by Richard Westlund

     School Attuning National Trainer from BOCES Christine Burdick, and Elementary Principal Janice Stokes, presented the Schools Attuned program to the Gowanda Board of Education at its March 16 meeting. By way of defining the essence of the program, they first gave the board members a task to perform with only verbal directions. They then gave them a second similar task with written directions. As some were more successful in one case and some in the other, the point was that students respond differently to various ways of presenting material.

     The attuning program is an organized system of analysis for coping with student learning problems. The Attuning program has been developed to enable a teacher to systematically analyze an individual student’s perceptive abilities and to use these as a guide in helping him to learn, by emphasizing his strengths and dealing with his weaknesses.

     Nine teachers in the Gowanda school system have been trained in the techniques to date, which requires 35 hours of training. The system is not one that shotguns a classroom, but is applied to students individually, who have difficulty grasping some of their schoolwork. A teacher can work, at most, with only two students at once. While the program is still new, and has been used to a limited degree, Stokes said that it has shown to be very helpful.

     District Superintendent Charles Rinaldi detailed that in the school election scheduled for May 17, they will present a referendum for the purchase of land just north of, and adjacent to the elementary school on Aldrich Street, if they can come to terms with the present owner. If that referendum is passed, and there are no changes in state legislation governing school referenda, the June meetings will deal with details to present a special referendum on Oct. 1, covering repairs to the school buildings (roofs, doors, windows, etc.) and the upgrading of athletic facilities. Rinaldi said it would be important to undertake these projects while they could still get financial support for them from the state. This especially applies to those that must be done with or without state support, such as the repairs to the school buildings.

     High School Principal Kimberly Moritz informed the board that of 88 students taking the state English Language Arts test, 64 percent passed with a score of 65 or better. Of 80 students taking the math test, 95 percent passed with a grade of 65 or better. She further said that on Wednesday, March 23, the high school would host a chicken barbecue from 2:05 to 6:30 p.m. This should segue nicely with the middle school’s “Jungle Book” presentation the evenings of March 23 and 24.

     District Clerk Tana Troke stated that there are four positions on the board of education up for election on May 17. Terms expiring are those of Tim McKeever, Carol Paskuly, Mark Nephew and Linda Fonti. Persons wishing to run for one of the open positions may get applications from the district clerk. They will need petitions with 25 signatures of support to be entered on the ballot. She also reminded everyone that Erie County applications for STAR tax exemptions are due by May 1. Applications can be acquired from your assessor.

     In other matters, the board:

   •  Approved Marsh USA inc. to provide health insurance consultation for $10,000.
   •  Accepted a donation of $116.13 from Target Stores’ “Take Charge of Education” Program.
   •  Appointed Jennifer M. Desiderlo, long-term substitute business and marketing teacher, effective March 17, with anticipated end schedule of June 24, 2005.
   •  Appointed Melissa Ginnitti as assistant varsity baseball coach assigned to girls’ varsity softball, and appointed Steve Goss as assistant varsity baseball coach, both at .5 of the contractual salary, as per contract, retroactive to March 1.
   •  Granted Heather McAuley paid medical leave of absence commencing on or about April 20 and to continue until June 24, and an unpaid childcare leave commencing on Sept. 1 until June 23, 2006.
   •  Appointed Frank Fonti as substitute teacher, effective March 17.
   •  Appointed Margaret Watz as substitute cleaner, effective March 17, 2005.
   •  Appointed Joseph Weins as substitute teaching assistant, effective March 17.

     The next regular meeting of the Gowanda Central School Board of Education will be held on Wednesday, April 6 at 7 p.m. in the middle school cafeteria.