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,, \ . - \First Republican Newspaper Printed in U.S. A.\ Volume 156, Number 29 THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 22, 2011 Westfield, New York Price 75¢ WACS agrees to continue discussing regional plan By JENNA LOUGHLIN EDITOR WESTFIELD - Discuss versus pursue. That was the debate at last week's school board meeting. After a presentation by . Westfield Academy and Central School Interim Superintendent Margaret Sauer, WACS Board of 'Education President Marie Edwards and WACS board member Steve Cockram titled \Why should WACS consider participating in a regional high school pilot program? ,\a resolution was proposed. The resolutio11 read, \Does the board want to consider a resolution to continue to pursue a region- al high school option for grades 9-12 with the other three ASSET parh1er?'' After quite a bit of dis- cussion, the issue appeared to boil down to three things - the word pursue, the number of partl\ering schools and the lack of more information and num- bers. The presentation showed the school board the num- berll regarding Westfield's declining enrollment, increasing costs due to numerous mandates, fixed costs and contractual oblig- ations and decreasing state aid. While the student enrollmel)t has decreased by 35 percent from 1995 to 2011 to 742 students, - the number of teachers have dropped from 102 to 77 in that same period - the budget has not been able to shrink by the same perc_ent- ' Photo by Jenna Loughlin Westfield Academy and Central School Interim Superintendent Margaret Sauer and WACS school board members Marie Edwards, Joy Bodenmlller, Francine Brown, Timothy Smith and Steven Reynolds debated the regional high school option on Monday, Sept. 12 at the board's last m~etlng. age since, as Sauer pointed less than 10 percent of the out, the board has control of budget. Additionally, state Westfield takes part in Costal Cleanup By JENNA LOUGHLIN EDITOR . WESTFIELD - It does not take much to make a difference. That was the message from many who volunteered a few hours of their Saturday morning on Sept. 17 during the 26th annual International Coastal Cleanup. \It's amazing how a small amount of people can make a big difference in a small amount of time,\ Talena Badierne, an alternative education teaching assistant and Key Club advi- sor at Westfield Academy and Central School, said. In addition to Key Club members, WACS's Environmental Club also had representatives helping clean up Westfield's beach on First Street along Lake Erie. In all, around 20 people participated at the Westfield location, ranging from students to Westfield residents to folks from Ithaca, N.Y. and Erie, Pa. \It just speak$ to the dedication of young people,\ Diane Clark, Director of the Greystone Nature Preserve said. One of the organizers of the event along with her husband Bill Moran, Clark and Moran have been participat- ing in the annual beach cleanup event for 15 years. Moran thought the turnout was excellent and was pleased with the re$ponse received from staff and students at WACS. \It's important to me because you need awareness in regards to water pollution,\ Moran said. \I think the public need to he constantly aware of things getting into the water.\ In that time, she has noticed less and less trash every year, but noted the garbage being found now is smaller in size, probably due to the amount of time it has been pounded by the pow- erful lake. \We can really see the changes,\ she said. Participating in his first beach cleanup, Westfield resident Mike Ceci sees the connection between cleaning up the lake and his work with the Ripley Hawk Watch. Last year, Ceci said he saw a hawk with a fish hook in Photo by Janna Loughlin Sue and Kristin Grohol from Westfield sort through and document the trash they found along the shores of Lake Erie In Westfield on Saturday, Sept. 17 during the 26th annual International Costal Cleanup. its mouth and fishing line trailing from the hook. \This is where they get it,\ Ceci said, referring to Lake Erie. \It really makes sense to clean up the environ- ment.\ Ceci was amazed as to how much trash he found in such a short time and added that cleaning up the environ- ment sets an example and tone that the task is important. A mother and daughter team of Sue and Kristin Grobol from Westfield Jeanied that even in just one hour, they could find a lot of trash. Kristin, a junior at WACS, is a member of the Environmental Club and she and her mother said they would be bringing a trash bag when they go for walks in nature t(l pick up trash whenever they can. They will both be back next year. Fellow Environmental Club mem- bers Katie Guest and Haley Goddard, both seniors at WACS, took time out of their weekend to pick up a beach they hang out at during the summer months. \It felt .good to clean up,\ Guest said. See BEACH, Page 4 Sherman school construction project to begin in April By KATIE ATKINS OORRESPONDENI' SHERMAN - A $2.5 million reconstruction pro- ject is set to begin in the first two weeks of April, according to the Sherman . Central School Board of Education which met on Wednesday, Sept. 14. Seeing as how spring Plloto.lllt~AIIIlnll break ocC\U's during the first Sherman Central School two weeks Qf the month, it Superllltendent 1homas is a prime time to begin the W. Schmlclt end reconstruction of ballway Principal Kaine K•lly tlool'S and walls, new p:uk- update the school board ing tots, and an extensive .on the upcoming COil- project to begin at a tater s1nletlon project. date involving the replace- vations, plans for a new ment of control valves on auditorium are in the mak- ventilatws within tbe ing. With new windows and school. Among olber reno- raised ceilings, the auditori- Lot~k For Us Online At Www.westjieldrep~bliean.etJm Anti On Fatebook urn entrancewa.y would have an enclosed roof and double set of doors. The cafeteria will also be revamped. along with the current science rooms. The entire project is hoped to be completed by Nov. I, 2012. In reg-ards to the begin- ning of school, Principal Kaine Kelly said, ''This was the smoothest start to the school year we've ever had.\ Kelly said the ease was due to a change in curricu- lum and. a focus on core learning standards. Kelly also mentioned a rise in student involvement such as the revival of the schoot play this spring. Over 100 students have expressed interest in partici- pating in this year's play, \The Wizard of Oz.\ Class advisors are also revising the after-prom party. focus- ing on how responsibility matters. Assistant football coach A:uon Jessey resigned last week and bas been replaced by Cory Emory for the remainder of the 2011 foot- ball season. Randy Bowlan was approved as the county school board's legislative liaison. Send comments on this article to editori- al@westfteldrepublican.com. In This Week's Republican ... Newspaper editor being sent to jail • The editor of the an~ Mayville 1 Sentinel News. Jenna Loughlin. is on the ''most wanted .. lis.t a&d will be going to ''jail\ unless she makes her \bail.\ Page 6 aid has decreased to 31 per- cent of budget. \So guess who's paying for the rest'!\ Sauer said. \The property tax payers. And they're not happy about that. 1 don't blame them. I am too. \We must do more with significantly less,\ Sauer said. \You can see this dilemma.\ With this decrease in state aid, especially the unexpected loss of railroad funding recently, the district is at risk for a running a deficit in 2011-12 and since the tax cap legislation is now law, WACS will only be able to raise its revenue by around $1 OS ,000 even though it is looking at a needed increase of around $556,000. The presentation stated that, in combination with decreased revenues, the dis- trict will have a budget gap of $7 !'3.985 next school year unless student pro- grams and up to II teaching positions are eliminated in addition to sludent pro- grams and courses. Additionally, according to business manager AI Holbrook, Westfield will run out of money in 20 14- 15. \Basically every single school district around us has the same issue,\ Cock ram said. \The funding cliff ... all the local schools are on the cliff.\ In order to not fall off this cliff, Westfield has See WACS, Page 4 Photo by Jenno Loughlin This corner in Mlna was the site of a deadly colli- sion on Wednesday, Sept. 14 Elderly· woman killed in two-car crash in Mina MINA - An elderly woman was killed during a motor vehicle accident in Mina on Wednesday, Sept. 14. Sara L. Pratt, 88, of Sherman was pronounced dead after the incident at 12:10 p.m. The. Chautauqua County Sheriff's Office responded to the accident at the intersection of Route 430 and Route 13. According to police, Pratt pulled out from Route 13 into the path of a vehicle being driven by Maria Bowen, 40, of Sherman, which was driving west on Route 430. · Pratt was taken by Sherman Rescue to Westfield Hospital where she was pronounced dead. Bowen was taken from the scene by Clymer Rescue to Westfield Hospital for treatment of non-life-threatening injuries. No charges are pending at this time. The Clymer and Sherman Fire Departments assisted on the scene. Ripley considers regional high school pilot program By KAnE ATKINS CORRESPONDENT RIPLEY -The Ripley Central School Board of Education met on Thursday, Sept. 15 to discuss the possi- bility of a regional high school. Due to tax cap legislation and budget gaps, the district's budget for next school year Js significantly limited. The limited budget affects student opportunities such as elec- . tive programs and extracurriculflr activities. Currently. Ripley and Westfield share athletic programs, professional development training and other services with Brocton, Chautauqua Lake and Fredonia schools. In February. representatives from each of these four schools formed A Shared Services Educational Team, or ASSET, and continue to meet each month. It was recently recommended by Assemblyman Andy Goodell that ASSET apply for state grants provided by Governor Andrew Cuomo, who is looking for ideas to improve cost efficiency and student performance'. Before this takes place, ASSET must conduct a study to provide more information about speciftcs such as cost, benefit. staffing, transportation \and other details involved with a regional ~gh school. Ripley Central School's student enrollment has decreased by more than 100 students over the course of the last ten years, and combining schools would provide more opportunity to students involved. \This is a big venture, and you really have to put some thought into it to make an effective change.\ Superintendent Karen D. Krause said. . In other news, science teacher Linda Morton recetved tenure appointment, effective Septem.ber 26, 201 t. As the junior class advisor, Morton is also taking on the task of organizing this year's prom. \In the classroom. she· s hands-on,\ Principal Lauren J. Ormsby said. ·:she's entertaining to the kids. Frank Lewczyk and Ashley Osterstuck were approved as substitute teachers for the 20 tO- 20 ll school year. An emergency drill will be held on <Xt. 7. The next regular board meeting will be held on <Xt. 20. Send comments on this article to editorial@ westfieldrepublican.com. 1 Seasonal. Supper • Field and Fork Network to host early fall Seasonal Supper at Gieen·Heron Growers m ~----------' Panama. Page 14
