will begin at 9:30am and end promptly at 10:30am. This will be a great opportunity for the students to put their knowledge to work. If you have a child or know someone who has a child who would be interested in attending, please call 654-9005 ext. 2439 between 1pm and 2pm for more information.

SCHOOL SPORTS PHYSICALS
Sports physicals will be performed by Evergreen Health Center providers at school on May 21st, June 3rd & 4th in the nurse’s office at Oak Street. A valid sports physical must be on file in the nurse’s office for any athletic participation. Sports physicals are valid for one calendar year, therefore sports physicals done in may and June, 2008 will be valid for athletic participation in the 2008-09 school year. There is a form which must be filled out in advance and can be obtained through the MS/HS nurse or the Physical Education Department. Sports physicals may be completed by your child’s person physician also.

HEALTH INFORMATION
State mandated physicals are required for grades K, 2, 4, 7 and 10. if your child is entering one of these grades in the 2008-09 school year now would be a great time to schedule this appointment. These physicals are also valid for one calendar year and you may obtain the form for these at the Elementary, or MS/HS Nurse’s office. Please remember to update the Health office with any new information regarding your child’s health, such as immunizations, allergies, medications or medical problems.

STUDENT SERVICES INFORMATION
If you suspect your child has a disability which adversely affects his/her educational performance which may require special education and you are enrolling your child in a nonpublic school and seeking support for your child while your child attends school there, you may initiate a referral by writing to the Committee on Special Education (“CSE”) in the school district where the nonpublic school is located.

For students that attend the King’s School in Hadley, NY, the referral should be directed to the Corinth CSD, 105 Oak St., Corinth, NY 12822, Attention: Student Services Department.
 
If you suspect your child has a disability which adversely affects his/her educational performance which may require special education and your child is enrolled in the Corinth CSD and attending the Corinth Elementary School, Corinth Middle School or Corinth High School, please contact your child's building principal to discuss your concerns.  Or if you prefer, you may also initiate a referral by writing to Corinth CSD, 105 Oak St., Corinth, NY 12822, Attention: Student Services Department.

CAFETERIA NEWS UPDATE
The food service department would like to commend all students, parents, teachers, support staff and cashiers for their support and patience in helping to make the transition to the School Dining System (SDS) the past week a success. The Oak Street HS/MS is functioning back to normal with Center Street Elementary close behind, picking up speed as the students continue to learn their student ID’s.

Parents, you can access the new SDS from our web site (www.corinthcsd.com) by clicking on the SDS link. Then you will enter your user name and password which was mailed to your household during spring break. After logging on and setting up your account, you can access the online payment system, PAYSCHOOLS. You can also access your family account to see your student’s daily meal history. You can set a cap on how much each child can spend. If you did not receive a letter with your log in information or need to find out your students ID number so you can help them at home, please call Mrs. Linda Snyder, cafeteria manager at 654-900 x3114 for assistance.

First meals, “Type A” lunches, remain at $1.75 and $1.50 for lunch and $1.00 for breakfast. Students have the option to purchase a second lunch for $1.10 or a second breakfast for $1.00. The second meal includes the main entrée and milk only. Anything e purchases made in addition will be charged a la carte prices.

USEFUL CCSD LINKS

Health Office Information on Immunization and Physical Requirements