Silver Creek to remember student in vigil tonight
By APRIL DIODATO OBSERVER Staff WriterSilver Creek Central School District Superintendent David O'Rourke spoke about the district's loss last Tuesday of sixth-grader Katelin Doctor at the Board of Education's Wednesday meeting. A candlelight vigil in remembrance of Katelin is planned for 7 p.m. Friday at the high school football field.
"Katie was, by all accounts, a source of light for her classmates and teachers," O'Rourke said in his superintendent's update. "She was full of kindness and promise and hope, and I know we will all miss her very much."
"Last week and this week have been difficult for all of us. At our staff meeting early on Thursday morning, I spoke about how much our students most needed to be near the people who care about them - their friends and teachers and staff at the school. I said that students need some semblance of normalcy during this tragedy - something that each member of our staff has a role in creating, even when it is emotionally difficult to do so," O'Rourke stated.
O'Rourke thanked his faculty, staff and crisis team for their assistance, and said the administration recommended the team be recognized by the Board of Education at the December meeting.
Vaccinations for H1N1 were provided by the Chautauqua County Department of Health last Thursday and Friday, with 643 students vaccinated.
Public Health Director Christine Schuyler and other health department staff were at the school on Thursday, Nov. 12 to provide information to faculty and staff.
An agreement on mid-year school aid cuts has not been made by Governor Paterson and the state legislature but a mid-year cut is still possible, O'Rourke said. The superintendent provided the board with analysis by the State School Finance Consortium on how the proposed cut of less than 3 percent might affect the school. Preliminary budget planning has begun and the superintendent suggested a workshop related to the district's updated three-year plan and a community forum be held early on. Due to Shavuot, a religious holiday on May 18, the budget vote may be moved back by one week. The budget calendar is expected to be adopted at the Board of Education's next meeting.
The superintendent briefed the board on the Capital Project's progess. The parking lot has been repaved and all parking spaces restored after conduit was laid in the East Lot; the majority of remaining work will be done in the basement. After review by the landscape architect, the baseball and soccer fields are expected to be in use for the sports seasons in 2010.
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