"There is no question the additional funding Assemblywoman Jenne secured for our district has saved people's jobs and programs," Superintendent Tim Vernsey said during a meeting with Assemblywoman Jenne and Kevin Kendall, assistant superintendent for curriculum, instruction, assessment and technology.
Assemblywoman Jenne met with school officials to discuss the latest round of supplemental state aid – $200,000 – she secured for the district for the 2018-19 school year and to learn about how the district used the $300,000 she secured for the district last year.
She said she always gives special consideration to property owners in the Ogdensburg City School District when she fights for supplemental state aid for North Country school districts. The district's enrollment is approximately 1,800 students and has the highest school tax rate in St. Lawrence County.
"Approximately 70 percent of the property in the Ogdensburg City School District is tax exempt so its taxpayers have a heavy burden. I recognize that every $110,000 I secure in state aid is equivalent to a 1 percent jump in the district's tax rate. That makes Ogdensburg a priority for me," Assemblywoman Jenne said.
She also secured $300,000 in supplemental state aid for the district for the 2016-17 school year, $350,000 in 2015-16, $150,000 in 2014-15, $100,000 in 2013-14 and $50,000 in 2012-13.
Mr. Kendall said some of last year's funding was used in part to continue a program aimed at improving the reading and writing skills of its youngest students.
"It has allowed us to do ongoing professional development – as opposed to a one-shot deal – centered on research we know gets kids to read and write more. We've put in a lot of work. We even sent 40 teachers to a high-quality professional development training program at the Teacher's College of Columbia University in New York City," he said.
"We've got libraries in every elementary classroom now, and our kids are reading and writing more," he added.
"We've seen significant growth in our elementary school test scores for our third graders, fewer students scoring at the lowest levels and more students scoring at the highest levels" said Mr. Kendall, who will become the district's superintendent when Mr. Vernsey retires at the end of the first semester.
Mr. Kendall said the supplemental school aid secured by Assemblywoman Jenne has allowed the district to keep classroom sizes down, maintain its AP classes and expand the music and art programs.
Assemblywoman Jenne also discussed the district's work with students living in poverty, initiatives to give North Country students a better understanding of employment opportunities in areas such as the maritime sector and healthcare and her ongoing fight to bring more equity to the school's state aid policy, a move that would benefit North Country districts.
She said she will also work to find partners in the state Senate to advance legislation she introduced to provide additional state aid – up to $2.5 million – to school districts like Ogdensburg that have high numbers of tax-exempt properties owned by religious organizations, educational facilities and state and federal institutions.
IN THE PHOTOS:
Assemblywoman Addie A.E. Jenne discusses school finances with Ogdensburg City School District Superintendent Tim Vernsey, center, and Assistant Superintendent for Curriculum, Instruction, Assessment and Technology Kevin Kendall, left.
