Batavia City School District

Cameron, a student from Greece attending the New York State School for the Blind, was happy to be exercising early Thursday morning — an activity he’s actually been preparing for twice a week the last several months, he says.

“Every Monday and Wednesday at the gym we’ve been practicing,” the young athlete said during this area’s inaugural Special Olympics at Van Detta Stadium in Batavia. “This Olympics is so much fun, probably just watching everyone do these special events. Next I’m in the running long jump.”

He was eager to point out his mom, Cristina Vergne, and 8-year-old brother Killian watching from the stadium seats. It could have been better weather, mom said, as the sun was just beginning to peek out from heavy clouds a few hours into the event, but she enjoyed watching the action.

After all, the Special Olympics have been on Cameron’s mind for quite some time now, she said.

“We’ve been talking about it for months. He’s very excited,” she said. “I think it’s awesome. I think seeing all the kids be here and able to participate is a great thing.”

Fellow School for the Blind student Susanna, from Franklinville, had cheerleaders in the audience as well, she said.

“My mom and dad are over there,” she said, pointing to the group of spectators. “I had a 100-meter dash and a relay race. I would like to do it again.”

The School for the Blind, Genesee Valley BOCES and Batavia City School District joined forces to put on this first-time event.

“We currently have about 100 athletes that are participating today in various field events from our school. So we have parents in the stands, and we have all our staff here ready to provide support where needed,” School for the Blind Superintendent Jackie Simpson said. “We also have the Batavia City School District National Honor Society students who are here helping with awards and helping with many of the events, they helped us set up this morning, and we will see health careers academy class, we called our hike team, so they're here to cheer kids out, and they're also participating in some of the races with the students. 

"It is the first time that the School for the Blind has participated in these Special Olympics since the mid 80s. So it was about 40 years in coming. I started with the school district about four years ago, in July 2021 and said, I think we need to have a Special Olympics team here."

Why was it important to you to see this come to fruition?
mid-80s"It's funny, a staff member who used to work for the school actually reminded me this morning, when I met him four years ago, that one of the things I said to him is that if it's something kids can do, we're going to make sure they do it," she said. "And it just seemed important to me and for our school to have students experience something that is just so out of the norm of their typical day, to have that feeling of competition and being cheered on for and really working and practicing. 

"They've been doing time trials since January, February, and practicing the events to get ready for this day," she said. "So we just felt it was a great opportunity, not only for our school, but to bring the community together, to have everyone here on this day.”

From a city police escort in the morning and a Special Olympics Planning Committee comprising staff from all three schools, to food service, maintenance, and nurses with a tent set up just in case there’s a need, “it just ended up being all hands on deck through our different departments,” she said. Organizers plan to include more schools in future years.

Not only did Batavia Middle School sixth-grader Logan run his own events — the 100-meter dash, relay race and long jump — he also helped cheer on a friend with his 50-meter run from the sidelines, he said.

Logan’s favorite part of the day so far was the relay, he said, explaining why.

“I handed the purple thing to my friend Chase, and running,” he said.

He liked being able to work as a team, he said, which seemed to be a theme for students and staff alike. This event was a “huge collaborative effort” between the School for the Blind, BOCES and city schools, Director of Special Education Kellie Marciano said.

“We had regular meetings throughout the year to really prep and prepare for it. The Special Olympics has been a huge part of helping us. Unfortunately, they're not here today, because we have another one happening in the southern region, which is fine, but the kids have been so hyped up for the last couple of months,” Marciano said. “For it, the teachers have been prepping them, getting them ready to practice. And then, I mean, today's going amazing. The kids are doing really, really well for our first time. I think it's really going well for everybody.”

Chase, a Batavia middle school seventh-grader, experienced the thrill of perseverance, albeit a bit of embarrassment at first, he admitted, followed by victory in the 100-meter dash.

“I was trying to see, because my shoe slipped off before I started. So it was when I was running, I had my shoe missing, I was like, that’s strange. And then I finished over there, over here. I finished everywhere,” he said, sharing how he felt afterward. “Good. Yeah, definitely I do (want to do it again).”

Press Release:

The Batavia City School District (BCSD) is proud to announce it has once again been honored with the 2025 NAMM Foundation’s Best Communities for Music Education designation, recognizing its continued excellence and longstanding commitment to comprehensive music education. 

The designation honors districts that demonstrate exceptional achievement in ensuring access to high-quality music education for all students. This marks the second consecutive year BCSD has earned this national honor, further solidifying its reputation as a leader in music education.

Superintendent Jason Smith said of the honor, “We are incredibly proud to once again be recognized as one of the Best Communities for Music Education. Receiving this distinction two years in a row is a true reflection of our district’s commitment to fostering a well-rounded education where the arts—and especially music—play a central role. From our elementary school instrumental and vocal programs to high school ensembles, marching band, and theater productions, Batavia students have access to meaningful, enriching music experiences at every stage of their education. As someone who personally benefited from our music program, I’m thrilled to see our students and staff receive this well-deserved national recognition.”

“Being honored with this award for the second consecutive year speaks volumes about the strength and depth of our music program here at BCSD. Our students engage in everything from voice and instrument lessons to performing in chorus, orchestra, rock band, pep band, and musical productions. This achievement belongs to our students, our passionate music educators, and the families and community members who continue to support the arts. We are building something truly special in Batavia, and I’m excited to see where we go from here,” said Melzie Case, BCSD Music Department Chair.

To qualify for the Best Communities designation, BCSD answered detailed questions about funding, graduation requirements, music class participation, instruction time, facilities, support for the music program, and community music-making programs. Responses were verified by school officials and reviewed by the leading arts educational research firm, WolfBrown.

Two awards are given each year: Best Communities for Music Education (BCME) for school districts and the SupportMusic Merit Award (SMMA) for individual school sites. Both reach K-12 schools and districts throughout the U.S. and offer opportunities to increase awareness and support for music programs. Over 1,000 districts and individual school sites (public, private, charter, parochial) were recognized for having the highest commitment to producing exceptional music programs.

Ask Dan Schmidt about his boys and he will act like any proud father and fill the next several minutes with their accolades.

That may be partly because Gavin and Garrett were just 3 and 5 when Dan and his wife Shannon moved to Batavia and the city school district. Their boys went from pre-kindergarten all the way through high school graduation, with plenty of opportunities to be positively impacted by coaches and teachers along the way, Dan says.

And now he wants to take a turn by running for a seat on the school’s Board of Education.

“My heart is to invest in students, to empower teachers and to strengthen the community,” Schmidt said to The Batavian Monday afternoon. “It’s a community endeavor. I’m only one voice out of seven. We all come with a perspective; everybody has a voice that matters to ensure a healthy school district. I’ve got a heart to encourage. I’m going to raise the morale in the room.”

The lead pastor at the Assembly of God Church in Batavia, Schmidt has served on several related boards — “first and foremost” at his church as president of what he feels is a very unified board where “we have a real sense of community and health,” much of which he attributes to the board.

He also served as the western section presbyter for the Assemblies of God, one of 13 in New York State.

“I’ve had the opportunity to oversee about 34 churches with about 100 ministers in the western section for the Assemblies of God,” he said. “And with that, I sit on different boards. And so, if there’s a smaller church, or any church that may be without a pastor, I’ll go in with my leadership team and we sit as the board members and with the heart to just keep stability, to breathe life into the leadership that’s presently there.”

On a related note, that’s how he feels about the school district and how particular teachers and coaches did that sort of thing for his boys: “It just all points back to the investment that Batavia made into (Gavin) and Garrett,” he said.

“A mother and a father in any community can only do so much without others, and we feel like God has brought some really great people around our boys to kind of shape them and mold them into who they are,” he said. “Kind of the back story with it is I started refereeing wrestling three years ago, and just loved the idea in the heart behind investing my life into the community as a referee. And about eight months ago, I talked to President John Marucci. He's a friend of mine, and just said, ‘Hey, what does it take to be a board member, because I'm kind of considering running.’ And he said, ’ Oh, Dan, that would be great.’ And so it was about eight months ago that I started thinking about it, and (putting) my whole heart behind it.

“I think a lot of people come with an agenda. I really don't have one other than I want to invest my life where it counts. And I think serving on a the Board of Education is a place where I can make an investment that counts, because it's reaching from the youngest generation in a community. And so if I can speak life into that, then I'm all in.”

His church underwent a series of renovations and remodels and is not in debt due to successful capital campaigns, so he feels that perhaps his varied experiences can bring a degree of "wisdom to the table." 

"But one thing that I found out is, when it comes to being like no one is wiser than everyone in the room," he said.

Marucci is not running for reelection this year. Both his and incumbent Chezeray Rolle’s terms are up in June.

During the board’s budget hearing Monday evening, Rolle said that he believes he adds value by being on the board and would like to continue serving if possible. 

Schmidt further elaborated on those teachers, coaches and special people who helped to bring the best out of his children, such as when Gavin was having an issue with reading. He received specialized attention for that and, after a few years, “he was exceeding the reading level that he was supposed to be at,” Schmidt said.

“And so when it comes to why I’m standing here, it really comes down to investment the community has poured into, or, excuse me, has partnered with Shannon and I for almost 20 years, and I feel like now it’s my time to give back,” he said.

And those two young boys? Gavin, 23, did so well in auto body class at Genesee Valley BOCES, winning a related Skills USA competition twice. He has a great job “making more money than I do,” his dad cracked. Twenty-year-old Garrett is the vice president of his fraternity at Grove City College in Pennsylvania.

BCSD by the numbers
As for the budget part of the hearing, nothing changed from the last few board meetings.  Batavia City School District residents will have a $63.3 million budget before them for a vote on May 20. This 2025-26 budget calls for a $3 million budget increase and a 2.22% tax levy increase.

The proposed plan would replace six teachers, one secretarial and one administrative position, and move two social workers over from a grant to the general fund.

The estimated property tax rate would be $16.05 per $1,000 assessed value, subject to change once assessment rolls and equalization rates are finalized, he said. That would be approximately 35 cents (.349) more per $1,000 than the current rate, or about a $70 annual increase on a home assessed at $200,000, provided there have been no assessment changes.

The total proposed school tax levy is $20,790,870, an increase of $451,534 from this year. The levy falls within the allowable levy cap of $452,506, school officials said.

There will be two propositions on the ballot:

Proposition #1 General Fund Budget, which asks voters "Shall the proposed budget submitted by the Board of Education of the City School District of the City of Batavia for the 2025-26 school year totaling $63,310,108 be approved and shall taxes be levied upon the taxable property of the School District to meet the requirements of said Budget?”

A second proposition asks residents to vote for two vacancies on the Board of Education to each fill a three-year term, effective July 1, 2025 to June 30, 2028. The terms of incumbents John Marucci and Chezeray Rolle are up this year. Rolle is running again and newcomer Dan Schmidt is running for a seat.

Voting is from 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. on May 20. District 1 residents (north of Main Street/Route 5) vote at Robert Morris School, 80 Union St., and District 2 (south of Main Street/Route 5) vote at BHS, 260 State St.

For the district’s budget presentation, go HERE.

Press Release:

You don’t want to miss this! On Thursday, May 1, the Friends of Richmond Memorial Library will hold their Monthly Book Sale in the Wilber-Fox Room from 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. It’s the perfect time to find something special for Mother’s Day, or…just because.

Visit the Reading Room at 3 p.m. to enjoy the theatrical talents of The GeriActors & Friends. This wonderful group develops performer-created theatre and performance-based activities that are of high quality and that foster positive intergenerational interaction and authentic views of aging. This exceptional and inclusive group will be performing one show only, so be there for something extra special. This program is free to attend and all are welcome.

While you’re here for these exciting events, eligible voters are invited to participate in the 2025 Budget Vote and Trustee Election from 9 a.m. – 9 p.m. in the Gallery Room. There are three trustee positions to be voted on.

Additionally, the Richmond Memorial Library is seeking an increase of 2%, or $27,905, for the 2025-2026 budget year, bringing the total appropriated amount to $1,423,188. The complete budget newsletter and annual report can be found at the library or at batavialibrary.org. 

The current president of the Board of Trustees, Leslie Moma, is running for re-election this year. She is a Landscape Architect for the NYS Department of Transportation and is active in the Batavia community, including serving as a member of the Board of Directors for GoArt! Leslie is committed to the mission of the library in its role as an integral community asset for Batavia and the larger community.

Rebecca Oshlag is a retired special education teacher, a professional storyteller, and an avid reader. Rebecca is currently an appointed member of the Board of Trustees and, if elected, will continue to advance the goals of the library and the Board. She feels honored to work with a group of individuals who spend considerable time and effort to promote the success of a community institution that provides services beyond lending books.

Marcia Bohn is proud to call Batavia home. Her relationship with the library has grown into a teaching role that she finds incredibly fulfilling. She volunteers locally and believes that being actively involved helps to strengthen the community we all share. 

She is excited to take the next step in her service journey and is hoping to become a member of the Board of Trustees to help ensure it continues to thrive and remain accessible, inclusive, and inspiring for every member of our community. 

Residents of Batavia City School District who are registered voters may vote in this year’s Budget Vote & Trustee Election.

For more information about Richmond Memorial Library, visit batavialibrary.org.

Local trends are showing an increased need for mental health care, with more behavioral challenges that lead to emotional disabilities, additional specialized programs, and larger learning gaps between students, Special Education Director Kellie Marciano says.

In 2024, there were 283 students with disabilities at Batavia City Schools versus 287 this year, and “by the end of the year we're going to have more students classified just based on the number of students from the multi-tiered system support that have been referred, as well as some parent referrals,” Marciano said during a report to the school board during its regular meeting this week.

"This year, it is an increase for us, though, from 13% to 14%. The region has a total of about 1,003 students currently classified, with 938 last year. So as a region, we've really been talking a lot about why we're seeing an increase. Why are we seeing a high level of need?” Marciano said. “We've kind of come up with, there's a lot of mental health concerns currently that we're supporting our students with. We're also seeing a larger academic gap in the last couple of years between the intermediate and middle school levels. 

"We're also still kind of, as a team, have been talking about, is this because those students also missed a lot of foundational skills due to COVID. So how do we address that?" she said. "That's something we've looked at. They're seeing a bigger need in more of that specially designed instruction, and more of our students need more self-contained support. So that's a goal that we've been working on.”

The primary focus for the Special Education Department this year is to:

• Establish a guiding coalition for special education, known as the “Pupil Support Network.”

“This consists of our department leaders, who are our special education teacher department leader, we have related service department leaders, a counselor department leader, a social worker department leader, and then we also have a school psychologist who also serves as the UPK and preschool department leader,” she said. “They coined themselves "the pupil support network," so we're really trying to support a variety of needs. This year, they worked on a team, really looking at what our special education curriculum is.”

This network’s tasks include creating a special education continuum and determining a profile of current students in the continuum of services.

“We looked at our current continuum, and then determined what do our students need based on the profiles that we're now seeing for students, and is there any need for improvement or change?” Marciano said.

• Individualized Education Program (IEP) writing and development
• Develop professional learning communities for special education: developing a mission, vision, developing our values and our goals.

Mission - to promote logical progression, non-communication across the district with the usage of related services, specialized instruction, and the multi-tiered system of supports to ensure student success with a data-driven approach to support decision-making policies and processes.

Vision - will provide continuity between buildings with a logical progression of procedures and policies; communication within buildings and throughout the district through collaboration.

Values and Goals include collaboration between buildings and disciplines to support multi-tiered supports, measuring student success, developing policies and procedures, and using data to inform decision-making.

“It’s a nice team that works really collaboratively together that really represents the entire district,” she said. “We have people from every building who’s there, and our main focus, again, is that these are our students, we work together to create a newsletter that goes out to our special education staff.”

• Services related to professional learning teams include three domains of speech and language therapy, occupational therapy, and physical therapy.
• Continue to grow Batavia’s preschool program, which supports Genesee, Orleans, and Wyoming counties. This program provides service for 23 kids in Batavia, three each in Le Roy and Alexander, two each in Pavilion and Attica, one each in Medina, Albion, Pembroke, Byron-Bergen and Elba.
• Continue to grow the Work Study program, which may includes tasks of cleaning and organizing, sorting silverware and dishes, collecting cans and bottles, and helping a teacher hand out papers in middle school; and recycling, helping with mailing, putting menus in staff mailboxes, shredding, manning the coffee cart, making copies,  or being part of the seedling sale in high school.

“So, we’ve actually expanded our work study to also make sure our middle school students are starting to gain access to work study skills,” she said. “We continue to make connections with the community organizations. This year is really exciting, our students are out at Tops, they’re helping with shelving, and they are helping get things organized in the back. We have more connections this year to different organizations, such as the Arc, and we’re really discussing post-secondary opportunities and helping families get connected so when they leave us, either at 22 or 18, they have a path to continue with support.”

• There will be a Special Olympics this year from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. at Van Detta Stadium, featuring athletes from the 12:1:1 classrooms at Batavia Middle and High schools and students from the New York State School for the Blind and Genesee Valley BOCES.

“It'll be a great activity for our students. And our hope is that we can expand it to more students … next year, and then maybe looking at adding districts who are interested as well, and then continuing focus for next year,” she said. “And our goal is going to be continuing that development of (a student’s) portrait, and in more professional learning communities, more professional development around goal writing for IEPs, looking at our professional learning communities for both our 6:1:1 teachers, and then also adding in our 12:1:1 who are our multi-age academic team. And then continue criteria for determining program placement, and looking at our students who need more restrictive placements, and how do we support them as long in the district as possible.”

Go HERE for the full presentation.

In the face of unknown repercussions from possible cuts to, or the total elimination of, the U.S. Education Department, Batavia City School District leaders are pushing forward with a $63.3 million budget calling for a $3 million increase and a 2.22% tax levy increase, Superintendent Jason Smith says.

This proposed 2025-26 budget would replace six teachers, one secretarial and one administrative position, move two social workers over from a grant to the general fund, and pay for necessary expenses, Smith said.

“The majority of increases are coming from essential instructional programming that directly benefits classroom learning and the overall student experience — athletics, music, arts, extracurriculars, etc.,” he said to The Batavian this week after the board had its first budget workshop. “The majority of this increase is related to salary and benefits. Benefits alone, including health insurance, retirement contributions, and social security, are increasing by approximately $883,000 budget to budget. The instructional area of the budget is increasing over $1.7 million, with the majority of that increase attributed to increases in teaching salaries and budgeting federal salaries in the general fund.”

The estimated property tax rate would be $16.05 per $1,000 assessed value, subject to change once assessment rolls and equalization rates are finalized, he said. That would be approximately 34 cents more per $1,000 than the current rate, or a $34 annual increase on a home assessed at $100,000, with no assessment changes.

The total proposed school tax levy is $20,790,870, an increase of $451,534 from this year. The levy falls within the allowable levy cap of $452,506, Smith said.

The district has retirements coming up, and all positions are being replaced, including:

• Two physical education teachers at the BHS
• One Spanish teacher and one English teacher at BHS
• One elementary teacher at Jackson
• One elementary teacher to be shared at Jackson and John Kennedy schools
• One executive director of operations and staff development

These positions are not new hires — “but rather, are replacements that are dictated by class size and student needs,” Smith said, and are not definite at this time.

“We are currently assessing the need to fill these positions prior to the adoption of the budget by the board in April,” he said. “The savings come in terms of ‘breakage’ between the salary and benefits of staff personnel retiring and the possible replacement at a lesser cost.”

An executive director position has been reconfigured to become a director of Human Resources, which is a Civil Service position and will mean a reduced salary, he said.

There is an added position of IT operations analyst. Why was that deemed necessary after adding an IT director? What are the duties and salary/benefits costs?
“Three full-time technology employees resigned or retired between February and June 2023.  A decision was made to hold on replacing these positions until a director was hired and had sufficient time to assess the needs of the department. During this transition, the district contracted with Wayne Finger Lakes BOCES to provide per diem, part-time support,” Smith said. “At this time, the district needs full-time technical support to ensure network systems are consistently monitored, evaluated, and upgraded to be in compliance with various NYS mandates.  The salary/benefits cost is between $55,000-60,000.”

The Batavian asked Smith about potential funding and program cuts with more recent announcements of slashing half the federal Education Department staff and readying it for future elimination. He referred to a message he had sent out to district families Friday to address that issue.

Do you believe that you and the board are considering any and all cuts to make with this budget?
The Board and I always consider every possible item for reduction. For example, we have proposed a Director of Human Resources position to replace the current Executive Director position,” he said. “This proposed budget is highly consistent with our mission and vision of providing high-quality programming and instruction for our students.”

Do you believe this will be the budget going forward, and if so, how do you sell it during a time of upheaval with the stock market and downturned economy?
“The board, leadership team, and our staff believe strongly in the value of sound public education.  This budget represents those values and beliefs and preserves programming that is both essential and expected from our community,” he said.  “Due to the increase in state aid, we are able to preserve important programs for our students and, combined with retirements and using reserves in a wise and conservative manner, this proposed budget meets and exceeds the needs of our students while respecting the tax levy limit for our community.”

The public budget hearing is scheduled for 6 p.m. May 12, and budget vote is May 20.

Laying off nearly half the staff en route to an eventual goal to dismantle the U.S. Education Department has not left school officials with much certainty about the future of their district funding or even rudimentary items such as school lunches, Pat Burk says.

The department, which oversees $1.6 trillion in college loans, enforces civil rights laws, and provides federal funding for needy districts, announced on Tuesday the plan for the second round of mass layoffs to meet President Trump’s apparent goal to eliminate the department altogether, according to Reuters. 

As executive director of the Genesee Valley School Board Association, Burk has been hearing from school superintendents that it’s the not knowing that’s creating the most angst.

“The big concerns that are happening, from an educational standpoint with the Department of Education and other areas that deal with it, including the Department of Agriculture and other areas that the federal government, that deal with our local schools, is that the uncertainty is causing just as much of a problem as the certainty,” Burk said, offering an example. “The Department of Agriculture processes payments for school lunch, and part of that money is because of the Department of Agriculture to make sure that American agricultural products are processed through the school lunch program and used through school lunch programs. Now, what happens if they determine that those products are still going to be ‘used’ for the Agricultural Department and through school lunches, but they get rid of the 600 people that process the payments for that to happen?”

“That's the biggest uncertainty right now is that they can do things, and things can happen that do not necessarily change the ‘laws of the land,’ but can deter the process from being economical for school districts. And you look at some of our districts that have such a huge amount of money involved in federal school lunch programs and other areas like special education, what if the processes, the dollar process, is slowed down?” he said. “I think that's the big thing about the uncertainty. And I think that our local superintendents in my 26 schools that I represent, and the superintendents that are involved in this, are really very much on top of that, and we did have a really good session with Senator Schumer's office at our legislative event that we held, and we're in constant contact with people, but again, there's just no way that the uncertainty, which is really all it is, there's no way that the uncertainty is not going to have some impact.”

If this latest cut happens, the U.S. Education Department will have 2,183 workers left from a total of 4,133 when Trump took office in January.

Batavia City Schools Superintendent Jason Smith addressed district concerns by sending a question-and-answer message home to families Friday about the impending actions to be taken with the federal Education Department.

What will happen if they eliminate the Department of Education by Executive Order?
“At this time, we do not have a definitive answer. However, eliminating a department established by Congress requires congressional approval,” Smith said. “Even if such an action were approved, the executive branch would need to reassign the Department of Education’s responsibilities, as federal law mandates certain functions currently overseen by the department.

“For example, just in the past few weeks, the executive branch directed the Department of Education’s Office of Civil Rights to open several investigations,” he said. “If the Department of Education were eliminated, another federal agency would have to oversee these responsibilities.”

What about all of the grants we receive from the Federal Government? 
“BCSD receives several significant federal grants, including Title I, II, and IV grants under ESSA, as well as 611 and 619 grants under IDEA. The total annual allocation of these grants is currently around $1,736,838. While $1,736,838 is a significant amount, it represents only about 2.9% of our annual revenue,” he said. “Like other responsibilities of the Department of Education, these grants are mandated by congressional acts. If the department were eliminated, the executive branch would have to decide which agency would oversee and distribute these funds.”

What is the impact of the elimination of USDA (Dept. of Agriculture) programs for school meals?
“The recent termination of two USDA programs — the Local Food for Schools Cooperative Agreement Program (LFS) and the Local Food Purchase Assistance Cooperative Agreement Program (LFPA) —could significantly impact districts nationwide,” Smith said. “The full impact remains unclear, as these programs are interconnected with other federal and state initiatives.

“Additionally, New York State plays a role in funding school meal programs, though some state programs rely on federal funding,” he said. “We are closely monitoring this situation, and I anticipate that the New York State budget may include provisions to maintain school meal funding if federal support is reduced or eliminated.”

Will all of this impact staffing or programming at BCSD?
“At this time, we do not anticipate any immediate changes to staffing or programming as a result of these federal actions, but we will continue to monitor developments,” he said. “As with school meal funding, we expect the New York State budget and legislative actions to address some of these concerns and provide further clarity.”

Burk said he thinks the uncertainty isn’t necessarily that the impact will be felt “sooner rather than later.”

“I was in a meeting with what's called the Coalition of Local School Boards Association yesterday, and we had a long conversation about the fact that we don't have anything to ‘worry about from the law side,’ because they haven't gone against the laws,” Burk said. “But when you have a commissioner secretary of education who admits her job is to close the department down without having the answers of how are the services going to be handled, that uncertainty is going to drive us into another whole realm.

“I mean, it's just unbearable for many people to think about it. Think about schools who have a high level of Title I kids, actual poor kids that, for whatever reason, have major economic difficulties who are in Title I schools who have a tremendous amount of need for additional funding,” he said. “Even they all want kids to succeed, but they don't want to pay for the extra reading or whatever. Where's that Title I funding going to come from if the Department of Education is closed down? We're finding that it's more and more of a, I don't even want to say it's a delicate balance. It's just like a ridiculous balance of what is being considered.”

Press Release:

Press The Batavia City School District (BCSD) is now accepting nominations for the 2025 Musicians of Note honor.

Each year, BCSD recognizes alumni and retired music educators for their accomplishments in the field of music. Batavia has many alumni who have had successful careers in music performance, music education, musical theater, and audio recording.

Honorees will be recognized in a future ceremony with a video presentation and performance ensembles to celebrate their achievements. A plaque featuring their accomplishments will be displayed on the Musicians of Note wall at Batavia High School.

Criteria for nominations include:

1. Recipients should be/have been an active performer or music educator.
2. Recipients must be at least ten years out of high school.
3. Recipients should have/had a successful musical career in either performance, composition, education, theater, or audio recording.
4. Nominations to posthumously honor deceased musicians/educators from BCSD will be accepted as well.

To nominate an alumnus or retired BCSD music educator who fits the criteria, click here.

Honorees and 2025 ceremony information will be announced at a later date. For any questions, please contact Batavia City School District Music Department Chair Melanie Case at mlcase@bataviacsd.org. 

Press Release:

CAN-USA Sports has teamed up with the Batavia Community Schools Foundation for their annual Blue vs White Charity Hockey Game. Sunday, March 9 at 5 p.m. with doors opening at 4 p.m. at the David McCarthy Memorial Arena.

This years hockey game will include special guest appearances from BHS Drum Line, BMS Girls Acapella Group, John Kennedy Musical Group, and mascots.

The game will feature local business owners, Batavia City School District Alumni, and local youth hockey leaders.

“Last year we had some fun on the ice, helped support the Foundation, and had lots of support from our local community leaders. We really want everyone to come out this year and watch an exciting game featuring local people you know in your community for a good cause,” said Zack Korzelius, Batavia Foundation President.

A full roster will be released at the event, but see below the current players signed up to participate. 

• Steve Pie’s, Owner – Max Pies Furniture and Batavia Hockey Alumni
• Nick Harris - SBFR Partners LLP and Notre Dame Hockey Alumni
• Dan Calkins – 2006 Sectional Championship team, Batavia Alumni, and Ramparts Coach
• Anthony Consiglio - Batavia City School District Faculty Member

If you or someone you know owns a local business who would like to help sponsor either or both of the events please contact Marc Witt, General Manager/Ownership – CAN-USA Sports, mwitt.canusa@gmail.com for opportunities. 

Tickets for the event start at just $10 with proceeds benefiting the Batavia Community Schools Foundations. Tickets can be bought online (LINK - HERE) or in person at the David McCarthy Memorial Arena box office.

Leah Wroten, a 2020 Batavia High School grad and special education teacher’s aide, has done battle with cancer through life-changing surgery, chemotherapy and related treatments since her diagnosis just a year ago.

She has gotten the good news of being in remission, however, having to take six months off and still more days for scans and check-ups has meant a hefty medical bill for the 21-year-old. 

Thankfully, she has an army of colleagues raising money through various efforts, including a 26 Shirts initiative, which just dropped its exclusive, limited edition design for Wroten on Monday.

There will now be less than 12 days to snatch up an original design that reads: "Introverted but willing to defend Josh Allen" on a number of clothing items, including T-shirts, sweatshirts, long-sleeved shirts, hoodies, zipped hoodies and tank tops.

Every purchase means $8 to Wroten’s cause, and  — in keeping with the company’s focus on sports-themed apparel — her fellow Batavia City School staff, students, friends and family are rooting for a touchdown to get her financially “back on her feet.”

For more information or to support the cause, go to 26 Shirts.

Batavia City School District’s students, faculty and staff have come together in the aftermath of a tragedy that took the life of one of their own this week, Superintendent Jason Smith says.

Three siblings were rescued from a fire that broke out at 3 Vine St., Batavia in the early morning hours of Thursday. Javarius-Gus, 10, did not survive. The Batavia school district readied personnel to be a source of support for students and staff as they learned the news.

“We have activated our counseling and support teams for our students.  I was at BMS this morning, and teams were ready to support our students and staff,” Smith said Friday.  “Our Trauma, Illness, and Grief team, consisting of mental health staff from Batavia High School, John Kennedy, and Jackson Primary, were on site to provide support to students and staff. We will have the same support available on Monday, February 10, and will continue to provide it for as long as necessary.  

“Our students and staff are struggling with the loss of Javarius-Gus, and we are actively supporting them.  I am most appreciative of our leadership team and counselors for their incredible response to this tragedy and to our teachers and staff for supporting and consoling our students,” Smith said.  “We continue to keep Javarius-Gus and his family close in our hearts, as well as his siblings.”

The school community displayed a visual memorial on Friday, Smith said, and “students and staff wore blue today across the District, as blue was Javarius's favorite color.”

“And students honored him by memorializing his locker with kind words about what a special friend he was,” Smith said, adding a reminder to parents and guardians. “Over the weekend, if your child needs additional support, you can call the Care and Crisis hotline at (585) 283-5200 or text "talk" to 741741, and they will provide support. 

Press Release:

The Batavia City School District (BCSD) is now accepting registration applications for universal pre-kindergarten (UPK) and kindergarten programs for the 2025-26 school year.

BCSD will offer five full-day UPK programs and two half-day programs for the upcoming school year. BCSD’s UPK program is located at Robert Morris (80 Union St.) and at one community-based organization. The BCSD kindergarten program is located at Jackson Primary (411 S. Jackson St.).  

UPK students must be four years old on or before December 1, 2025. Kindergarten students must be five years old on or before December 1, 2025.

For more information, including how to register online, visit bataviacsd.org/registration. You can also pick up and return your registration packet at the BCSD Registration Office located at 260 State Street, Batavia.

Hours of Operation are Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 12 p.m. and 1 to 4 p.m. (excluding school holidays). For more information please contact registration@bataviacsd.org or 585-343-2480 ext. 1010.

The deadline to receive UPK applications for the 2025-26 school year is Thursday, May 1. There is no deadline to receive kindergarten applications.

 At 21, Leah Wroten was diagnosed with cancer, and life as she knew it changed for the foreseeable future, special education teacher Natalie Keller says.

“She had life-changing surgery," Keller said to The Batavian about her fellow Batavia City Schools colleague. "She had not been working for six months.” 

Wroten, a BHS 2020 graduate, had major surgery, chemotherapy and related treatments since her diagnosis in 2024. School staff members have had football square and Dress Down Day fundraisers, and one coming up in February is expected to be the biggest so far, Keller said. It will be a 26 Shirts for Leah.

As a special ed teacher’s aide, Wroten was not paid during her time off, and it hurt her financially during those six months off. Keller has been aware of 26 Shirts, a Buffalo company that does popular one-of-a-kind shirt designs for worthy causes, and staff added their friend to the waiting list last April.

Wroten’s shirt design will be sold online for two weeks beginning Feb. 24, with $8 from each purchase going to her. Designs usually involve sports themes, such as with Buffalo Bills, and Keller is hoping that the Bills win the Super Bowl and the design can incorporate that. She has heard good things about the 26 Shirts company.

“They’ve been doing this for six or seven years. They said they make about $6,000 to $8,000 for each shirt design,” she said. "Some of this will be getting her back on her feet.”

Given that Wroten began in October 2023 and hadn’t been at the district very long when she got sick, she has rather quickly made a difference at the school, with adults and students alike. 

Special education teacher Chris Gorton works in the same room with Keller and Wroten, and has enjoyed the experience of this teacher’s aide. 

“Leah is amazing,” he said. 

Keller also shared how she works with people.

“She’s very patient, she’s a good balance to me. She’s very patient with the kids at school and with my daughter, Sara. I think this group of kids that she works with a high school, she kind of found her people,” Keller said. “I don’t know that she was interested in doing that kind of work, but once she started, it’s just very natural for her to be caring and patient but to challenge the kids too.”

Sara, 16, has Down Syndrome, and Wroten has been taking her to youth group while working three jobs and preparing to continue her own education to become a special education teacher or study library science, Keller said. Her plans were temporarily shifted when she was diagnosed with ovarian cancer at 21, and had to take time off from work for surgery and treatments. 

She is in remission but still has to get scans and have follow-up appointments, “which means every time she takes off, she’s still not getting paid for those days; it’s hard to amass any time when you’re off,” Keller said.

“I’d like her to be in the position that if she has to go to a doctor’s appointment, she doesn’t have to worry about food and rent,” Keller said. “We’re hoping to get her back in a good place.”

About 26 Shirts
According to the website, 26 Shirts sells different limited edition Buffalo-themed t-shirts that give back. After a shirt's respective fundraising campaign is over, the design is retired and (usually) never sold again.

For every shirt sold, a donation is made to a specific family in need or charitable organization. 

“Our primary focus is needs associated with health/medical concerns or unexpected family emergencies,” the site states. “Our goal is to provide customers with the highest quality, softest fabric shirts. So not only will they be designs you love, they'll be on shirts you love wearing.”

Wroten’s shirt will be released on Feb. 24 on the website and be available for purchase online for two weeks. 

Press Release:

The Batavia High School (BHS) Rock Band has been honored with the 2025 Excellence in Student Services Award by the Genesee Valley School Boards Association. 

The award, presented on Saturday, January 18, recognized the Rock Band program for its outstanding contribution to student development and music education.

Now in its 11th year, the BHS Rock Band program offers students the opportunity to explore and perform various styles of rock music, focusing on the four primary rock instruments; drums, bass guitar, guitar, and keyboard. 

The program is performance-focused, with several concerts each year that allow students to showcase their skills and growth as musicians.

Originally launched as a single class in 2014, the Rock Band program has expanded significantly over the years. It now includes three classes and an after-school advanced ensemble.

Congrats to the BCSD Music Department for this impressive achievement!

To the many people who knew former Batavia High School teacher and principal Glenn Young — from family and friends to students and colleagues — he served as an inspiration. He made a difference as a favorite teacher and fair administrator.

“This man was an amazing person to work with and for. I have nothing but respect for him,” Burton Howell said. “My thoughts and prayers are with the family and I remember so fondly him telling everyone about his nephew that might get drafted from Arizona and how cool that story ended up.” 

As a former Batavia resident and BHS graduate, Young grew up on a dairy farm outside of Potsdam before that and joined the Army after he graduated high school. He served in Germany during the Korean War and worked his way through college at Potsdam University as a police officer for the city of Potsdam. 

After graduating with a bachelor’s degree in 1964, he took a position at BHS as a history teacher. In 1985, he became principal of the school until he retired 10 years later. 

Glenn Young died Dec. 27 in Tucson, Ariz., where he lived during retirement. He was 91.

There were certain things about Young that Howell isn’t likely to forget, he said, such as the sound of Young’s cowboy boots coming down the hallway: they announced his arrival before he ever showed up. He also talked about how excited he was about his nephew John Fina, a tackle at the University of Arizona when the boy was being considered for the NFL draft.

“It was awesome when he got drafted by the Bills, and even better when he had a remarkable career here,” Howell said. “My fondest memory as a teacher with Glenn as my principal was at a parent meeting where the parent began attacking me. Glenn literally stood up between me and the parent and told them they would never speak to one of his teachers that way, and dismissed me. As I walked away, I heard him tear into the parent about how his teachers wouldn’t be treated that way.”

He had nothing but good words for this former administrator, Howell said. Former Board of Education President Patrick Burk shared a similar sentiment in that Young "was always kind, inclusive and welcoming.”

“I was honored to work with him as a member of the Board of Education,” Burk said on a social media post. 

Batavia school teacher John Kirkwood also posted, adding, “You were a difference maker for the Batavia City School District, and you will be remembered fondly by those who had the pleasure to work with you.”

Former student Cheryl Kowalik told The Batavian that Young “cared about the students and staff he worked with.” He was an excellent teacher and principal, she said, and was an educator who made learning fun.

Another former student, current school Superintendent Jason Smith, credits Young as a bridge for Smith’s longtime friendship with a foreign exchange student from the 1980s.

“My best memory of Mr. Young was when he met with me in his office in early December of my junior year in 1988 to discuss a foreign exchange student at BHS, who was also a friend of mine. He was having difficulty at his present home placement, and Mr. Young was looking for ideas, somehow knowing we were friends,” Smith said. “The following week Hiro Yamabe moved in with my family and I on Elm Street for the rest of the school year. 

“That conversation initiated by Mr. Young about Hiro resulted in a wonderful 37-year friendship,” Smith said. “Hiro, my family and I are so grateful to Mr. Young for showing such kindness and caring, as Hiro would have likely returned to Japan, and instead, it led to a wonderful and special friendship.”

There were a number of things that came to mind for Ginny Tiede when she thought of Glenn Young, though her clearest memory was of him patrolling the halls of BHS, walking “very softly in his cowboy boots.” He also had quite a green thumb, planting clumps of white birch in the courtyard and converting his home porch into a year-round automatic vegetable watering system.

“We visited him and Rosemary at their home in the foothills near Sabino Canyon in Tucson several decades ago,” Tiede said. “There was a hummingbird nest in the frame of their basketball hoop. Glenn liked to go hiking.”

Apparently, Batavia High School had carved out a spot in his heart just as he had impacted that community. He shared many memories with his grandson on return visits to Batavia after his retirement, Dawson Young said. 

“My grandfather lived an amazing and accomplished life,” Dawson said in an online post. “My grandfather loved Batavia High School. In his time there, he told me how he had helped build the courtyard adjacent to the cafeterias; that courtyard was named ‘The Glenn’ in honor of him. My grandfather talked very fondly of several teachers he had hired and worked with. My grandfather was close with many teachers and former students at the school. 

“He would tell me his experience every time he returned to Batavia; he would walk down some of the streets and be recognized and admired. He was a remarkable person and I am so extremely proud to have had him as my grandpa,” Dawson said. “I love you, Grandpa, so very much. Thank you for everything you’ve done for me and for being an inspiration to me.”

Glenn Young is survived by a brother, Dale Young of Spring Valley, Ariz.; a sister, Carol Sullivan of California; a son Douglas Young of Clinton, Ill.; and daughter Vicki Hoover of Springfield, Ill.; a son, Mike Young of Longmont, Colo.; and a son, Jeffrey Young of Tucson, Ariz.

This past week, just before the holiday break, 16 sixth- through eighth-grade students from Batavia Middle School’s My Brother’s Keeper program livened up the nearby neighborhoods with some caroling around the BMS neighborhood. 

From 4:30 to 6 p.m., the students and Extended Day Director/My Brother’s Keeper Facilitator Kristen Gomez, moderators Tom Bringenberg and Daniel Rhodes, social worker Sheri Crossett, and BMS Principal Megan Crine stood in front of homes as their neighbors stepped outside to listen to holiday favorites. 

Those involved said it brought out some holiday cheer, and the neighbors “absolutely loved it.”

The event was open to families, and some students brought along siblings and grandparents. Participants enjoyed pizza that was donated by Dominos, Pizza 151, and Main Street Pizza, and munchkins donated from Dunkin Donuts, plus  hot cocoa and cookies.

Submitted Photos

Of all the things that BHS grad James DiLullo has done in his storied life so far, perhaps one of the bravest has been to occupy 20 high school seniors for 80 minutes — a fleeting thought that came to the film writer and director 12 minutes into his visit Friday afternoon.

He soon learned there was nothing to worry about as Laura Tenebruso’s creative writing class began to glean tidbits of a business major-turned-writing enthusiast’s career and watch his locally produced film, “Kitty,” while discovering some realities of their own class.

“Mostly, the writing is the basis for all of the things we see in life, communicating ideas for the written word; it's pretty much the greatest advancement in technology, right? And we shouldn't take that for granted,” DiLullo said. “And no, you're not a writer now; maybe you hate this class; maybe you're only here because you have to be here. But there's advantages to paying attention to this class in particular.”

He shared his own varied path to get where he is today, living in Los Angeles with film studio Beauty View Ranch in the Southern Tier, four movies under his belt as producer — two penned by him — and has acted in several.

“I never expected to necessarily be a writer. I was a business person, and still am a business person, but I found something I enjoyed and was good at, and I like pursuing and thusly studied it,” he said. “Don't be afraid to keep educating yourself. The opposite of writing is reading. If you want to be strong in one, you participate in the other.”

He talked about a few books that inspired him, including “Write for Life” by Julia Cameron; a practical, holistic approach to writing; “Screenplay” by Syd Field, a master screenwriter from the 1930s and 40s; and Joseph Campbell’s “The Hero with a Thousand Faces,” an anthropology book at its core, he said, but “is really about storytelling” and basis for the hero’s journey of Luke Skywalker in “Star Wars.”

Tenebruso appreciated hearing about his personal and professional background, and that he offered up a scenario of taking imperfect steps while reaching the appropriate location for him -- from going to college as a business major, working at Microsoft and being involved in other aspects of business before finding his way back to writing.

“I was really most interested in him sharing his journey as a writer because he said that he used to write in high school, but it had kind of fallen by the wayside, and his path was, is pretty interesting,” Tenebruso said. “And so I really appreciated that he shared that journey with the kids and that he talked about how he didn't know when he was their age that this was what he was destined to do, and it's just a great story about how through networking and being in the right place and meeting the right people, can just completely change your life.”

His central message — no surprise here — was the idea that “everything is story,” she said, and what he's been able to accomplish has developed from an idea into that fleshed out story. Even his mother, who has found her way to writing later in life, gives him a lot of great ideas for writing, he said.

Superintendent Jason Smith, who helped to set up DiLullo’s visit, stopped in to visit for awhile.

“I did see the film and found it to be creative and imaginative — and of course, I loved all the Batavia shots!  James’ enthusiasm is contagious, and we loved his passion for his career,” Smith said. “We are proud of our fellow BHS grad, James, on his well-earned accomplishments. James’ message was one of persistence and setting goals and working hard to attain them. He is proud of his Batavia roots and it’s awesome for our students to hear from a successful Batavian. It was our honor to be part of this project.”

Part of DiLullo’s visit included a contest for students to guess the number of pages in the film’s script. The film itself is six minutes and 40 seconds long. There were two winners guessing a script of six and a half pages, so they ended up having a tie-breaker of guessing the number of lines on the last page.

“Screenplays are not as big as you think. It's not as many words as you think. It's a visual medium. The words are just there to guide the visual sense. So I got numbers from 70 to 80, 100. It’s an exercise to kind of incorporate, what does it look like in the industry, in time and in money? Because that's how everything's measured by us … how many scenes is that? And how many times per day can you do that, and how many shots?” he said. “It all relates back to the written word, 100% it's all measured in written words.”

So what was the final answer? There were 14 lines. Senior Makayla Balonek gave the correct answer and won a “Kitty” sweater. The movie was filmed at John Kennedy Intermediate School earlier this year and featured one superstar feline and both adult and child actors. It showed the class how to build suspense, create a soundtrack and do product placement within a movie, which was done, for example, when a refrigerator door closed and flyers on the front door displayed local business names. 

“I do think they are encouraged by his story,” Tenebruso said. “A kid from Batavia who’s not just a writer … but can inspire other people.”

About Kitty
Local band GumShoe, featuring Tim McJury, Todd Townsend and Dan Eick, plays the song “Psycho Kitty” in the movie.

There will be a special showing after the Christmas in the City parade at approximately 6:45 p.m. Saturday at GO ART!, 201 E. Main St., Batavia, and possibly a second one later on during an open house from 6 to 9 p.m. 

During the 6 p.m. parade, DiLullo’s team will be pulling a cart and handing out free hot chocolate.

Back at GO ART! after the parade, DiLullo and members of the cast and crew will be on hand to answer questions and mingle, plus Volunteers For Animals members will be available to collect donations of pet food and supplies and answer questions about dogs and cats at Genesee County Animal Shelter. 

Watch the trailer HERE.

Press Release:

Once again, we find ourselves in the season of late autumn, when it almost feels like something new, and yet there is also a sense of nostalgia as we prepare for the seasons of thanksgiving, peace, and hope. It is also our custom at this time of year, that the Twenty-five Neediest Children’s Fund, Inc. makes its annual appeal. 

For it is during this special time of giving and sharing that we come to you for your compassion and financial support, which enables us to assist children in the Batavia City School District throughout the year.

It was in 1933, during the dark days of the Great Depression, that the Twenty-five Neediest Children’s Fund, Inc., was originated. At that time, many students were in need of
tonsillectomies. While the physicians waived their fee, the surgery required an overnight hospital stay. The cost of the overnight stay was $7.50, which proved too much for some
families. So, Batavia City School District physician, Dr. Dexter Pierce saw this need, and it inspired the founding of the Twenty-five Neediest Children’s Fund, Inc. 

The initial intent of the fund was to help the 25 most needy children in the Batavia School District. Yet there has never been a numerical limit on the number who are assisted, as the only purpose is to serve the children in need.

Now, as has been the case through the past ninety years, there continue to be children who are in need of everyday clothing, a warm coat, eyeglasses and eye exams, sneakers, shoes, school supplies, doctor and dental visits, counseling, prescriptions, medical supplies, and other needs. The teachers, nurses, counselors, and social workers through the Batavia schools identify children in need. These needs and concerns are conveyed to Mr. Justin Saraceni, FNP-BC, the Medical Director for the Batavia City School District. 

Mr. Saraceni contacts the child’s parents and if it is determined that they aren’t able to provide what it is that their child needs and if the family does not qualify for special services or assistance that is available, the Twenty-five Neediest Children’s Fund, Inc. steps in to help. The parents then select what care is to be provided, and by whom, in order to provide a remedy. Most of the families in need are the working poor. They are getting along, but they cannot withstand a bump in the highway of life.

The fund focuses on providing the necessities of life. As the needs are addressed, bills are submitted to the Twenty-five Neediest Fund for payment. There is no red tape, no publicity, and there are no strings attached. Our only desire is to help the child in need. It is only through the generous giving of our many contributors that the Twenty-five Neediest Children’s Fund, Inc. is able to provide this support. 

This is all done with anonymity, as the identity of the of the child and the family remain confidential and are unknown to the committee.

Over the years we additionally became known as the “Quiet Fund”.  We received this moniker by the dear late Dan Winegar of The Daily News, who championed our cause from the 1960s to the 1980s. The “Quiet Fund” title evolved due to the fact that we only make one annual appeal to our community, at this time of giving. We exist solely on the generosity of others in our community, and beyond. It clearly remains evident that many of you believe that a contribution to our fund is an affirmation that no child should go without and furthermore that you wish to reduce a parent’s anguish as they agonize over how they are going to provide
what their child needs. 

Since our inception, this fund operates as a true and complete charity, without any administrative costs. All donations are turned into benefits. Every cent received is spent on the children. We continue to believe that to assist a child, and their parent, in this way is a gracious and immeasurable gift.

So, as we look to the promise of this season of hope and peace, we also look forward to hearing from friends, old and new, who share our desire to assist the children. Checks made payable to the Twenty-five Neediest Children’s Fund, Inc., may be sent to Nann K. Zorn, 12 River Street, Batavia, NY 14020. 

We continue to be grateful to those who are ever faithful to remember our fund at the holiday season and throughout the year. On behalf of the children, and their parents, helped by your generosity and gifts of love, we extend to you a most sincere thank you and warm wishes for the holiday season, and blessings to you and yours for the New Year.

Twenty-five Neediest Children’s Fund, Inc. Committee,
Nancy Arras
Benjamin J. Bonarigo, Jr, Esq.
Nancy Haitz
Justin Saraceni
Sara Zorn Schroeder
Virginia H. Tiede
Nann K. Zorn, Chairperson

Press Release:

The Batavia City School District (BCSD) is proud to announce that our state-of-the-art facility at VanDetta Stadium will once again be hosting athletic events during the 2024-25 school year.

We continue to make safety our number one priority for students, staff, and community members attending events at VanDetta Stadium. We’re anticipating large crowds throughout the season, and we want to make you aware of the enhanced safety protocols, guidelines, and expectations when attending our Varsity Football games:

• All attendees will be wand-checked by our security team to ensure no prohibited items are brought into the facility.
• VanDetta Stadium is located in a neighborhood, so please be courteous and do not block driveways, throw trash on the ground, or use foul language. Please be a good neighbor. Parking regulations will be strictly enforced by the Batavia Police Department.
• All students ages 12 and under should be accompanied by an adult.
• We will charge adults a $2 admission fee for all Varsity Football games. Students and seniors aged 62 and over will have free admission.
• We suggest you arrive early to avoid security delays upon entry.

We’ll also continue to have a security presence around the stadium during events. We’re once again collaborating with Armor Security this year to help support our administrators, athletic event workers, and the Batavia Police Department to make sure safety remains a priority at our events. We’ll also have additional security in our parking lots.

We cannot wait to welcome you back to VanDetta Stadium for another exciting season of Blue Devil events and cheer on our wonderful student-athletes. Let’s all do our part to keep our school grounds, students, faculty, staff, and community safe.