Game On!

A Busy Summer: As you are reading this, our fall sports programs are in full swing. Our Marching Band has also been rehearsing for about three weeks and they are gearing up to the annual Marching Band preview on Friday, August 28. Don't get too excited though. As Labor Day falls so late this year, we are still a good chunk of time away from when school buses are rolling and our students are back in classrooms.

While video games, driveway basketball, Kan Jam, wall ball, and maybe a vacation kept kids occupied this summer, so did some activities that are anchored with school.

Wrestlers young and old took part in a good old fashioned car wash fundraiser to help themselves out as well as a charity.

Our talented musicians performed what they learned this summer at a concert held on August 7.

About 20 of our West Genesee Middle and Camillus Middle School students went to Cornell University to participate in some summer engineering programs. 

Since I was not able to make it, I am going to have to ask the students exactly how wind turbine energy is converted into actual electricity because that is what they built and learned how to do. I wish they had these types of programs when I was a kid! 

Building Construction Update: This week we begin to test out the air conditioning at Stonehedge Elementary School, which is pretty exciting.  Also, we received state approval to begin the bidding process for the work that needs to be done at Onondaga Road Elementary, East Hill Elementary, and West Genesee Middle Schools. We hope to have work underway in those locations before the snow flies. The Capital Project continues to be coming together quite smoothly and on budget. Two good things!

Tax Rates are Released: Lastly, tax rates were just released. We are pleased that for the eighth year in a row the tax rate is lower than what we projected when voters went to the polls in May.

What makes this year even more significant in terms of the tax rate is that the rate includes the impact of the Veteran's Tax Exemption. As far as I can tell we were the only school to offer the Veteran's Exemption, and we are pleased that the community is able to help our veterans AND have a tax impact that was less that what was anticipated.

Thank you for the continued support and enjoy the week.

Chris