education

The Batavia City School District Board of Trustees handed out its monthly awards at the start of its meeting Tuesday night. 

Sarah Gahagan and Lindsey Leone – Outstanding Staff Award

I just wanted to pass along praise for Sarah Gahagan and Lindsey Leone for their hard work and dedication to making the B-Squad program a success. My son participated in the program and he learned so much from it. Sarah and Lindsey perfectly balanced physical fitness, community involvement, career development, and social responsibility with this program.

They kept the participants motivated and taught life lessons that would be hard to duplicate in a classroom setting. I imagine they spent a significant amount of their personal time on this program and wanted to recognize their efforts with the administration. Please know that they are assets to BCSD and the City of Batavia who have made a difference in the lives of these young men. -- Nominated by Jill Halpin, Parent

Shirley Boyd – Outstanding Staff Award

Shirley always goes above and beyond for all students; not just the ones she works directly with in the inclusive classroom. She is patient and very receptive to the students’ needs. She takes on additional responsibilities that are not required of her throughout the entire school. She is more than willing to assist the teachers she works with directly and those that she does not. Shirley takes time out of her personal schedule to build relationships with students that need it most. She is truly an amazing individual we are blessed to have her on board. --Nominated by Laura Kaczmarek & Cindy Morgan

The board also presented a proclamation to Caryn Wood for the Drama's Club's successful production of "Sally Cotter and the Censored Stone." The proclamation cited the cast and crew and said the show "exceeded all expectations of a high school drama performance, bringing laughter, jest, and extreme entertainment to the audience it gathered for this event."

(Photo: Dublin Castle in Ireland.)

Submitted photos and press release:

Genesee Community College is excited to announce the addition of a new study abroad opportunity to the 2018 10-week summer session course list. This program will consist of online course material and lecture and culminates in a 12-day trip to both Iceland and Ireland.

The faculty-led trip will integrate Digital Photography (PHO118) and Sociology (SOC102) into an educational and inspiring exploration to compare European and American cultures and social observations and capturing them through the lens of the camera. Exposure to the daily European life and the images they will document are invaluable learning tools for understanding cultural differences and creating a better future for themselves and others.

GCC faculty members Josephine Kearney, assistant professor of Sociology and Human Services and Heather Jones, associate professor of Fine Arts will guide the students during their excursion from June 19 through June 30 (exact travel dates may change). While traveling, they will visit many historic landmarks including The Book of Kells, Trinity College, Dublin Castle and Blue Lagoon. They will also get to witness the breathtaking volcanic landscapes and geo-thermal pools of the region.

"We look forward to another excellent summer traveling and exploring the Icelandic and Irish cultures on our journey," Jones said.

The trip costs $4,790 per participant and includes all flights and public transportation, hotel stays, breakfast and dinner each day and scheduled guided events. Tuition for the six college credits is not included and is to be paid separately. Financial Aid is available for eligible students for course tuition.

The trip is limited to 20 participants, so interested students or community members are encouraged to sign up as soon as possible. Additional information on the study abroad program is available at https://www.genesee.edu/home/academics/study-abroad/icelandireland/

"A study abroad experience transforms the lives of the students forever," Kearney added.

Applications are being accepted until March 31, 2018. To participate in the study abroad program, contact Associate Professor of Fine Arts Heather Jones at (585) 343-0055, ext. 6448, or via email: hjones@genesee.edu or Assistant Professor of Sociology & Human Services Josephine Kearney at (585) 343-0055, ext. 6344, or via email: jkearney@genesee.edu.

(Photo below: Blue Lagoon in Iceland.)

Submitted photos and press release:

The students at St. Joseph Catholic School took part in one of the largest learning events in history! More than 100 million students in 180 countries participated in the Hour of Code during Computer Science Education week which was Dec. 4^th – 10^th.

The kindergarten through fifth-grade classes spent their time in the computer lab with their technology teacher, Mrs. Paserk, directing robots, “Switch and Glitch,” through different scenarios to save their captain.

The middle school students worked on the “Robot Rattle” activity, programming a robot to make different movements to complete tasks.

Although these activities may seem fun to these students, what many don’t realize is that they are gaining problem-solving skills, logic and creativity. Mrs. Paserk will continue to work with her students on coding throughout the school year.