schools

Press Release:

On Oct. 7, the Byron-Bergen faculty participated in a professional development exercise designed to raise awareness of the added stress community members experience when living near the poverty line. The training was provided by the Genesee Region Teachers Center. The goal of the exercise was to simulate the challenges associated with poverty.

Juanita Henry, Director of the Genesee Region Teacher Center and Pat Mullikan, Director of the Tri-County Teacher Center opened the training by sharing national and regional statistics. In the U.S., over 17% of people under 18 years old live in poverty. In the Byron-Bergen community, the poverty rate has risen 10% since 2013.

"This learning experience brings both our Elementary and Jr./Sr. High School staff together to gain awareness of the changing challenges our students and families face,” said Byron-Bergen Superintendent Pat McGee. “Hopefully, the poverty simulation brought to light the empathy and compassion needed to meet our students and families where they are."

The activity began with participants being assigned roles, either as members of a “family” or providing a community service. “Families” were given different resources and responsibilities and community agencies had set rules to follow with limited resources. Each “family” was tasked with balancing their financial resources, childcare, school, employment, and health care. By the end of the “month”, some “family” groups faced eviction, “students” had begun skipping school, and trying to navigate social services had become a major point of stress.

“I liken it to working with the foster care system,” said Byron-Bergen Art Teacher Sandy Auer. “Working within a public system is frustrating. Sometimes you can’t get the help you need and deserve. Students are coming from that place of frustration.”

Part of the training is to provide a heightened awareness of the stress students may be under at home. In the simulation, some of the “students” took on major responsibilities in their family group including providing childcare, shopping for food, and attempting to find employment.

While administering this simulation throughout the region, Henry noted that it is usually the stress level that teachers comment on most. “The expectation teachers sometimes have is that parents should be home helping their kids with homework and in reality, they’re holding the family together by making sure they have a house and food and the basics. They may feel education is very important but it’s not a priority on the needs list.”

“Children had roles and responsibilities we would not necessarily associate with their age group,” said Mullikan during the debrief after the simulation. The participants agreed that expectations for adult supervision were completely

October 12, 2022 Contact: Gretchen Spittler Byron-Bergen Communications Specialist (585) 794-6340 different. Some children had very adult jobs when they got home and, while at school, students were preoccupied with stresses at home.

In closing, the group was asked, “As educators, what is our role? Are we going to add to that stress?”

“When a student doesn’t have their work done, because of circumstances they can’t control, a little empathy may mean they can enjoy coming to school knowing that they are not always in trouble,” said Henry.

“The poverty rate in this district is currently at 43%,” said McGee. “We are committed to providing an equitable education for all our students. To meet that commitment and support the whole child, our team needs to understand that education isn't one-size-fits-all and consider the resources available to students outside of school hours.” 

Photos: Gretchen Spittler.

Top photo:  Pat Mullikan, Director of the Tri-County Teacher Center gives instructions at the poverty simulation 

 

Jack Pickard Lauren Reimer Nathan Canale

Press release:

Three Batavia City School District students have earned academic honors from the College Board National Recognition Programs. These National Recognition Programs grant underrepresented students with academic honors that can be included on college and scholarship applications and connect students with universities across the country to stand out during the admissions process. Only 62,000 students across the country have received this recognition.

• Jack Pickard, Senior: National Rural and Small Town Award
• Lauren Reimer, Senior: National Rural and Small Town Award
• Nathan Canale, Senior: National Rural and Small Town Award

“We couldn’t be more proud of Jack, Lauren, and Nathan for receiving this tremendous honor,” said Superintendent Jason Smith. “Their hard work throughout their time at BCSD has certainly paid off. I know this recognition will help bolster their college applications and make them truly stand out.”

“Bravo to these three exceptional BHS students,” said to Batavia High School Principal Paul Kesler. “Jack, Lauren, and Nathan exemplify the values and work ethic that we strive for at BHS, and we congratulate them on this wonderful achievement.” 

Eligible students have a GPA of 3.5 or higher and have excelled on the PSAT/NMSQT or PSAT 10, or earned a score of 3 or higher on two or more AP Exams. Award categories include: National African American Recognition Program, National Hispanic Recognition Program, National Indigenous Recognition Program, and National Rural and Small Town Recognition Program.

Students are invited to apply during their sophomore or junior year and, after determining eligibility, will be awarded at the beginning of the next school year. Students will receive their awards in time to include them on their college and scholarship applications. 

Le Roy High School has long taken pride in its marching band and color guard but putting on a great performance takes dedication and hard work.

Video courtesy Le Roy Central School District.

Video courtesy the Le Roy Central School District

Previously: Le Roy's numeracy coach finds creative ways to get students thinking about numbers

Temprence Stack got off her first school bus ride at Wolcott School this morning, a moment her parents, Robert and Kimberly Stack, were on hand to document with their mobile phone cameras.

While the Stacks waited for the school buses to unload, with Temprence standing at the top of the stairs, ready to be the first one let off the bus, Kimberly said, "I'm probably more nervous than she is."

As Temprence entered the building to start her first day of kindergarten, Kimberly was overcome by emotion (fourth photo).

Le Roy Central School District Superintendent Merritt Holly was on-hand at the school bus parking lot to greet elementary school students on their first day of class.

Holly said the start of the school year is always exciting but this one is a little more special.  Not only has Wolcott undergone some major renovations over the summer, it's the first year in a couple of years where things are back to "normal."

"I think it's it's nice that we don't have kids going through getting temperature checks," Holly said. "It's even better without having masks on today. It's good. That makes it that much better."

At the school, some of the students walking past the renovated gym wanted to sneak a peek through the open door as they walked past.

"It's always exciting just to see the faces of kids coming in, especially with some of the new things and the Wolcott Street School building that they're able to see today," Holly said. "It's just seeing those smiles coming in that makes it all worth it."

Previously: Clock is ticking as Le Roy's first day of school approaches and work remains to be done

Teacher Ann Olivani's new kindergarten class. Olivani is pictured at the back of the class.

If you have first-day-of-school photos from anywhere in Genesee County that you would like to share with the community, email them to howard@thebatavian.com.

Press release:

On Monday, Aug. 22, the Byron-Bergen Board of Education approved the appointment of Carol Stehm as Interim Elementary School Principal. Stehm will serve as Interim Principal from August 23rd to December 22nd during which time the District will conduct a thorough search for a permanent replacement.

“I am excited to welcome Mrs. Stehm to Byron-Bergen,” said Superintendent Pat McGee. “She brings decades of experience as a leader and an educator. I am fully confident that she will guide the Elementary School smoothly through this time of transition.”

Stehm retired from the Gates Chili Central School District in July of 2021 where she was the Associate Superintendent for Instruction. She served as Interim Principal of Northwood Elementary School in the Hilton School District during the 2021-22 academic year. In her 36-year career, she has served as an Interim Superintendent, Middle School Principal, and High School Assistant Principal. She has taught elementary and gifted education and currently teaches for SUNY Brockport as an Adjunct Professor in the Educational Leadership Department.

“I began my career in an elementary building so it will be fun to back with the younger students again,” said Stehm. “I have heard great things about the District and am excited to get started.” 

After more than 18 months with three “key phases,” and input from dozens of administrators, teachers, staff, parents, students and community members, Batavia City School District is ready to launch its five-year strategic plan.

Such a plan isn’t required by New York State, but is a recommended “best practice” for any school district, said Dr. Molly Corey, director of curriculum and instruction.

“Our intention is to bring parents, community members, students, and staff together to plan and prioritize student success in every classroom,” Corey said in a press release Monday. “We’re still evaluating and discovering the depths of learning loss our students experienced due to the pandemic. A Strategic Plan like this will be a beacon grounding us during uncertain times, and it will allow us to comprehensively think, discuss, and prioritize the needs of our students.” 

A main portion of the report, referred to by staff as “a curriculum and instructional roadmap” for reaching each student’s goals, involves a family component, which undoubtedly is a valuable piece. That part of the plan is to ensure “Our families will: make education a priority in the household, support the school in promoting a good work ethic and personal responsibility, as well as encouraging health and wellness and provide the necessary time, space, and supplies at home for homework and studies to be completed.”

The Batavian asked Superintendent Jason Smith how the district plans to get families on board with the wellness aspect, given their busy lives, technology and such easy access to fast meals and sedentary lifestyles. Smith said that promoting health and wellness has become even more important post-COVID.

“And we learned that loud and clear coming out of this pandemic,” he said. “We have Social Emotional Learning teams at each school that promote health and wellness among both our students and staff. Good nutrition and exercise are reinforced in our Phys Ed and health curriculum, and is a key part of the New York State learning standards.”

He also emphasized that family engagement will continue to be “an integral part of our mission at BCSD.” Therefore, two-way communication between schools and families is critical, he said.

“We encourage our families to reach out to us with comments, suggestions, and questions as we implement this plan,” Smith said. “Additionally, each school partners with our parent groups, and just this year we have added a parent representative component to our newly formed shared-decision making teams at each school.  We will also consider tools such as surveys and other feedback mechanisms.”

Even before COVID — about 26 years prior, to be exact — Smith said that he focused his teaching on individual ownership in one’s own behavior and contributions.

“Since I first began teaching in 1994, teaching students personal responsibility and work ethic has been a core mission of schools,” he said. “While it may be explicitly taught at times, teachers, coaches, and advisors continually reinforce this important message through high expectations and accountability, coupled with support and guidance.”

That’s how he expects to reach families, and therefore equip students to fulfill plan goals to: contribute to creating a safe and respectful environment; put forth their best effort; and be independent learners and competent problem-solvers who seek help when needed.

Four components of the plan include:

• A safe and orderly school environment
• A collaborative culture
• Clear and accessible curriculum
• Effective teaching in every classroom

There are benchmarks for every objective, such as planning for communication across all district groups, developing a schedule for progress checks, and creating an efficacy report by asking “how are buildings in the district doing?”

The Board of Education has approved the plan, which will begin to unfold this fall. While BCSD developed this plan to cover a five-year period from 2022-2027, school staff will continue to review and refine it to “achieve success for years to come.”

Even though Smith began in January at the tail end of the planning process, he has enjoyed the catch-up process of all that has been done, he said.

“I’ve been thrilled at the work Dr. Corey and all of our stakeholders have done in preparing this guide,” he said. “It shows a solid understanding of our students’ diverse needs and will certainly set every child up for success going forward.” 

Newly elected Board President John Marucci concurred, adding that Corey and her team “have been well ahead of the curve” by initiating the strategic plan in 2019.

“The Board of Education has been actively discussing learning loss with the administration since the height of the pandemic,” Marucci said. “We’re confident that they’re addressing the concerns that parents have expressed and will continue to evaluate their systems going forward to ensure BCSD continues to strive for academic excellence in every grade and every classroom.” 

The complete Strategic Plan, which runs from 2022 to 2027,  can be found on the Batavia City School District website here. 

Press release:

Notre Dame is pleased to announce the following teaching and staff positions for the 2022-2023 school year.

We are pleased to announce that Kristen Gomez will have an enhanced role on our Administrative Team. In addition to her role as the Director of Academic Advisement and Learning Center teacher, Mrs. Gomez will become our Registrar and take on responsibilities specific to administrative leadership.

Amanda Coggiola has accepted the position of Administrative Assistant to the Office of Academic Advisement. Mrs. Coggiola comes to us with enthusiasm and we are pleased to welcome her to this position at ND. We thank Karen Rapone for her many years of service and wish her well upon her retirement.

Karina Treleaven has accepted the position of part-time Spanish teacher for our Junior High. In addition to her teaching duties, she is a proud parent of an upcoming senior and freshman at Notre Dame. We look forward to having her share her skills with our students and staff.

A lot can change in 52 years -- monumental world events like wars, recessions, and pandemics pass by, and new inventions like mobile devices and electric cars transform lives.

But some things stay constant.  

Love, for example.

That's the case for Greg Kinal, who grew up in Elma and then accepted a job teaching social studies at Pembroke High School.

"Prior to taking the job in 1970, I had never been to Genesee County," Kinal told The Batavian on Wednesday. "I didn't know Batavia was here.  "But once I arrived in Pembroke, I fell in love with the community. I fell in love with the kids. I fell in love with the school.  It’s hard for me to come up with the idea that I’m going to be leaving.  I just love this area."

In 52 years of teaching at Pembroke, Kinal said he's taught all manner of young people -- high achievers and those who get by -- but he's found, and it's the reason he loves the kids, that they are all eager to learn.

"Sometimes you get the impression, 'oh, social studies --  groan,' but when we learn about the Vietnam War, kids bring in their grandfathers' medals, or when we talk about World War I, they talk about their family history. There is always interest in the topics we go over."

Now it's time to slow down, said the 74-year-old Kinal, who has two biological children and two stepchildren, and four grandchildren. In retirement, he still plans to be a substitute teacher, but he wants life to move at a slower pace.

"I find that I come to school on Monday and the next day, suddenly, it's Friday," Kinal said.  "I want to take it easier and not have my whole life be in a rush."

Photo illustration courtesy Pembroke Central School District.

 Marsha Riggi chest bumps Oakfield-Alabama Superintendent John Fisgus during the high school's graduation ceremony on Saturday.  Riggi may have gotten the idea from Gaige Armbrewster, who chest bumped Fisgus when he accepted his diploma. 

Photos by Debra Reilly.

Students at Jackson Primary School began their day today in patriotic fashion with a Flag Day ceremony that included members of the Genesee County Joint Veterans Honor Guard and Western New York National Cemetery Honor Guard.

The veterans shared some lessons about the flag.

Students sang "God Bless America" and "This Land is Your Land."

Frank Panepento, a technology teacher at Batavia Middle School, played trumpet. 

Members of the Muckdogs organization joined the celebration.

Photos and information courtesy Batavia City Schools  Top photo: Phil Gaudy and Carl Hyde fold a U.S. flag.

Jackson Primary students reciting The Pledge of Allegiance

Front row, Giavanna Shultz, Gabriella Zucchiatti, Ronan McCarthy, Janielynn Roque; back row: Maureen Notaro, Jackson principal, Carl Hyde, Jason Smith, Superintendent, Phil Gaudy, Tom Cecere

Press release:

On May 21, 2022, Genesee Community College celebrated its 54th annual Commencement Ceremony with a group of 15 students from area high schools and homeschools deserving special mention. They completed their GCC degree requirements concurrently with their high school diplomas or New York State Equivalents. These 15 graduates participated in the fourth annual cohort of the College's Science, Technology, Engineering and Math (STEM) Enrichment Program through GCC's Accelerated College Enrollment (ACE) Office.

These high-achieving individuals include the following: Alexander Wright (Perry), Chase Graham (Alexander), Corden Zimmerman (Byron-Bergen), Elizabeth McCarthy (Batavia), Elli Schelemanow (Byron-Bergen), Jordyn Tobolski (Oakfield), Katarina Luker (Alexander), McKenna Johnson (Oakfield), Megan Zakes (Medina), Rebecca Clemens (Lyndonville), Samantha Nusstein (Attica), Sarah Volpe (Elba), Sophie Fulton (Batavia), Zachary Neal (Homeschool), Bethany Faben (Homeschool) and Markus Faben (Homeschool). Emily Harling (Albion) did not take part in the STEM Enrichment Program, but did earn a GCC degree alongside her high school diploma.

The STEM Enrichment program began in 2012 allowing the students to start their college studies as early as the seventh grade. In addition to their traditional schoolwork, they enrolled in college-level coursework each year taking advantage of many academic opportunities and successfully completing all of the rigorous challenges of an associate degree.

"Once again this year, we are delighted to celebrate the achievements of our STEM program students who have worked hard to earn GCC degrees along with their high school diplomas or the New York State Equivalent, in the case of our homeschooled students," Ed Levinstein, associate dean of GCC's ACE program said. "I commend their hard work and dedication to their studies, as well as the excellent contributions they make to GCC's classes and college community."

Genesee Community College's 54th annual Commencement Ceremony was held in-person at the Richard C. Call Arena and featured special guest Keynote Speaker Daniel P. Ireland, President of United Memorial Medical Center. To view the ceremony, please visit: https://www.genesee.edu/home/events/commencement/.

I found a copy of the 7th grade Social Studies Curriculum on Local History amidst a group of old papers and books. To a fourth-grade teacher, this would be a valuable find. Unfortunately, this curriculum is no longer taught in 7th grade and has not been for many years. A local history curriculum was added to 4th grade many years ago. Unfortunately, today with all of the state mandates, very little time can be given to local history.    

This curriculum encompassed Genesee County and Genesee Country, which included some of the outlying areas of Genesee County. 

The student's objectives were listed at the beginning of the book:

The student (citizen–to–be) will know that school prepares you for social living. The church plays an integral part in your community life. (Before 1961 Separation of Church and State) Tolerance of others is fundamental to democracy. Students will be able to find facts in books, see the relationships between cause and results, and will be able to draw conclusions from the printed information. The students will appreciate the work of others, consider a point of view different from their own, and will be tolerant of people or groups whose beliefs or customs are different from their own

The students were first introduced to the Native Americans residing in the area. They were taught about Ely Parker and Red Jacket, to name a few. Everything was listed in chronological order. Listed were all the names of the Seneca chiefs and a biography on each of them. An extensive list of Seneca names and places was translated into English. Ge-nish-e–a, a clear and shining place (Genesee Country), ge-ne-un-da-sais-ka mosquito town (Batavia), and Ter-ner-sun-ta swift running water (Tonawanda Creek).

After the land purchase from the Indians was discussed, Paulo Busti, Robert Morris, and Joseph Ellicott's involvement in the purchase was explained. Later the settlement of the villages and towns of the county was described. Students would learn about the industries, manufacturing, and agriculture in every town in Genesee County. The chapter on public buildings was divided between descriptions of city, county, state, and federal buildings.

Joseph Ellicott's map, drawn in 1802, showed only five streets and two roads in Batavia.   Genesee Street was East Main Street to Jefferson. Buffalo Street is now West Main. Big Tree Street was Ellicott Street beginning at Jackson Street. Court Street was still Court Street, and Jackson Street was still Jackson Street.     

Interesting facts about the streets were South Main Street was called Tonawanda Street. Pearl Street was Buffalo Road. Oak Street was called Oak Orchard or Elba Street, Bank Street was Dingle Alley, and Tracy Avenue was named after Judge Phineas Tracy. Pringle Avenue was named after Judge Benjamin Pringle, and Evans Street was named after David Evans.

The last section in the book, called Interesting Facts from Genesee Country, was very intriguing.   

• In 1801 the first doctor came to Batavia. He was Doctor David McCracken.           
• The first church organized was formed by Presbyterians in 1809. 
• A brewery on West Main was built from the stones of the old Methodist Church. 
• Joseph Ellicott had many duties. He also served as the first county judge when the courthouse was built in 1803. 

On the veranda of the Holland Land Office stand two old cast-iron cannons that were housed in the Arsenal for years. One of them was used at the Battle of Lundy Lane in the War of 1812. Unfortunately, it had been "spiked," as was the practice with captured artillery. "Spiked" meant it was tampered with and could not be used in battle.

After the Arsenal was torn down, Dr. Charles Rand purchased the two cannons, removing them to his front yard on Liberty Street. After his death, they were bought by Baker Gun and Forging Company and placed on the factory's front lawn, now the Metal Company.           

• President Lincoln stopped in Batavia in 1861. 
• Lot # 25, bounded by Main, Jackson, and Center Streets, was bought from the Holland Land Company for $170.00. 
• LeRoy was incorporated in 1834. The population of LeRoy in 1818 significantly exceeded that of Batavia. 
• The New York Central Railroad Company paid $512.000 to lay its tracks in the Batavia area.

The first gas line through Genesee County was laid in 1870. Twenty-five miles of pipe were laid. The pipe was white pine cut into lengths from 2 to 18 feet and turned to the diameter of 12 1/2 inches. The pipes were joined with bands of shrunk iron and were tarred inside and out. Twenty acres of white pine were cut for these pipes. In 1872 the gas line was turned into the mains of the Rochester Gas Company.             

Salamanca is the only city in the United States built upon an Indian Reservation.

If you would like to take the 50-question test called the Batavia Historical Quiz, stop at the Holland Land Office Museum and be our guest. You might want to stop at The Richmond Memorial Library and the Genesee County History Department to brush up on your local history.

Here are some of the questions from the Quiz.

1. What was Genesee County's first courthouse called in its later years?
2. What company came here to make farm machinery and later sold it to the Massey-Harris Company?
3. For what circumstance was Charles F. Rand mostly noted?
4. For what circumstance was Ely Samuel Parker noted?
5. In what year was the Land Office dedicated?
6. In whose memory?
7. What was present-day Batavia Street, formerly called Big Tree Street?
8. What does the name Batavia mean?
9. Name the U.S. General of the War of 1812 who recuperated at Joseph Ellicott's home in Batavia after being wounded by the British in Buffalo?
10. From what language is the name Batavia derived?

Here is the word bank with possible choices.

Winfield S. Scott, the First Volunteer soldier in the Civil War, Robert Morris, Ellicott Street, Johnston Harvester Company, Seneca Indian, and in his handwriting, wrote the terms of surrender between Ulysses S. Grant and Robert E. Lee at Appomattox Court House in Virginia 1865, October 13, 1894, Better Land, Ellicott Hall, Dutch.

Click on the headline above to view the answer key.

Answer Key

1. Ellicott Hall

2. Johnston Harvester Company

3, First Volunteer soldier in the Civil War

4. Seneca Indian and in his handwriting, wrote the terms of surrender between Ulysses S. Grant and Robert E. Lee at Appomattox Court House in Virginia 1865,

5. October 13, 1894

6. Robert Morris

7. Ellicott Street

8. Better Land

9. Winfield S. Scott

10. Dutch

More than 40 seventh- and eighth-grade students and family members not only celebrated the end of another school year recently but also their induction into the National Junior Honor Society. 

A prestigious club at Batavia Middle School, this honor society strives for "academic excellence and prioritizes leadership and community service," Honor Society Adviser Meaghan Tederous said.

This year the group's community service endeavors included volunteering at Family Nights, Warm the Night, and the Polar Plunge at John Kennedy Intermediate School. Members organized -- and two members even plunged themselves, for -- the Polar Plunge fundraiser. They collected more than $1,500 for the Special Olympics of New York, Tederous said. 

To be eligible for NJHS, a student must have a certain GPA, and the criteria differ depending on each grade. A student must also possess qualities of community, character and leadership, and obtain a teacher recommendation, she said.

"We are so proud of our inductees and look forward to another year of celebrating academic achievements and giving back to the community," Tederous said.

Members of the National Junior Honor Society in seventh  grade are: 

• Phoebe Beal
• Brock Bigsby
• Ryan Bigsby
• Mallory Boyce
• Genevieve Clark-Scott
• Parker Cohen
• Augustin Crawford
• Andrew Davis
• Teegan Frens
• Thomas Gaylord
• Ty Gioia
• Lillian Gray
• Jenna Higgins
• Nathaniel Kinsey
• Casey Mazur
• Emma McJury
• Emma Moore
• Brielle Ricks
• Aubrey Sputore
• Trey Tryon
• Gretchen Weicher
• Landyn Wood
• Kate Woodward

And in eighth grade are:

• Aaden Caletto
• Alora Becker
• Ava Darling
• Andrew Hunt
• Bella Moore
• Elaina Stringham
• Elizabeth Grazioplene
• Ella Smith
• Julia Plath
• Kiana Beaty
• Lakoda Mruczek
• Lila Fortes
• Madeline Smith
• Marley Santos
• Miah Jones
• Misael Flores
• Noah Richmond
• Tabitha Jett
• Nora Wood

Students at Batavia Middle School participate in the annual National Junior Honor Society ceremony as inductees of the club, which emphasizes academic performance, leadership skills and community service. Photos submitted by Batavia City Schools. 

Christina Woodrow gravitated toward art because it's what she grew up with.  Both of her parents are artists.

"I was just always coloring and drawing, always having supplies around, so art was very intriguing," Woodrow said. "I just grew up doing this. I always wanted to be good at art."

Woodrow was one of several seniors with featured displays, along with works by underclassmen, Wednesday night at Le Roy's Fine Arts night, which included live music from students.

The senior wants to use her drawing skills to use people's bodies as a canvas, becoming a tattoo artist. She will soon start an apprenticeship with Mark Fanara at High Voltage Tattoo in Batavia.  Eventually, she plans to earn a business degree because she would like to own her own tattoo shop.

Top Photo: Christina Woodrow and her mother Nicole Boyce.

Photos by Howard Owens

Press release:

The students in the junior and senior high school at Elba Central have engaged in a rigorous program designed to qualify them for a 4+1 graduation pathway or a special stand-alone designation on their diploma upon graduation. 

The Elba Central School District was selected to be a pilot school for the Seal of Civic Readiness program, which is a new initiative designed by the New York State Department of Education. 

NYSED had already established the Seal of Biliteracy, which is awarded to students who demonstrate fluency in a second language, as determined by a series of benchmarks.  Similarly, the Seal of Civic Readiness was designed to provide recognition to students who go above and beyond the standard graduation requirements in social studies, history, and service-learning. 

Acceptance into the pilot program was granted to schools that demonstrated academic and civic learning opportunities robust enough to meet the program criteria. 

Elba Central was selected as a pilot school in the fall after completing the application and selection process.  Throughout the pilot period, the committee of educators met frequently to revise capstone projects, review the curriculum, design project-based learning, and refine teaching practices to align with the program.  Additionally, the Elba committee met with other pilot schools in the Monroe 2 BOCES region to collaborate on promising practices in alignment with the goals of the Seal of Civic Readiness. 

Members of the Elba Central School committee are Sean Bryant (ELA teacher); Mike Cintorino (social studies teacher); Laura Williams (social studies teacher and service-learning coordinator); Alison Riner (HS counselor), and Gretchen Rosales (Superintendent). 

Rosales led the application process and credits the teachers for their willingness to critically evaluate their own teaching and to provide robust opportunities for students to engage in project-based learning, both inside and outside of the classroom. 

“Our teachers have put in countless hours analyzing, revising, and reconceptualizing what they do in the classroom to reimagine education for today’s world," she said. "Students at Elba can critically apply social studies, history, and research skills to the issues that need to be addressed in their own communities.  This is what education should look like.”

Working with Mrs. Williams, students in the middle school have engaged in the planning and implementation of projects designed to improve their school and community. 

Students administered surveys to determine needs and then researched, planned, and implemented project-based learning activities to meet those needs. 

Projects have included campus-wide clean-up activities; determining a need for community seating areas at the school (which included designing and building picnic tables), researching pet abandonment and securing donations to a local shelter; and implementing a composting program at the school in conjunction with Porter Farms, a local and organically managed farm in Elba. 

The middle school students have even connected with the youngest children in the building; noting a need for some positivity, the 8th graders record kindergarteners reading happy messages. 

Throughout the week, anyone can call in to hear the happy pre-recorded communications. 

According to Laura Williams, service learning coordinator, “it became obvious that the skills needed to become civically engaged at all levels of adulthood have to be fostered and practiced at an earlier age. More important than executing a perfect service-learning project is their own reflection of what worked well, what didn’t work well, what obstacles were overcome, and what could be improved upon the next time. Watching these young adults practice reaching out to community members and following through with their plans is something they rarely get to practice in a traditional classroom setting.”

Christine Radez, an associate at the New York State Office of Curriculum and Instruction at the New York State Department of Education in Albany, congratulated Elba Central and stated, “On behalf of our Civic Readiness Task Force members, I extend gratitude for your efforts to support this important initiative. Our vision is that the Seal of Civic Readiness is available for all students across New York State in the future. The steps you have taken towards the development of a civic readiness program and student credential are advancing that goal.”

Submitted photos.

Press release:

The Students Against Destructive Decisions Club sold yellow and blue ribbons for $1.00 each. A total of $450.00 was collected.  All donations were sent to ROCmaidan, a nonprofit organization providing humanitarian aid to Ukraine, based in Rochester, NY.  Thank you to all who donated.

Press release:

The Digies is an annual digital media conference and festival run by the School Library Service, a program of the Genesee Valley Educational Partnership. The mission of The Digies is to strengthen the digital media continuum between Pre-K-12 schools, higher education, and professional institutions. The Digies recognizes student potential in an annual festival format and draws student entries from throughout the region and the Upstate New York area.

The in-person awards ceremony was canceled and an awards recognition video was created and posted to YouTube.

Emilee Williamson and Andrea Fetterly, Library Technologies’ Specialists, coordinate this conference. Fetterly shared that this year’s festival drew a record number of entries. “Creativity is intelligence having fun,” Fetterly said. “We are excited to celebrate the amazing creativity and skill demonstrated by the participants in this year's Digies festival.”

Congratulations to these imaginative students! 

Audio

• Pre-K-3 1st Thomas Thering, Annalise Allen, Jade Rivera Rangel, Friendship Podcast, Geneseo CSD
• 7-9 1st Bennett Wallin, Lucy McGrain, Mitchell Baker, U.S, Citizenship: Our Rights, Our Responsibilities (Voting and Taxes), Avon CSD; 2nd Kristen Thompson, Blue Journey, Alexander CSD; 3rd
• Alexis Reamer, Amealia Kerr, Bridget Rehrberg, Olivia Wonsey, U.S. Citizenship: Our Rights, Our Responsibilities (Naturalization and Voting), Avon CSD
• 10-12 1st Gadge Savastano, Lefthandshake, Mount Morris CSD; 2nd Mina Stevens, What Was I Thinking, Pittsford CSD; 3rd Caroline Ruof, Minecraft Music Tech Project- Reason, Orchard Park CSD

Graphic Arts

• Pre-K - 3 1st Peter Boring, Double Exposure Self Portrait, Avon CSD; 2nd Cheyenne Claus, Double Exposure Photograph, Avon CSD; 3rd Caitlyn Lipome, Double Exposure Self Portrait, Avon CSD
• 4-6 1st Isabella Ehrman, Eye Art, Southwestern CSD; 2nd Tianna Norman, Creative Name Card, York CSD; 3rd Annalisa Krug, Pixel Parrot, Southwestern CSD
• 7-9 1st Fadwa Al Dulaimee, Two Faces, Rush-Henrietta CSD; 2nd Anna Holt, Nutella, Alexander CSD; 3rd Tori Jewell, Self Portrait, Rush-Henrietta CSD
• 10-12 1st Quinn Carletta, The Road to a Cleaner Future, Brockport CSD; 2nd Paige Conley, Sustained Investigation, York CSD; 3rd Cameron Anderson, Untitled, Brockport CSD

Interactive

• Pre-K - 3 1st Maylen Aguilar Gutierrez, All About Candy, Geneseo CSD 1st Karma Chidsey, Nora Church, John Ciulla, Cheyenne Claus, Scarlett Claus, Donovan DeCarlo, Casen Frey, Keaton Griffiths, Spencer Hayes, Preston Michael, Ezmae Pizarro, Ilah Rene, Wyatt Swafford, Kayden Taft, Noah Wheeler, African Animals, Avon CSD; 2nd Nolan Boyle, Ethan Chan, Cliff Clarry, Sophia Cowan, Carter Driscoll, Jesse Dumbleton, Mabel Freeman, Bobby Hoffmann, Cora Jackson, Theoren Kearse, Olivia Koncilja, Flynn McMahan, Khloe Price, Pierce Schmid, Brian Stanton, Willow Cruz-Schell, Ian Segovia, Habitats and the Animals That Live There, Avon CSD; 3rd Oliver Clark, Lucas Daniels, Damon Davin, Bianca Estabrooks, Jordan Fayiah, Jayda Fears, Ryker Greene, Olivia Jeffries, Emmalynn Johnson, Wesson Pedro, Adlin Schultheiss, Nora Sherman, Bradley Spencer, Caleb Webb, Lincoln Wheeler, Ariana Crawford, Habitats and the Animals Around the World, Avon CSD
• 4-6 1st Jack Spuhler, Inventor Room: Milton Hershey, Livonia CSD
• 1st Arianna Scalisi, Inventor Room; Milton Braille, Livonia CSD; 2nd
• Isabella Zygadlo, Inventor Room: Jacques Cousteau, Livonia CSD
• 7-9 1st Ben Knapp, Monke Homecoming, LeRoy CSD
• 10-12 1st Lillian Smith, Website, Rush-Henrietta CSD; 2nd Anastasia Fields, Website, Rush-Henrietta CSD 3rd Vicki Li, Website, Rush-Henrietta CSD

Video

• Pre-K - 3 1st QueenNira Bey, Nazir Bey, The Secret Room Virtual Tour, Monroe County Library System; 2nd Cameron Clark, Joey Backer III, Kaboom News, Avon CSD
• 4-6 1st Anna Shumaker, Charlotte Jaros, Brooke Kiley, Nomie and Niomi the Two Hungry Animals, Avon CSD; 2nd Mackenzie Rogers, The Lollipop, Southwestern CSD; 3rd
• Gavin Sterner, Stavros Kolokouris, Baylee Gilmore, Alien Abduction, Avon CSD
• 7-9 1st Gabby Agyingi, Asher Eden, The Plant Growing, Rush-Henrietta CSD; 2nd Zendage Zia, Greyson Phillips, Mason Stock, Change the Formality, Rush-Henrietta CSD; 2nd
• Ryan Zika, Double Crossed, Pembroke CSD; 3rd Ava Champion, Addison Colatoy, Brenna Krieger, Anna Leathersich, Out to Sea, Rush-Henrietta CSD; 3rd Halie Hassell, From a Future Congress Woman, LeRoy CSD
• 10-12 1st Andrei Campbell, Old World, GST BOCES- Wildwood Education Center; 2nd Mina Stevens, The Sea Girl Animation, Pittsford CSD; 3rd Jared Berger, The Diving Board, Pittsford CSD

​

Press release:

Today was a day to celebrate some Oakfield-Alabama students. Senior class advisors Tracy Schlagenhauf and Kadi Hilchey organized “signing day” as a means to celebrate the future plans of Oakfield-Alabama seniors. Although not all seniors chose to participate in the event, those who did were called up to the podium and posed with family as they staged a “signing” off their future plans. 

Mr. Peterson, the principal at Oakfield-Alabama, remarked in his opening comments about the importance of this type of ceremony. Peterson told the students, “Some of you are off to colleges and universities where you’ll study a variety of fields. Some of you are off to the military to do your part to defend our nation and American values. Others are off to technical school to hone very specific vocational skills. Others will go directly to the workforce. ALL OF YOU will do your part to change the world and we’re proud to say that you got your start here at Oakfield Alabama.” Peterson, along with Elementary principal Lynn Gehlert, wrote personalized letters of congratulations to each student as part of the ceremony. 

Mrs. Hilchey remarked that “We just wanted to celebrate the kids and this was a fun way to do that. After two and half years of COVID, these kids have been through a lot. We were thrilled to invite parents to our school so that we could let the kids know that graduating and moving on to college and career opportunities is indeed a major accomplishment.” Mrs. Schlagenhauf, also a parent of two graduating seniors this year, remarked that, “As a parent, I cherish opportunities to celebrate my kids' accomplishments. We thought that an event like this would give parents a chance to do just that.” Hilchey and Schlagenhauf have also organized a host of activities for the class of 2022 as part of “Senior Week” beginning with a 2 p.m. Baccalaureate service on June 12th and culminating with Oakfield-Alabama’s commencement ceremony at 10 a.m. on June 18. 

Photos by Debra Reilly.  Top photo: McKenna Johnson

Myia Lyons

Evelyn Rebert

Colbi Heineman

To view more photos, click the headline.

Emma Haacke

Jenna Gilbert

Gaige Armbrewster 

Alcia Amidon with Senior class advisor Tracy Schlagenhauf

Jordyn Tobolski

Chris Haskins

Ethan Cramer

Joe Haskins

Kelsey and Jordan Schlagenhauf

 

Kameron and Kaden Cusmano