BH-BL sports program ranked #1 in New York

Ever heard the saying "you can't hide that Spartan pride" ??

Well, here's one more reason why. The New York State Sportswriters Association has just ranked Burnt Hills-Ballston Lake as having the # 1 interscholastic sports program in the state for the 2008-09 school year.

Way to go, Spartans!!!    Read more

Renovations vote planned for October 2009

Burnt Hills-Ballston Lake Board of Education members discussed recommendations from a renovations advisory committee at their business meeting on June 23 and indicated they plan to hold a public vote on renovations this coming October. Read more

High school graduation is June 24 with feature speaker Kate Snow

Nearly 300 members of the Burnt Hills-Ballston Lake Class of 2009 walked across the stage and received their diplomas at the Saratoga Performing Arts Center on Wednesday, June 24.

The high school was excited Class of 1987 alumna and weekend co-anchor of ABC's "Good Morning America" Kate Snow agreed to be the featured speaker at graduation.

Key Dates for the 2009-10 School Calendar are available

Classes to start on Wednesday, September 9

Yes, we do have a skeleton calendar for the 2009-10 school year. Click here to view the one-page 2009-10 calendar (pdf format) OR here to view the list of 2009-10 Vacation Days at a Glance.

Some changes from the district's usual September pattern are needed since Labor Day falls as late as it possibly can this fall, namely on September 7. Staff only will be required to report to work before Labor Day on September 2.

Students will not return until after Labor Day. Orientation for 6th & 9th graders will be held on Tuesday, September 8. Classes for grades 1-12 will start on September 9, and kindergarten classes will start on September 10.  (Note:  the detailed 28-page calendar with all events, bus routes, phone numbers, etc. will not be ready until the end of July.)

Please register your child for school now!

Summer is the time when many families move and need to register their child for school. See our  Are you new to our schools? page for phone numbers and directions on how to do this.

Registration is a two-step process. First, parents document that they are BH-BL residents with the Superintendent's office and receive a residency ticket. Second, parents take the residency ticket to their child's specific school to complete the process. Especially in the summer, it is a good idea to call ahead to the school for this.

Elementary and high school registration takes place all summer, but middle school guidance counselors are available to register and orient new 6th, 7th and 8th grade pupils only on June 30 and August 25. Parents of new middle school pupils should call 399-9141, ext. 4040, to make an appointment for either of those two days.

Posted May 19, 2009

BH-BL Election Results for 2009:

Budget & Bus Proposition pass

Burnt Hills-Ballston Lake residents approved the proposed 2009-10 school budget of $53.4 million by a margin of 55% at the district election on May 19, 2009. 

A proposition to borrow up to $350,000 to purchase four school buses was also approved. Incumbents Elizabeth Herkenham and Patre Kuziak plus newcomer James Maughan were elected to the Board of Education. For more details, go to Annual Election.

BH-BL cutting costs on health insurance & copier paper, gains new softball fields

Board of Education members received several pieces of good news at their business meeting on May 12.  Superintendent Jim Schultz reported that he has decided to accept recommendations from the district health insurance committee that are expected to save over $120,000 in the 2009-10 school year by ... Read more

School Board raises property tax exemption limits

March 1 was application deadline

BURNT HILLS: In January the Burnt Hills-Ballston Lake Board of Education increased property tax exemptions for low income residents who are disabled or over the age of 65.  Eligible residents could apply for the exemptions at their TOWN assessor's office before March 1.

    The school board raised income limits for the tax breaks to the maximum allowed under New York State Real Property Law. The new limits range from a 5 percent tax exemption for senior and disabled residents earning $35,500 – $36,400,  up to a 50 percent tax exemption for those earning less than $28,000. More information & income chart

Want to learn more about school closings?  

     If you would like to receive an automatic email when school is closed or delayed, please sign up for our "School News Notifier" service by clicking on the "BH-BL SNN" logo on the right. You are welcome to use this opt-in email service for more than one email address if you wish. Closing/delay announcements on SNN and on the district website may have more details than what appears on the TV where space is limited. You can get more information here or click directly on the SNN logo.

Calling all BH-BL Alumni!  
New Details posted for Class of 1968 and 1998 Reunions   We have learned about parties being planned for the Classes of 1953, 1968, 1978, 1988 and 1998 the 2008 summer & fall. Does your class have a reunion coming up? You can read all the information we have about BH-BL reunions (or send us updated information for your class) by clicking the "Alumni" button on the left or here. Also, check out and join the BH-BL Alumni Database and see who else has registered from your class.

School Report Card posted:  On August 11, 2008, the NY State Education Department made the 2006-07 Report Cards for all NY schools public on its website. You can view or download this compilation of 2006-07 test scores, graduation results, class size, attendance and other data for the entire BH-BL school district here (pdf format). More information and the report cards for the individual schools in our district can also be viewed on the State Ed. website by clicking on "Saratoga County" at New York State Report Cards.

BH-BL High School ranked among top 1,300 schools in the U.S.

Burnt Hills-Ballston Lake is one of only four high schools in the Greater Capital Region included in Newsweek magazine's ranking of the best high schools in the United States.

The magazine's website lists 1,300 high schools that it calls the top 5% of all 27,000 public high schools in the nation based on the number of Advanced Placement and International Baccalaureate exams given in each school. Editor Jay Matthews feels these exams are the best quantifiable way to measure a school's efforts to provide students with an "intense academic experience." Other area high schools that made the list are Voorheesville, Bethlehem, and Shaker. Go to Newsweek top schools for the complete list, methodology and rationale.

BH-BL Science Bowl team heads to Washington D.C.
 

   Five BH-BL High School pupils and their coach, teacher Brian Watts, will traveled to Washington D.C. on an all-expenses-paid trip to compete in the National Science Bowl from May 1 - 6, 2008.  At the Regional competition in March, the BH-BL team of Douglas McErlean, Thomas Martindale, Emily Wexler, Sam Wilson and Matthew Wolf beat teams from Albany, Berlin, Bethlehem, Galway, Maple Hill, Niskayuna, Saratoga Springs, Scotia-Glenville, and Shaker high schools to earn the right to go to nationals to compete against 66 other regional winners.

   The National Science Bowl is a fast-paced question and answer competition similar to Jeopardy. Students are quizzed on biology, chemistry, physics, astronomy, earth science, general science, and math. Regional winners' expenses are paid by the US Department of Energy, and their stay in Washington also includes seminars and tours of landmark buildings.  Go to National Science Bowl for more information.

Senior named semi-finalist in Intel science competition

BH-BL High School senior Matthew Wolf has been recognized as one of the top science pupils in the nation by being chosen as a 2008  Intel Science Search Semi-finalist for his three-year research project on carbon dioxide and global warming. He is the only Capital Region pupil so honored and the fourth BH-BL pupil to win this honor in the past seven years. More information.

"This is the best 'attaboy' a business office can get."

NY State Comptroller's office gives BH-BL top marks

After weeks of analysis, the NY State Comptroller's office announced that its auditors were unable to find ANY reportable weaknesses in the financial controls and recordkeeping of the Burnt Hills-Ballston Lake school district. Fewer than 5% of school districts audited to date have received a record of no findings like BH-BL. More information.

"Is my child safe at school?" is a question that parents can't help but wonder when there are so many stories about safety in the news. To view a list of the many things the Burnt Hills-Ballston Lake school district does to protect students and staff, go to School Safety Update.

Special website feature:
"Policy Search" feature is live  The Burnt Hills-Ballston Lake Board of Education Policy Manual has literally hundreds of policies that describe and control how all aspects of our schools will operate. All these policies are available on this website. We also have a simple way to search through them instantly using key words or phrases that interest you. At BH-BL Policy Manual, you can view both the list of all policy titles and our policy search feature.

Non-Idling Policy  State law now requires that all school buses turn off their engines when loading or unloading students on school grounds, except when necessary for heating, mechanical, or emergency reasons. The non-idling requirement applies to other school vehicles as well. A copy of the law and memo explaining it can be viewed at www.emsc.nysed.gov/schoolbus/anti-idling/home.html.

Safety measure: Middle & Elementary School pupils must attend sports events with an adult   Burnt Hills-Ballston Lake parents are advised that 8th grade and younger pupils who wish to attend evening varsity interscholastic sports contests must do so with an adult. This proactive policy change was made in the fall of 2006 due to the number of youngsters being left unsupervised at games and several incidents of fighting, belligerence and other inappropriate behavior. Read more