Hammondsport earns performance distinction

    HAMMONDSPORT—Hammondsport high school Principal Tad Rounds announced the New York State Education Department has recognized the school for continued high performance, during the Wednesday, Sept. 19, board of education meeting.
    The state named 249 schools across New York as Rewards Schools for the 2012-13 year. The only other schools in the area that were also named were Alfred-Almond and Odessa-Montour. According to the state education department, this is the highest designation a school can get. Rounds explained the state reviewed schools for yearly progress, graduation rates, Regents scores, and math and English language arts performance over two years.
    In other business:
    • Brett Lewellyn, Realty USA representative, showed the board their marketing plan to find a buyer for the former Curtiss school. He said the realtors had a six month listing agreement and have the property marked at $325,000. He added he has already had two engineers and one real estate investor inquire about the school.
    • Superintendent Kyle Bower reported on Medicare costs for the district. He said the manpower needed to file claims by deadline costs more than the Medicare payments made to the district. However, Bower said they need to be in compliance.
    • Rounds said Hammondsport will be offering electives through the BOCES Advanced Academics program. He explained students take classes online and each course costs $300 a semester. However, Rounds added there are fewer course listings this year.
    • The board approved Bower to serve as qualified lead evaluator of principals for the state’s annual professional performance reviews. The board also approved the district’s review plan, even though the state hasn’t approved it yet.