January 28, 2012

MCS thanks the community for its help, support and understanding over the past several months.   Join Us for a District Update and Community Discussion Jan. 25 Superintendent Michele R. Weaver invites all members of the Middleburgh community to a community forum on Jan. 25. MORE Town Hall with Rep. Paul Tonko Saturday U.S. Congressman Paul Tonko will hold a town hall meeting at Schoharie High School from noon to 1:30 p.m. on Saturday, Jan. 21, to discuss the ongoing response to flood recovery in Schoharie County and possible tax breaks for flood victims. MORE Clarification on Restroom Policies Concern has been raised about the district's upper-school bathroom use policies. We want to clarify that students never lose the opportunity to use the restroom when needed.  In some cases, student sign-out privileges are restricted due to academic or disciplinary concerns. However, their basic needs, including restroom access, are always met. District Launches Connect-ED Alert Service This month we are implementing a new alert and notification service throughout the district, which will enable us to personally communicate with parents about emergency situations, school events and important issues impacting your child. MORE Walmart donates $5,000 to help district pay for flood damage 12/22/11 - The Walmart Distribution Center in Sharon Springs has donated $5,000 to the school district to help with flood relief. MORE Music of the Knight video wins Glee contest; MCS to receive $25,000 for music programs 12/15/11 - The video submitted in October by the Music of the Knight, an a cappella student vocal group, has won First Prize and will be awarded $25,000 by the Glee Give a Note Foundation. MORE Makenzie Terrell placed first in local Elks contest; heads to regionals on January 7 12/13/11 - Grade 4 student Makenzie Terrell placed first in Saturday's Elks National Free Throw "Hoop Shoot" contest and will now move on the regional competition at 9 a.m. on Saturday, January 7, in Watervliet. Click on photo to enlarge. Students to perform on WMHT's Music for the Holidays in December 12/7/11 - “Music of the Knight”, a choir of 13 select vocalists at Middleburgh High School, will be appearing on the television show “Music for the Holidays”, on WMHT-TV in December. MORE Website wins Award of Excellence from NYSPRA 12/1/11 - The NYS Public Relations Association has recognized Middleburgh's website with an Award of Excellence. MORE Elks National "Hoop Shoot" set for Dec. 3 and 10 11/29/11 - The area Elks National Free Throw "Hoop Shoot" contests for boys and girls ages 8-13 will be held on Dec. 3 and 10. Click on the image to read the flyer. MORE Terry Blanchfield named MCS interim business administrator 11/29/11 - Terry Blanchfield, the retired assistant superintendent for administrative services at the Washington-Saratoga-Warren-Hamilton-Essex (WSWHE) BOCES, has been named as the the school district's interim business administrator. MORE A message of thanks from the third graders at MES Dear community friend, We, the students and staff of the third grade at Middleburgh Central School, would like to wish you a fond holiday season and to “WELCOME” you “BACK” from the uneasiness created by the August and September storms. Without you, our community would not be complete. Thank you. Sincerely, The Entire Third Grade at Middleburgh Central School This letter was given to many of our local businesses. Mr. Miller's class above brought a plate of cookies with the message to the District Office, which has been relocated to the elementary school because of the flood. State and federal officials hear about the challenges facing MCS, area schools 11/15/11 - State and federal representatives heard from students and superintendents about the impact the devastating tropical storms two months ago will have on local school systems that were already facing challenges because of rising state mandates and the state's new property tax levy cap. MORE Middle School named as SINI school by the state 11/14/11 - The state Education Department has named the Middle School as a School in Need of Improvement (SINI) because students with disabilities failed to make "adequate yearly progress" as a group on the English Language Arts state tests they took in the spring. MORE Students and veterans celebrate Veterans Day UPDATED with additional photos 11/10/11 - Hundreds of students dressed in red, white and blue and dozens of veterans celebrated Veterans Day together in the elementary gymnasium during the annual Veterans Day Program. MORE Middleburgh part of successful tri-district Project Buoyancy grant 11/2/11 - Two months after tropical storms left a path of destruction throughout Schoharie County, the Middleburgh, Schoharie and Cobleskill-Richmondville school districts have joined together to create a program called Project Buoyancy to meet the mental health and psychosocial support needs of students, staff and parents living in the districts. It will be funded with a $90,790 AmeriCares Disaster Recovery Initiative Grant. MORE Seventh annual pumpkin race a success 10/24/11 - Congratulations to all the participants in the seventh annual pumpkin race. The overall winner was fifth-grader Alex Juhl. Pumpkins were generously donated by Stanton Farms and decorated by Elementary Art Club. THANK YOU VERY MUCH!!! MORE Facing several challenges, Middleburgh is studying its future options 10/21/11 – The Middleburgh school district is looking into options for its future, as it grapples with multiple financial and educational challenges. MORE Career and Tech students fixing damaged small engines for area residents 10/17/11 - Students at the Capital Region's Career and Technical School's Schoharie Campus will fix small engine items - lawnmowers, generators, four-wheelers, snow blowers, etc. - that were damaged by flooding. MORE Board of Education adopts revised calendar for 2011-12 10/6/11 - The Board of Education adopted a revised school year calendar that trims the Thanksgiving and February Winter recesses and cancels a March 23 staff development day to recoup five days lost because of the late start of the year due to flooding. Here is the revised calendar PDF Students return to classes 9/19/11 - A sense of normalcy returned today as students hopped off buses, walked to classes, listened to teachers and smiled - three weeks after Tropical Storm Irene flooded the basement of the High School/Middle School. Check out these pictures from the elementary school, middle school and high school. MORE 9/20/11 - This article was in today's Daily Gazette newspaper about the first day of school. MORE State of Emergency in Middleburgh ●UPDATED: 9/15/11 - Staff returned today to hear an update on the damage caused at the school and try to return to a sense of normalcy for the 900 students who will return on Monday, September 19. MORE ▪▪▪ ● Disaster assistance and information about relief and applying for assistance from FEMA is available at this website: http://www.disasterassistance.gov ●Here are other important links about flood cleanup, food and water safety and carbon monoxide and mold warnings from government agencies MORE ●A trauma like flooding can lead to many stresses in the community - for students, parents and others. Here is information to help our neighbors cope with those stresses. MORE ●Monetary donations may be made to the MCSD Hurricane Irene Recovery Fund, PO Box 606, Middleburgh, NY 12122. Contributions can also be dropped off at the NBT Bank in Middleburgh. ▪▪▪ ARCHIVES: Here are updates and disaster information from over the past several weeks. NYS Education Department releases spring testing dates 8/30/11 - The state Education Department today released the spring testing dates for the English Language Arts, mathematics and science tests taken by thousands of students in grades 3-8 every year. MORE