NEWS FROM THE BUSINESS DEPARTMENT 
Mrs. Jenny Brannon, Manager of Member Education at SEFCU, visits students' in Business and Personal Finance classes in early January. Mrs. Brannon talked with students about checking and savings accounts, the differences between credit unions and banks, borrowing, interest, fees, credit scores, and so much more. Students enjoyed the learning experience!
Currently, students are working on the following concepts in their classes.
HVCC Computer Concepts and Applications students are finishing assignments using Access; running queries and printing reports.
Computer Information Technology students are working in Excel formating cells, inserting formulas, creating and analyzing charts.
Accounting students are working with the Six-Colunm Work sheet; preparing work sheet headings,entering the Trial Balance section, extending amounts, completing the Income Statement and Balance Sheet, ruling the Trial Balance section, and determining net loss or net income on the Income Statement & Balance Sheet sections.
Business and Personal Finance students are learning about Income Tax Fundamentals. They are developing an understanding about the importance of taxes, how they affect purchases, property, wealth, and earnings; determining how much tax you owe, allowances on the W-4 form, information on theW-2 form, and completing an income tax form.
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2010-11 Class News
Two High School Students Named Career Essay Contest Finalists
Senior, Lydia Shorter, and Junior, Audrey Smith, were named two of 20 finalists in the Dream Career Essay contest sponsored by Bryant & Stratton College and USA Today. Students in Mrs. Deiana’s Business Personal Finance classes participated in the Dream Career Essay in mid-February. Six student essays were chosen for submission, and the two finalists were announced today by Renee Belardo, Senior High School Coordinator from Bryant & Stratton College. Both girls will be attending an awards ceremony at Bryant & Stratton College on May 3rd, along with 20 other finalists from area schools, their parents and teachers. At this ceremony three essay winners will be awarded a job shadowing experience in their dream career. This opportunity was the result of a career workshop offered to all business teachers throughout the Capital District.
Collaboration between Bryant & Stratton College, USA Today, and Berlin High School business teacher, Karen Deiana, has existed for the past three years. This partnership has provided our students with free curriculum in career and financial management information aligned with the New York State standards, USA Today newspapers for our classrooms, as well as in-house presentations for students on a variety of topics. Bryant & Stratton College and Berlin High School recognize the importance of working collaboratively to provide students with 21st century skills in order to compete in the global economy.
A glimpse inside our classroom....
Students in Advanced Computer Applications and Concepts class are working in Microsoft Office Access creating PivotTables and Pivot Charts, adding aggregate functions and calculations to a Pivot Table, modifying and identifying chart elements. Students have the option of earning high school credit or 3 college credits by taking this course through HVCC College in the High School Program.
Students in Accounting are preparing financial statements that include the income statement, statement of changes in owner’s equity, and the balance statement. Students learned how to determine profitability, financial strength, and debt paying ability of a business using ratio analysis, profitability ratios, return on sales.
Students in Business and Personal Finance are discussing types of “taxes” we pay throughout our lives in terms of purchases; property, wealth (estate & inheritance taxes), and earnings (Social Security & Medicare taxes). We discussed the importance of tax planning and how to identify taxable income, the purpose of the Employee’s Withholding Allowance Certificate (W-4) form, the information the W-2 form provides, and how to decide which tax form to use. Students are preparing 1040EZ income tax return forms.
Students in Business Technology are currently working with Microsoft Excel learning the basic features of a spreadsheet program. Students will edit various business worksheets using features learned in class which include customer invoices, a bakery schedule complied by a team of co-workers, inventory sheets where students apply number formats and perform calculations. Students also hone their key boarding skills by completing timed writings in an online program.
Proud to Teach Business Education!!