Leading off today: The Times Herald-Record spent recent weeks battling to get its hands on the Newburgh School District report from the investigation of
class attendance -- or lack thereof -- by players on Newburgh Free Academy's 2008-09 and 2009-10 boys basketball teams.
The paper's thorough investigation last year found that most of the key players from those teams frequently skipped classes and sometimes even played on the same day they were recorded as being absent from school.
The paper learned that the investigation by former Ulster BOCES superintendent Martin Ruglis cost $11,107.35, and some of the expense apparently was for black Sharpie markers. The paper was provided two versions of the nine-page report -- both redacted heavily, but inconsistently. Some material that was blacked out in one version was left intact in the other.
The district has twice refused to supply a different report that resulted from a later investigation done by David Shaw, an attorney for the district. Shaw's report was given to the school board Nov. 29, but the paper reports it was initially told “no such document exists in the District.”
Now, the district acknowledges the report exists but will not release it because it was prepared for the legal staff in preparation for litigation.
Upon further review: Hoosick Falls has been stripped of the Section 2 boys Class C-D bowling championship because school administrators failed to complete the paperwork required when a seventh- or eighth-grader competes in a varsity sport, coordinator Bill Neumann told The Times Union.
The use of two eighth-graders will also cost Hoosick Falls its place in next month's New York State Public High School Athletic Association championships. Class B Lansingburgh will move into the state berth March 3-4 in Waverly.
The championship would have been the fourth in six years for Hoosick Falls. Hoosick Falls superintendent Ken Facin said the school self-reported the violation to the state office and to Section 2.
It's that time again: On the NASCAR circuit, "silly season" refers to the a stretch of the summer calendar during which speculation runs wild over which drivers are cutting deals to change teams for the following season. It's full of gossip and good "inside baseball" stuff that fills the void while people are otherwise just marking time while they wait for the season-ending Chase races.
High schools also have their silly season, though this one seems to be starting a couple of weeks early: School districts will be racing each other to see who can propose the biggest cuts to athletic budgets for the upcoming year in a bid to scare voters into practically begging for huge tax increases to save teams.
East Aurora is threatening to nuke its boys varsity volleyball program and middle school boys and girls basketball and soccer programs along with many other extracurricular activities to close a $1 million budget gap, The Buffalo News reported.
There are also plans to chop the equivalent of nearly 16 teaching positions.
The sports and extracurriculars cuts would shave $32,278. Last year, the district eliminated modified track.
