Springville-GI reaffirms commitment to FFA, focus on reading, math and literacy

Members, parents and alumni of the Future Farmers of America, as well as several other parents, alumni and community members, came out in force to the Feb. 14 Springville-Griffith Board of Education meeting to express their support for the agriculture-centered program. Before the public comment period opened, Superintendent of Schools Paul Connelly spoke to clear up any confusion.

“There has been a significant amount of misunderstanding, specifically with the FFA,” Connelly said. “The FFA is going nowhere. I’m not sure where the disconnect comes from and I’ll take full responsibility for that. We’re trying to tweak our curriculum and one thing is for sure, the FFA is strong, it’s alive and ... it’s going to thrive. Agriculture is a cornerstone of this community and I’m going to see what we can do to provide the best opportunities we can for the kids.”

He added that there are several BOCES programs that require a two-year commitment with associated college credits, but that he hoped to continue single courses as well, including the possibility of exploring some less traditional venues.

“A dream of mine [is this]: We have a rich culture in this community. Vince [Vanderlip, high school principal] and I have discussed the possibility of externships, where students would take up to a year and learn the skills that an industry would need them to have. The labs wouldn’t be here; they’d be in your joint. We’re trying hard to put the cogs of the community together,” Connelly said.

First to speak on behalf of the FFA was 14-year-old Randy Darwin, an FFA member. “The FFA has been in Springville for more than 75 years. Many of us are second and third generation,” Randy said. “The FFA has taught thousands of students leadership and skills and former members of FFA have gone on to be some of its biggest supporters. Many local businesses are owned by former FFA members. If the school eliminates agriculture classes, we will lose our FFA.”

Lori Ploetz, FFA supporter, added that she saw Randy’s public speaking abilities as a prime example of what the FFA has done for students. “I would like to see the program preserved. I’m behind FFA 100 percent. We need ag classes to stay in Springville,” she said.

Wendy Darling, a school counselor, said that she thought of skill-based trades as not only in high demand, but also the reason many kids come to school in the first place.

“Not all students come to school to study core requirements. Those skills classes kept them coming to school and they stayed and got those cores done,” said Darling. “Next time you need a plumber, an electrician ... think about where that skill was nurtured. We can’t deny our kids and our future these skills that are so desperately needed and taken for granted.”

Marty Wendel, FFA advisor, also spoke on the group’s behalf. “I’m a poultry farmer and have been an FFA advisor for close to 20 years. You drive down the road and you see falling-down barns that families built on farms that lasted for generations. Now that barn’s gone because there’s nobody left to take care of it. There goes the barn, and it’s not coming back. I just want to make sure we’re not missing an opportunity and sending kids to BOCES. Some of us don’t choose to be here; we depend on Springville to be here,” said Wendel.

Marj Hauri, an FFA representative from Cattaraugus Little Valley, also offered her perspective. “I’m a state representative for FFA District 10 and we had this problem last year in our chapter,” she explained. “What you need to understand is that if you don’t have ag classes as part of the school day, there’s no FFA. By 2050, the population is expected to double. If those people don’t know where their food comes from, we’re in trouble.”

Both Connelly and Vanderlip expressed their commitment to retaining agriculture classes and the Springville-GI FFA program at some level.

Other citizens used the public comment period to address additional issues, focusing largely on teaching assistance and the arts in education.

Peggy Hess, a 24-year veteran of teaching assistance, said that changes in student preparedness necessitates teaching assistants, particularly in the elementary school.

“[Kindergarten students] come in without basic skills; they can’t zip, button, tie their shoes. They lack social skills like sharing and taking turns; motor skills like holding a pencil. Some of these kids come from difficult homes with emotional baggage we never could have imagined in kids this age five years ago,” Hess said. “Things kids used to know at this age, a lot of them don’t. I’m in favor of right-sizing with the best interest of all students in mind, but you have to invest time, resources and manpower to be successful. Being proactive makes sense. It does become more of an issue to bring the students up to grade level later on. Early intervention works.”

Kody Sprague, a parent of one of those students who has benefited from early intervention offered his take on the issue, telling the board that his kindergarten-age son, who had been diagnosed as having special needs as a toddler, was now thriving because of his teaching assistant.

“He’s doing things we never thought would be possible. He read me his first book the other day. He’s turning out to be a very bright young man. His one-on-one aide and teachers are both individuals who are at risk of losing their jobs. He will not succeed without these services in a class of 26 children,” said Sprague. “It’s my hope that I can be a part of this community forever, but I’m prepared to do what I have to do with my son. The lowest man on the totem pole does not make them the most expendable.”

Springville native and parent of two middle school-aged boys, Marty Krebs, offered his perspective as a parent who could have chosen any school, but picked S-GI specifically. “We looked at schools all over the area and selected S-GI. We looked at bigger schools with a bigger budget, but S-GI struck the balance between a great program and a great community with proven results,” said Krebs. “It’s up to the board, the administration and the teaching staff to prove to us whether we made a mistake or not. These are tough times. I’m willing to help in whatever way I can, but it’s going to take a lot of us together. Don’t prove me wrong.”

On the issue of reducing music and art class offerings, Ilene Rothman compared the potential for rotating music teachers to her own career as a dermatologist. “Music has been the pride of this community for over 50 years. Although all of [the music teachers] are certified, each has his or her own special skills. I’m certified to care for a heart condition or diabetes, but you would not want me to do so. I can’t understand why we’re apparently maintaining extracurricular sports at all costs but cutting music, part of the curriculum,” she said.

Connelly responded to each concern in turn and took time to clarify his position on core academics, “not just as a budgetary issue.

“Springville has historically offered kids twice the amount of required arts and music, while neighboring schools that are achieving beyond us in reading and math are offering the required amount. Plenty of those other schools are also sending kids to Julliard, and those are the kids who only had music one time a week,” Connelly said. “When they weren’t in music and art classes, they were reading and doing math. As your superintendent, that’s where my heart is.”

“I want to have competent kids in reading, math and literacy. As fun as it has been over the years, we’re slipping,” he said. “It’s not just a budget thing. It’s an education thing and a philosophy thing. Let’s get after it. It is a shift for S-GI, and music is important. I’m a professional educator; I’m a doctor; I know my stuff and I know what I have to do to get kids on track. We’ve got some mileage to make up here,” he said.

Board President Mel Williams thanked all the community members for their comments, both at the board meeting and in written correspondence throughout the weeks between meetings.

The next board of education meeting will take place on Feb. 28 at the high school media center at 7 p.m.