A Message From the Superintendent

In the East Greenbush Central School District, we are excited as we begin the 2008-2009 school year.  The 2007-2008 school year was a great success in so many ways, and I know that this year will build on and surpass those successes. The Board of Education, Central Administration, and staff in each building are looking forward to providing a rewarding educational experience for all of our students.

Over the past two years, the students of the East Greenbush Central School District have achieved the highest levels of academic achievement ever accomplished in our district.  This is a direct reflection of the hard work of the entire community with renewed and focused initiatives on academic excellence. The East Greenbush Central School District has moved from a ranking of nineteenth to eighth out of eighty-five school districts in New York State.  All seven of our schools have been designated as Schools in Good Standing by the New York State Education Department.

Click here for Dr. Guptill's complete letter

School Initatives - Looking Ahead
By Dr. Angela M. Guptill,
Superintendent of Schools

Welcome back for another exciting year in the East Greenbush Central School District!  I am pleased to announce that District employees have been busy preparing for the coming school year.  The 2008-2009 school year will be filled with many exciting initiatives.

The construction work on the installation of the artificial turf field at Columbia High School is almost ready for student athletic competition and community use.  When this project is complete, the Board of Education will announce an opportunity for the school community to view the field and see our students play on this new field.  The installation of the artificial turf field was Phase I work within the $9 million dollar capital project approved by district taxpayers in March 2007.  Shortly, the District will begin Phase II of the project, which includes repairs in each of the seven schools, the grounds shop and the transportation center.  We are committed to maintaining the quality of our buildings through regular repairs, eliminating unnecessary and expensive replacement ahead of normal schedules.

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2008 Middle Class STAR Rebate Program

This year’s 2008 Middle Class STAR Rebate Program is patterned after last year and based not only on the property tax burden, but also on the homeowner’s ability to pay, factoring in the income level.

Basic STAR Recipients
Individual property owners who receive a basic STAR exemption on their 2008-2009 school tax bill and completed an application for the 2007 rebate don’t have to reapply as long as the property information remains the same.  The NYS Department of Taxation and Finance will issue a rebate check automatically by the end of October.  Rebates are generally the same as last year as noted below.

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Registering for School

If you need to register for school, please contact Debra Harting for an appointment at 477-2755 x129 or email her at HartinDe@egcsd.org. The Registrar's Office is open all summer and the sooner you can register, the better! For more information, click on the "Registering for School" link to the left.

EGCSD State Audit Corrective Action Plan - Posted July 31, 2008

Below is the Corrective Action Plan that the Board of Education adopted on Wednesday, July 30.

Recommendation #1: The claims auditor should ensure that all credit card purchases and claims submitted for reimbursement of expenses are properly authorized and incurred in accordance with applicable Board policies
                     
Corrective Action Planned or Taken:  The claims auditor received initial training on March 13, 2007 in a session sponsored by the State Education Department.  Subsequently, the claims auditor received a copy of all Board of Education policies relating to financial operations as well as additional training on auditing of claims relating to expense reimbursement and credit card purchases.  The Assistant Superintendent for School Business Finance will speak with the claims auditor periodically to ensure understanding of the policies and need to audit all credit card claims.

Click here to read the full report.

EGCSD Implements Recommendations of State Audit - Posted July 8, 2008

In 2005, the State Comptroller initiated a Five-Point Plan that included new fraud prevention and accountability rules for schools.  Additionally, state law requires that all public school districts and BOCES be audited by the Comptroller’s Office within five years.  The purpose of the audit is to inform districts about areas where they may be at-risk and provide recommendations for improved business practices.

The East Greenbush Central School District recently received its final report from the New York State Comptroller’s Office summarizing the findings of an audit of the School District’s fiscal operations from July 1, 2006 through November 30, 2007.

Click here to read complete release.

The complete audit report is available on the website of the New York State Office of the State Comptroller (click here).