This post was contributed by a community member. The views expressed here are the author's own.

Schools

Titans Ice Hockey Will Play Again Next Season

The ice hockey team's funding had been cut from the 2010-2011 school budget, but parents' fundraising efforts have saved the team.

The merged Rye Town/Harrison ice hockey team raised enough money to play another year.

During this year's budget negotiations the hockey team was cut, but the team was allowed to form a booster club to raise money to play. At Monday night's Board of Education meeting, hockey parents and booster members Ellen Bass and Cindy Jacobs talked about the success of their fundraising and their frustrations with the budget cuts.

While they admitted to being upset and angry that after 12 years the hockey team was cut from the school budget, they said they decided to act. They needed to raise $30,000 in three short months and with the requirement that they not hold fundraising events within 30 days of Blind Brook Enrichment Program (BBEP).  Still, the booster club succeeded in raising over $40,000.

Find out what's happening in Ryewith free, real-time updates from Patch.

Bass and Jacobs thanked the generosity and support of the community and surrounding community and said hockey is an important part of who the kids are and who they will become.

They also urged the board to reconsider including the hockey team in the 2011-2012 school budget.

Find out what's happening in Ryewith free, real-time updates from Patch.

In other school board news, Superintendent William Stark presented a report on the school goals for the upcoming school year.

The district has promoted several initiatives during the past year, including embedding character education programs in grades K-12.

 In the elementary school one of these programs was Fabulous Fridays, where a principal and/or teacher would call a student's home to celebrate an act of kindness. At the middle school level, one of the activities was a fundraiser for Haitian and Tanzanian orphans, and at the high school, there was a Leadership Seminar Program. During the upcoming school year, the goals for character education include a leadership council, "bully proofing your kid" workshops for parents, and a discussion on the honor code.

The district's other goals include recruitment and retention of staff. The district has implemented a new evaluation rubric and increased communication through its website, which now includes video of Board of Education meetings. The district also plans to conduct a review of the science curriculum, establish a long range planning committee for the district and establish professional learning communities.

A full report of the school district's goals can be found on the district's website.

We’ve removed the ability to reply as we work to make improvements. Learn more here

The views expressed in this post are the author's own. Want to post on Patch?