The best source for local news from Marbletown, Rochester & Rosendale
Published the 1st and 3rd Friday of each month | Vol. 27, Issue 17
Vintage 'base ball' game, Sept. 10 in Marbletown PAGE 10
September 2, 2022 | $1.00
Volunteer to decide how preservation fund is spent
Drought, fires and impacts on farming PAGES 8 & 9
PAGE 4
Unwind of VlyAtwood Fire Dist. Town aims to become commissioner, raises taxes in the Vly Brooke Stelzer and Thomas Childers BSP Reporters
Jacqueline Swisher, second-grade teacher at Marbletown Elementary, setting up her classroom
Back to school with high hopes for a return to normalcy Jeff Slater BSP Reporter The school year starts for students officially next week. Rondout educators, staff and students continue to put their best foot forward, despite two-plus years of Covid-19 and its viral variants, districts around the country banning books, school shootings, teachers leaving the field of education and other serious issues plaguing our nation’s schools. Here’s what some of the administrators, teachers, and students had to say about their anticipation of the school year. Jacqueline Swisher, Marbletown Elementary School second-grade teacher, said, “The start of school is always exciting for everyone involved! As a teacher a new year means a new adventure. The very beginning of school is about getting to know one another and building a strong classroom community. In addition to ‘ice breakers’ and get-to-know-you activities, my favorite book to read aloud on the first day is called ‘Our Class Is a Family’ by Sharon Olsen. After reading the book the students will be able to help me set our own class family expectations on how we can thrive together. Once that groundwork is laid, we have a full year and LOTS of
learning. I always look forward to when students impress themselves solving a math problem or the new books they’re able to read. It’s a magical moment.” Lee Cutler, principal at the Intermediate School, said, “We are looking forward to the return of your Fall Festival on Oct. 7, and now including the Junior High School, our Wingman training and our newly renovated building – including a new kitchen, new roof and a lecture hall … We are especially looking forward to a more normal year of instruction and fun at the Intermediate School.” Hazel Lemister, a fifth-grader, said, “I’m looking forward to seeing my friends.” And Levi Lemister, Hazel’s twin said, “I’m looking forward to meeting my teacher and hopefully having a hands-on technology class.” Seventh-grader sibling Lyla Lemister said, “I’m looking forward to seeing my friends, teachers, and hopefully making new friends. Every year since kindergarten I’ve tried to make a new friend, and I hope this continues.” Rob McDonough, a social studies teacher at RVHS and RVF union president, said, “I’m excited about the opportunity and growth of programs we have created for our students over the course of this horrible pandemic. Throughout this crisis, we
have created a seal of biliteracy program [a program that promotes foreign language studies] as well as many new clubs and programs. I’m hopeful that this year will see a return to normalcy, while we provide an enriching and program-filled education to our students from our courageous and dedicated professional staff.” Eric Paddock, a high school senior, said, “I’m looking forward to starting school because it’s my last year and I will be done and graduating and moving on. I also look forward to driving to school, and of course playing on the golf team.” Madison Paddock, in the 10th grade, said, “I ’m looking forward to having a fun year and seeing my friends!” Stacy Bowers, school counselor for grades 6-8, said, “I am looking forward to seeing our students’ smiling faces as they come back to school and see their friends and teachers. I look forward to students eating lunch all together and chatting at their lockers about whatever class they have next or what they are doing over the weekend. I look forward to fewer restrictions, so the students have more opportunities to get to know each other better and ultimately have a positive social and educational experience this year.”
The Marbletown Town Board meeting was held on Aug. 18, both in person at the Rondout Municipal Building, 1925 Lucas Turnpike, Cottekill, and streamed on Facebook Live Thursday. Three board members were present at the RMC, including Rich Parete, chairman and town supervisor, along with Tim Hunt and Daisy Foote. Ken Davenport and Don LaFera were absent. The board passed Resolution 84, which sets a public hearing for the town to hear comments on creating a fire district for Vly-Atwood, the beginning of a process to raise taxes in the hamlet. The hearing is set for 6 p.m. Tuesday, Sept. 6. The town aims to make itself commissioner of the fire district, mirroring what was done with the ambulance improvement district. Marbletown would similarly approve budgets and assess taxes for Vly-Atwood residents. Since the Vly Fire District has dissolved, there is no way to create a fire district or a taxing entity, and residents in the Vly currently do not pay a fire tax. Councilman Hunt asked what the process will be in the future to turn the district over. “Do we continue to collect taxes for them?” “The goal is to hopefully, this is the only year we do it. But it could be another year,” said Parete. “Vly-Atwood dissolved July 31, so in order for us to turn it over to Stone Ridge or Kripplebush or High Falls or whoever we are going to turn it over to, there’s a process, almost as long it took to dissolve it – you have to create the district, public hearings, recreate district boundaries.” Parete continued, “We want a mecha-
See Vly, page 7