OSWEGO – The Oswego City School District Board of Education discussed a number of items at its meeting on the evening of March 7, 2023, with all members present.
After re-convening at 7:48 after an Executive Session, the board heard from parent Jeff King, who thanked the district for supporting athletes who go ”above and beyond ” in their athletic endeavors.
Outgoing Superintendent Dr. Mathis Calvin III began his report by congratulating a plethora of student athletes on their recent efforts and successes. Calvin also mentioned student Brooklyn Saternow, who was recently awarded first place in the 2022 Subnivean New Writers Awards competition.
ConnextCare CEO Tricia Peter-Clark then addressed the board regarding the proposed introduction of School Based Health Centers into the Oswego City School District. Peter-Clark stated that federal funding may be available to help establish a School Based Health Center in the District, outlining the renovation of an unused classroom into a medical suite.
Peter-Clark compared the proposed Health Center to the recently opened Health Center in the Mexico Central School District; stating that each building would not have its own center, but that students who attend district schools without health centers would be transported to the building containing the health Center as needed. This would require the district to create a transportation plan.
When asked by board member Sean Onmacht about the term “enrollment” and its meaning relating to services provided, Peter-Clark explained that students must be enrolled with the health Center to receive care, but being enrolled did not mean that students must use the School Based Health Center. Board member Pamela Dowd asked if adults would be able to utilize the health Center, and was informed by Peter-Clark that adults would not be eligible for care.
Calvin stated that the School Based Health Center would act as an “extra layer of support” to existing care and counseling services provided by the district. Calvin said that the district has a space in mind, and that costs to renovate would be from $300,000 and up, but that the cost could be “aid able.”
“I can tell you that I have met with all of these Superintendents that are doing this, and all of them have said kids are getting the health care and supports that they need, many kids that were not getting it before, or probably would not be eligible, so that’s the key at the end of the day… it’s about opportunity, access, helping to meet the needs of our kids,” Calvin said.
John T. Bick CIPMA of Financial Advisors then addressed the Board regarding the tax cap and its effect on the district’s financial planning. The tax cap is New York State’s attempt to limit local tax increases. Bick showed a history of the district’s tax cap, indicating an increase and decrease over the years. Bick’s graphic showed that without the tax cap, the district’s levy in 2023 could have been $41,036,469.00 higher.
Bick said that the tax levy should be “responsibily” increased each year. Bick said that the district should establish significant reserves to mitigate the effect of potentially unstable PILOT agreements (payment in lieu of taxes), and that the district should develop a plan to systematically increase the levy annually to maintain current programs and staffing.
As discussed in previous meetings, the district is in need of a new math curriculum. Calvin announced that the new material has been selected after a rigorous search, and that the i -Ready curriculum has been chosen. Training for teachers will be scheduled soon, and the new curriculum will be in place for grades K-8 in September 2023.
We are ready for i-Ready,” Calvin said.
All OCSD Board of Education meetings are held the first and third Tuesday of every month, the next meeting to be held on Tuesday, March 21 at 5:00 p.m. All meetings are live-streamed on OCSD YouTube channel WBUC. To view the full agenda, please click here.
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