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BH-BL Logo
May 23, 2017
Charlton Heights Elementary SchoolPashley Elementary SchoolStevens Elementary SchoolO'Rourke Middle SchoolBH-BL High School

About Us: District Overview

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Learn about BH-BL's rich history, discover what we offer our students and hear what it really means to be a Spartan!

  • [FULL VIDEO]
  • Our history and how we became BH-BL CSD [HISTORY]
  • Hear what our community has to say about BH-BL [OUR COMMUNITY]
  • Learn about our committment to excellent academics [ACADEMICS]
  • Learn about the variety of electives offered to students [ELECTIVES]
  • Learn more about our popular and robust Fine Arts Program [FINE ARTS]
  • Our $34.2 million renovations project includes upgrades and additions to all of our schools and at the high school the construction of a multi-purpose athletic--Centennial Field-- and a STEAM addition (Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts and Math) [OUR FUTURE]
  • Learn more about extracurricular offerings and our excellent athletic program [ATHLETICS & CLUBS]
  • Hear what our alumni have to say about BH-BL [THE BURNT HILLS WAY]

 

An Introduction to the Burnt Hills-Ballston Lake Central Schools

Ensuring opportunities for learning, personal growth and social responsibility

The Burnt Hills-Ballston Lake School District is proud to be one of the top performing school districts in the Greater Capital Region of New York State.

Our five schools have achieved an enviable record of pupil performance, staff accountability, and program efficiency. These accomplishments are a reflection of students who are intelligent and willing to work hard, parents who value education and push their children to excel, and a community that demands outstanding schools. These accomplishments are also a reflection of staff who emphasize basic skills and work to improve programs annually, yet recognize the need to work within a limited budget.

 

The Burnt Hills-Ballston Lake school district is a place where:

  • 90-92% of graduates go on to higher education each year.
  • The dropout rate is 1.5% or less each year.
  • Students achieve some of the highest average scores in the region on state exams.
  • The Regents Diploma rate is one of the highest in the region, and the majority of students go beyond state Advanced Regents diploma requirements and pass even more courses and exams to earn a BH-BL Merit Seal on their diploma.
  • Planning to improve programs and meet changing needs takes place year-round.
  • Parents & residents are involved in decision making at every level.
  • Programs are designed to support all students, from those who struggle to master the basics to those heading for prestigious colleges.
  • Disciplinary codes are clearly spelled out and consistently followed.
  • A reputation for excellence and stability consistently attracts top job candidates.

 

Test Scores & Other School Data

A summary of the latest test scores, graduation rates and other data in the New York State School Report Cards can be found on the State Education Department's website (Note: BH-BL is listed under Saratoga County.)

An easier to understand, objective source of school district data and comparisons for our region is the annual analysis published by the Capital District Business Review. In their most recent "Schools Report 2013" from June 2013, BH-BL is ranked 5th out of 85 school districts in 11 counties on the basis of our graduation and state testing data.

 

Our Schools

Charlton Heights Elementary School

Grades K-5

170 Stage Road

Ballston Lake, NY 12019

Tim Sinnenberg, Principal

 

Pashley Elementary School

Grades K-5

30 Pashley Road

Glenville, NY 12302

Jill Bonacio, Principal

 

Francis L. Stevens Elementary School

Grades K-5

25 Lakehill Road

Ballston Lake, NY 12019

Richard Evans, Principal

 

Richard H. O'Rourke Middle School

Grades 6-8

173 Lakehill Road

Burnt Hills, NY 12027

Colleen Wolff, Principal

 

Burnt Hills-Ballston Lake High School

Grades 9-12

88 Lakehill Road

Burnt Hills, NY 12027

Timothy Brunson, Principal

 

Ballston signCommunity Information

The Burnt Hills-Ballston Lake community lies in a suburban and rural area of southern Saratoga County and northern Schenectady County, New York. It encompasses approximately 40 square miles and includes most of the town of Ballston, as well as parts of the towns of Charlton, Clifton Park, and Glenville.

The community includes more than 8,000 households, mostly in single-family residential developments, plus a number of working farms, apple orchards, woods and undeveloped areas. Commercial development is limited primarily to the main north-south thoroughfare, NY State Route 50. There is no true downtown nor economically depressed section of the district.

The immediate community features many fine restaurants and stores, varied houses of worship, excellent community libraries, a fully equipped YMCA, modern community playgrounds, and several parks with playing fields, ice rinks, hiking and ski trails.

In many respects the community enjoys the best of both worlds, being an easy commute to the cultural centers and employers in the neighboring cities of Schenectady, Saratoga, Albany and Troy, yet lacking the traffic congestion of many adjoining towns.

Major shopping centers are only 5-10 miles away in Rotterdam and Clifton Park. Cultural attractions within a 40-minute drive include the New York State Museum and Times Union Arena in Albany, Proctors Theatre in Schenectady, and the Saratoga Performing Arts Center (summer home of the New York City Ballet and Philadelphia Orchestra) in Saratoga.

Below are some helpful links to services, educational institutions and organizations serving our area.

 

Local Libraries

 

Community Service Organizations

 

PTA Groups

 

Colleges, Museums & Other Educational Organizations

 

Governmental Bodies