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In an effort to improve
communications the district has created this format to provide people
with a place to get answers to questions and to address rumors and
inaccurate information that sometimes circulate through the community.
NOT ALL QUESTIONS WILL BE
ANSWERED. And, it may take some time to get answers to certain
questions.
For individual or private
concerns, you should contact the school or district office by phone.
We will not answer comments about specific individuals by name.
However, for issues that
we think impact a number of people in the community, we will provide a
response on this page for all to see. Please submit your comments
and/or questions in the white box on the right. Questions will be
posted on this page for a couple of days, then moved to an archive
page or deleted. Please check the archives
on the right to see if a question on your topic has already been
answered.
Questions are
e-mailed to the district's public information office. The PI Officer
determines who could best answer the question and directs the question
to that person. Once, the PIO receives the answer it is posted (that
is why some responses take longer than others).
Posted on May 9, 2008
Why did the high school principal take almost 10
minutes of class time 3rd period to discuss the dress code over the
announcements instead of doing it doing homeroom when instruction was
not taking place?

The issue of the dress code is extremely
important to the high school for a variety of reasons. Primarily the
dress code was created with input of the student body who attended a
number of "speak out" presentations with the principal and district
officials. Since they had a major role in its development and the
fact that many have disregarded its guidelines, the principal felt
that it was important to address students during 3rd period when
students were not at lunch, were not arriving late to school or
leaving early to go home. If you have further concerns about this
topic, please contact the principal directly.
Posted on May 9, 2008
Why do some teams (specifically in Gowana) have
co-ed in PE, when others don't?

Shenendehowa is moving towards co-ed physical
education classes in order to be in compliance with state regulations.
"The Title IX regulation specifically prohibits segregated classes in
physical education (§86.34)." It goes on to say that "Physical
education course must be conducted coeducationally for females and
males. All PE classes will be co-ed at the middle school next year.
Posted on May 9, 2008
My child attends Gowana and the week before
Spring break his class spent the entire week (5 days) watching a
movie. In fact he watches movies quite a bit in all of his classes.
What can be done?

Concerns about curricular items or the use of
movies / technology in the classroom should be addressed directly with
the teacher.
Posted on May 9, 2008
Is there any way to adjust the time for the
middle school parent meetings? A large majority of the children are
playing in the Clifton Park leagues (baseball adn softball) and have
games at 6 pm.

We understand that there are many activities
throughout the Spring, that is why most middle school meetings and
events are placed on the district calendar well in advance so that
parents can try and coordinate their plans.
Posted on May 9, 2008
What is the reason as to why you cannot bring
water bottles to the middle school? This sounds absurd!

We have numerous water fountains throughout
each building and various drinks are available in the cafeteria during
lunch. The concerns with water bottles are:
a) How do we know what is really in each one?
b) When allowed, many of the empty ones wound
up as litter in the halls - not in the garbage cans.
c) They are often thrown or played with and
could wind up hurting someone.
Posted on May 9, 2008
With 8th graders having so many state tests why
isn't there better communication to parents advising them when these
tests are so that parents may support their students and assure they
are in school and prepared for these tests?

All of the New York State Standardized tests
are printed on the district calendar that it mailed in August to every
student household. They are also listed on the website on the events
calendar --
http://www.shenet.org/events/index.asp.
Posted on May 8, 2008
Why aren't the drug sniffing dogs ever brought
into any of the Shen buildings, except during educational
presentations? Each year we hear of drug arrests, it is documented in
the papers, yet no dogs?

Here is what it says in the Code of Conduct:
Searches Using Canine Units - Administration may
authorize canine searches by law enforcement personnel without advance
notice or warning to students or school personnel. While we have
the ability to make the request, routine searches are not common
practice here or at school districts across the state. Our high school
would require 5-8 dogs and there are currently not that many in the
county. Typically, the canine units are used for drug interdiction
(stopping drug trafficking) or big drug crimes/deals.
Posted on May 8, 2008
In The Times Union there was an article on May
8th that the school day would be made 45 minutes longer by adding 5
more minutes to each period staring September 2008. Is this true?

No. That was a story about the Albany School
District.
Posted on May 8, 2008
Where can I find the HSE Code of Conduct on the Shenet.org website?

It is the Shenendehowa School District Code of
Conduct. Here is the Web address:
http://www.shenet.org/district/code_of_conduct/codeofconduct.htm
Posted on May 8, 2008
How does a team get their Sr night mentioned on
the front page of the Shen website like the attached?

Have the coach e-mail the information to the
webmaster.
Posted on May 8, 2008
Regarding the budget vote, what criteria do you have to meet to vote?
Do you need to register somewhere? Just show an ID with an address in
the district?

To vote in a school district election you must
be a U.S. citizen, 18 years or older and a district resident for at
least 30 days prior to the vote. No pre-registration is required.
Personal identification is required.
Posted on May 8, 2008
Where can I find a copy
of the calendar?

The 2008-09 calendar has not yet been approved
by the Board of Education. It was tentatively scheduled for approval
at the May 6th meeting. That has been moved to May 27.
Posted on May 8, 2008
I am wondering why in
the elementary schools (maybe not all) the children can buy and the
cafeteria sells Little Debbie snack cakes, bags of chips, and other
unhealthy snacks. On several occasions my child was able to buy two
snacks (ice cream and snack cakes) in one trip up to the cash
register. Why are children being allowed to purchase more than 1 snack
each day and why sell unhealthy choices?

While we do have a variety of choices for
children, we are making progress limiting what is available as well as
the nutritional content as well. This year we pulled 12 oz sports
drinks from the elementary level and we have not sold any Little
Debbie products at any level. We have print outs available showing
what the child has purchased and we have a lunch only setting. Unless
we catch a blatant abuse of purchasing power by students it is not our
practice to restrict the privilege. The school lunch department here
at Shenendehowa, as well as across the state and country are self
supporting businesses. Our goal has always been to keep the program
affordable for families and to provide good nutrition.
Posted on May 8, 2008
Is the lunch account money transferred to the high school for the
eighth grade kids moving up as it is for the kids moving from
elementary to middle school?

All monies (positive and negative) follow the
children from building to building.
Posted on May 8, 2008
Shouldn't elementary
parents receive reports regarding their child's PE curriculum,
assessments, behavior, attitude, progress, etc.? How are Physical
Education teachers held accountable and how are children held
accountable if there is no reporting system for this state mandated
area of instruction?

Gr. 4-5 children are assessed in a number of
skills, but the report cards have not yet been fully developed to
reflect this. Currently, our report cards evaluate progress for 4th
and 5th graders in fitness, work habits, participation level in
physical activity, responsibility, and cooperation. As far as
accountability, the PE profile is being developed, and will involve
accountability on the part of our entire PE staff, also, the school
district has a document, the Essential Content and Competencies, that
outlines what every grade level should learn and be able to
demonstrate. This document also describes the specific exit outcomes
expected to be demonstrated by the end of 5th grade.
Posted on May 8, 2008
My child came home telling me that the bus driver lets them listen to
fly92 on the radio. What is going on here?

Radios are on school buses are to used to
occupy the students while in transit. Bus drivers are trained to use
appropriate radio stations only. These kinds of concerns should be
forwarded to the District transportation office immediately upon their
occurrence so that they can look into and address these matters.
Posted on May 8, 2008
Will the Junior class
rankings be listed anywhere to see who is what rank?

Rank for college application purposes is
determined in the fall of the senior year. All seniors receive a copy
of their transcript then, and it will have the rank on it. The entire
class rank is not made public.
Posted on May 8, 2008
How come we did not have
a Power of One presentation this year?

The Power of One is now called "Behind the
Faces" and was offered in West last October. It will also be offered
at West next year.
Posted on May 8, 2008
I heard that when a teacher sees a cell phone (maybe sticking out a
child's back pocket) or if they are found using their cell phone that
teachers freely snoop through their text messages and read them.
Isn't this a violation of privacy? Even principals admit it's done
but allow it.

Teachers do not freely look at students' text
messages. Students are not allowed to use cell phones during the
school day. This is a clear violation of the Code of Conduct.
Posted on May 8, 2008
If several of the seniors do a rather safe and appropriate senior
prank would they get in trouble? Because their is much talk about not
being able to graduate if a senior prank is carried out. Please clear
this up.

With more than 2,500 people in HSE, there are
no pranks that would be appropriate. Therefore, the administration
will treat these according to the Code of Conduct. Consequences can
range from warnings to detentions to possible exclusion from certain
events, including graduation.
Posted on May 8, 2008
Why are students in High School East not allowed to eat in the
courtyard?

Students are discouraged from eating in the
courtyard because our animal friends sometimes then create a nuisance
with the leftovers!
Posted on May 8, 2008
I was surprised to read the response "Graduation rehearsal will held
during English classes at the end of May". In the past a mandatory
rehearsal was held one morning during regents week. So there will be
no large group rehearsal during regents week then?

The administration has determined that the
graduation rehearsal done in past years was not an efficient use of
anyone's time The smaller group setting of the English classes appears
to be more conducive to reviewing the expectations for graduation.
These will be held in the next few weeks and will allow students to
dialogue more effectively with the administration about the ceremony.
Posted on May 8, 2008
What kind of awards are given out on award night for HSE? Do you have
to be invited?

There will be a number of awards
presented including department, college and community based
scholarships. All are invited, but only the recipients and their
families received invitations.
Posted on May 8, 2008
Is it fair for one student for example to get 10 different
scholarships while another gets no scholarships and worked just as
hard?

Many of the scholarships that are presented to
our high school students are chosen by outside groups and
organizations. These are often announced after the school selects
their recipients for the few that the high school staff is able to
select. As a result, some students do earn multiple awards while some
worthy students earn none. This should not diminish the hard work and
effort of those students who comprise the Class of 2009. We are proud
of them.
Posted on May 8, 2008
What is the 9th grade recognition night on May 8th and what criteria
is used to chose students for recognition?

A number of awards will be presented including
those for academic achievement, improvement, effort and attendance.
Posted on May 8, 2008
Does anyone take the minutes of the faculty meetings at HSE and if so,
how can a support staff member get a copy of what was discussed at
each meeting?

No minutes of the meetings are kept. If you
are interested in the agenda for the high school faculty meetings,
please contact Mr. Flynt.
Posted on May 8, 2008
Are juniors next year getting free periods or study halls?

11th graders will have a study hall next year
if their schedule and course selection calls for a study hall.
Posted on May 6, 2008
As a parent of a middle
school student, I was worried my child came home and told me of
several students getting in trouble for having drugs and alcohol in
school. What is being done about this? Why aren't drug
dogs being used to help track this down? This isn't something
that can be pushed under the rug. Action needs to be taken!!!

Action was taken. A couple of students
(unrelated) violated the code of conduct (for three different types of
infractions). The N.Y.S. Police were called and the students are being
disciplined according to the code of conduct.
Posted on May 6, 2008
I have seen countless
photo ops and articles in the local newspaper regarding student
athletes who are awarded athletic scholarships to various colleges.
Congratulations to all of them! However, aren't there students
who are receiving similar scholarships from fine colleges for their
academic, artistic, or other achievements? Why aren't they being
recognized with news articles? Are athletic scholarships the
only ones that are newsworthy?

We send academic and scholarship information
on a regular basis to the newspapers. We are proud of all of our
student achievements. The newspapers decides what and what not to
print.
Posted on May 6, 2008
If you are graduating
this year and in order to get your advance regents diploma, do you
have to have 3 years of science and pass all 3 regents?

In order to get a Regents Diploma, you have to have taken and passed 5
Regents exams as follows:
-
1 English, 2 SS, 1 Math, 1 Science. and accrued at least 22 units of
credit in the appropriate areas.
-
To get an Advanced Regents Diploma, you have to have taken and passed
8 Regents exams (including the 5 for a Regents Diploma, plus 3 more)
and accrued at least 22 units of credit in the appropriate areas.
-
To receive an Honors Designation with the diploma the average of all
of the scores of all of the Regents exams taken by the student must be
90 or higher.
Posted on May 6, 2008
Can a student take both
the Sat 2 in Math and Science, even if they are scheduled for the same
day (June 7th). Are they at different times?

Students can take up to 3 subject tests in one
day without a conflict.
Posted on May 6, 2008
How come my son cant
take keyboarding as a 9th grader?

Keyboarding is not being offered due to low
enrollment.
Posted on May 6, 2008
If a senior student
receives just 5 credits this year (including all the required
classes), and it amounts to exactly 22 credits, can h/she still
graduate without the 5.5 credits required for full time status?

Any question regarding graduation should be
directed to the school counselor who will review the student's
transcript to accurately answer the question.
Posted on May 6, 2008
What are the
prerequisites for a high school student to attend summer school?

This should be discussed with your counselor
to ensure you receive accurate information based on your individual
circumstances.
Posted on May 6, 2008
Will you receive a zero
for a Regents exam if you don't show up? If so, is this true even if
you dont need the test for graduation?

Students are expected to take (and be
successful) in all exams (Regents or final exams) offered in his/her
classes.
Posted on May 6, 2008
Will you keep answering
grapevine questions during the summer?

Yes.
Posted on May 6, 2008
If my son is taking 7th
grade math and he is in 6th grade, why does he have to take the 6th
grade NYS math test?

Unless a child is accelerated by a whole grade
(skipping all of sixth grade to participate in the whole seventh grade
curriculum) the child is considered a sixth grader and must take the
NYS math exam per NYS Education Department regulations.
Posted on May 6, 2008
I heard there is a
middle school transition program or camp for incoming 6th graders at
Gowana over the summer. Is this true, and if so, when is it, and where
can I find more information?

There is a SEEC camp run through our Community
Education Department.
Click here
to go to that webpage.
Posted on May 6, 2008
Do you need to do
anything special if you want to bring someone from an upper grade to
the semi formal or can you just buy them a ticket and go?

The only students allowed at the grade 8 dance
are grade 8 students from Koda, Gowana or Acadia - no students who are
younger or older are allowed to attend and no students from another
school district. The high school dances, you need to fill out a form
and get advanced permission.
Click here for the form.
Posted on May 6, 2008
In regards to not being
able to have water bottles in the middle school, what exactly
qualifies a day to be "dangerously hot"?

When it is forecasted that it is going to be
"dangerously hot," the school administration will announce that
water bottles will be allowed.
Posted on May 6, 2008
Can an 8th grader bring
a 7th grader to the 8th grade dance?

No.
Posted on May 6, 2008
I heard that in 9th
grade students do not have a choice of what band they are going to be
in, is this true?

Yes. The Grade 9 Concert Band and Grade 9
Symphonic Band are carefully constructed of equal ability
and balanced instrumentation. Students are placed into
these ensembles accordingly.
Posted on May 6, 2008
Is it true my child has
to miss an academic class to go to band lessons? Why aren't band
lessons offered before school, after school or during study hall?

Sometimes. Lessons are offered on a rotating
basis throughout the day.
Posted on May 6, 2008
Can you tell me when
Field Day will be at Karigon?

May 28th
rain date is May 29th. Details will
be sent home to parents next week.
Posted on May 6, 2008
If a student plays a
sport in the high school, would it be appropriate for that student to
carry a water bottle on game days if okayed by the teachers?

The high school administration allows any
students to carry a water bottle during the day. However, teachers
have discretion in the classroom, especially where there are computers
and electronics equipment.
Posted on May 6, 2008
As a parent of a hockey
player, I think it would be very entertaining to have a spirit band
play during the games instead of regular music. It would be a unique
tradition to Shenendehowa hockey. Is there any way of making this
possible?

The athletic department is always open to find
ways to add school spirit to the games and contests. The idea of a
'pep' band has been and is continually being discussed with the music
department chairperson.
Posted on May 6, 2008
I have been told by
several wrestling team members that a boy from another school who does
not live in our district is training with the Shen wrestlers at least
once a week. Why are we sharing facilities and possibly training
opponents?

The interscholastic wrestling season ended in
March. Shenendehowa is the host school for an open gym wrestling
program that is available to all students throughout the area. It is
advantageous for us to conduct the program on our campus as it allows
many of our wrestlers the opportunity to train in the off-season.
Posted on May 6, 2008
Is it true that all
Booster clubs will be required to use the same logo and order through
the same vendor?

Many of our coaches have complained that over
the years our sports teams and programs have utilized different logos
and styles in representing the Shenendehowa Athletic Department.
In an effort to add some consistency across programs, we have
encouraged coaches and booster clubs to use the script "Shen" logo.
The athletic department has also encouraged coaches to work with
booster clubs to use vendors who can provide us with the greatest
opportunity to maximize our dollars.
Posted on May 6, 2008
Why were the JV Track
Girls not given a bus to their meet on May 1st and had to pay for a
charter bus?

This is not true. When the district does not
have enough buses to transport student-athletes to contests, we
contract out with charter bus companies. The athletic department is
responsible for this cost.
Posted on May 6, 2008
Approximately when will
the scores for the standardized tests given this year to 4th graders
in English, Math, and Science be available on the parent portal?

According to the NYS Education Dept., ELA
scores will be released in May, math in June and no date has been
given for science. Once the state releases the information and
it is available in electronic form, the district will be able to
post the scores in the portal.
Posted on May 6, 2008
Does the district plan
to have an alert system such as in the case of an emergency or school
closing [due to the weather] the parents can be notified via email
and/or a general phone message?

The district is currently testing a messaging
system through the student information system which is expected to be
operational by the fall.
Posted on May 6, 2008
What is an illegal
absence?

Anything which does not fit any of the nine
reasons below is an illegal absence: personal illness or injury, death
in the family, medical appointments, appearance in court, suspension
from school (during which alternative educational services are offered
or provided), Internal restriction, military obligation, religious
observances, school sponsored/authorized activities.
Posted on May 6, 2008
Is it true that Shen is
on the list of Schools in Need of Improvement from the State Education
Department?

No. The high school was on a "school
requiring academic progress" due to special education performance as a
subgroup on the comprehensive English Regents exam. That
subgroup has now met the "safe harbor" requirements for 2006-07.
Posted on May 6, 2008
Do teachers have access
to view a students academic record through the portal?

Only parents and students have access to the
portal. Teachers have access to the student information system but can
only access information about students in their class.
Posted on May 5, 2008
I will be in 7th grade
next year and want to try out for the freshmen cheerleading team.
How competitive is it and what do I need to do at the try out?

You cannot try out for the Freshmen team as a
7th grader. You must be in ninth grade in order to try out. There is
the Junior Plainsmen Cheerleading program available for 7th graders.
Cheerleading is very competitive: tumbling, high jumps, flexibility
and a great cooperative attitude are just some of what you need to
develop in order to be competitive.
Posted on May 5, 2008
Why are we not the
plainsmen any more? If we still are then why do we not have an Indian
or some thing of that nature as our mascot not a horse.

Shenendehowa loosely translated means great
plains. That is why we ARE still the Plainsmen. We stopped using the
Native American mascot/logo many years ago because many Native
Americans expressed concerns about its use. Since then, the
Commissioner of Education has also mandated that schools stop using
Native American mascots and logos. In the meantime, students asked if
they could develop a new mascot. Mascots were designed by students and
then the entire student body voted and selected the horse.
Posted on May 5, 2008
We hear so much about
the dress code suggestions, guidelines and rules...but never
consequences. What are they consequences and do they differ for
the severity of infraction?

The consequences are generally that students
are told to correct the violation of the dress code by changing the
inappropriate clothing. They may also spend time in supervised
study or if the student consistently disregards the directive of the
administrator, they would be given harsher penalties for
insubordination. In some cases, depending on the violation,
students may also be given a warning.
Posted on May 5, 2008
One of the District's
Instructional Objectives for this school year for elementary schools
was "Assess the effectiveness of the processes for identification of
students for acceleration or enrichment offerings, serving to ensure
consistency across buildings." What kind of analysis was done?
Can you please post the results / statistics?

The assessment of the process for identifying
students for acceleration and enrichment is complete and is
consistently used across all eight elementary buildings. Data is
collected from different assessments and the data is reviewed by the
building's Child Study Team. Recommendations for children's
programming come forth from the Child Study Team. Currently,
there are no statistics to report.
Posted on May 5, 2008
What are the
Professional Learning Communities? Does each school have one?
How are they used?

A Professional Learning Community is an
approach to education that focuses on student learning. It is based on
the research of Richard and Rebecca Dufour. Professionals plan common
assessments of a specific content area and review the outcomes
in order to plan for instruction. Many teachers and
administrators at several schools across the district have
participated in professional development to hone the practices
associated with the Professional Learning Community. It is not
so much a matter of each school 'having one' but more a focus on
student learning.
Posted on May 5, 2008
Has the district
considered getting laptops for students for use in classrooms?

The district is looking at ways to increase
student access to computers during the day. Laptops are one
option being reviewed but not so much for individual student usage as
for mobile labs for some locations. Currently, laptops cost
considerably more to purchase and maintain than desk tops so in our
interest to increase access, it is more likely that we can obtain more
computers by purchasing desk tops rather than laptops.
Posted on May 5, 2008
Why does Shen promote
abstinence?? Don't you think students should be well educated?

Our health curriculum comes from New York
State and we follow its guidelines for sex education.
Posted on May 5, 2008
Is it true that the kids
that made the Freshmen baseball team all paid $300 to take a class
with the high school coach? I think that the coach should not be
permitted to charge anyone for a class, that is a conflict don't you
think? It is also very unfair to the boys that have parents who
can not afford the $300.

The baseball coach runs an winter
instructional camp and has been doing so for more than a decade. The
camp is open to all students in grades 7-12 throughout the capital
district. This camp complies with all Suburban, Section and
State Regulations. It is completely optional for students to
attend.
Posted on May 1, 2008
What is the Math Science
Technology Academy? Is it just a new semester long
interdisciplinary course that students can take in high school in
addition to their other courses?

MST Academy is a full year integrated program
of Math, Science, and Tech. It will be three periods of
instruction per day in a student's schedule. The program
is designed to provide students with the 3rd unit of math and the 3rd
unit of science required for graduation as well as an additional
elective credit in Technology. Approximately 50 - 60 juniors
and/or seniors will be admitted to the academy and it will be
co-taught by 3 teachers (one from each department...Math, Science, and
Technology.)
Posted on May 1, 2008
It has been brought to
my attention that the first grade teachers at Okte leave for
"meetings" every Wednesday at about 2:30. Another special area
teacher in the building covers and dismisses these classes. This
is 30 minutes each week that our children are not being instructed by
their teacher. What is the policy for such weekly meetings, and are
other buildings and grade levels doing the same?

Every Wednesday beginning at 3 p.m. first
grade teachers meet as a team. Their classes are covered until
the 3:10 dismal begins by special area teachers and sometimes the
building principal (the last 10 minutes of the school day).
Posted on May 1, 2008
How come administrators
have access to YouTube but students don't? It seems very unfair to me.
You guys make the rules, so why can't you follow them?

Administrators and teachers have access to
YouTube so that it is available for use in the classroom when
appropriate. It is filtered for students because there are many things
on it that are inappropriate for a school setting.
Posted on May 1, 2008
Why is there no Marching
Band at Shen? I think it is an outrage that a school of this
size and caliber does not have a Marching Band.

Years ago Shen had a march band, but due to
what was believed to be a lack of interest and budget concerns at that
time, the program was eliminated. It has not since surfaced as a
priority need, which would require several years of planning and
coordinating to get started.
Posted on May 1, 2008
Why doesn't Shen offer
SIGN LANGUAGE as a LOTE language? Other school districts in New York
teach this, but Shen doesn't. This is madness! Is there any plans or
talk ever of adding this language?

This has been discussed and may be offered in
the foreseeable future. Currently, many elementary students are taught
some signs as a part of "morning program" activities.
Posted on May 1, 2008
Do the Shen cleaners get
the Friday before Memorial Day off?

Time off for all employees is strictly
stipulated in their contracts. Individual employees should refer to
their contract or seek clarification from their union representative
or the human resource department.
Posted on May 1, 2008
Has the district
considered getting laptops for students for use in classrooms?

The district is now in the process of taking a
comprehensive look at instructional technology and its integration
into the curriculum. Access to computers is a prominent
component of the plan, but not necessarily lap tops.
Posted on May 1, 2008
Thank you to the few
teachers that were wearing ribbons in support of us (your gay
students), but why were NO administrators showing their support?
They support other causes.

As an organization, the district supports the
rights of students to participate in various activities and actions to
the extent allowable under laws and state regulations. The individual
support by staff members is a personal decision, and a lack of
presence or involvement is not necessarily a reflection of a lack of
support.
Posted on May 1, 2008
I was surprised to see
that the district decided to make a calendar change on June 13, having
AM K students attend instead of PM to make up for the large number of
school delays. When will the district make-up the discrepancy in
time the PM K students in Chango receive vs. the AM students?
Are there any plans to address this discrepancy this year?

The discrepancy in time for Chango PM students
is a matter that will be addressed for future years. Due to the series
of snow delays, the district was compelled to make a good faith effort
to make-up for some of that time for AM Kindergarten students across
the entire district, knowing that the length of the school day for
Kindergarten is not stipulated in regulations.
Posted on May 1, 2008
In a previous post, it
was stated that the 2008-09 school calendar would be approved in early
April and then posted. Have you posted the calendar for
next year?

No. It was moved to the May 6 school board
agenda.
Posted on May 1, 2008
Will the senior physics
classes be going to the Great Escape this year?

Yes.
Posted on May 1, 2008
While driving through
the campus, you can't help but drive through all the water spilling
out from large hoses by the pool construction. This water seems
to run 24/7 even though it is so dry out. Where is it all coming
from and how can construction continue on such wet ground? I've
heard the concrete was even poured on wet ground!

The water is from 12 to 14 feet below ground
and that is the average depth of the water table for that area on
campus. No concrete is poured on unstable ground at any time. We
pump out the water to be sure it is BELOW the depth we will be pouring
the concrete for the bottom of the pool while we are actually doing
the work so the ground is stable. We have dropped the
level over 2 feet doing this. Once the concrete has cured to its
designed strength we will no longer need to run the pumps.
The pools structure has been designed knowing our water table
situation and it can withstand ground water up to within 4 feet of the
TOP of the pool, which is a very unlikely possibility.
Posted on May 1, 2008
Why can't the scoreboard
by the lacrosse fields be used for games? If it's broken, why
can't it be fixed?

The scoreboard at the soccer/ lacrosse field
is old and needs to be replaced. A new scoreboard for this field
was included in the Track/Field/ Trails project that was approved by
voters in December. As far as fixing the current one for now, we
have spent more than a thousand dollars having that scoreboard
repaired over the last two years but now the parts are too hard to
find. We would just ask that people be patient and understanding
of the situation until the new scoreboard can be installed.
Posted on May 1, 2008
I heard that our
athletic director is responsible for submitting our team rosters to
the Times Union. Where is the Shen Lacrosse roster? The season
is halfway over!

Each coach is responsible for submitting the
rosters to the media outlets. The newspapers and television
stations have different information that they are looking for from our
coaches, so we leave it up to the individual coach to provide the
requested information. However, if you scroll down to the bottom of
the Shen Lacrosse page, the roster has been listed.
Click here for the link.
Posted on May 1, 2008
Why are track athletes
not allowed to take their shirt off during hard workouts and runs at
practice? I am a male track athlete and can accurately represent all
the other male track athletes that is extremely uncomfortable to wear
a t-shirt when it's over 70 degrees outside.

In accordance with the Shenendehowa Code of
Conduct, all students must be appropriately dressed. This includes
wearing shirts at practice. This rule has to be applied consistently
across the board for all sports and all athletes (boys and girls) in
order for it to be fair.
Posted on May 1, 2008
Are you looking for a
volunteer to dress as the Shen mascot at next year's football games?

The mascot is part of SFA Senate. Any
individual interested in becoming the Shen Mascot should speak to Mr.
Silverman or Mrs. Radko (SFA Senate Advisors).
Posted on May 1, 2008
When are varsity tennis
team tryouts for the 08-09 season?

All varsity tryouts for the 2008 fall sports
season start August 18th.
Posted on May 1, 2008
Do all schools use
Styrofoam lunch trays? If so, why not switch to paper/cardboard trays?
They are recyclable or, at a minimum, do not contribute to the plastic
waste stream. Is cost a consideration?

At this time Okte, Chango, Arongen and
Shatekon are using a reusable tray. The food service department
is looking into alternative biodegradable style trays, however, the
cost of these items is 2 1/2 to 3 times more than the Styrofoam that
we are presently using.
Posted on May 1, 2008
Your answer about senior
prom seems very unemotional. If I were a senior I would be very upset
if I was not able to attend my prom. I don't understand why the school
cannot find a location large enough to support the entire class?

All seniors who requested tickets received
them. There was a waiting list, but all seniors who tried to buy
tickets during the advertised sale period did receive tickets.
As far as we know, The Crowne Plaza and the Marriott are the only two
venue's that will host proms that are big enough to accommodate 800
people at a sit down dinner and still have a dance floor.
Posted on May 1, 2008
Don't you feel like all
seniors should be guaranteed a prom ticket?

Yes. We were able to accommodate all
seniors who wanted to go. While there was a waiting list, all
seniors who requested tickets received them.
Posted on May 1, 2008
Why can't the students
who qualify to get a free prom ticket, get a free one for their date
as well?

The fund is set up for Shenendehowa students
only.
Posted on May 1, 2008
I was wondering if we
bring a date to senior prom and they do not attend Shen, do they have
to bring identification?

Yes. They must have ID to get in.
Posted on May 1, 2008
Do you know when
Graduation rehearsal is?

Graduation rehearsal will held during English
classes at the end of May.
Posted on May 1, 2008
Why isn't the senior
trip going to be rescheduled?

The class council planned a trip to Gore, but
it was cancelled due to lack of students signing up. At this
point, there is not enough time to plan another trip.
Posted on May 1, 2008
Who comes up with the
senior trips because I sure didn't have a say in anything?

The class council. Members of the class
council are elected by the students.
Posted on April 24, 2008
Will we have additional days off for Memorial
Day weekend because we did not use all of our snow days?

Yes!!!! There will be no school on
Friday, May 23.
Posted on April 21, 2008
Do we know when spring
break will be next year (2009)?

The 2008-09 calendar is not yet approved by
the Board of Education.
It is tentatively scheduled for approval at the May 6th meeting. The
spring break is tentatively scheduled for April 10 (Good Friday)
through April 17.
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