Superintendent thanks voters; reflects on school year
HOWARD S. SMITH Williamsville School Superintendent
Iwould like to take this opportunity to thank our community for the resounding support of the district's 2007-08 budget and facility propositions.

As I have said in the past, a successful budget vote is not a single-day triumph. It speaks to your support for what we do in our schools every day to make a positive difference for our students.

Our community continues to lay claim to Western New York's top-ranked school district and, thanks to your support, our schools will have the necessary resources to do what we believe to be in the best interest of all students. More than reflected by stellar test scores, our schools provide so many opportunities for our students. A Williamsville education is one of the best values in the region, with our school district providing a quality product at a cost that is comparable to many local districts and other similar districts across the state.

This year, our ongoing commitment to prudent fiscal management, combined with an increase in state aid and anticipated property assessment growth, has resulted in a school tax rate increase that is estimated to be less than one percent. In fact, over a six-year period, the school tax rate has increased, on average, by less than one percent annually, an indicator that confirms the value of our excellent educational program.

As we reflect on this past year, our community can take great pride in the success of our students whether it be in the academic arena; on stage with the East High School Jazz Band in New York City; or on the playing field, setting state pitching records in softball or winning state titles in boys' gymnastics and girls' diving. Throughout the year, our students worked to help others, both close to home and around the world, with school-based campaigns to support local food banks, help impoverished children in Africa, and support the work of the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children, as examples.

Our talented, dedicated staff earned high-level distinctions, receiving various state awards in Social Studies, English, and School Library Media Services. Kenneth Huff, a science teacher at Mill Middle School, was named one of our nation's top educators, receiving the 2006 Presidential Award for Excellence in Mathematics and Science Teaching. Huff was the only science teacher in New York and one of 93 teachers nationwide who received this prestigious honor.

As more than 800 seniors prepare to graduate from Williamsville's three high schools, we send them forth well prepared. Their high school commencement marks the beginning of their life's journey. It is a day filled with promise and great anticipation for the future, with the real adventure just beginning for these young people. I encourage our graduates to craft a life of significance as well as a life of success. John Wooden, the legendary basketball coach from UCLA, once said "You can't live a perfect day without doing something for someone who will never be able to repay you."

Throughout the summer months, our administrative offices will be open and our staff will be working to prepare for the year ahead. Please feel free to contact me with questions or if you need information about our schools.