Assemblywoman Russell: 2016-17 budget provides good news for public schools, SUNY students

Assemblywoman Addie J. Russell, D-Theresa, has announced the 2016-17 state budget makes a significant investment in education, enacts a SUNY tuition freeze and provides for capital projects within the SUNY system.

“This budget includes a significant investment in our schools, including a record high amount of Foundation Aid,” Assemblywoman Russell said. “That Foundation Aid is a critical funding component for our high needs districts in the North Country.”

The budget increases school aid by nearly $1.5 billion, providing a total of $24.7 billion in school aid. Foundation Aid is increased by $627 million and the Gap Elimination Adjustment (GEA) is fully restored.

Superintendents and educators in the North Country have been vocal about the need to increase Foundation Aid, which directs funding to schools with the highest need, including rural school districts, the Assemblywoman noted.

In the 116th Assembly District, total school aid increased by $13.1 million, which is an increase of 5.01 percent from the 2015-16 academic year. Within that, the total Foundation Aid increased by $8.97 million, which is an increase of 4.46 percent from the 2015-16 academic year.

“The state has a responsibility to allocate our education funding so North Country students are provided with similar opportunities for educational success as their peers attending high wealth districts in other parts of the state,” Assemblywoman Russell said. 

“The funding to eliminate the Gap Elimination Adjustment will benefit our schools this year and into the future. It will allow us to focus our attention in future years on ensuring our districts continue to receive the Foundation Aid necessary for North Country schools to provide a quality education to our students.”

In addition, the budget includes funding for Assemblywoman Russell’s Farm to School pilot program in the North Country, which would provide fresh, local food for local school districts.

The program provides substantial reimbursements to local schools that purchase food from New York State farmers. By enabling school districts to buy more food from local sources, the program ensures students have access to fresh, nutritious food while helping local farmers, Assemblywoman Russell said.

“I am convinced this will be a successful program that opens more markets to our farmers and provides our school cafeteria programs with the funding to purchase and serve healthy, locally grown products,” Assemblywoman Russell said. 

The Assemblywoman has been in frequent contact with stakeholders in the agricultural community and local schools to craft this program.

The budget also includes increased funding for SUNY, while at the same time freezing tuition for the coming academic year.

“We pushed back against continual tuition hikes at SUNY schools, and we won,” Assemblywoman Russell said. “We cannot keep pushing more and more of the financial burden on students and expect them to have economic security in the future. This measure helps to ensure that every student in the state has the opportunity to receive an affordable, quality higher education.”

Furthermore, the budget provides capital funding for campus-wide maintenance projects at SUNY Potsdam, SUNY Canton and other colleges and universities in the SUNY system, Assemblywoman Russell added. 

The budget also includes $13.3 million for SUNY to increase community college base aid (a $100 per full time equivalent (FTE) increase), providing a base aid rate of $2,697/FTE.

 Jefferson Community College is one of 30 community colleges that make up the SUNY system and will benefit from this increased funding.

“This isn’t simply an investment in our students and our schools, but also an investment in our economy and future to benefit our communities as a whole. I will keep fighting for an accessible, quality education for all,” Assemblywoman Russell said.

Assemblywoman Russell secures funding for pilot Farm to School program

Assemblywoman Addie J. Russell, D-Theresa, has announced this year’s state budget includes funding for a pilot program that will provide North Country school districts with funding so they can provide fresh, local food grown and raised by New York State farmers.

The pilot program will provide increased reimbursements for North Country schools that purchase food from New York farmers.

“This innovative program greatly benefits both farmers and students alike,” Assemblywoman Russell, chair of the Assembly Task Force on Food, Farm and Nutrition Policy, said. “Farmers will receive revenue from local schools, while students get healthy and locally sourced food. It’s a win-win.”

The budget allocates $300,000 to the Adirondack North Country Association to oversee the farm to school program specifically targeting schools in the North Country to help purchase food from regional farmers.

"We are honored to be selected to manage this innovative program,” ANCA Executive Director Kate Fish said. "This initiative will provide more stable year-round markets for regional farms and exponentially increase the number of schools participating in farm to school programs.”

"ANCA has a long history of supporting our region's farmers,” according to ANCA's Board President James Sonneborn. "We are excited about the possibilities this initiative presents and look forward to working with Assemblywoman Russell to bring this idea to fruition."

The Assemblywoman’s farm to school pilot program is part of her larger “Drive for 25” initiative, which is also supported by the New York School Nutrition Association. That initiative would provide increased state funding of up to 25 cents more per lunch for schools that meet set goals for expanded usage of local food products.

That initiative would modify the state’s reimbursement formula for school lunches, by increasing reimbursement rates by 5 to 25 cents a meal from the current 6 cents.

The rate would be dependent on the percentage of locally grown and produced products that school districts purchase each year.

While some school districts across the state have been able to offer local food to their students, the reimbursement rate has not changed in 40 years, meaning cash-strapped districts may not be able to more fully utilize regional farms. 

This pilot program will provide a nutritional and economic benefit to the community and serve as a template for schools across New York State, Assemblywoman Russell noted.

“This measure affirms our commitment to the state’s farmers and the well-being of our students,” according to Assemblywoman Russell. “I will continue to fight for policies that provide healthy food to schools and help stimulate the local agricultural community. I am optimistic the success of this pilot program in the North Country in this budget year will grow additional funding for the program in future budgets.”

Assemblywoman Russell welcomes Fort Drum representatives in Albany

 

Assemblywoman Addie J. Russell, D-Theresa, welcomed representatives from Fort Drum to the Assembly Chambers in Albany, NY, last week. Pictured from left to right are Garrison Commander Colonel Bryan J. Laske, Speaker of the State Assembly Carl Heastie, Fort Drum's Acting Commander Brigadier General Paul Bontrager, and Assemblywoman Russell.

Assemblywoman Russell recognizes SUNY Potsdam on its bicentennial on floor of the state Assembly

Assemblyman Marc Butler, fourth from left, and Assemblywoman Addie J. Russell, D-Theresa, fourth from right, hand a proclamation to SUNY Potsdam President Dr. Kristin Esterberg honoring the college on its bicentennial. They were joined Tuesday afternoon on the floor of the New York State Assembly by SUNY Potsdam students and staff.

Assemblywoman Addie J. Russell, D-Theresa, hosted a delegation from SUNY Potsdam on the floor of the New York State Assembly in recognition of the school's bicentennial.

Assemblywoman Russell told her colleagues the representatives traveling to Albany for the Tuesday event included Dr. Kristin Esterberg, the college's 16th president; staff and SUNY Potsdam students.

The charter founding the college, initially known as St. Lawrence Academy, was signed on March 25, 1816, marking the culmination of a nearly four-year process from when the residents of Potsdam had sent a formal petition to the New York State Board of Regents seeking to establish the school.

Assemblywoman Russell, speaking on the floor in the Assembly chamber, said the efforts to charter the school started in 1812, but initial efforts were derailed by the War of 1812.

"It got delayed a little while. There were significant battles and skirmishes fought during that war in the North Country," she pointed out.

The college, one of the first 50 in the country, has a long and proud tradition. The St. Lawrence Academy opened its doors for the first time on Sept. 30, 1816. The Academy was later chosen to become part of the new Normal School system, officially becoming Potsdam Normal School in 1867. The Crane Normal Institute of Music, which later became The Crane School of Music, was founded in 1886.

In 1942, the institution became Potsdam State Teachers College, along with all other Normal Schools. Finally, in 1948, the State University of New York was established, and the campus would come to be known as SUNY Potsdam.

Assemblywoman Russell said the school's accessibility near the northern border has made it the college of choice for large numbers of North Country students over the years as well as offering programs that have attracted students from around the state, nation and world. 

"I would like to express my gratitude for the role SUNY Potsdam has played to keep the American dream alive for residents of New York State and the North Country," she said.

She noted she was providing the SUNY Potsdam delegation with a proclamation honoring the college on its bicentennial.

Assemblywoman Russell said her mother and sister are graduates of SUNY Potsdam so the college always holds a special spot in her heart.

Assemblyman Marc Butler, a SUNY Potsdam graduate whose assembly district also covers a portion of central St. Lawrence County, joined Assemblywoman Russell in recognizing the college on its bicentennial.

Speaker Pro Tempore Jeffrion L. Aubry congratulated the SUNY Potsdam delegation on the college's 200th anniversary.

"This is an accomplishment and a tribute to the school, to the community and to the state," he said.

Assemblywoman Russell honors Lady Islanders on floor of New York State Assembly

Assemblywoman Addie J. Russell, D-Theresa, presents members of the Thousand Islands-Alexandria Lady Islanders with a resolution honoring the team for skating to the New York State high school championship in February. Pictured are, front row (l-r): Madison Fleming, Assemblywoman Russell, Emily Rose, Miranda Kolb, Madison Cullen, Taylor Hudon, Lindsey Bradley and Head Coach Brian Hudon. Second row: Lydia Cantwell, Talia Parker, Mikayla Cippulo, Mia Coene, Emilie Waiti, Kelsey Bannister and Kelsey Cullen. Third row: Addison Reed, Kayla McCabe, Keeley Rose, Annika Balk, Maddy Coene and Renzi Young. Top row: Coach Cullen, Sydney Aubertine, Kyleigh Prance and Kaitlin Irvine.

The girls' varsity high school hockey team from Thousands Islands and Alexandria central schools was honored Monday on the floor of the New York State Assembly.

Assemblywoman Addie J. Russell, D-Theresa, noted she was pleased to be joined in the Assembly chambers by members of the Lady Islanders hockey team and their coaches. She pointed out the players had been joined on the trip to Albany - the site where they skated to their state title - by parents, grandparents and other team supporters.

The Lady Islanders edged Kenmore Grand Island from the Buffalo area 3-2 in the state title game last month. Kenmore had downed the Lady Islanders in the semi-final round of the state championship round in 2015.

The Lady Islanders had advanced to this year's state championship game by downing Beekmantown 4-1 in the semi-final round.

The Alexandria Central School team had advanced to the state semi-finals by blanking Skaneateles 2-0 in the Section III championship game.

Skaneateles was the only team that had beaten the Lady Islanders during the regular season and was unbeaten on home ice before the sectional championship game.

"It was great vindication for the Lady Islanders to beat Skaneateles for the Section III championship. They were the only team they had lost to during the regular season," Assemblywoman Russell said.

The Lady Islanders state championship roster included Mia Coene, Kayla McCabe, Keeley Rose, Miranda Kolb, Taylor Hudon, Maddie Coene, Talia Parker, Kelsey Bannister, Maddy Cullen, Mikayla Cipullo, Emilie Watt, Emily Rose, Annika Balk, Kaitlin Irvine, Lindsey Bradley, Kyleigh Prance, Sydney Aubertine, Kelsey Cullen and Madison Fleming. The team is coached by Brian Hudon, Matt Cullen and Jamie Wiley.

The Lady Islanders feature just over a half dozen players from the Alexandria Bay and Thousand Islands school districts, two players from Immaculate Heart Central and players from General Brown and Indian River.

"This is a fantastic example of high schools working together to make sure there are opportunities for these young women to compete." Assemblywoman Russell said.

She also suggested the traits that led the Lady Islanders to a state title also provided the young women with the character that will benefit them in the future.

"Anyone who has been part of a championship team understands how much deeper you have to dig to be successful. It is a testament to the character of these young women, their ability to persevere and do whatever it takes to win," the assemblywoman said. "I think it shows their leadership capabilities ... that will only go on to serve the people of this state as they grow and mature into young women and leaders of tomorrow."

Assemblywoman Russell also credited the players' support network with playing a role in their success, noting hockey season often involves early morning practices, late nights and long bus rides for games around the region.

"It is not really easy to be a hockey player. We want to make sure we recognize all the people in their lives who have helped them be successful," Assemblywoman Russell added.

Speaker Pro Tempore Jeffrion L. Aubry praised the Lady Islanders for skating to a state title.

"May this taste of victory lead you on to victories in life," he said.

Coach Hudon, reflecting on the day as he rode the bus back with his team from Albany to the Thousand Islands region, said the players and coaches were overwhelmed by the experience.

"It was incredible. We were so honored to come down and get recognized. It was a special day for the girls. The kids were honored and quite excited. It could be life changing for the girls. It is something these girls will never forget," he said.

Coach Hudon noted the girls' hockey title marked the first state championship for student-athletes at the Thousand Islands and Alexandria central schools.

"The girls are starting to realize what an accomplishment this is," he said.

He noted Assemblywoman Russell had also visited the school to present certificates to the players during a brief ceremony in the days following their victory in the state title game.

"She said some heartfelt, inspirational words that were very meaningful to the girls," he added.

Kaitlin Irvine, a junior at Alexandria Central School, said she enjoyed the opportunity to visit with the elected officials serving the North Country in Albany.

"It was a really nice experience. It was really neat to hear all the things that were said on the floor," she said.

Annika Balk, an eighth grader at Thousand Islands Central School said she enjoyed the opportunity to get an insider's view of the state capitol.

"It was definitely neat getting to go around the state capitol building, seeing how things are run, getting a good idea of what goes on in the building," she said.

The eighth grader said the team has been treated very well since winning the state title.

"It is definitely a lot of fun being a state champion. I didn't expect that much to come of it. It's really cool," she said.

The team was also recognized by the state senate on Monday afternoon.