Voter registration taking place now

Voter registration for the May 20, 2008, budget vote is taking place May 6-9 and 12-15 at the district's three elementary schools. Those interested can register to vote during school hours. To vote, residents must be a United States citizen, age 18 or older and a district resident for at least 30 days.

For 2008-09 Budget information, click here.

Where do I vote? Click here to find your polling location.

District hosts picnic for ELL families

Every year the ESL Department of the Cohoes City School District organizes picnics for the parents of ELL students, and gives the parents a chance to meet the teachers, find out about state tests and talk to each other.

This year's picnic, held on April 29, was a true celebration of the diversity of Cohoes. Nearly 20 parents and 45 children attended the picnic and enjoyed original and unique food: Ukrainian golubci (staffed cabbage), Sudanese falafel (fried vegetarian dish), Afghani deserts, a huge Ukrainian cake and "American" food - pizza! MORE

BOCES Arts & Enrichment Showcase at Cohoes

On Thursday, 1, 2008, the annual BOCES Art & Enrichment Showcase was hosted by the Cohoes City School District at Abram Lansing Elementary School and Cohoes Middle School.

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Cohoes High School Class of 2008 gives back to the community

A few months shy of graduation, the Cohoes High School Class of 2008 participated in the first annual Senior Service Day, as part of Global Youth Service Day, on Friday, April 25, 2008.

Throughout the day, nearly all of the seniors in the Class of 2008 were at a variety of locations around the city cleaning, planting and giving their time to the greater community. MORE

Board of Education adopts 2008-09 budget

Budget vote May 20

The Cohoes City School District Board of Education adopted a $35,028,236 school budget with no expected change in the tax rate at its regular meeting on Wednesday, April 23.

Next year's proposed budget has a spending increase of $1,847,591, which is 5.57 percent more than the current year's approximately $33.2 million budget. The proposed increase in spending is driven primarily by costs incurred through district building projects approved by voters in 2006. These building project costs, however, will be nearly all offset by state building aid. MORE

For more budget, voter registration or absentee ballot information, click here.

Cohoes City Schools meet state expectations

The 2006-07 New York State School Report Cards, which were recently released, show that the Cohoes City Schools have met or exceeded all of the state's learning  expectations. To see the individual report cards, visit the academics section of each school site.

Sixth Annual Cohoes High School Student Art Show going on now!

The sixth annual Cohoes High School student show at the Visitor Center on Remsen Street is taking place now through the first week of May from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Residents are encouraged to stop in to see the work of our students. The visitor's center is on the ground floor of the Cohoes Music Hall.

In April four students were recognized during a reception. Those students include: for the People's Choice award: Lindsey Grudecki and Vanessa Bressette, for the Best 2-D: Jenna Deo and for the Best 3-D: Nina Curtain.

Superintendent Charles S. Dedrick leaving Cohoes to lead Capital Region BOCES

Dedrick to step down in June

Charles S. Dedrick, who has served as the superintendent of schools in Cohoes since 1999, is leaving Cohoes to assume the role of District Superintendent at the Capital Region Board of Cooperative Education Services (BOCES).

Dedrick, who has guided the Cohoes schools through a period of academic growth, was appointed to his new post at Capital Region BOCES by the organization's Board of Education on Wednesday, April 9. His last day in Cohoes will be June 8.

"I have thoroughly enjoyed my time in the Cohoes City School District," Dedrick said. "The staff in Cohoes has a vision for each child and it was an honor for me to help them foster their energy and drive for educating the city's children. I have enjoyed working with the Board of Education, faculty, staff, city officials and the community members who are all deeply committed to the children of Cohoes." MORE

Universal Prekindergarten Facts

For information about the anticipated 2008-09 Cohoes City Schools Universal Prekindergarten program, click here.

Van Schaick Grade School and principal honored as "Champions of Character"

Cohoes Mayor John McDonald III, left, Van Schaick Grade School Principal Jacqueline DeChiaro and Superintendent of School Charles S. Dedrick stand together after DeChiaro was given her award. (Photo by Sharon Aitchison.)

Van Schaick Grade School and its Principal Jacqueline DeChiaro were honored on Wednesday, March 12, at The Academy for Character Education at the Sage Colleges' annual "Champions of Character" Awards Banquet.

MORE

BOCES Legislative Paper

To view the 2008 Capital Region BOCES Superintendents' Legislative Paper, click here. The paper describes the group's opinions on the state budget process this year.

Contingency Days for the 2007-08 School Year

In the event of any more snow days, the district will begin using its planned contingency days. The days will be used in the following order:
1. May 27; 2. April 21; 3. April 11; 4. May 23

Kindergarten Screening

Screening for the child will take place in May at the school your child will be attending. The school will be contacting you about a specific time. The dates are as follows. Abram Lansing Elementary School: May 6-8; Harmony Hill School: May 12-15; Van Schaick Grade School: May 13-14.

Local educators shadow Cohoes administrators

Middle School Principal Mark Perry and intern Aaron Thomson sit with some CMS students during lunch.

Two administrative interns have been shadowing Cohoes administrators over the past few weeks through the Institute for New Era Educational Leadership at The College of St. Rose.

The interns each spent time with several different administrators during their five-day visit to Cohoes to see the different types of roles they could play in a district as a future administrator themselves. MORE

Cohoes Mayor awards students for teamwork

Cohoes Mayor John T. McDonald III presented the Team Work Awards to Cohoes students at the Cohoes High Basketball Game on Saturday, Feb. 9 at the Cohoes High School Gym. The award, courtesy of the Cohoes Mayoral Foundation, is presented to nominated students of the various high school sports programs who best represent good sportsmanship. The award is also supported by the Cohoes Character Counts Committee. MORE

Cohoes Superintendent of Schools recognized by statewide organization

Left to right, Rockville Centre Schools Superintendent and Chairman of the NYSCOSS Distinguished Service Committee Bill Johnson, Cohoes City Schools Superintendent Charles S. Dedrick, and Jericho Public Schools Superintendent and Council President Henry Grishman. (Photo by Bruce McDonough.)

Cohoes City School District Superintendent Charles S. Dedrick was recently honored with an Appreciation Award by The New York State Council of School Superintendents (NYSCOSS). The Award, which recognizes Dedrick's service and leadership, was presented at the organization's Mid-Winter Conference on Jan. 13, 2008.

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Cohoes player sets Section II and national record

Tuesday, Jan. 7 was a night for the record books for Cohoes High School girls' basketball senior guard Courtney Galuski.

Galuski set a Section II record for the most three-point shots in a game. She hit 15 three-point goals, leading Cohoes to a 91-36 win over Schalmont on her team's home turf.

To see a video of her 15 shots, click here, or to see her record featured in Sports Illustrated, click here. MORE

Cohoes schools “in good standing”

All three Cohoes City School District elementary schools, along with Cohoes Middle School, were once again named schools "in good standing" by the New York State Education Department on Thursday, Dec. 20, 2007.

To be considered "in good standing" elementary and middle schools must meet the state targets on the state ELA and math exams in grades 3-8.

"We are proud of the accomplishments of our students, and the hard work of the teachers, principals and support staff, which is the reason for their achievement," said Superintendent Charles S. Dedrick. "I'd like to extend my congratulations to the school community for its academic success."

Data about Cohoes High School is expected to be released by the New York State Education Department by the end of January. It is anticipated that the high school will also be "in good standing."

Hello? Brazil? It's Cohoes!

Twenty years ago, students wrote letters to pen pals in other towns, states and even countries. But today, with the click of a mouse, Cohoes Middle School students are chatting, face-to-face, with "pen pals" in Brazil.

Through the C.A.S.E. (Cohoes After School Enrichment) program at the middle school, Tony Rivera has connected students at the Mentes Brillantes (Brilliant Minds) School in Brazilian children in Campos do Jordão, Sao Paulo, Brazil. MORE

ESOL students recognized for essays

When asked how they have changed since coming to America, some students talked about the difficulty of learning English. Others mentioned getting a job and a few talked about the differences in the culture in the country where they lived previously.

To view excerpts from the students' essays, click MORE.

Former Cohoes football star inducted into Hall of Fame

John Bonkoski, a member of the Cohoes High School Football Class of 1999 and the graduating Class of 2000, was inducted into the Cohoes Football Hall of Fame on Monday, Nov. 19, at the Annual Football Awards Banquet at the Ukrainian Club in Cohoes.

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Coming together for Character Education

Front: Congressman Michael McNulty (D-Green Island), Kathy Jimino, Rensselaer County Executive. Back: Left to right, Frederick W. Erlich, Dr. John Walko, Charles S. Dedrick; and Dr. Philip Fusco.

On Tuesday, Nov. 13, local and federal politicians came together in honor of character education.

The group included Congressman Michael McNulty (D-Green Island); Kathy Jimino, Rensselaer County Executive; Fredrick W. Erlich, CEO of Living Resources; Dr. John Walko, director for the Academy for Character Education at The Sage Colleges; Cohoes Superintendent of Schools Charles S. Dedrick; and Dr. Philip Fusco, an associate at the Academy of Character Education at The Sage Colleges.

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Senior citizen tax exemptions

The Cohoes Board of Education raised the tax exemption to the maximum amount allowed by law. To see what exemption you qualify for, click here.

Assemblyman Ron Canestrari visits Cohoes UPK students

Assembly Majority Leader Ron Canestrari (D-Cohoes), talks with Universal Pre-kindergarten teacher Megan Helmrath and students during his visit.

Assembly Majority Leader Ron Canestrari visited Cohoes Universal Pre-kindergarten students at Abram Lansing on Nov. 7, to see what they were learning, and to discuss the importance of state support for the program in Cohoes and throughout the state with School Superintendent Charles Dedrick.

"The families, teachers and students are reaping the benefits of the Assemblyman's commitment to Universal Pre-kindergarten programming," Dedrick said. "We were honored to have Assemblyman Canestrari as a guest at our schools and to give him the opportunity to see what our students are learning." MORE

District staff members honored for service

John Wilhelm was recognized as the district's longest employee with 36 years at the Cohoes City School District's  Ninth Annual Employee Recognition Day on Nov. 6.

The event, which was held during the Superintendent's Conference on Election Day, honored more than 90 employees for their service to the district.

MORE

Character Counts at Van Schaick Grade School

During the Week of Oct. 22, 2007, Van Schaick Grade School celebrated National Education Week.

Students cleaned their community park, donated food to needy families, learned about responsibility, fairness, wellness, respect, caring and trumpeted their spirit for their school. MORE

To view a slide show of the week's activities, click here

Math, science and robotics!

The students in Alison Craver's enrichment class at CMS are not only honing their math and science skills, they're building functional robots.

As a group, the students follow Power Point slides that demonstrate each step, students are crafting their robots. Once finished, the students will use computer software to program them to travel specific distances or make noises. MORE

Conference helps educators streamline transition from preschool to kindergarten

Superintendent Charles Dedrick introduces the keynote speaker, Helen Wheelock.

On Friday, Oct. 26, the Cohoes City School District co-sponsored the Preschool Kindergarten Consortium's Fall 2007 Conference at Hudson Valley Community College.

One hundred sixty educators from around the region came together to learn and discuss methods on helping students make a solid transition from preschool to the public school system in kindergarten.

"We are proud to be sponsors of such an important event," said Abram Lansing Principal Cliff Bird. MORE

Going for broke

Students navigate the stock market through an online game

Some of the students in T.J. Keegan's economics class have earned quite a bit of money through the stock market in the last few weeks.

Unfortunately for these Cohoes High School students, they haven't earned actual cash, but "online money" through the Web site stockmarketgame.org. MORE

CHS ring lost for 32 years—and then found

Tinker Young thought he lost his Cohoes High School Class of 1975 ring in Okinawa, Japan.

But more than 30 years later he was shocked to find out it had shown up in the pocket of a retired Rensselaer police detective. MORE

Students' spirit rallies teams

On Friday, Oct. 5, Cohoes High School was awash in blue and gold for the Homecoming Pep Rally.

Dressed in blue and gold, students chanted their class year, trying to be the loudest class in the gym. There were signs, whistles, cheerleaders with pom poms waving and the band. MORE

Harmony Hill School kicks off a yearlong 20th anniversary celebration

If you had to pick only one item, what would you choose to commemorate the year 2007? Students and staff at Harmony Hill School have been working to answer that question as they prepare to fill a time capsule for the school's 20th anniversary celebration.

The yearlong anniversary celebration will kicked off on Friday, Sept. 28, with guest performers, special activities and a community dance in the evening. MORE

Fall College Caravan

The Counseling Department hosted the Fall College Caravan on Sept. 17, 2007 for senior and junior students.

The College Caravan consisted of approximately fourteen college representatives from regional colleges and universities. MORE

Welcome back to school!

Left: Students arrive at Cohoes Middle School for the first day of classes on Sept. 6, 2007. Right: Two second-graders wait in line outside Van Schaick Grade School for the bell to ring on the first day of school.

• To view arrival and dismissal times, click here.

• For a PDF of the district calendar, click here.

• To see student supply lists for the 2007-08 school year, visit your school's homepage by clicking on the link above.

• For food service information, click here.

• For student registration information, click here.