FULTON – The Fulton City School District Board of Education met virtually last night, March 23, and discussed updates with district extracurricular activities and a report of the Budget and Strategic Coherence Plan.
Director of Literacy and UPK Heather Witter discussed the district-wide book program – One Book, One School – in which each elementary student will read “Brambleheart” by Henry Cole. The board viewed a video of the author discussing the book.
For the second week of Music In Our Schools Month, Stephanie Almeter showed a video of G. Ray Bodley seniors sharing their music and their thoughts on what the music program has meant to them.
“The level of achievement that you’re going to see on the video tonight really speaks to a culmination of a comprehensive K through 12 music program that we are very, very proud of,” Almeter said.
A video of student musicians from the elementary level to high school seniors can be viewed here.
Director of Health, Physical Education and Athletics Christopher Ells updated the board on the district’s winter sports. He said five of the seven winter sport teams qualify for the New York State Scholar Athletes. Those five teams are girls and boys basketball, boys swimming, and girls and boys bowling. He also said out of all the varsity athletes, 73% had a grade point average of an 85 or higher for the second quarter.
Fall 2 sports began this week, including over 300 student athletes. This season will end around April 23 and the Spring sports season will begin April 19. Ells said the schedule is ever changing.
“Thankfully, the weather broke early, sun came out. We were able to get our turf cleared without using any expensive machinery or doing any kind of damage to our field,” Ells said. “There’s some chilly nights as kids are practicing past 7 p.m., but they’re out there and I think they have a smile on even though they have a mask on.”
Ells said the question he is asked the most is about spectators. The district is allowed by the Department of Health two spectators per athlete, which also goes for outdoor sports. He said they do screening before the spectators enter the athletic event.
He also said modified volleyball is unable to host spectators due to the size of the gymnasium they play in. The games will be live streamed.
Superintendent Brian Pulvino then presented the academic calendar for 2021-2022 to the board, with the first day of school on September 8, 2021 and the last day on June 24, 2022. That calendar can be viewed here.
Following, Pulvino presented a status report on state factors that can impact the district’s budget.
“Every dollar, we’re gonna really have to think about, and how do we stretch those dollars over time as much as possible,” Pulvino said. “We’re trying to think three to four years ahead, which is difficult.”
Also in the report of the Budget and Strategic Coherence Plan, it was noted that the district should continue its multi-tiered system of supports when thinking about the budget because of the progress those supports have been able to provide in areas such as literacy, learning targets and social-emotional developmental health.
Director of Finance Kathy Nichols presented a financial summary for the period ending on February 28, 2021. That summary can be found here.
After the NYS budget is finalized, there will be a BOE budget workshop April 6, and FCSD budget committee meeting April 8, and the BOE regular business meeting April 13.
The full meeting can be viewed in the video above and the agenda is available here.
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