Announcements

Press release:

The Batavia Police Department announced on Thursday that it has joined the SafeTrade initiative for safer completion of online transactions.

SafeTrade is a simple program for police and sheriff’s departments to encourage transactions at their facilities; for classified sites to strengthen their safety and security initiatives, and for users to insist on “SafeTrade” by conducting their transactions only at a local police or sheriff’s office.

The Batavia Police Department is excited to partner with SafeTrade to provide a safe location for the residents of Batavia when conducting online transactions. Our goal is to make Batavia a safe community, and to provide unique services to attain that goal. Partnering with SafeTrade is one of those programs. 

The SafeTrade logo can be used (without charge) on any ads posted; by classified websites, newspapers and publications to promote safety and security, and by police departments to indicate they are hosting SafeTrade online transactions.

In the past few months, a number of U.S. police departments have offered to host online transactions, most of them referring to Craigslist as the reason. Participating police departments can now post banners or use logos referring to their facilities as SafeTrade Stations.

Additional information is available at www.safetradestations.com.

Press release:

The 2018-19 school year is fast approaching. Byron-Bergen families with children who have turned 4 or 5 years of age by Dec. 1, 2018 should register them for Universal Prekindergarten (UPK) or kindergarten as soon as possible.

Universal PreK Registration

The Byron-Bergen School District hopes to once again offer a half-day Universal Prekindergarten (UPK) program for the 2018-19 school year. The class will be held at the Byron-Bergen Elementary School, which is located at 6971 W. Bergen Road, Bergen.

Students eligible for the program must have turned 4 years of age by Dec. 1, 2018. If you have a child eligible and are interested in having him/her attend our UPK program, please send a letter of interest by Friday, April 6 with your child’s name, parents’ names, address, phone number, and date of birth to: Brian Meister, Elementary School Principal, 6971 W. Bergen Road, Bergen, NY 14416, by Friday, April 6.

Parents who have already contacted the Elementary School by phone will still need to send in a letter to be eligible for UPK. Please note that if we receive more than our allowed capacity, we will select students using a lottery system.

What are the program goals of UPK at Byron-Bergen?

To meet the NYS learning standards by using a curriculum that is thematically-based and supported using literature, songs and exploration.
To foster an environment that promotes happy, confident children who are willing to take risks, make independent choices, and ask questions.
To create an inclusive community that builds upon the student’s strengths and accommodates his/her needs.

Philosophy of UPK

The UPK program at Byron-Bergen is focused on socialization, learning through play, and self-exploration. Children learn through a hands-on learning environment that includes activities, learning centers, concrete materials, and manipulatives. Students learn through a nurturing environment that is enriching, challenging and developmentally appropriate.

Kindergarten Registration

Children who are 5 years of age, on or before Dec. 1, 2018, are eligible for entrance to kindergarten in September of 2018. New families in the school district should notify the school if they have a child that will enter kindergarten in September of 2018.

Parents may contact the Byron-Bergen Elementary School Office by calling 494-1220, ext. 1301. Information may also be sent to the Byron-Bergen Elementary School, 6971 W. Bergen Road, Bergen, NY 14416.

All children registering for Kindergarten will be scheduled for a screening appointment this summer. The results of this screening will be used to plan for the 2018-19 Kindergarten Program.

The following items are necessary to complete the registration process:

1.       Your child’s Birth Certificate;

2.       Certificate of Immunization—New York State law requires that every child entering school must have received a minimum of five doses of diphtheria-pertussis-tetanus vaccine (DPT) and four doses of polio (IPV) vaccine, two doses of MMR (measles, mumps, rubella), three doses of Hepatitis B, and two doses of varicella (chickenpox). Those children born on or after 1/1/2008 must have four doses of Pneumococcal Conjugate Vaccine (PCV). Their immunizations must be completed prior to entering school;

3.       Proof of Residency—If this is the first time you have a child entering Byron-Bergen Central School District, please bring proof of residency to your screening appointment. This can be a copy of your mortgage statement, rental/lease agreement or a copy of your tax bill.

Press release:

The Village of Alexander will be hosting a public meeting at 7 p.m. Thursday, Feb 1, at the Alexander Rec Hall. The purpose of this meeting is to inform the public about plans for the possible replacement of the entire village water system.

Anyone receiving water from the Village of Alexander is encouraged to attend.

The Rec Hall is located at 10708 Alexander Road (Route 98), Attica.

Press release:

The BEST (Business and Employee Skills Training) Center at Genesee Community College has released its SAT Prep course schedule. The SAT Prep course is designed to prepare students for the English and Math components of the SAT exam.

The course familiarizes students with the format of the exam and provides practice using questions similar to those that will appear on the SAT. In preparation for the English component, course participants will practice critical reading, sentence completion, grammar usage and writing. The Math component practice will focus on pre-algebra, algebra and geometry.

The SAT Prep course costs $149 per participant, which includes the course prep textbook. Participants are required to bring their own calculators.

The BEST Center will offer the SAT Prep course at three locations this year -- Warsaw, Lima and Dansville. Each course will consist of six sessions totaling 18 hours. Participants are encouraged to sign up now for one of the following courses:

GCC's Warsaw Campus Center -- 115 Linwood Ave, Warsaw

Thursday evenings beginning March 1 through April 5 from 6 - 9 p.m.

Register for this session by Feb. 22.

GCC's Lima Campus Center -- 7285 Gale Road, Lima

Tuesday evenings beginning March 20 through May 1 from 6 - 9 p.m.

Register for this session by March 13.

GCC's Dansville Campus Center -- 31 Clara Barton St., Dansville

Thursday evenings beginning April 26 through May 31 from 6 - 9 p.m.

Register for this session by April 19.

To register for any of the SAT Prep courses, please visit www.bestcenter.org or call (585) 345-6868.

Press release:

Tickets are still available for the 16th Annual Celebrate Agriculture Dinner! The dinner will take place Saturday, March 17 at the Alexander Fire Hall. Doors open at 6 p.m. This event is a celebration of Genesee County’s number-one industry – Agriculture.

The highlight is a delicious meal prepared by Penna’s Catering using locally produced foods.

The dinner is open to the public. Tickets can be purchased at the Genesee County Chamber of Commerce (8276 Park Road, Batavia) for $30 each. A table of 10 can be purchased for $275.  Sponsorships are available for $350 which help to support agriculture educational events in Genesee County. Tickets will not be sold at the door.

The Celebrate Ag Dinner is coordinated by the following partners: Genesee County Chamber of Commerce, Cornell Cooperative Extension of Genesee County, Genesee County Farm Bureau and Genesee County Soil & Water Conservation District. Many local farms and businesses sponsor or donate products to this event.

For ticket information contact the Genesee County Chamber of Commerce at 585-343-7440 or email chamber@geneseeny.com.

Press release:

The Pavilion Republican Committee is seeking civic-minded individuals interested in serving as Town Supervisior or Council Person for the Town of Pavilion.

If you have questions or if you are interested in running, please send a letter of intent by Feb. 1 to: Town of Pavilion Republican Committee, c/o Kevin Clary, Box 28, Pavilion, NY 14525 or email kevron1@frontiernet.net.

Asteria String Quartet presents "First Viennese Valentine's" with music from the First Viennese School -- Haydn, Mozart and Beethoven -- on Saturday Feb. 3 at the Dibble Family Center in Batavia.

The chamber recital starts at 7 p.m.

Beforehand, starting at 6 p.m., the quartet will serenade you as you enjoy special hors d'oeuvres, cash bar and also non-alcoholic beverages.

Musicians for the evening are: Kiran Rajamani -- violin; Leighann Howland -- violin; Evie Boughton -- viola; and Shade Zajac -- cello.

Tickets are: $20 per guest; $35 for two guests; $15 for senior citizens.

The Dibble Family Center is located at 4120 W. Main Street Road.

This event is sponsored by Roxy's Music Store, The YNGodess Shop, and the Genesee Symphony Orchestra (www.geneseesymphony.com).

The Mighty St. Joe's Drum & Bugle Corps invites people who are interested in joining its ranks to an Open House from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. on Sunday, Jan. 14, at Wolcott Street School in Le Roy.

The school is located at 2-6 Trigon Park (off East Main Street).

Mighty St. Joe's Drum & Bugle Corps is a noncompetitive group from the WNY/Rochester area, which participates in parades, indoor concerts and field shows. It is looking for new members of all ages and all sections, including brass, percussion, working guard and Honor Guard.

All levels of experience are welcome.

Visit MSJ on the Web at:  www.mightystjoes.com

Send email inquiries to:  mightystjoes@gmail.com

Press release:

The Genesee County 4-H Program is looking for volunteers to help with its upcoming 4-H Public Presentations Program.

The 4-H Public Presentations Program gives 4-H youth an opportunity to expand their public speaking skills in a fun, competitive format.  

The 4-H Public Presentations Program would not be possible without volunteer evaluators! Evaluators watch 4-H youth participants give presentations and provide them with constructive comments to help improve their public speaking skills.

The 2018 4-H Public Presentations Events will be held on Saturday, Feb.17^th, 9 a.m. – 12 p.m. at Byron-Bergen School, and Thursday, March 15^th, 3 – 5 p.m. at the Cornell Cooperative Extension Office in Batavia.

If you are interested in serving as an evaluator at one or both of these events, please contact the Genesee County 4-H Office at genesee4h@cornell.edu or 585-343-3040, ext. 101.

(Above photo: Byron-Bergen Jr./Sr. High School National Geographic Bee champion Matthew Tanner, left, and runner-up Nicholas Zwerka celebrate their achievements.)

Submitted photos and press release:

Students from both Byron-Bergen schools proved their mastery of geography on Jan. 4 as the school hosted its annual National Geographic Bee competitions, sponsored by the National Geographic Society.

At the Jr./Sr. High School, after an exciting battle of wits and global knowledge, Matthew Tanner was declared the Byron-Bergen Geographic Bee champion. He was given a medal and awarded a $30 Amazon gift card. Runner-up Nicholas Zwerka received a $20 Amazon gift card.

At the Elementary School, the title of Geographic Bee champion was awarded to fifth-grader Jack Farner, who edged out fellow fifth-grader Jackson Lundfelt for the honor.

Participants from both schools qualified for the Bee by achieving high scores on a test taken in December. Both winners will now take another written test, which will be submitted to the National Geographic Society. If their scores are among the highest in New York State, they may be invited to participate in the state competition. State winners go on to the televised national bee held in May in Washington, D.C.

The school is very proud of all the contestants.

Jr./Sr. High School participants included — Seventh grade: Molly Belknap, Jack Benstead, Cameron Carlson, Caris Carlson, Evan Cuba, Kendan Dressler, Gianni Ferrara, Alec Kulikowski, Kendall Phillips, Elizabeth Piper, Andrew Rimmerman, Alexandria Schuck, Matthew Tanner, Lillian Walker, and Nicholas Zwerka; Eighth grade: Ashton Gavenda, Grace Huhn, Madelyn Pimm, Elli Schelemanow, Ella VanValkenburg, Claire Williams, Corden Zimmerman, and Josh Zittel.

Elementary School Geo Bees were — Fourth grade: Liam Boyle, Colin Rea, and Simone Scharvogel. Fifth grade: Ryan Benstead, Jake Carlson, Deborah Catalino, Noah Clare, Ada Clookey, Owen Cuba, Craig Diquattro, Lea Donofrio, Jack Farner, Rachel Hanel, Landon Kent, Eli Kupfer, Jackson Lundfelt, Martin Mac Connell, and Anna McLaughlin. Sixth grade: Brody Baubie, Braedyn Chambry, Grayson Erion, Aurora Hiscutt, Stephanie Onderdonk, Brendan Pimm, Carter Prinzi, and Quintin Rich.

The National Geographic Bees are coordinated by the schools’ social studies teachers Aaron Clark, Ken Gropp, and Nick Muhlenkamp.

For more information on the National Geographic Bee, visit here.

Press release:

Alzheimer’s disease is not a normal part of aging. It is a progressive and fatal brain disease that is the most common form of dementia.

“The Basics: Memory Loss, Dementia and Alzheimer’s Disease” is a free class presented by the Alzheimer’s Association Western New York Chapter for anyone who would like to know more about the disease and related dementias.

The program will be offered at The Manor House (427 E. Main St.) in Batavia at 5 p.m. on Wednesday, Jan. 10.

Attendees will learn:  

• Symptoms and effects of Alzheimer’s disease and other types of dementia
• How Alzheimer’s affects the brain
• Causes and risk factors
• How to find out if it’s Alzheimer’s disease 
• The benefits of early detection
• Treatment
• Resources in your community, including the Alzheimer’s Association WNY Chapter  

There is no cost to attend this public presentation, but registration is encouraged by calling 1.800.272.3900.

Press release:

The Adult Educational Opportunity Center (AEOC) has announced a yearlong schedule of open monthly sessions designed to get anyone started on their way to a college degree!

These sessions will be held at Genesee Community College's Batavia Campus at One College Road, Batavia.

As with all AEOC Services, these sessions are FREE and available both by appointment and walk-in! During these sessions, the AEOC's Outreach Specialists will help potential college applicants with a variety of services, including:

Financial Aid Counseling: help completing the FAFSA, understanding various financial aid options including student loans and Pell grants, retrieving transcripts, and assistance with special circumstance applications.

Enrollment Assistance: completing college applications or enrollment forms, ACT Test registration and completing Entrance Exam Prep through Accuplacer. 

Veterans Services: AEOC outreach specialists are trained to assist any veteran in navigating services available for higher education.

Appointments and walk-in sessions will be held in the Conable Technology Building at GCC's Batavia Campus. Both appointment and walk-in sessions will be available from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. on each of the following days:

Wednesday, Jan. 24, in T122

Wednesday, Feb. 21, in T121

Wednesday, March 21, in T121

Wednesday, April 25, in T122

Wednesday, May 16, in T122

Wednesday, June 27, in T122

Wednesday, July 25, in T122

Wednesday, Aug. 22, in T122

Wednesday, Sept. 26, in T122

Wednesday, Oct. 24, in T122

Wednesday, Nov. 28, in T122

Wednesday, Dec. 19, in T121

Appointments are available on additional dates by request. To schedule any appointment, please email AEOC@genesee.edu or contact Adult Education Director Kate Trombley, M.S., at (585) 343-0055, ext. 6285.

It is important to note that these College Entry Point Sessions are not limited to students attending or planning to attend GCC. Anyone interested in attending any college or in need of assistance in getting started can participate. Information regarding GCC and all other area colleges will be available at these sessions.

Press release:

Join the Genesee County Master Gardeners on Feb. 6 for our first Garden Talk of the year, “A Photo Garden Tour of Chanticleer Gardens.” Get rid of the winter blues with a look at Chanticleer’s spectacular gardens, described as “America's most inspiring garden.”

Located outside of Philadelphia, Chanticleer is a colorful, contemporary garden within an historic setting. Adolph Rosengarten Jr., bequeathed the family estate for the enjoyment and education of the public following his death in 1990. The garden opened to the public in 1993 and has since been a magical place to visit.

Future topics include: a program on creating cutting gardens on March 6; a demonstration on how to make your own corsages on April 3; tips for growing great canna lilies on May 1 and on June 5 a program about a new invasive pest that has been showing up locally – jumping worms.

All Garden Talk programs run from 12:15 to 12:45 p.m. Bring your lunch to the CCE office (420 E. Main St., Batavia) and join us for this free series. Registration is NOT required.

Future topics and other Master Gardener events will be posted on the Cornell Cooperative Extension of Genesee County website athttp://genesee.cce.cornell.edu/