For the past year the Hilton School District's Long-Range Planning Committee, a 40-member team representing teachers, administrators, staff, parents, community members, architectural and construction consultants, has been meeting under the direction of the Assistant Superintendent of Business Steven Ayers. The committee has taken a critical look at Hilton's educational program and how changes in the physical environment impact the way instruction is delivered as students strive to meet increasing NYS Learning Standards.

Advised by both The Thomas Associates of Ithaca, an architectural firm, and Christa Construction of Victor, the Long-Range Planning Committee pulled together six sub-committees (Pre-Kindergarten; Full-Day Kindergarten; Sixth Grade Placement; Facilities; Site and Pool; Technology; and Educational Programming) in an attempt to involve as many people as possible in the process. Two of those sub-committees have already reported their recommendations to the Board of Education: Universal Pre-Kindergarten and Full-Day Kindergarten which met with qualified support from the board. At its February 13 meeting the board voted to institute a full-day kindergarten program in the district's three elementary schools providing the classroom space, seven classrooms, be available. The board voted also to institute a pilot pre-kindergarten program at all three schools pending state aid support.

The sub-committees are scheduled to present their reports within the next two weeks culminating in a presentation March 27 at the Board of Education's regular meeting describing the "Scope of the Project." The board is expected to report to the community the direction they would like the Long Range recommendations to take at its April 3 meeting. The community is invited to attend these meetings as well as find out more about some of the aspects of the Long Range Committee's work at the district's web site: www.hilton.k12.ny.us/