LIVERPOOL, NY - The Liverpool school district's Communications Committee will be at every elementary and middle school Parent Teacher Association meetings in the next two months to answer residents' questions about an upcoming stadium vote.

On Feb. 26, residents in the Liverpool school district will go to the polls to vote on track-and-field renovations, including a new artificial turf surface, an eight-lane all-weather synthetic running track, and homeside bleachers.

The proposed project will cost no more than $5.8 million. School officials say they don't plan on raising local taxes to pay for the renovations. Instead, they will use state aid, money from the district's capital reserve and funds previously raised at field events.

"Our goal is to educate the community on the scope of the project and answer any questions," Communications Committee co-chair Jackie Samora said.

On Jan. 13, committee members will be at Donlin Drive, Elemcrest, Long Branch, Liverpool, Morgan Road, Soule Road and Wetzel Road elementary schools.

On Jan. 14, they will be at Chestnut Hill and Liverpool middle schools.

And on Feb. 10, they will be at Willow Field Elementary School.

All parents and community members are invited to attend.

For more information or to have the Communications Committee attend other community group meetings, call Samora at 254-0769.

Parents can get information about nine Central New York private schools during a school fair 6 to 8 p.m. Tuesday, Jan. 13, at May Memorial Unitarian Universalist Society, 3800 E. Genesee St., Syracuse.

The aim is to give parents one place to go to find out about area private schools for their kids, according organizer Nancy Lipsitt. Parents can just show up; no registration is required. Admission to the fair is free.

The school represented are:

All Saints Elementary of Tipperary Hill, 112 S. Wilbur Ave., Syracuse.
Christian Brothers Academy, 6245 Randall Road, DeWitt.
Jowonio School, 3049 E. Genesee St., Syracuse.
Manlius-Pebble Hill School, 5300 Jamesville Road, DeWitt.
Merriday School, 1636 James St., Syracuse.
Montessorri Discovery School, 109 Waring Road, Syracuse.
Montessorri School of Syracuse, 155 Waldorf Parkway, Syracuse.
The New School, 5205 Jamesville Road, DeWitt.
Syracuse Hebrew Day School, 5655 Thompson Road, DeWitt.

There will be no after-school activities today for the Syracuse school district due to weather.

Here are the latest closings and delays as of 1 p.m., compiled from local television station listings:

A-P-W Central Schools: Closed Today; Board meeting cancelled

Abundant Life Christian Center: No p.m. activities

Adirondack Central Schools: Closed Today

African Violet Society: Meeting Cancelled

All Saints Elementary: No after-school or evening activities

Baldwinsville Central Schools: Closing early by 2 hours; No after-school or evening activities

BOCES, Madison-Oneida: No after-school or evening activities

BOCES, Oswego County: Closed Today

Boys and Girls Club of Syracuse: No after-school or evening activities

Continue reading "Weather forces schools and clubs to close early, cancel p.m. activities" »

SOLVAY, NY - About 80 Solvay High School students are heading to Washington, D.C. later this month to attend the 56th presidential inauguration.

The students, in 11th and 12th grades, will see the outside of the White House and tour the Congressional building, National Archives, Supreme Court and Smithsonian Institution after the inauguration. If time allows, they also will visit Arlington National Cemetery.

The night of the inauguration, on Jan. 20, the students will attend an inaugural ball in Arlington.

Continue reading "Solvay students will attend Obama inauguration" »

LIVERPOOL, NY - Liverpool High School's track remains closed, but repairs are expected to be completed this spring, Acting Athletic Director Mark Potter said.

In November, Ruston Paving put crushed stone in holes that had been dug out so that a soil sample could be tested to find out what made the track bubble.

"There is some sort of slag material -- which some have referred to as crushed stone -- that may have been absorbing water, and therefore creating heaves in the surface of the track and turf," school board president Mark Lawson said.

The material causing the surface to bubble will have to be removed so that the track and field can be replaced. Lawson said that will cost a significant amount of money and the school district's lawyers are looking into whether any money can be recouped.

In the meantime, board members have decided to move ahead with some track repairs at the high school.

Continue reading "Repairs will make LHS track usable in spring" »

The Onondaga Road Elementary Parent Teacher Association recently sponsored "Read Around the World" at the school.

"This annual event is a night where parents and students come together to experience the fun and importance of reading," school information officer Bonnie Russell said in a news release.

School librarian Sally Rozniak coordinated the event Nov. 24.

American Indian storyteller Frieda Jacques, youth dancers from CNY Chinese School and African-American performers from Wacheva Cultural Arts led multi-cultural performances.

Parents also brought cookies from all around the world for an International Cookie Cafe.

BALDWINSVILLE, NY - Thirty-seven students from C.W. Baker High School in Baldwinsville will perform at the 2009 Onondaga County Music Educators Association's All-County Festival on Jan. 16 and 17 at Liverpool High School.

The following students were selected to perform in the all-county band: Sarah Cerroni, clarinet; Kaitlyn Allen, clarinet; Alan Gribble, trumpet; and Aaron Walters, percussion.

The students selected for all-county orchestra are: Sarah Bauer, violin; Zach Brown, cello; Hannah Coburn, violin; Brianna Hoige, percussion; Elizabeth Hoover, violin; Brian Kane, cello; Katie Klapheke, bass; Jacob Martin, cello; Emily Merchant, violin; Justin Mulvaney, percussion; Shane Rahrle, cello; and Eric VanderVoort, trumpet.

Students chosen for the all-county chorus are: Nick Augello, tenor; Sarah Blewett, soprano; Sarah Boutwell, alto; Cheryl Chapman, alto; Emily Dobmeier, alto; Sarah Hall, alto; David Kahrs, tenor; Robert Kahrs, tenor; Joanna Kenney, alto; Tom Madison, tenor; Marissa McLean, alto; Dan Mullarney, bass; Ali Niemiec, alto; Andrey Peshko, tenor; David Raschella, bass; Zach Rich, tenor; Heather Rosenthal, soprano; Alaina Sawyer, alto; Brian Scott, bass; Brittany Ungleich, alto; and Nick Vecchio, bass.