FLEMING - State Education Commissioner Richard Mills knows full well these are trying times, but he is confident that boards of education and the school districts they lead will make it out of the recession.
Jill Connor / The Citizen
Richard Mills, the state education commissioner, walks into the Central New York School Board Association dinner at Springside Inn in Fleming on Thursday where he was the special guest speaker. Mills will be retiring in June as commissioner.
Richard Mills, the state education commissioner, walks into the Central New York School Board Association dinner at Springside Inn in Fleming on Thursday where he was the special guest speaker. Mills will be retiring in June as commissioner.
“You are in a tough time,” he said to a group of 200 school board members, superintendents and business administrators during the annual Central New York School Boards Association banquet at Springside Inn Thursday.
“But you've prevailed in other tough times, and you will prevail this time.”
As the guest of honor, Mills spoke to district leaders and acknowledged their difficulties this year with flat state education aid, achieved only because of the federal stimulus package - under Gov. David Paterson's plan, districts would have seen drastic cuts - and taxpayers who are also feeling the pinch.
“It's very challenging to watch your revenues flatten while your expenses continue to rise,” he said. “It's very challenging to work in the community, which almost all of you do, to work in a local business, to see customers not coming in, neighbors lose jobs and homes and therefore spend less.
“And then you leave that place of business and go to a board meeting and realize that the money that you need comes from those people,” he said. “There is nothing that I can say that will soften this reality. You have been called to serve at this time.”
But where there's challenge there is promise, praising his audience for their accomplishments: increase in the academic performance of young students; better preparedness for high school; more students graduating high school and attending college; closing the achievement gap.
“As a board member, you all have responsibilities to set the conditions in place that teaching and learning requires,” he said. “And you've done that and that realization might help sustain you during these times.”
And that was the message CNYSBA Executive Director Larry Cummings asked Mills, who is retiring in June after nearly 14 years as commissioner, to touch upon during his address.
“I had sent the commissioner an e-mail some time ago and expressed concern that some members are discouraged,” Cummings said of the tough fiscal situation. “My message to the commissioner is we need a little inspiration.”
To further that message, organizers chose the theme of the 28th annual banquet to be “A Time to Celebrate.” And board members certainly did celebrate. They celebrated their collective achievements and those of individuals, bestowing Board Member of Achievement awards to one board member within each the five Board of Cooperative Educational Services districts that belong the CNYSBA.
Locally, that award went to Auburn Enlarged City School District board member Ginny Kent.
Additionally, CNYSBA presented plaques to three members of its board of directors that have stepped down. One service award went to Terry Lamphier, who served on the Moravia Central School District board for 10 years but was not re-elected.
Mills spoke on many things. He talked about a federal grant embedded within the federal stimulus plan that will award a state $100 billion for bringing forth high standards in English and math that can be utilized nationwide.
He spoke about the increased reliance on data and how that has allowed educators to see where improvement is needed and work on that. And he spoke of increased technology to augment education.
But one thing he made clear is the foundation formula, which is designed to be more equitable with the allocation of state aid - Paterson froze aid at 2007-08 levels for two years - should not be swept aside.
“I think the foundation formula is one of the most powerful tools to close the gap in student achievement,” he said. “But did we just walk away from it? Did we just allow the federal government to assume responsibility of one of our core strategies? I don't think we can let that be the case.
“We cannot stop where we are. We have got to keep moving. We can extend it, three years out, four, five, however long it takes. But we cannot quit.”
Staff writer Alyssa Sunkin can be reached at 253-5311 ext. 239 or alyssa.sunkin@lee.net
“But you've prevailed in other tough times, and you will prevail this time.”
As the guest of honor, Mills spoke to district leaders and acknowledged their difficulties this year with flat state education aid, achieved only because of the federal stimulus package - under Gov. David Paterson's plan, districts would have seen drastic cuts - and taxpayers who are also feeling the pinch.
“It's very challenging to watch your revenues flatten while your expenses continue to rise,” he said. “It's very challenging to work in the community, which almost all of you do, to work in a local business, to see customers not coming in, neighbors lose jobs and homes and therefore spend less.
“And then you leave that place of business and go to a board meeting and realize that the money that you need comes from those people,” he said. “There is nothing that I can say that will soften this reality. You have been called to serve at this time.”
But where there's challenge there is promise, praising his audience for their accomplishments: increase in the academic performance of young students; better preparedness for high school; more students graduating high school and attending college; closing the achievement gap.
“As a board member, you all have responsibilities to set the conditions in place that teaching and learning requires,” he said. “And you've done that and that realization might help sustain you during these times.”
And that was the message CNYSBA Executive Director Larry Cummings asked Mills, who is retiring in June after nearly 14 years as commissioner, to touch upon during his address.
“I had sent the commissioner an e-mail some time ago and expressed concern that some members are discouraged,” Cummings said of the tough fiscal situation. “My message to the commissioner is we need a little inspiration.”
To further that message, organizers chose the theme of the 28th annual banquet to be “A Time to Celebrate.” And board members certainly did celebrate. They celebrated their collective achievements and those of individuals, bestowing Board Member of Achievement awards to one board member within each the five Board of Cooperative Educational Services districts that belong the CNYSBA.
Locally, that award went to Auburn Enlarged City School District board member Ginny Kent.
Additionally, CNYSBA presented plaques to three members of its board of directors that have stepped down. One service award went to Terry Lamphier, who served on the Moravia Central School District board for 10 years but was not re-elected.
Mills spoke on many things. He talked about a federal grant embedded within the federal stimulus plan that will award a state $100 billion for bringing forth high standards in English and math that can be utilized nationwide.
He spoke about the increased reliance on data and how that has allowed educators to see where improvement is needed and work on that. And he spoke of increased technology to augment education.
But one thing he made clear is the foundation formula, which is designed to be more equitable with the allocation of state aid - Paterson froze aid at 2007-08 levels for two years - should not be swept aside.
“I think the foundation formula is one of the most powerful tools to close the gap in student achievement,” he said. “But did we just walk away from it? Did we just allow the federal government to assume responsibility of one of our core strategies? I don't think we can let that be the case.
“We cannot stop where we are. We have got to keep moving. We can extend it, three years out, four, five, however long it takes. But we cannot quit.”
Staff writer Alyssa Sunkin can be reached at 253-5311 ext. 239 or alyssa.sunkin@lee.net
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