Slightly off Topic: DC Scavenger Hunt for Kids

Spring break is next week for area schools and it seems like the hot trip to take this vacation is to Washington, DC. We love to take road trips with our kids (ages 9, 7, 5) and made the trip down last summer. Because I am a geek at heart, I gleefully poured through the travel guides (borrowed from the Albany Public Library) and made a scavenger hunt for our trip. I'm not sure if the kids or I loved the hunt more, but it made the trip a blast. Museums that would have been ho hum for their ages were exciting because you never knew where we would find the next clue.

If you are going to try a whole trip scavenger hunt, I'd suggest:

1. Keep a travel journal and make the scavenger hunt part of it. We used a small notebook as our DC travel journal, ideally just choose something small and easy to carry around. We usually put fun things like states we've been through or license plates we've seen in there. We also jot down what we've done each day, usually we have each child contribute writing or drawing or gathering items to tape in. These journals of our trips are by far our best souvenirs.

2. Make sure there is a prize at the end. We told our kids if they finished the scavenger hunt, they would each get $15 to pick out a souvenir, roughly $1 a clue to share. Those ridiculous things they choose are still treasured items because they worked so hard for them. As a parent, it also makes it easier to swallow spending $15 on a stuffed bear in a leather flight jacket with goggles.

ACSD School Board Passes 2011-12 Budget

ACSD School Board passes 2011-12 Budget

The ACSD School Board passed the 2011-12 budget on Tuesday with a vote of 7 -0. The budget for next year will be $206,528,639 with a 1.7% raise in the tax levy. Below is the rundown. As always, if you find any mistakes they are mine and no one else’s. Many thanks to all who worked so hard to create this budget.

Part of the budget is an additional $532,872 “Administrative Efficiency Aid” from the state. This was given to 70 out of 700 districts in the state that had extraordinarily efficient administrations.

First, an answer to robocalls that were going out to Albany residents. As an opinionated aside, I am appalled in this economy that money is being spent on this. We’re cutting programs and someone is out there spending money on something so petty? Why not use the money for good, to help children?

Setting the Record Straight:

Recent Phone Survey in Albany is providing misleading information:

1. Claim: Enrollment in the district is decreasing

a. Fact: Between September 2008 and 2009; enrollment increased by 466 students.

2. Claim: The District has $15 million of Unappropriated Fund Balance

a. Fact: The District has incorporated $9.3 million of this money into the 2011-12 budget. The remaining amount represents about 1 ½ payrolls.

3. Claim: The proposed High School construction project will raise taxes.

a. Fact: The taxpayer share of the proposed $11.4 million construction project will be paid in full by EXCEL aid. There will be no increase to the taxpayers as a result of this project. 100% paid by State-aid.

Chickens and Victory Gardens

Chickens and Victory Gardens

I have a tomato obsession. It started a few years ago when I got several giant golden tomatoes in a box of tomatoes to make sauce. Since then, I've been on a mission to grow and try as many varieties of tomatoes as possible, especially heirlooms. In my city garden I indulge my obsession, growing usually around 30 varieties and about 65 tomato plants. The funny thing is, when talking to people about my tomatoes, most are amazed that I live in a city. Now, in fairness, I have a large city yard, but many rural, suburban, or development yards are larger. For most people cities and gardens are not synonymous despite the fact that gardens and urban livestock have played an important role in the history of cities.

Before our globalized community, food was grown close to where it was needed. One of the first uses of Boston Common was for livestock to graze. Often social movements included vegetable gardens as a way to feed the poor and to beautify the landscape. A major aspect of the 1890’s – 1900’s City Beautiful movement

This Friday's Top 5 Best things about the Library

This Friday's Top 5 is all about the Albany Public Library. We're going to have two lists, the first is a Guest Top 5 from the President of the Library Board, Dennis Gaffney and the second list is what Albany Spark readers said were their Top 5 Library favorites.

Guest Top 5:

Top 5 Coolest Things at the Albany Public Library!

Click on the links to find out more!

1. You can make the library your office-away-from-home by using the free Wi-Fi.

2. You can download—and keep—digital music for free if you have an Albany Public Library card.

3. You can have free use of the library meeting rooms for your community group meetings.

4. You can visit the just-opened Albany History Room on the second floor of the Main Library. Here you can learn about Albany’s fascinating history in books, pamphlets, clippings, newspapers, and photographs. You can learn about the lives of Albany citizens through city directories, census records, and newspapers. The Collection is open to researchers during regular Library hours. For more specialized assistance contact Ellen Gamache at 427-4327.

5. You can get free homework help and tutoring for your school-age children at the libraries. Just call your neighborhood library to sign up.

Spring is here -- GIANT robin sighted near Buckingham Pond

What appears to be a three- to four-foot tall red-breasted robin has been sighted in the neighborhood between Buckingham Pond and Western Avenue.  Seen here perched on the top of the garage, residents are urged to exercise caution and post its whereabouts here.

ACSD School Budget Update

School Budget Update

These are my notes from the 3/31 School Board meeting, the notes are based on the presentation and the Power Point presentation print outs. Some of the additional information is from the 3/17 meeting. Any mistakes are my own and not the presenters. I apologize in advance for those. I have my own opinions on the school budget which I tried not to allow to cloud my information sharing. You may see them in a later blog post.

Although in these fiscal times it’s hard to imagine a budget that anyone would like, I’m impressed with the great deal of work that Asst. Superintendent for Business Affairs Bill Hogan, Superintendent Dr Colucciello, and the Board members have put into this budget. I’m also impressed with general fiscal responsibility our district has shown so our budget, while dramatic, is not nearly as dramatic as it could be, especially when compared to many local districts.

Upcoming Program Presentations:

April 12: Board Special Budget Session to adopt the budget (7:00, Albany High)

April 14: Board Round Table Meeting and adopt budget (if not done one the 12^th). (7:00 at Delaware Community School, cancelled if the budget is adopted)

Friday Top 5: What are your library favorites?

For this week's Top 5, we're looking for some input. Our libraries have recently undergone quite a bit of construction and expansion. What do you love about the libraries? We'll compile the results for an upcoming Top 5.

So, Albany, what is YOUR Top 5 things about the Albany Public Libraries?