Schenectady City School District
Encyclopedia
The Schenectady City School District is a public
city school district in the city of Schenectady in central Schenectady County, New York
. The district has 20 operating school buildings and is a component district of the Capital Region Board of Cooperative Educational Services
(BOCES). It was established in 1854 and served 9971 students in pre-kindergarten
through twelfth grade
in the 2008-09 school year. That same year the district employed 728.8 FTE
faculty members and the student-to-teacher ratio was 13.1. As of 2009, the district had the largest population of any school district in the Capital District
.
(BOE) is the authoritative legislative body of the school district. It approves policy
and funding
; sets committees and district priorities; and approves employment (including the Superintendent) within the district, among other things. The BOE is made up of seven members. The BOE members for the 2009—2010 school year are Maxine Brisport (President), Diane Herrmann (Vice President), Linda Bellick, Gary Farkas, Jeff Janiszewski, and Lisa Russo.
Members are elected
by district residents that are registered to vote
. The election takes place on the third Tuesday in May annually. This is the same day as the budget
vote; legally, it is known as the Annual Meeting. Any resident may run for a board seat once they deliver to the Board Clerk a petition
containing a minimum number of signatures from district residents and meet specific requirements set forth by the state (namely, residence within the district, the ability to read and write, and a willingness to serve). Board members are not paid for their services to the district.
is John Yagielski who began his tenure in 2010
. The Superintendent is the Chief Administrative Officer
of the district and is responsible for the day to day operations of the district in addition to administering policies of the Board.
s: ACC at Pleasant Valley, Central Park Magnet School, Elmer Avenue Elementary School, Franklin Delano Roosevelt Elementary School, Fulton Early Childhood Education Center, Hamilton Elementary School, Howe Early Childhood Education Center, Katharine Burr Blodgett Elementary School, Keane Elementary School, Lincoln Elementary School, M.L. King Magnet School, Paige Elementary School, Van Corlaer Elementary School, Woodlawn Elementary School, Yates Magnet Elementary School, and Zoller Elementary School; two middle school
s: Mont Pleasant Middle School and Oneida Middle School; one high school
: Schenectady High School
; and one career and technical school: the Career Center at Steinmetz. The former Franklin School
was added to the National Register of Historic Places
in 1983 and the former Brandywine Avenue School
in 1999.
after graduating high school, about 40% of which planned on attending a four year institution. The following is additional data for the 2008-2009 school year:
of the University of the State of New York
, under the direction of the Commissioner of Education and the New York State Education Department
. To graduate, a student must have at least four credits each of English and social studies; three credits each of math and science; two credits each of physical education and foreign language classes; one credit of fine art; and one-half credit of health. The student must also have at least 22 credits overall and pass a prescribed amount of state tests to receive a Regents diploma
. For all subjects except physical education and health, a full-year course is equal to one credit. Each year of physical education is equal to one-half credit and one-half year of health class is equal to the required amount of health credit.
Public education
State schools, also known in the United States and Canada as public schools,In much of the Commonwealth, including Australia, New Zealand, South Africa, and the United Kingdom, the terms 'public education', 'public school' and 'independent school' are used for private schools, that is, schools...
city school district in the city of Schenectady in central Schenectady County, New York
New York
New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
. The district has 20 operating school buildings and is a component district of the Capital Region Board of Cooperative Educational Services
Board of Cooperative Educational Services
In 1948, the New York State Legislature created the Boards of Cooperative Educational Services to provide school districts with a program of shared educational services.-History:...
(BOCES). It was established in 1854 and served 9971 students in pre-kindergarten
Pre-Kindergarten
Pre-kindergarten refers to the first formal academic classroom-based learning environment that a child customarily attends in the United States. It begins between the ages of 3-5 depending on the length of the program...
through twelfth grade
Twelfth grade
Twelfth grade or Senior year, or Grade Twelve, are the North American names for the final year of secondary school. In most countries students then graduate at age 17 or 18. In some countries, there is a thirteenth grade, while other countries do not have a 12th grade/year at all...
in the 2008-09 school year. That same year the district employed 728.8 FTE
Full-time equivalent
Full-time equivalent , is a unit to measure employed persons or students in a way that makes them comparable although they may work or study a different number of hours per week. FTE is often used to measure a worker's involvement in a project, or to track cost reductions in an organization...
faculty members and the student-to-teacher ratio was 13.1. As of 2009, the district had the largest population of any school district in the Capital District
Capital District
New York's Capital District, also known as the Capital Region, is a region in upstate New York that generally refers to the four counties surrounding Albany, the capital of the state: Albany County, Schenectady County, Rensselaer County, and Saratoga County...
.
Board of Education
The Board of EducationBoard of education
A board of education or a school board or school committee is the title of the board of directors or board of trustees of a school, local school district or higher administrative level....
(BOE) is the authoritative legislative body of the school district. It approves policy
Public policy
Public policy as government action is generally the principled guide to action taken by the administrative or executive branches of the state with regard to a class of issues in a manner consistent with law and institutional customs. In general, the foundation is the pertinent national and...
and funding
Funding
Funding is the act of providing resources, usually in form of money , or other values such as effort or time , for a project, a person, a business or any other private or public institutions...
; sets committees and district priorities; and approves employment (including the Superintendent) within the district, among other things. The BOE is made up of seven members. The BOE members for the 2009—2010 school year are Maxine Brisport (President), Diane Herrmann (Vice President), Linda Bellick, Gary Farkas, Jeff Janiszewski, and Lisa Russo.
Members are elected
Election
An election is a formal decision-making process by which a population chooses an individual to hold public office. Elections have been the usual mechanism by which modern representative democracy operates since the 17th century. Elections may fill offices in the legislature, sometimes in the...
by district residents that are registered to vote
Voter registration
Voter registration is the requirement in some democracies for citizens and residents to check in with some central registry specifically for the purpose of being allowed to vote in elections. An effort to get people to register is known as a voter registration drive.-Centralized/compulsory vs...
. The election takes place on the third Tuesday in May annually. This is the same day as the budget
Budget
A budget is a financial plan and a list of all planned expenses and revenues. It is a plan for saving, borrowing and spending. A budget is an important concept in microeconomics, which uses a budget line to illustrate the trade-offs between two or more goods...
vote; legally, it is known as the Annual Meeting. Any resident may run for a board seat once they deliver to the Board Clerk a petition
Petition
A petition is a request to do something, most commonly addressed to a government official or public entity. Petitions to a deity are a form of prayer....
containing a minimum number of signatures from district residents and meet specific requirements set forth by the state (namely, residence within the district, the ability to read and write, and a willingness to serve). Board members are not paid for their services to the district.
Superintendent
The Superintendent of SchoolsSuperintendent (education)
In education in the United States, a superintendent is an individual who has executive oversight and administration rights, usually within an educational entity or organization....
is John Yagielski who began his tenure in 2010
. The Superintendent is the Chief Administrative Officer
Chief executive officer
A chief executive officer , managing director , Executive Director for non-profit organizations, or chief executive is the highest-ranking corporate officer or administrator in charge of total management of an organization...
of the district and is responsible for the day to day operations of the district in addition to administering policies of the Board.
School buildings
Schenectady operates 16 elementary schoolElementary school
An elementary school or primary school is an institution where children receive the first stage of compulsory education known as elementary or primary education. Elementary school is the preferred term in some countries, particularly those in North America, where the terms grade school and grammar...
s: ACC at Pleasant Valley, Central Park Magnet School, Elmer Avenue Elementary School, Franklin Delano Roosevelt Elementary School, Fulton Early Childhood Education Center, Hamilton Elementary School, Howe Early Childhood Education Center, Katharine Burr Blodgett Elementary School, Keane Elementary School, Lincoln Elementary School, M.L. King Magnet School, Paige Elementary School, Van Corlaer Elementary School, Woodlawn Elementary School, Yates Magnet Elementary School, and Zoller Elementary School; two middle school
Middle school
Middle School and Junior High School are levels of schooling between elementary and high schools. Most school systems use one term or the other, not both. The terms are not interchangeable...
s: Mont Pleasant Middle School and Oneida Middle School; one high school
High school
High school is a term used in parts of the English speaking world to describe institutions which provide all or part of secondary education. The term is often incorporated into the name of such institutions....
: Schenectady High School
Schenectady High School
Schenectady High School is a high school located at 1445 The Plaza in Schenectady, New York, USA. It was founded in 1992 through the merger of Linton High School and Mt. Pleasant High School. It is the only high school in the Schenectady City School District....
; and one career and technical school: the Career Center at Steinmetz. The former Franklin School
Franklin School (Schenectady, New York)
Franklin School is a historic school located at Schenectady in Schenectady County, New York. It was built in 1907 and is a two story, red brick "H" shaped institutional building in the Georgian Revival style. It is trimmed with yellow brick and stone. There are massive yellow brick pilasters at...
was added to the National Register of Historic Places
National Register of Historic Places
The National Register of Historic Places is the United States government's official list of districts, sites, buildings, structures, and objects deemed worthy of preservation...
in 1983 and the former Brandywine Avenue School
Brandywine Avenue School
Brandywine Avenue School is a historic school located at Schenectady in Schenectady County, New York. It was built in 1904 and is a -story, red brick "U" shaped institutional building in the Classical Revival style. It sits on a basement of rock-faced limestone and has a hipped roof. It operated...
in 1999.
Ethnicity
Students during the 2008-2009 school year:- Total Student Body: 9971 (100%)
- WhiteCaucasian raceThe term Caucasian race has been used to denote the general physical type of some or all of the populations of Europe, North Africa, the Horn of Africa, Western Asia , Central Asia and South Asia...
: 3792 (38%) - African AmericanAfrican AmericanAfrican Americans are citizens or residents of the United States who have at least partial ancestry from any of the native populations of Sub-Saharan Africa and are the direct descendants of enslaved Africans within the boundaries of the present United States...
: 3435 (34%) - Asian: 1281 (13%)
- LatinoHispanic and Latino AmericansHispanic or Latino Americans are Americans with origins in the Hispanic countries of Latin America or in Spain, and in general all persons in the United States who self-identify as Hispanic or Latino.1990 Census of Population and Housing: A self-designated classification for people whose origins...
: 1449 (15%) - American IndianNative Americans in the United StatesNative Americans in the United States are the indigenous peoples in North America within the boundaries of the present-day continental United States, parts of Alaska, and the island state of Hawaii. They are composed of numerous, distinct tribes, states, and ethnic groups, many of which survive as...
or Native Alaskan: 14 (0%)
Grade level
Students during the 2008-2009 school year:- Elementary (Pre K-5): 5258 (50.5%)
- Middle School (6-8): 2196 (21.1%)
- High School (9-12): 2958 (38.4%)
- Class of 2009: 655
Testing scores
Data of passing rates (≥ 65%) for students taking Regents exams in the 2008-2009 school year:Other statistics
According to reports, more than 75% of the class of 2009 intended on attending either a two-year or four-year collegeCollege
A college is an educational institution or a constituent part of an educational institution. Usage varies in English-speaking nations...
after graduating high school, about 40% of which planned on attending a four year institution. The following is additional data for the 2008-2009 school year:
- Attendance rate: 91%
- DropoutDropping outDropping out means leaving a group for either practical reasons, necessities or disillusionment with the system from which the individual in question leaves....
rate: 4%
Curriculum
The district follows the general curriculum set forth by the Board of RegentsBoard of Regents
In the United States, a board often governs public institutions of higher education, which include both state universities and community colleges. In each US state, such boards may govern either the state university system, individual colleges and universities, or both. In general they operate as...
of the University of the State of New York
University of the State of New York
The University of the State of New York is the State of New York's governmental umbrella organization responsible for most institutions and people in any way connected with formal educational functions, public and private, in New York State...
, under the direction of the Commissioner of Education and the New York State Education Department
New York State Education Department
The New York State Education Department is the state education department in New York. It is part of the University of the State of New York , one of the most complete, interconnected systems of educational services in the United States...
. To graduate, a student must have at least four credits each of English and social studies; three credits each of math and science; two credits each of physical education and foreign language classes; one credit of fine art; and one-half credit of health. The student must also have at least 22 credits overall and pass a prescribed amount of state tests to receive a Regents diploma
Regents Examinations
Regents High School examinations, sometimes shortened to the Regents, are mandatory in New York State through the New York State Education Department, designed and administered under the authority of the Board of Regents of the University of the State of New York...
. For all subjects except physical education and health, a full-year course is equal to one credit. Each year of physical education is equal to one-half credit and one-half year of health class is equal to the required amount of health credit.
See also
- New York State Education DepartmentNew York State Education DepartmentThe New York State Education Department is the state education department in New York. It is part of the University of the State of New York , one of the most complete, interconnected systems of educational services in the United States...
- University of the State of New YorkUniversity of the State of New YorkThe University of the State of New York is the State of New York's governmental umbrella organization responsible for most institutions and people in any way connected with formal educational functions, public and private, in New York State...
- Regents ExaminationsRegents ExaminationsRegents High School examinations, sometimes shortened to the Regents, are mandatory in New York State through the New York State Education Department, designed and administered under the authority of the Board of Regents of the University of the State of New York...
- Board of Cooperative Educational Services (BOCES)Board of Cooperative Educational ServicesIn 1948, the New York State Legislature created the Boards of Cooperative Educational Services to provide school districts with a program of shared educational services.-History:...
- List of school districts in New York
- New York State School Boards AssociationNew York State School Boards AssociationThe New York State School Boards Association serves as the statewide voice of more than 700 boards of education. The collective influence of some 5,000 school board members, who constitute half the elected officials in the state, enables NYSSBA to work toward the benefit of the elementary and...
- National School Boards AssociationNational School Boards AssociationThe National School Boards Association, or NSBA, is a nonprofit organization operating as a federation of state associations of school boards across the United States. Founded in 1940, NSBA represents 95,000 local school board members who govern 14,890 local school districts serving more than 47...
- No Child Left Behind ActNo Child Left Behind ActThe No Child Left Behind Act of 2001 is a United States Act of Congress concerning the education of children in public schools.NCLB was originally proposed by the administration of George W. Bush immediately after he took office...