Frequently Asked Questions & Comments

Voorheesville community members have asked questions about:

Full-day kindergarten
Tech Valley High School
BOCES New Visions program
Thank you
Students tested too much
 

Question:

Are there plans for full-day Kindergarten in the near future?

District Response:

The Board is not considering a full day Kindergarten program for next year, and they have not discussed this topic for 2009-2010. It appears that the State may require full day Kindergarten at some point in the future for high poverty districts, since the children in these districts sometimes have fewer readiness skills than students entering Voorheesville Schools.

If anything changes in this regard, Principal Ken Lein will send the new information home to parents.

Question:

The Budget indicates an increase of spending in BOCES of approximately $95,000. How much of this is for Tech Valley High School enrollment, and how many students will that pay for?

Is participation in BOCES New Visions program being offered? If not, why not? Couldn't VCSD enroll 2 students in New Visions programs for the cost of enrolling 1 student in Tech Valley High?

District Response:

The BOCES budget includes the cost of one student ($18,000) attending the Tech Valley High School next year. This student entered TVHS in September of 2007 as a 9th grade student and is proposed to continue in the program as a 10th grade student next year. The Tech Valley High School program runs for the entire day at school located at Map Info, Inc.

The Board must decide whether to add a new 9th grade student ($18,000) to the program for 2008-09. The cost of the program is currently reimbursed at about a 52% aid ratio. This means that for each student the district sends to the TVHS program, the district receives about $9,000 in aid. However, the Governor has proposed severe reductions in the BOCES aid for this program in 2008-09. The Board of Education is planning on making a decision at the March 24th budget meeting on whether to approve monies to fund a second Tech Valley High School student for the fall.

You asked about the New Visions program. The New Visions program has a different focus than Tech Valley High School and runs half days, either a.m. or p.m. In the New Visions half day program, the student is taught at the home district during the alternate half day. The New Visions program runs several focused sections with emphasis on specific careers. The program differs from the TVHS program since the TVHS program is based in the general curriculum with a student centered learning focus. Because the focus of New Visions is similar to the district's course offerings on campus, along with the career placement option available to high school students through CEIP on campus, the district opted out of New Visions some years ago.

Community Feedback:

This webpage is an excellent way to use technology to foster community involvement. Thank you.

We have a wonderful school district. I am very happy my two kids have benefited so much from being at VCSD.

Community Feedback:

Why are students tested so much? How can they learn anything if they are always being tested?

District Response:

We share your frustration but since the District is mandated to test students in nearly all grades and core subject areas, we must comply with the current accountability requirements. It would be a happier situation if districts such as Voorheesville, with high achievement and standards, were given relief from the testing mandates and allowed to assess our students’ progress in ways that make sense to us.