April 2016 - Johnson City Central Schools

Wildcat Pride
Johnson City Central School District
Spring 2016
Budget snapshot
Total budget
Budget increase*
Total tax levy
Levy increase
$52,866,020
4.65%
$24,854,164
0.36%
*Budget increase minus debt service 2.84%
Public hearing May 10 at 7 p.m.
Where to vote:
Vote May 17, noon to 8 p.m. Who can vote:
JC High School
666 Reynolds Rd.
locations - page 28
registration - page 28
Proud
to be
JC
Educational Excellence for a Changing Tomorrow
Superintendent’s Message
The 2016-2017 school budget
presented in this newsletter
brings many positive points to
highlight. I hope as you review
the pages of this issue of “Wildcat Pride” you will have a greater
understanding of the budget proposal and appreciate the wonderful experiences our programs offer our students.
Spring 2016
Question: What is a “tax levy limit?” Isn’t it
called a “cap?”
First and foremost, the Board of
Education worked diligently to prepare a school budget that
fulfills their primary objectives: meeting the needs of our students, facilities and community with a budget that is fiscally
responsible and strategic for the taxpayer.
This year we were fortunate to see an increase in foundation
aid and we will receive the final funding to fully restore monies lost due to the state-imposed gap elimination adjustment.
All of this has enabled us to keep our levy limit increase within
the property tax calculation of .36 percent. This is the lowest
tax levy increase the district has had in over a decade, which is
How does the tax levy work?
Johnson City Central School District
666 Reynolds Road
Johnson City, NY 13790
Answer: For school districts, the “tax levy limit” is the highest allowable tax levy (before exemptions) that a school district can propose as part of its annual budget, which will
require approval of a simple majority (more than 50 percent of voters.) New York state enacted a law that suggests
school districts must keep their tax levy at or below 2 percent in order to be within the law. That is not true. The law
does not hold school districts to a 2 percent “cap” of their
tax levy. Each school district’s tax levy limit is determined
by a complicated eight-step calculation. The legislation does
not place a limit on any taxes a school district would levy
to pay for expenditures related to specific “exempt” items,
including some court orders, some pension costs and local
capital expenditures.
“This is the lowest tax levy increase
the district has had in over a
decade, which is a tremendous
asset to the taxpayer.”
Therefore, some schools will have a tax levy limit at or below 2 percent, but some will have a tax levy limit above 2
percent. Essentially, the “tax levy limit” sets a threshold requiring districts to obtain a higher level of community support for a proposed tax levy above a certain amount. Any
proposed tax levy amount above a district’s allowable limit
will require budget approval by a super majority (60 percent
or more) of voters.
a tremendous asset to the taxpayer. Through careful budgeting and conservative spending, we will be able to maintain our
current programs, all of which are geared to prepare students
for a successful future.
Question: How is the “tax levy limit” determined for school districts?
Recently, the local newspaper reported that the school aid
runs awarded to Johnson City were much larger, as a percentage, than surrounding school districts. This increase was due
to additional building aid being added to our total operational
aid. The state had projected two years of building aid for the
Vision 2015 capital project instead of one year. This has been
corrected to one year of building aid. In actuality, our operation aid shows an increase of 5.28 percent.
Board of Education
Question: Does the law take into account that
some expenses are currently outside a district’s
control?
To help the district continue to function in a fiscally responsible manner, the board is asking the voters to approve a facilities capital reserve fund. This fund will be in existence for
10 years, if monies are available. The goal is to build a reserve
of $10 million to help reduce taxpayer costs for future capital
projects.
Your support of our students and our schools on May 17 is
greatly appreciated. Our students are definitely Wildcat proud
and are grateful for the continued community support.
Mary Kay Roland
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Superintendent
Answer: The law dictates an eight-step formula that each
school district must use to calculate its individual “tax levy
limit.” In particular, the calculation adjusts a district’s tax
levy to reflect growth in the local tax base (if any) and the
rate of inflation, or 2 percent, whichever is lower. Tax levy
limits are calculated by each district and will vary by district.
Front (l-r): Shannon Edmondson (vice president), Jeannette Farr, Debra Welsh Clarke
Back (l-r): Nicholas Matyas (district clerk), Richard
“Rocky” Martinez (president), Matthew Jablonowski,
Ronald Zarzycki
www. jcschools.com
Answer: Yes. Taxes that school districts levy to pay for certain expenses are exempt from the tax levy limit calculation.
In other words, after a school district calculates its tax levy
limit, it then applies these exemptions to that amount. This
allows the district to propose a tax levy greater than the
amount set by the limit without triggering the need for approval by 60 percent of voters. These exemptions include:
www. jcschools.com
voter-approved local capital expenditures; increases in the
state-mandated employer contribution rates for teacher
and employee pensions that exceed two percentage points;
court orders/judgments resulting from tort actions of any
amount that exceeds 5 percent of a district’s current levy.
Tax certioraris, however, are not exempt. These exemptions
seem to indicate an acknowledgement among lawmakers
that schools have no ability to simply limit cost increases in
these areas to the rate of inflation. As a result, a district’s final tax levy (after the levies for these exemptions are added
in) could be greater than its published tax levy limit and yet
still be considered, under the law, within that limit.
Question: What is the difference between tax
levy and tax rate and how do they impact my tax
bill?
Answer: To understand the answer to this question, it is
important to know the difference between the terms tax
levy and tax rate. Tax levy is the amount required to fund
a school district’s operations. Tax levy is only one factor in
the calculation of an individual’s property tax bill. Tax rate is
determined by the tax levy, the assessed value of a property
and the equalization rate set by the town. In May, residents
vote to adopt a budget with an estimated tax levy. In August, the board of education adopts a resolution to officially
set the tax levy. It is also important to know that the new
law applies to the tax levy, not to tax rates or individual tax
bills. In addition, the law does not impose a universal 2 percent cap on taxes—or any other specific amount. The law
does require a greater number of voters to approve a budget that exceeds a school district’s individual tax levy limit,
as calculated by a complex formula. There are several factors that dictate how an individual’s school tax bill is calculated after a school district sets the final tax levy—none of
which are within the district’s control. Tax bills continue to
be calculated by using a property’s assessed value (as determined by the local town assessor), and the tax rate—or
the amount paid in taxes per $1,000 of assessed value. Tax
rates are not solely determined by the tax levy approved by
voters; they are often adjusted by the state using equalization rates, which are designed to equally distribute the tax
burden across municipalities within a district. Tax bills can
also be affected by STAR or other exemptions for which individual taxpayers may qualify.
Reminder: School taxes are collected
by the County.
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Program budget
Proposed budget for the 2016-17 school year
Shall the Board of Education be authorized to appropriate the sum of $52,866,020 to meet
the estimated expenditures for the 2016-17 school year?
FUNCTION OR ACCOUNT
Library and Audio/Visual
DESCRIPTION
Library and A-V Salaries, Library Books, Supplies and Services
Teaching
Curriculum Development, Teacher Salaries, Textbooks, Supplies, Contracted
Services, Support Staff and Substitutes
Middle School and High School Guidance Program Salaries, Supplies and Services
$20,621,690
$21,702,823
$1,081,134
$435,977
$454,330
$18,353
$275,233
$274,173
($1,060)
Psychological Services
Salaries for Registered Nurses and Physician Services to Students, Supplies and
Services
Salaries, Supplies and Services for Students
$182,884
$188,043
$5,159
Social Worker Services
Cocurricular Activities
Salaries, Supplies and Services for Students
Salaries, Supplies and Services to Support Student Clubs and Activities
$175,032
$119,739
$198,841
$162,530
$23,810
$42,791
Interscholastic Athletics
Salaries, Supplies and Services to Support Girls and Boys Athletic Teams
$787,299
$816,775
$29,477
Transportation
Bus Driver and Support Staff Salaries, Supplies and Services for Transporting
Students
Retirement, Social Security, Health and Dental Insurance
$1,895,301
$1,914,922
$19,622
$12,538,106
$12,132,828
($405,279)
$71,500
$71,500
-
$37,325,003
$38,190,118
$865,116
2016-2017
$3,217,062
$20,000
$905,263
$5,497,541
$100,000
$9,739,866
CHANGE
$220,578
($51,471)
$1,043,347
$1,212,454
Guidance
Health Services
Employee Benefits
2015-2016 2016-2017
$222,243
$273,353
Other Transfers
TOTAL PROGRAM
Capital budget
Three-Part budget
2015-2016
Administrative
Program
Capital
TOTAL:
$4,664,238
$37,325,003
$8,527,412
$50,516,653
2016-2017
Chief School Administrator
Finance
Staff
Central Services
Special Items
Administration-Instruction
Employee Benefits
$271,798
$865,115
$1,212,454
$2,349,367
Estimated revenues
Other Income: This category includes
any income received by the district
other than state aid, fund balance
or the tax levy. Examples of these
items are interest from investments,
charges for services and Medicaid
reimbursements.
2015-2016
$17,210
2016-2017
$16,000
CHANGE
($1,210)
$227,493
$688,560
$220,854
$232,082
$768,000
$233,691
$4,589
$79,440
$12,837
$108,192
$132,824
$24,632
State Aid: This year (2016-17) we expect to receive a total of $25,524,710
in aid.
$505,185
$543,710
$38,525
Appropriated Fund Balance/Reserves:
We will apply $787,000.
Curriculum Development Salaries, Supplies, Staff Development Services, Principals, Assistant Principals and Support Staff Salaries, Supplies, Testing and Service
Costs
Retirement, Social Security, Health, Dental
$1,604,339
$1,701,329
$96,990
$1,292,405
$1,308,400
$15,995
$4,664,238
$4,936,036
$271,798
www. jcschools.com
2015-2016
$2,996,484
$20,000
$956,734
$4,454,194
$100,000
$8,527,412
2016-17 Revenue Projection
Our district receives money from
several sources. These sources are:
DESCRIPTION
School Board Association Memberships and Conferences, Election Supplies and
Services
Superintendent’s and Clerical Salaries, Supplies and Contracted Service Costs
Business Office Salaries and Services, Auditing Services, Tax Collector’s Supplies
Legal Costs, Personnel Office, Supplies and Services, Public Information Supplies
and Services
Cost for Copy Paper, Postage for District, BOCES Costs for Financial, Report Card
Services, Salaries, Supplies and Services for Computer Services Department
Insurance Costs, Tax Refunds, BOCES Administrative Costs
TOTAL ADMINISTRATIVE
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CHANGE
$4,936,036
$38,190,118
$9,739,866
$52,866,020
Administrative budget
FUNCTION OR ACCOUNT
Board of Education
FUNCTION OR ACCOUNT
Operation and Plant Maintenance
Refund of Taxes
Employee Benefits
Debt Service
Other Transfers
TOTAL CAPITAL
CHANGE
$51,110
Tax Levy: This is the amount we need
from our local taxpayers to support
our budget. For our 2016-17 budget,
we are projecting a $89,926 increase
in taxes that represents a 0.36 percent
increase from last year.
www. jcschools.com
Estimated revenues
CATEGORY
Other Income
State Aid
Fund Balance
Tax Levy
TOTAL:
ESTIMATED REVENUE
2015-2016
$1,472,839
$23,419,484
$860,092
$24,764,238
$50,516,653
ESTIMATED REVENUE
2016-2017
$1,700,146
$25,524,710
$787,000
$24,854,164
$52,866,020
DIFFERENCE
CHANGE
$227,307
$2,105,226
($73,092)
$89,926
$2,349,367
This is a description of the major components of our estimated revenues, compared to last year.
Please note that these are our best estimates and could require adjustments after the district
receives more definitive information from the state.
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Proposition
Tax report card
Total General Fund Budget
2015-16
$50,516,653
PROPOSITION NO. 1
Total General Fund Budget
2016-17
$52,866,020
Bus Purchase - Shall the Board of Education
be authorized to purchase (1) 66
passenger bus, (1) 57 passenger bus
with wheelchair accessibility, (1) 28
passenger bus; for an aggregate cost
not to exceed $333,000 and to levy
and collect the required tax for the
payment of the principal and interest
on bonds as they shall become due
and payable?
Percentage Increase
PROPOSITION NO. 2
Facilities Capital Reserve Fund - Shall the
Board of Education be authorized to
establish a Facilities Capital Reserve
Fund pursuant to Section 3651 of
Education Law to finance Districtwide capital improvements?
Ten-Year Budget Summary
YEAR
2007-08
2008-09
2009-10
2010-11
2011-12
2012-13
2013-14
2014-15
2015-16
2016-17 (proposed)
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BUDGET
$40,583,917
$42,957,690
$44,347,552
$45,670,693
$45,889,046
$46,224,506
$47,884,380
$48,997,625
$50,516,653
$52,866,020
% BUDGET
5.68%
5.85%
3.24%
2.98%
0.48%
0.73%
3.60%
2.32%
3.10%
4.65%
4.65%
Tax Levy
2015-16
$24,764,238
Estimated Tax Levy
2016-17
$24,854,164
Percentage Increase
0.36%
Increase in Consumer Price Index
0.12%
Estimated enrollment
2016-17
2,587
Did You Know?
• The Johnson City School district has 32 regular bus runs that run four times daily. In addition, there are nine specialized runs (BOCES
placements, special education placements,
and parochial schools) in small buses and suburbans.
• Our transportation fleet includes 38 large passenger buses, two smaller passenger buses
and four SUV vehicles used for midday runs
and special runs. (Three large buses and two
small buses are wheelchair accessible.)
Meet our board candidate
One seat on the Board of Education will expire on June 30, 2016. The seat is a fiveyear term commencing July 1, 2016, and ending June 30, 2021, to fill the expiring
term of board trustee Ronald Zarzycki.
Heather Gaughan
“My name is Heather Gaughan and I have been a resident of Johnson City for almost 12 years. My
husband, John Gaughan, is a lifelong resident and
together we have three children. Our daughter, Delaney, is in 4th grade and our twin boys, Keegan
and Connor, are in 1st grade. My husband and I
are both heavily involved in the community through
our participation in sports and constant attendance at school activities. I am also the Girl Scout leader for my daughter’s Junior’s troop.
Volunteering for the book fair is one of my favorite activities every
year. Additionally, I am the 1st grade Box Top Representative. I have
always felt it important to form a relationship with my children’s
teachers and offer any assistance I can. They know I am available to
them in the classrooms at any time my help is needed. I feel that being a part of the JC School Board is my way of continuing to give
back to the community and helping not only my children, but all
the children in the district get the education they deserve.”
School snapshots
• Our D.O.T. approval rating was 97 percent in
2014-2015. An excellent rating is considered
to be 90 percent or higher.
• Our buses traveled 413,273 miles during the
2014-2015 school year.
• In an effort to minimize miles and save on fuel
consumption between runs, we park our buses at various locations instead of driving back
to the transportation complex.
• The district replaces buses on a yearly basis
to comply with the department of transportation. The goal of the district is to use buses on
an approximate 10 year life cycle.
www. jcschools.com
Cardiovascular disease is the number one cause of death in the United States.
Since 2003, February 5 has been designated as National Wear Red Day, a day when
everyone is encouraged to wear red to help raise awareness for heart-related
health. At Johnson City schools, staff showed their support for the cause.
www. jcschools.com
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Safety meetings focus on emergency preparedness
At Johnson City schools, student safety is a top priority.
Each building has its own safety team consisting of administrators and staff members who gather to go over safety drills and emergency procedures for their building. The meetings are a useful opportunity for the
safety teams to assess emergency plans, policies
and procedures with law enforcement.
In March, all building safety teams
gathered at the high school for a
district-level meeting and met with
members of the Johnson City and
New York State Police. It was an opportunity for JC staff to take part in tabletop exercises involving key personnel discussing simulated emergency scenarios.
“Safety plans needed to be updated and submitted this
year, and our building and district safety teams have worked
very hard at collaborating and finalizing our building-level
emergency plans,” said Eric Race, assistant superintendent
for administration. “There are changes coming in terms of
building safety and mandatory drills, so we are trying to get
ahead of the curve and take a proactive approach.
One big change students, parents and staff will notice is the need to include lock-down and evacuation drills in the coming years. The common fire drills
will still need to be performed, but fewer will
be required and replaced with the lock
down and evacuation drills. Part of
our revised plan includes having representatives from the JC police, fire and
NYS police sitting in on our safety teams. They have been a
great help guiding us and providing their professional perspective on key safety issues and assisting and supporting
the school district emergency preparedness planning by
providing training to our teams.”
BOCES students collaborating on JC construction project
High school students in Broome-Tioga BOCES’ masonry, heavy equipment repair and operation (HERO), carpentry and
welding classes are currently taking part in a construction project at Johnson City schools.
On April 1, the students broke ground on a press box/concession stand/bathroom building at JC schools’ softball field. The
project is being overseen by BOCES instructors and representatives from Hulbert Engineering, Highland Associates, Matco
Electric and Evans Mechanical.
“We are excited by the opportunity to work with BOCES on this project and look forward to the enhancements to our
campus” said Eric Race, Johnson City assistant superintendent for administration. “It will be a great learning opportunity
for the BOCES students, providing them with hands-on training to build a structure that will benefit our district for many
years.”
Construction will take place through June and continue in the early fall.
8
www. jcschools.com
Annual Culture Night event
celebrates student diversity
Visitors to Johnson City school’s K-8 cafeteria had the opportunity to take a trip around the world on March 3 at the
district’s Culture Night 2016. The annual event, now in its
third year, celebrated the school’s multicultural diversity and
featured displays by approximately 20 JC families and staff
members representing their own cultures with free ethnic
food, games, music, traditional clothing, pictures and maps.
Countries represented included Ethiopia, Pakistan, Laos,
Puerto Rico, the Dominican Republic, Thailand and Vietnam.
Irish dancers, Ukrainian dancers, and the district’s own Step
Team dance groups provided entertainment.
The King and Queen Kindergarten Ball
Annual science fairs showcase student talent
February and March were busy months for our science students and teachers in grades 4, 8 and 9-12. Students spent
weeks choosing a project, researching, experimenting, making observations, and using their creativity to make informative and eye-catching displays for their school’s science fair.
On February 23, more than 100 students in grades 9-12 displayed their projects in the large and small cafeterias in the
high school with 18 adult judges reviewing the results and interviewing the participants. Awards went to the top three
in each grade level. Honors went to freshmen Grace Carter (1st place), Parker Howland (2nd place), Austin Maurer
(3rd place); sophomores Josh Babcock (1st place), Justin Butler (2nd place), Alex Hammer (3rd place); juniors Alizeh
Khan (1st place), Olivia Nestrick (2nd place) Clarissa Cochrane (3rd place); and seniors Jon Bessette (1st place), Aaron
Spaulding (2nd place) and Catherine Coon (3rd place).
Junior Alizeh Khan was awarded Best in Show for her project entitled “The Effects of Medicinal Plant Extracts on Pancreatic Alpha Amylase Activity.” She went on to compete in the Southern Tier Science Fair at SUNY Broome, where
she was awarded the Gold Medal for Excellence (Senior Division), 2nd place (Senior Division) Lockheed Martin Science
Excellence Award, Southern Tier NY Physical Therapy Association Health and Wellness Award and the Promotion to
the New York Science Conference. The last award qualifies her to compete in the New York State Science Fair taking
place June 4 in Buffalo.
Congratulations also goes to high school students Grace Carter and Kara Anderson for securing a 1st place finish for
their science project at the Southern Tier Science Olympiad at Binghamton University. Their project, entitled “Write it
- Do it,” required one team member to view a constructed object and then write the instructions to build it. The other
team member then had to use those instructions to build the object in another room.
Does aspirin prolong the life of roses and carnations? What effect does temperature have on how long a glow stick
will glow? What can you use to measure wind speed? On March 2, 60 fourth-graders answered these and many other
questions at the intermediate school’s annual science fair. Awards went to Evan Sternquist, Anthony Rivera, Justin
Smallze, Ian Perry, Marisa Smith, Tori Grafton, Johnathan Connis, Ari Judd, Amber Perry and Dominic Sodon.
The triad of science fairs concluded on March 10 with the 8th-graders showing off their hard work. Awards went to
Matt Pope, Alex Novak, Ben Telfer, Haleemah Abdul-Malik and Albert Hammer, the latter receiving Best in Show for his
project entitled ‘Electrolytes Vs. Performance.’
Primary School Message
-by Principal Dan Erickson
After a mild winter, a short
burst of cold weather and our
April snow day…spring has arrived and we are ready to begin
wrapping up another successful
school year. We have been busy
with parent-teacher conferences, a couple long weekends
and many activities within our school. We have had the
opportunity to partner with Binghamton University for a
mentor program in the primary school and currently have
15 mentors who are with us on Tuesdays and Thursdays
from 11 a.m. - 1 p.m. In the short time they have been
here, the mentors have connected with individual students to provide support in the classroom with academics
while forging positive relationships. This valued partnership brings vitality to our school and is a symbiotic relationship that we treasure and will continue to embrace
with our neighbors across the river again next fall.
Spring is also a time for an increased focus on social relationships. I ask that you continue to talk about our school
“ROAR Expectations” at home: to show respect, organization, achievement and responsibility. We continue
to remind students what the behaviors look and sound
like at school, while also recognizing our ROAR winners
at the monthly assemblies. Frequent compliments when
you see excellent behavior go a long way to encourage
positive behavior choices. Our PBIS (positive behavioral
interventions and supports) team has learned that for every negative comment that is made to a child, four positive comments should be made. It is easy to see the good
choices once you start looking for them. We look forward
to ending our school year with a bang.
A big thank you to our PTO for continuing to provide educational opportunities for our students outside of the normal curriculum. Our PTO is sponsoring Brenna Swanger
on May 6. Swanger is a musician who has crafted “Rock
On 4” to combine the energy of popular music with special talking points to communicate four essential messages: courage, acceptance, kindness and a tomorrow full of
promises. Please continue to support the many PTO fundraisers that enable us to enhance your child’s educational
experience.
The primary school held a King and Queen Kindergarten
Ball on January 27 at the end of the school day. The students participated in a fun dance and were treated to a
snack by the Johnson City PTO. The event provided students the opportunity to learn how to dance with a partner and show off their royal manners.
Assistant principal co-authors
education article
An article titled, “Reframing Teacher Education for Democratic Engagement,” co-authored by Johnson City Assistant
Principal Tracy D’Arpino, was published in the New Directions for Community College Volume Spring 2016. The article describes the partnership between teacher education
students at SUNY Broome and Johnson City elementary
students that led to both generations gaining a stronger
sense of themselves as agents of civic change. Participating JC students were engaged in the public achievement
civic engagement model and, with the guidance of college
coaches, created projects to improve the community. The
young students learned leadership skills and improved
communication skills while engaged in real-life problemsolving actions.
“Frequent compliments when
you see excellent behavior go a
long way to encourage positive
behavior choices.”
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www. jcschools.com
www. jcschools.com
11
Robots help students learn
basic math concepts
Students at the Johnson City Primary School have had the opportunity to learn math in a fun way this year. The classrooms
have been using Bee-Bots as an aid to learn basic programming skills - directions, planning, sequencing and fun - while
learning their math facts. Bee-Bots are colorful, easy-to-operate robots shaped like bumble bees that have proven popular
with students and teachers while teaching math. The district
is currently using 60 Bee-Bots throughout the K-2 classrooms.
To learn more, visit https://www.bee-bot.us/
Bus drivers and
monitors wanted
The Johnson City Transportation Department is looking
for bus drivers and monitors.
CDL training is available. If interested, call 763-1249.
Transportation
Daycare before or after school
When requesting different transportation for your child before or after school, an alternate site form is required. An alternate site form must be submitted in advance and be within the Johnson City School District. Each child must have their own form on file. You may submit them to the transportation office or at the office of the school your child attends. After submitting the request, you can either call transportation or wait to be contacted with bus information. Reminder: A form is required each new school year and must be submitted before August when possible. Any questions, please call transportation @ 763‐1249 or 763‐1250. **Forms are available on the JC school website (transportation page), the transportation office or grade level office. Have a safe and happy summer, Louis Castellucci, Director of Transportation / Grounds OFFICE USE ONLY: Transportation notice
Going to a sitter’s home
Alternate site forms are used for the purpose of
requesting transportation when a child goes to a
sitter within the Johnson City School District with an
address different than the child’s home address. The
forms must be submitted to the grade-level office of
your child’s school in advance of transportation needs.
Please complete one form for each child and return
them before the end of August.
To access the form from the district website, click on
Departments>Business & Operations>Transportation.
Does eating an apple really keep the doctor away?
In February, Lexi Edmundson and Bonnie Tippett from Cornell Cooperative
Extension visited the 2nd-grade classes
to talk about the importance of eating
fruits and vegetables and the healthy
benefits of consuming vitamins and
minerals. The visitors presented a puppet show starring Brian Broccoli and
Colby Carrot and also gave students
the opportunity to participate in a fun
taste test. The students were given a
locally grown Fuji apple slice to sample
followed by a Fuji apple slice grown in
the state of Washington. Most students
agreed, the local apple was fresher,
sweeter and crunchier.
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***BUS# AM ___________STOP______________________________________________TIME____________________ PM ___________STOP______________________________________________TIME____________________ 2016‐2017 JOHNSON CITY ELEMENTARY / MIDDLE / HIGH SCHOOL 666 Reynolds Road ‐ Transportation Johnson City, New York 13790 ALTERNATE SITE AND AUTHORIZATION FORM STUDENTS IN THE CARE OF A CHILD SITTER / HOME DAYCARE As the parent(s) or legal guardian (s) of ___________________________________GRADE____________________ We hereby request and authorize the above‐named child be transported to the following residence: CHILD SITTER / SITE NAME________________________________________________________________________ STREET ADDRESS________________________________________________________________________________ CITY (Must be within the JC district)_________________________________________________________________ BUS TRANSPORTION IN THE AM___ PM___ DAYS OF THE WEEK M TU W TH F SITTER PHONE______________________PARENT PHONE_________________________ REQUESTED START DATE___________________________ **Any changes to this request need to be pre‐approved. ** Furthermore, we agree that the Johnson City Central School District shall in no way be liable for the safety and care of the above named child once delivered to the bus stop designated for the residence identified above and we hereby release the Johnson City Central School District and its agents and employees from any and all responsibility for injuries or damages that might be sustained by the above‐named child once said child is delivered to the designated bus stop. NAME OF PARENT (PLEASE PRINT)__________________________________SIGNATURE________________________________ OR LEGAL GUARDIAN (S) _________________________________________HOME PHONE______________________________ CHILD’S LEGAL RESIDENCE__________________________________________________________________________________ RESIDENCE OF PARENT(S) /LEGAL GUARDIAN (S)________________________________________________________________ EMERGENCY PERSON TO CONTACT_________________________________PHONE____________________________________ GRADE LEVEL SCHOOL CHILD ATTENDS: K‐2 3‐5 6‐8 9‐12 CIRCLE ONE www. jcschools.com
~ A NEW FORM BY PARENT / GUARDIAN IS NEEDED EACH NEW SCHOOL YEAR ~ www. jcschools.com
13
Intermediate School Messageby Principal Margaret Kucko
Dear families,
We have had a wonderful and
productive winter here at the intermediate school. The students
have been engaged in so many
fantastic learning opportunities
and family involvement is growing. We are so thankful for
our students, staff and community and the great learning
culture that is thriving.
The students worked very hard on the recent New York
state ELA and math tests and displayed outstanding perseverance that demonstrates college and career-ready
skills. Be proud, teachers and parents! Our teachers have
been very creative with their instructional practices with
egg drop projects, planting seeds and research projects
in 5th grade, pen pals, Bee-Bots and coding in 4th grade,
and heading off to the science lab in 3rd and 4th grade.
Many of our 3rd-grade classrooms have incorporated music and movement into their everyday learning. You may
have also seen that the 5th-graders made world news
with their petition to have Kenny Washington, the first
football player to break the color barrier, inducted into
the Football Hall of Fame. To learn more and sign the petition, visit change.org at http://chn.ge/1WlX5gI
“We are so thankful for our
students, staff and community
and the great learning culture
that is thriving.”
Our Family Literacy Community Night was a great achievement this early spring. More than 75 parents, children
and staff came out to have dinner, enjoy reading and create literacy-based crafts. We hope to continue to grow our
school-to-community connection, so be on the lookout
for more events like these.
Third- and fourth-graders
get into the swing of things
The Johnson City 3rd- and 4th-graders recently got the opportunity to learn about golf in physical education class.
Coach Naomi from Traditions at the Glen visited the classes
to teach the basics of putting, chipping and swinging. Traditions reached out to area schools with the program and JC
is the first school to participate.
Middle School Message -by Principal Joe Guccia
At the outset of this school year,
I wrote to you with an appeal for
help in our efforts to improve
the regular daily attendance
of our students. Research continues to pile up on the lasting
negative impacts of chronic absenteeism (missing at least 10
percent of the school year or 18 total days for any reason).
It is often difficult for those who don’t “live” here in our
school every day to truly grasp the enormity of this issue,
so I wanted to take this opportunity to update the current state of student attendance at Johnson City Middle
School.
As of Monday, April 18, which coincidentally is the first
day of the fourth and final marking period of the school
year, a total of 54 students have already missed at least
18 days of school this year. The number of students varies
by grade level: 16 in 6th grade, 13 in 7th grade, and 25 in
8th grade. To further illuminate how serious this issue is
in our school, let’s look a little deeper into the attendance
data. April 18 is the 137th day of school this year, so by
searching for students who have currently missed 10 percent of this school year (rounded up to 14 days), another
Wildcat Thunder makes its
debut at school assembly
On April 1, members of the intermediate school’s percussion group, Wildcat Thunder, made their musical debut in
front of students, staff and family members. The group,
consisting of nine students, filed into the K-8 gymnasium
marking time by striking plastic buckets with drumsticks.
Under the guidance of music teacher Peter Wall, the group
formed a drum circle and proceeded to hammer out impressive rhythms in unison.
31 students would be added to the 54 who have already
missed 18 total days. That is a total of 85 students at JCMS
who are either already at the threshold of being considered chronically absent or who may reach that threshold
by June if their current pattern of irregular attendance
continues. That is 15 percent of our total student population reaching chronic absenteeism.
We as a school community are ready to embrace the challenge of turning around this attendance issue. We have
instituted programs in our building for our most egregious
attendance offenders, and we have sought out support
from outside service providers in cases where such action is necessary. Without question, our efforts will only
be effective through a strong partnership with our families. We need your help to stop this alarming trend in our
school. If your child is healthy, please send him or her to
school every day. Not only does regular attendance pay
dividends with grades and achievement in school, but it
also helps to develop lifelong habits that will eventually
assist your child in the workplace someday. We share your
hopes and dreams for the children of our village, and we
look forward to working with our families and our community at large to overcome the challenge of improving
our students’ attendance.
‘Connecting Lunches’ aim to strengthen bonds with students
Teachers and students at Johnson City Middle School recently gathered to spend some quality time outside the classroom.
On March 29-31, some hand-picked students in grades 6-8 who may be struggling in school had the opportunity to have
one-on-one time with one of their teachers in the cafeteria. The special lunch periods provided students a time to eat,
relax and share quality time with a middle school staff member.
Research has shown a strong relationship with an individual can be one factor that has a positive influence on the success
of a child.
“Schools are a busy place, both teachers and students have so much to get done each day,” said Jean Rodgers, Johnson City
middle school teacher and event organizer. “The Connecting Lunches have been a wonderful opportunity for teachers and
students to spend some school time together outside of the classroom.”
In preparation for spring, we would like to remind parents to have their children wear safe footwear and comfortable cool clothing with layers to go from indoors to
outdoors. We would also like to remind you to maintain
your child’s early bedtime and remember to keep up the
awesome 20 minutes of reading each day. You are doing a
great job growing your readers, and the more they read at
home, the stronger they will be in school and in life.
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www. jcschools.com
www. jcschools.com
15
Students learn dangers of drug abuse
Middle school staff members designated as ‘Top Cats’
Young people are often warned against using drugs, but guest speakers from
Lourdes Youth Services, UHS’ Office of Behavioral Health and Chemical Dependency, the Broome County Sheriff’s Office, and a former JC student, wanted
to make sure students are getting the full message. On February 11, they told
middle and high school students how drug abuse can deteriorate your mind and
body, and lead to a serious addiction.
For the second consecutive year, middle school staff members have anonymously nominated fellow staff each month who
they believe go above and beyond the call of duty, from exhibiting exemplary teaching and pride, to showing teamwork
and compassion for others.
Heroin and opioids were the main parts of the discussion because of the nationwide epidemic of those drugs. The talk was aimed toward middle and high
schoolers because they are the most likely to experiment with drugs.
The winner is revealed at the following faculty meeting and provided with a gift certificate from Food and Fire and custody
of the much-coveted “stuffed Wildcat” for one month.
Students who may be facing a problem with drug addiction are urged to reach
out to local law enforcement or prevention specialists to get help. Officials also
stressed the importance for parents to have frequent conversations with their
children about the dangers of drugs.
The event was made possible by the Johnson City Rotary.
Each month, the nominations are received and a survey is created with the names of the nominees removed. Staff are then
asked to make a selection based on what is written about the individual.
FACT: 90 percent of all
addictions start in the
teenage years.
Eighth-graders attend Celebration of Women and Girls in Sport
by Nancy Kleinsmith, 6-8 physical education
On February 22, 12 eighth-grade girls from the Johnson
City Middle School attended the 11th annual Binghamton
University Celebration of Women and Girls in Sport luncheon.
After a delicious meal served to over 600 attendees, the
girls and I were treated to speeches by senior softball player Griffin McIver and former Olympic Gold Medal swimmer
Amy Van Dyken.
McIver shared her love and passion for softball and how
her participation in sports has helped her budget her time
and grow into a confident young woman. She is a UnionEndicott graduate who has strong connections to the
Johnson City School District. Her mom, Maria D’Amigo, and
uncles, Pete and Mike D’Amigo, are JC graduates.
The keynote speaker was Amy Van Dyken, who used
humor and strength to describe her rise to becoming an
Olympic swimmer. She shared her struggles to make the
high school team and how the words of one coach inspire
her to this day. Van Dyken’s middle school coach told her
she would never make the team because she was slow
and didn’t have good technique and that she should join
another sport.
These words
inspired her
to use her
own mantra
- “Who are
you to tell me
what I can or
cannot do?”
As she continues to
recover from
a life-altering
16
ATV accident suffered in
2014, Van Dyken’s biggest
challenge is to walk again.
She suffered a spinal cord
injury that has left her a
paraplegic. She shared
that in all her years of
swimming and training, regaining her ability to walk
again is the hardest thing
she has ever done.
Mark Buza
The money raised at
the luncheon supports
MS phys. ed. teacher Nancy
the scholarship fund for
Kleinsmith (left) with former
female athletes at BingOlympian, Amy Van Dyken.
hamton University. It is
also held in conjunction with National Girls and Women
in Sport Day to celebrate the adoption of Title IX in 1972,
which made it illegal for all institutions receiving federal
money to discriminate against girls and women in sport
and educational opportunities.
Following the luncheon, the JC girls wrote letters of thanks
to JC Superintendent Mary Kay Roland, the Board of Education, Middle School Principal Joe Guccia, the JC PTO, and
the middle school student council for providing the funding necessary to attend this wonderful event.
The collective message of the event was to never give up.
Never let someone tell you what you can or cannot do.
Follow your dreams and try new things because you never
know where that road will lead you.
The girls were very appreciative of the opportunity to attend this event and they would like future 8th- grade girls
to have the same opportunity.
www. jcschools.com
“Mark Buza works tirelessly with our music
department, fearlessly advocates for teachers, and has
organized our annual Philadelphia trip, which requires
hours and hours of phone calls and planning. He’s the
7th-grade schedule whisperer, voice of reason, and a
man you can always depend on. His calm demeanor
and great sense of humor make him a true pleasure
to interact with every day. Mark has done a million
little things for the hundreds of students he’s taught
over the years.”
Audrey Knight
“When you think about someone who goes above
and beyond for our students and staff, this nominee
comes to mind immediately. She has created activities
for students who have missed a bus or are picked up
late. She also often organizes and works concessions
for school dances and events. In addition, Audrey
does a million “little” things that mean a great deal
to all of us, like putting Valentine’s Day cards in our
boxes or gifting us with something we need before
we even realize we need it. When I think of a Top
Cat, I think of someone who consistently does things
to make our school a better place. Audrey Knight is
definitely a Top Cat.”
Middle school students
participate in leadership
Aja Townley, student
co-advisor
workshop bygovernment
In February, student government co-advisor Aja Townley took six middle school students to the Regional Middle School Student Council Workshop at Vestal Middle
School. Matt Colenzo, Kayla Neer, Audrey Horton, Noah
Desmangles, Aaron Vrablic and Anthony Adams attended the workshop where they listened to a guest speaker discuss the qualities of a leader, participated in team building
activities, and created initiatives on how to make their school and community a better place.
“It was a wonderful experience meeting new people from other school districts,” said 6th-grader Aaron Vrablic. “I learned
new activities to bring back to our Johnson City Middle School.”
www. jcschools.com
17
Middle school snapshots
Adapted physical education teacher Jeff
Stoughton and technology teacher Steve
Hertzog worked together this winter to aid
a Johnson City student.
They put their minds together and
created a balance board with an anti-skid
surface and a roller for a special needs
student who struggled to use the existing
balancing equipment.
The coordinating efforts of two caring
teachers who found a solution to a
situation has helped a child be more
successful.
Jeff Stoughton & Steve Hertzog
As part of their current study on genetics,
the entire 7th-grade class gathered
outside the middle school in March to
form a giant DNA model. The endeavor
was captured via drone and can be
viewed on the district Facebook page.
High School Messageby Principal Kimberly
Beukema
The
partnership
between
school and parents is invaluable, as together we support
students in their academic success. As the year passes and remaining days become few,
the significance of that partnership only grows. The most
important message our teachers want to convey to parents is that we need your help in assuring your child is in
school each and every day. We will do all we can to help
your child be successful, but that task becomes impossible when he/she does not arrive to school on time or
misses classes. With the final push toward course completion and Regents/AP/final exams, please encourage your
child to also take advantage of staying after school for extra help or to attend specialized Regents and AP review
sessions. The schedule for Regents reviews is available on
the high school web page.
Students in Johnson City High School’s Athletes
2 Athletes (A2A) organization presented a check
in the amount of $11,000 to the Make-A-Wish
Foundation of Central New York this spring, helping make a child’s dream come true.
The money was raised from ticket sales, raffles,
50/50, A2A merchandise and concessions from
the district’s annual February staff basketball
game fundraiser organized by the A2A students.
A2A was created in 2011 by four Johnson City
students who, in their first year, raised money
to aid two JC children with terminal illnesses live
more comfortable lives. The following year, the
growing organization donated to the Ronald McDonald House of New York and Conquer Chiari in
honor of a JC student battling Chiari Malformation. In 2013, A2A raised money to help create
an anti-bullying awareness program at JC, and in
2014, provided money to assist two JC families with children battling cancer. To date, A2A has raised over $40,000.
In addition to being in school each day, students need to
come to classes prepared and ready to learn. This means
students should be dressed in clothing suitable for a school
setting. Please check to see whether your child is dressed
in clothing appropriate for an educational setting or if
it is something more appropriate for an activity outside
of the school day. Students also must refrain from using
electronic devices during the school day. Cell phones are
a great distractor from a student’s learning. One recent
study shows that allowing the use of cell phones in school
equates to the loss of one entire week of classroom learning, with the results being that students score lower on
standardized assessments. The expectation and focus at
the high school is on instruction. Removing these distractors will create the best possible academic outcomes for
our students.
The focus throughout high school is to help students
achieve their post-secondary goals. Each year, students
step closer and closer to realizing their efforts are leading
to reaching those aspirations beyond high school.
A reminder to our juniors about the SATs and ACTs: The
last SAT will be administered on June 4 with a May 5 registration deadline. The final ACT is June 11 with a May 6
registration deadline. The links to register for both exams
are available on the high school website by going to the
guidance tab, then clicking on the tab for “College Bound
Students.” Juniors planning to play a sport in college
should fill out the eligibility criteria on the NCAA website
at www.NCAA.org.
We are here to help in any way we can. Please feel free
to contact administration, guidance or your child’s teacher. Together, we look forward to a successful end to the
school year.
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A2A donates $11K to Make-A-Wish Foundation
www. jcschools.com
A2A is non-profit and has grown to 13 student members
who are continuing the mission to help those in need. As a
group, they have made their dream of making a difference
in their community beyond the playing field a reality.
The organization is supervised by Johnson City High School
business teacher Joseph Schieve and teaching assistant
Matthew Zelesnikar. For more information about A2A, visit
their website at www.jca2a.com
Assemblywoman Lupardo visits
JC senior class
New York State Assemblywoman Donna Lupardo visited the Johnson
City senior class in early April to talk about what it takes to have a career in politics. She answered a variety of questions from the students
ranging from her thoughts on the economy to the cost of college.
Prior to the event, Lupardo spoke with Fox 40 News and shared her
thoughts on the value of meeting with the students. “I think people
feel disconnected from the government,” she said. “And if they can
meet an elected official, they see how maybe they might participate
themselves someday. Whether it’s being a voter or running themselves for elected office, it builds up a certain familiarity and trust.”
www. jcschools.com
19
2016 AP Exam Schedule
Week 1
Morning
8 a.m.
Afternoon
12 p.m.
Week 2
Morning
8 a.m.
Afternoon
12 p.m.
Afternoon
2 p.m.
Mon., May 2
Chemistry
Mon., May 9
Biology
Tues., May 3
Computer
Science A
Tues., May 10
U.S.
Government
and Politics
Wed., May 4 Thurs., May 5
English
Calculus AB
Literature and
Composition
Wed., May 11
English
Language and
Composition
HS art teacher participates
in drawing marathon
Fri., May 6
U.S. History
European
History
Thurs., May 125 Fri., May 13
High school students Kelly Wu and Olivia Greene were
awarded at the 2016 Broome County High School Emerging Artist Competition for their paintings. Wu won ‘Best in
Show’ and Greene was awarded for ‘Excellence in Compsotion.’
In March, Natalie Mulesky and Jonathan Bessette won art
awards at the Congressional Art Show in Utica.
Statistics
Wildcat pride on display at
Vestal store
On a Saturday in February, students Audrey Schuttak and
Kaitlin Antoine joined high school art teacher Chelsea Ingalls at Lowe’s in Vestal to paint a Johnson City Wildcat
mural.
Scott Stevens, an employee at Lowe’s who has an appreciation for the arts, saw a blank wall and asked area schools
to send their student artists to design a mural incorporating their school. Lowe’s provided all the materials and
asked the painters to show off their creativity on a 4’ X 8’
wall space. To date, JC and Vestal have participated in the
growing project with other schools planning to contribute
in the future.
“The students were amazing and worked hard,” said Ingalls. “You definitely saw their Wildcat pride come out.
They wanted to create something that stood out from the
other schools.”
On March 11-12, high school art teacher Eric
Adolf had a unique opportunity to show off his
artistic talent.
Over the course of 24 continuous hours, Adolf used charcoal drawing materials to draw a
clothed, live model on a 72” X 48” canvas. The
event was Binghamton University’s 1st Annual
Drawing Marathon that saw a select group of
10 BU students, alumni and community artists
gather together at the university’s art museum
to put their artistic skills (and endurance) to the
test.
To be considered, Adolf was required to fill out
an application and submit 10 samples of his
best figure drawing for review.
According to organizers, the goal of the drawing
marathon was to provide a chance for participants to discover one’s artistic “second wind,”
when powerful creative energy is released at
the very time physical energy diminishes. It is
their belief this reinvigorates both mind and
body and can result in a rewarding, even spectacular artistic creation.
20
High school students shine
at art competitions
Top: Kelly Wu (left) and Olivia Greene display their certificates
of award. Bottom: Natalie Mulesky (left) and Jonathan Bessette
stand next to their prize-winning paintings.
Ithaca native shares message of optimism with HS classes
Matteo Lundgren, a resident of Ithaca who builds houses and other structures using mud, clay, sand and stone, stopped by Joe
Shieve’s high school business classes in early February to talk to
students about finding their passion and making it a career. Lundgren was recently featured on a show on the DIY network, “Building off the Grid: MudMen,” where he built a one-of-a-kind cottage in
Washington state.
Following the event, the completed works of
art were judged by Blazo Kovacevic, assistant
professor of Art and Design, Binghamton University, Diane Butler, director of the Binghamton University Art Museum, and John Brunelli,
director of Anthony Brunelli Fine Arts Gallery.
Two cash prizes were awarded to the best pieces.
Lundgren refers to himself as a natural builder and “cob therapist” who constructs and teaches others how to build homes, earthen floors (and even pizza ovens) out of natural elements that are non-toxic, regenerative, sensible, and are not
dependent on building materials from the likes of Home Depot or Lowe’s.
Despite not winning, Adolf found the event
very satisfying. “It was a great experience and
very challenging. The group of artists were very
strong and you learned a lot about yourself.”
“Try new things, take risks, and just go for it. If you trust and you keep following that
path, and you keep following your heart, it will work out,” Lundgren said.
www. jcschools.com
In addition to promoting the benefits of building with natural elements, Lundgren
is also a motivational speaker who travels to high schools and colleges to deliver his
message of optimism.
www. jcschools.com
21
JC SPORTS
Indoor Track
Boys & Girls Bowling
“The girls bowling team had a fine year that saw averages
improving and wins against some very strong competition. The
team, consisting of Jaime Yacavoni, Alyssa Zduniak, Geraldine
Molyneaux, Lexus Thorn, Courtney Nowetner and Erin Page
finished in second place in the Central Division. A standout
match saw the girls take on Owego with reduced players due
to sickness and injury. Despite only having four bowlers (versus
Owego’s five), JC won the match 3-2. Congratulations goes to
Courtney Nowetner for being selected as a Central Division All
Star. Erin Page was selected as All Conference for the Central/
East divisions and also represented JC at the state tournament,
where she only bowled one pin over her average, finishing with
a 180 average. For Page, this was her second consecutive trip to
the state tournament.
The varsity boys also had a solid season. The team, consisting of
Tyler Stetts, Josh Levene, Dominic Diorio, Lucas Niederitter, Alex
Molyneaux and Cole Petras finished 3rd in their division with a
23-49 record. The young team proved they are capable of going
a long way next season. As next year approaches, we hope to
see familiar faces and a new recruiting group of students to
participate in a lifelong sport.” -Head coach Eric Smith
22
Boys Basketball
“The 2015-2016 boys basketball season will be remembered as a
tremendous success. The team captured a Southern Tier Athletic
Conference Central Division Title, and the third Section IV Title
in school history. The team kicked off their season by defeating
Whitney Point in a closely contested basketball game at the
Mark Woitach Tip-Off Tournament championship, hosted at
Johnson City. As the season progressed, their wins continued to
rack up. Johnson City earned a berth into the Class “A” Sectional
Tournament where they defeated Owego, 72-43. Next up was
a rematch with Union-Endicott, who last year ended the 20142015 season in the Sectional semifinal game. This year, after
finding themselves down by eleven points, the Wildcats showed
their perseverance by battling back and defeating U-E 75-67.
Johnson City advanced to the New York State Regional game at
SUNY Cortland, where they would play Byram Hills from Section
IX. Johnson City’s run would come to an end after suffering a 5048 defeat.
The success of this season came as no surprise. This group of
student-athletes were dedicated to their craft by spending
countless hours in the weight room, participating in over twenty
AAU games, competing in the Binghamton High School Summer
League, and practicing at open gym sessions in the fall. It was
a tremendous season, led by a mature group of seniors who
enjoyed representing the maroon and white. In early April,
Patrick Garey and Dominic Nadz were selected as Elite 10: Boys
basketball all-stars. Each year, Elite 10 teams are chosen through
a collaboration of the Press & Sun-Bulletin, the Star-Gazette of
Elmira and The Ithaca Journal.” - Head coach William Spalik
All-Conference Selections: Patrick Garey & Dominic Nadz
All-Division Selections: Kenneth Johns, Jacob Thompson, Shafeeq
Hosea
www. jcschools.com
“This winter season, the Johnson City indoor track team saw
tremendous success. With an increase in numbers, we, as an
overall program, attained vast improvements for both individual
and relay events on both the girls and boys teams. As a result of
the teams’ hard work and dedication this season, we had various
1st and 2nd team Class All-Stars as well as various 1st and 2nd
team Section IV All-Stars. Led by an experienced group of seniors,
the incoming freshmen saw what it was like to compete at the
highest level. On the girls’ side, we saw school records broken by
Emily Cluck in the 55m dash, 200m dash, and 300m dash. Emily
was also a member of the school’s record breaking 800m relay
team joined by Cheyna Canfield, Katrina Fox and Alex Hein. The
relay school record was matched on the boys’ side by Vincent
Fobbs, Haris Brkovic, Jon Bessette and Jean-Woudson JeanFrancois, who also won the event at the Class Championship meet,
making them Class Champions for Section IV. Student athletes
like these set the tone for their teams and fellow competitors.
As a coach, I am proud to call all the student athletes from this
year’s indoor team my athletes. They have all made not only me
proud, but their school proud as well.” –Head coach Eric Putman
Varsity Cheer
“The Johnson City cheerleaders met challenges this winter season
with tenacity, strength and positive attitudes and were able to
utilize their versatile cheerleading skills to overcome obstacles.
This combination of skills and determination allowed them to
have a successful season and bring home several trophies. They
placed 2nd at the Elmira Raider’s Express competition and 2nd
at STAC held at Union-Endicott. The team also took home a
3rd place win at the Chenango Valley Sweetheart competition.
As the Wildcat cheerleaders worked hard to advance their
cheerleading skills, they also came together as a team. Just as
the girls proudly yell in their cheer, we are ‘fourteen hearts but
we beat as one.’ We wish our seniors Alyssa Heller, Ambar Uceta,
Julie Jachimowicz, Katrina Gambee and Shanesha Liimonti all the
best as they move on to the next chapters in their lives.” –Head
coach Lydia Morris
www. jcschools.com
Girls Basketball
“The girls basketball program took a big step this year in their
quest to become a championship level program. The girls started
working for this season last August when 21 team members
attended a three- day team camp at Susquehanna University
in Selinsgrove, Pa. The work at team camp carried over to fall
workouts and led the way for the winningest season in recent
memory.
The varsity and junior varsity girls teams both started the season
by winning the 2nd Annual Johnson City Mark Woitach Tip Off
tournament. This led to a string of victories and hard fought battles
against many teams ranked in the Top 20 of New York state. Of
the season’s highlights, some of the milestones the team will look
to build upon are their four OT home victory over Norwich, being
ranked in the Top 25 in New York state for two consecutive weeks,
advancing to the Section IV semifinals, and finishing with a 13-8
overall record against top quality competition.
Individual awards and accolades include All Conference Selection
for senior Angie Yarborough, and All Division Selections for junior
Morgan Chilson and sophomore Vivian Ladd.
With seven varsity players returning next year (five with starting
experience), a talented group of players from the 15-5 JV team,
a successful modified season, and very competitive travel levels,
the Wildcats are poised to make even more noise next season
and continue to build a program to make everyone proud.” –
Head coach David Chilson
Boys Swimming
“The Johnson City boys varsity swimming and diving team had
another successful season. This year’s team consisted of five
seniors, whose strong leadership, commitment to the team
and work ethic will be missed next year. The rest of the team,
comprised of 8-11th graders, showed they are ready to step
up as committed athletes and leaders. Personal goal-setting at
the beginning of the season focused athletes on their specialty
events and drove their efforts in practices and meets. Facing
many larger teams throughout the season, the athletes stayed
focused on their goals and continually strove to achieve personal
bests. The 2015-16 boys swimming and diving team exemplified
Wildcat spirit, good sportsmanship, and what it means to be a
team.” -Head coach Heather Pufky
23
Wrestling
“The Johnson City wrestling team completed their season
at the Times Union Center in Albany at the 2016 NYSPHSAA
Championships, where JC earned a state place winner for its
26th straight year, and 29 of the last 30 years. Isaiah Colgan
finished 4th in New York state at 138 lbs. to end his official career
in maroon and white. Both Isaiah and Tyler Brazinski (145 lbs.)
also represented JC at States. They earned their trip to Albany
by winning a Section IV title earlier in the month at The Broome
County Arena. Isaiah and Tyler each won three Section titles, with
Isaiah amassing four STAC titles and Tyler winning two.
Other seniors of note: Corey McCormick ended his 2016 season
3rd in the STAC and 2nd in Section IV. He was also a 5-time section
place finisher and 3-time Section finalist. Jarred Guidelli finished
6th at STAC and 3rd in the Section. Devan Taylor was 5th in both
the STAC and Section, and brothers Donovan and Devin Costick
also finished their senior seasons in 2016.
Returning to JC for the 2017 season will be sophomore Erick Rigal
(106 lb.), who finished 1st in STAC and 2nd in Section IV. He will be
joined by current sophomores Tim Reed (120 lb. and 5th in STAC
and 2nd in Section IV), Nick Palmer (170 lb.), Daniel Guillaume
(195 lb. and 3rd in STAC), Shakeem Roberts (220 lb. and 6th in
STAC and 4th in Section) and Ryan Magura (285 lb. and 5th in
STAC and Section).
With current freshman David Kennedy and an incoming crop of
current modified wrestlers, JC will look to build on its past success.
As a team, we finished 2nd in STAC and 4th in the Section. A solid
spring and summer of training focusing on strength, technique
and endurance will help elevate our returning wrestlers to be the
next New York state place winners.” -Head coach Jordan Glenn
Alumni News
Athletic standouts look forward to playing college football
The Johnson City School District is proud to
announce two of its varsity football players
will go on to play Division 1 football in the fall.
Tom Komor, Class of 2009, earned his doctorate in
physical therapy degree in December 2015 from
Misericordia University. He applied and has been
accepted into a yearlong residency program in orthopedic physical therapy with the Drayer Physical
Therapy group and is completing his residency in
Lexington, Ky.
On February 4, Adam Korutz signed his college letter of intent to play football for Boston
College. Korutz’s resume at Johnson City is an
impressive one. His many accolades include
being named a 2015 NYSSWA Class A AllState Football Team-1st Team Defensive Lineman, a 2015 Press & Sun-Bulletin Section IV
Elite 24 Team-Defensive Lineman, and a 2015
Outstanding Defensive Player-East Squad in
the Ernie Davis Senior All-Star Classic Game.
Philip J. Hamzik, Class of 2006, has received his PhD in
organic chemistry from the Massachusetts Institute of
Technology in Cambridge, Mass. His doctoral research
over five years centered on the development of new
chemical reactions. Hamzik graduated in 2010 from
Northeastern University in Boston receiving two Bachelor of Science degrees in chemistry and philosophy,
with Suma Cum-Laude honors. He has been active in
drug design research at Novartis and Merck & Co. and
will be working in pharmaceutical patent law at a major
law firm in Boston, Mass. He is the son of Pamela and
James Hamzik.
JCHS Flashbacks 70s Reunion
He is the son of Stephen and Luann Korutz
and plans to study economics at Boston College.
In front of friends, family and staff, Johnson
City quarterback Jake Thompson signed his
letter of intent on February 8 to play football
for the University of Albany Great Danes. His
accomplishments as a Wildcat include being an All-Section selection and NYSPHSAA
Scholar Athlete his junior and senior years,
and playing the quarterback position at the
Ernie Davis All-Star Game. In addition to being the senior class president, Thompson is
also a member of the high school’s Athletes
2 Athletes organization and National Honor
Society.
He is the son of John and Laurie Thompson
and looks forward to majoring in economics
Top: Following his college signing, Adam Korutz meets with the local media to
and business in the fall.
discuss his future plans. Bottom: Jake Thompson signs his letter of intent with his
parents by his side.
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www. jcschools.com
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Music department receives $10K in musical instruments
This winter, the Johnson City School District was the recipient of $10K worth of new musical equipment.
Thanks to the Guitar Center Corporate Giving program, Guitar Center in Johnson City delivered new drum sets, amplifiers,
guitars and bass guitars to support JC schools’ forthcoming Modern Band classes at the high school. Instruments will also
be distributed to the K-8 music programs.
The district applied to the Guitar Center Corporate Giving program in the early fall, providing background on the school’s
music program and detailing how the donation would benefit students. JC Schools was notified that it was a recipient of
the equipment this winter.
According to Guitar Center in Johnson City, this is the first time the store has participated in the program with a local school.
Guitar Center’s charitable outreach program reflects its commitment to inspiring musical creativity and personal expression, and building self-esteem, cooperation and team-building from playing music.
“This generous donation from Guitar Center will allow a greater number of students from diverse backgrounds to participate in our school music program,” said Dr. Matt Clauhs, Johnson City coordinator of music. “More students will have the
opportunity to connect to
our school and community
by making music together
and celebrating individual
expression in one of our
Modern Band classes next
year.”
In addition, Little Kids Rock,
a non-profit organization
based in New Jersey, will be
donating more than $3,200
in electric guitars, keyboards,
amplifiers, drumsticks and
cables to the JC music program.
Students Jillian Kennedy, Natalia
Kroplewski, Avrey Stallman, Ciera Finch
and Agena Malziu from the 5th- grade
orchestra auditioned for the 5-6 Allcounty BCMEA orchestra. They had to
prepare very challenging music for the
audition. They stayed after school and
gave up their recess for a number of days
in order to prepare for the audition.
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Students Amelia Brown-Oliva, Maggie Bednar, Jedidah Jeremiah, Natalia Kroplewski,
Agena Malziu, Ciera Finch, and Avrey Stallman from the 5th - and 6th -grade orchestra
auditioned and were accepted into the 5-6 All-County Orchestra this school year.
The students rehearsed with more than 100 students from around the county and
performed in a concert at Binghamton University’s Anderson Center on February 27.
The young Wildcats worked very hard for many months to prepare for their audition
and performance.
www. jcschools.com
Congratulations to the cast, stage crew, pit orchestra, director,
choreographer, set designers, lighting and sound
engineers and everyone else who supported this year’s
musical production of “Shrek, The Musical”
Educational Excellence for a Changing Tomorrow
Johnson City Central School District
666 Reynolds Road
Johnson City, NY 13790
www.jcschools.com
Board of Education
Richard (Rocky) G. Martinez, president
Shannon M. Edmondson, vice president
Nicholas J. Matyas, district clerk
Debra Welsh Clarke
Jeannette Farr
Matthew T. Jablonowski
Ronald J. Zarzycki
Superintendent of Schools
Mary Kay Frys
Asst. Superintendent for Administration
Eric Race
Non- Profit Org.
U.S. POSTAGE
PAID
PERMIT NO. 18
Norwich, NY 13815
CURRENT RESIDENT OR
POSTAL PATRON
ECRWSS
Follow the Johnson City Central School District on Facebook
Public hearing: May 10 at 7 p.m. JC High School / Budget vote: May 17 noon to 8 p.m.
can vote
Where to vote - polling locations Who
Eligibility: You may vote in a school To ensure the integrity of voting results, residents MUST vote at the
proper location. For assistance in determining where to vote, call the
district office at 763-1230
District 1 - All residents who reside south of the railroad
tracks. Voting for this district takes place at The Family
Enrichment Network, 24 Cherry Street.
District 2 - All residents who reside north of the railroad
tracks. Voting in this district takes place at the high school,
666 Reynolds Road
Absentee ballot
In accordance with State Education Law, section 2018-a, the Johnson City Board
of Education, at a regular meeting Oct. 12, 1999, enacted procedures for district
residents to vote by absentee ballot. Absentee ballot applications can be obtained from our website, www.jcschools.com, or the Office of the District Clerk,
666 Reynolds Road, Johnson City, N.Y., 13790. To receive an application by mail,
requests must be received by the District Clerk or designee no later than seven
(7) days prior to the vote. All absentee ballots must be returned to the District
Clerk or designee no later than 5 p.m. the day of the vote.
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district election if you:
-Are a U.S. citizen.
-Are at least 18 years of age.
-Have been a resident of the
school district for 30 days preceding the election and are registered
to vote.
-Have not been adjudged mentally
incompetent or convicted of a
felony in any state or in federal
district court.
Registration: The district maintains
a permanent voter registration
file. Residents who have voted in
any election within the past four
years need not register each year.
New residents, or those not registered, may do so Wednesday,
May 11, from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. at
both locations: Johnson City High
School, 666 Reynolds Road, and
the Family Enrichment Network,
24 Cherry Street.
www. jcschools.com