Newsletter - Chenango Forks Central School District Home

Winter 2015
Newsletter
A community where learners excel!
Accomplishments and Advancements Anticipated for 2015
It’s hard to believe how fast the time goes by. We are already halfway through another very
busy school year, accomplishing great things both in and out of the classroom.
I want to thank the Chenango Forks taxpayers for coming out and supporting the 2016
Academic and Safety Initiative capital project. The district is very excited and looking
forward to the technological, academic and safety advances that the project will bring to
Chenango Forks.
Congratulations to the Chenango Forks football team for winning its fourth Class C
New York State Championship and to all the fall athletes on a season well done in both
academics and athletics.
The STEAM Academy continues to grow and flourish. Chenango Forks will be adding
Project Lead the Way (PLTW) courses in the fall of 2015 to enhance the work being done
in the STEAM Academy. PLTW courses are taught in conjunction with Rochester Institute
of Technology for college credit. Chenango Forks will be offering biomedical science, and we hope to partner
with a neighboring school district to add an engineering course to give students from both districts access to both
curriculums.
Lloyd “Joe” Peck, Ed.D.
Superintendent of Schools
As we quickly turn our attention to spring and the upcoming budget season, I want to assure you the district
will continue to closely analyze and examine the budget process. We will present the strongest possible budget
to the public in order to keep taxes down and at the same time generate the proper amount of revenue to ensure
the academic integrity of the district. I hope to see many of our taxpayers at the upcoming Board of Education
meetings. Check our website, www.cforks.org, or call the district office at 607-648-7543 for information on the
2015-2016 budget.
Thank you again, for your continued support and your dedication to the students of the Chenango Forks Central
School District.
Sincerely,
Lloyd “Joe” Peck Ed.D., Superintendent of Schools
Bus Proposition Vote
February 24, 2015
12 p.m. - 8 p.m.
CFHS Auditorium
Board of Education: Don Edwards-President; Spyros Dimatos-Vice President; Amy O’Brien, Ken Starr, Tom Wiser
Superintendent of Schools—Lloyd “Joe” Peck, Ed.D.
District
2
Winter 2015
Bus Proposition Vote Scheduled for February 24
Notice is hereby given that a special meeting of the
qualified voters of the Chenango Forks Central School
District will be held in the high school auditorium,
One Gordon Drive, Binghamton, New York, on
February 24, with a snow date of February 26, with the
polls remaining open from 12 p.m. to 8 p.m. to vote on the
bus proposition.
Voting Procedures and Information
Absentee ballots
Absentee ballots are now available for individuals who
will be absent from the District while the polls are open
due to:
Q &A
• Business, occupation or studies.
How many buses are we purchasing and what type are they?
• Confinement in a hospital or jail.
The bus proposition will not exceed $678,000. This
money will be used to purchase five 66-passenger liquid
propane (LP) buses and two small buses or vehicles.
Liquid propane buses are more fuel-efficient than diesel
buses and provide a safe alternative fuel choice. The
district currently has eight LP buses in its fleet.
Why do we need to purchase new buses?
Bus purchases are scheduled to replace older buses that
have high mileage and body rust. Keeping a newer fleet
reduces down time and the risk of bus failure while
in use. We currently have 33 transportation vehicles
ranging in model year from 2002-2015. Replacing five
large and two small vehicles annually keeps the fleet
current and avoids inspection failures and mechanical
failure while driving on routes and trips. Our buses
average 15,000 miles per year.
Why are buses voted on in a separate proposition and not
with the regular budget?
Bus purchases require a separate proposition because they
are funded by Bond Anticipation Notes (BANS*). The
five-year period corresponds to the receipt of state aid on
the buses to help the district absorb the cost of purchasing
the buses. Transportation aid is also spread over five
years. The bus vote is also taking place now so that the
buses will be in place for the new school year.
• Physical disability or illness.
• Vacation (includes retirees.)
To obtain a ballot, call 648-7543, follow the District
Office-District Clerk prompts.
Voter I.D.
Identification will be required when you vote.
Acceptable forms of identification include:
• Valid driver’s license.
• A passport.
• Certified photo identification, such as a Sheriff ’s
I.D. card.
Voter qualifications
You are qualified to vote if you are:
• 18 years of age or older.
• A citizen of the United States.
• A resident of the school district for 30 days.
What is the cost of the buses?
The projected annual cost is calculated as follows:
Estimated annual payment on a BAN:
Less estimated transportation aid (89.1%):
Net annual cost:
$140,000
- $124,700
$ 15,300
The net cost to taxpayers for the bus purchases is $76,500
($15,300 per year for 5 years).
*These BANS are typically a fixed rate renewable annually
for a period of five years.
www.cforks.org
High School
Winter 2015
Principal’s Message
John Hillis,
High School Principal
3
After a rather lengthy winter, it’s
time to start thinking about the end
of the school year. As this time of
the year usually gets very busy for
both students and families, we put
together a list of some of our more
important events to help in the
planning process.
May 5: AP Chemistry Exam
If you have any questions or
concerns, please call the high school
main office at 648-7544.
May 29: Honors Banquet, TBA
May 6: AP Physics Exam
May 12: AP Biology Exam
May 15: AP World History May 15: Prom 8 p.m. – Midnight
May 20: Honor Society Induction Ceremony, 7 p.m.
May 29: End of the 35-Week Marking Period
Life Lessons Taught Through Budgeting Exercise
Approximately 95 juniors and seniors recently
discovered how difficult it can be to balance everyday
expenses and fun in the 5th-annual Life is a Reality
event sponsored by Visions
Federal Credit Union.
Each student selects their
desired career and uses
a ledger that includes a
starting salary, benefits,
and take-home pay based
on entry-level averages for
that job. This year’s event
added the deductions for
the Affordable Care Act
and 401k savings plans.
entertainment. Students also spun the “chance” wheel
to see if they have to budget an unexpected expense or
get lucky and have an unexpected increase in income.
Emphasis was put on beginning
a retirement savings plan and
putting money into savings in
case of an emergency.
“The most challenging part was
trying to figure out the banking
and savings,” said junior Dylan
Studer.
“This is a great opportunity for
students to learn something
valuable outside of the New
Pictured (l-r): Eric Guernsey and Tyler Perry
York state curriculum,” said
From there, students visited multiple stations that
American history teacher Jonathan Edwards.
cover expenses such as utilities, groceries, housing, and
Necessity Leads to Inspiration for High School Senior
When Isaac Pixley needed a project to create on a 3D printer and in the same stretch of
time lost the mouthpiece to his trumpet, Pixley decided to take the need as inspiration
and set out to make a backup mouthpiece.
Pixley, a senior, began the project last year in his computer-aided design course and
continued to work on the mouthpiece this year, determined to complete the project.
“There were seven versions before creating the final working model,” said Pixley. After
refining dimensions on the first four and dealing with printer errors for the next few,
Pixley created a working mouthpiece.
Not only did Pixley learn how to design an object for the 3D printer, but he also learned
more about the dimensions and shape of a trumpet mouthpiece.
www.cforks.org
High School
4
Winter 2015
Honor Society Cleans Up
If you drove along Route 12 in late October, you may have seen a group of National Honor Society students dressed
in fluorescent jackets with garbage bags in tow. They gathered a wide array of items, ranging from cans to cigarette
butts to a mud flap.
The National Honor Society is made up of
juniors and seniors and is advised by high
school teachers Roy Dando and Karon Bielenda.
Membership is based on service, leadership,
and academics. The road clean-up is just one
example of the many ways the club performs
community service. A section of Route 12 had
been adopted by the National Honor Society
five years ago as a part of the Adopt-A-Highway
program. The clean-ups are conducted twice a
year, once in the fall and once in the spring.
Submitted by Roy Dando, HS math teacher and NHS advisor
Pictured (l-r): Karon Bielenda, David Yevtuhk, Robert Pinataro, Emma Haley, Adam
Copeland, Kenoa Tio, Megan LeVasseur, Matt Allen, Alaijah Cheeseman, Michael
Bubniak,Victoria Godden, Nick Hurd, Dana Croswell, Linnae Corgan, Ava Hudack,
Melissa Boeker,Taylor Thomas, Kylee Warner, Claire Stocum, Alexa Walling, Roy Dando
Students Help Local Families
Chemistry of Candy Haiku
Treats Kellicutt to Award
Senior Caleb Kellicutt
recently won an award from
the American Chemical
Society for his submission
for their chemistry of candy
contest.
The contest required students
to write a poem and create
a poster about the chemical
composition of a candy.
Kellicutt chose to write a
haiku on the extremely sour
“Warhead” candy when he
remembered a lesson on how a sour taste was derived
from acid.
Athletes, student council members and student
volunteers teamed up to help local families in need
during the holiday season with the Holiday Basket
program.
Students, teachers and staff donated food, clothing
and blankets during the month of December and
student volunteers sorted and delivered the goods to
the Chenango Forks Fire Station just before the holiday
season.
The program has been in place for decades, and over
the years there have been many student volunteers who
were recipients as well. Annually, the program serves
approximately 100 local families in need.
Once his poem was completed, Kellicutt created his
poster design using an interpretation of the candy logo
and molecule representations of the predominant acid
found in the candy. Kellicutt received a certificate from
the American Chemical Society and a gift card from
Barnes and Noble.
Pictured (l-r): Ryan Ehrets, Jacob Osterhout, and Mason Rowe
www.cforks.org
Winter 2015
High School
5
We Wish You a Joyeux Noël and a Happy New Year
It is a long-established custom at Chenango Forks for French students
to prepare bûche de Noël, the Yule log cake, without which the French
holiday table would be incomplete. Over the period of several days in
December, French students and their teachers were welcomed into the
kitchens of family and consumer science teachers Deb Daniels (high
school) and Fara Shoudy (middle school), and the bûche-baking began.
On day one, students baked the sponge cake. On day two, they frosted
and filled it. On day three, they were finally able to taste the delicious
confection. As in years past, the French IV students made enough cakes
to share with the 7th-grade French students who will begin preparing
bûche de Noël themselves when they are in 8th-grade.
Pictured (l-r): John Roys, Alexis Burge, and Jacob
Pierson
Over the years, the bûche de Noël has become a traditional part of many Chenango Forks holiday celebrations,
as our French-speaking students enjoy sharing their culinary skill with their families. So, if you happen to know a
French-speaking CF student, ask them to bake you a bûche!
Submitted by Nicole Dimatos, 7th-grade English and French teacher
English Teacher Earns Ed.D.
There are many reasons educators return to school. Some look to advance their careers
into administrative or university-level positions, some make themselves more marketable
by adding certifications to their resumé, and fewer still do it purely for their desire to
learn.
High school English teacher Andrea Gumble recently completed her Ed.D. at Binghamton
University. Her eight and a half year journey was initially driven by her craving to write
more. The process, Gumble claimed, turned into a “good outlet,” and “allowed (her) to stay
fresh in the field.”
Throughout her coursework, Gumble found herself immersed in both sides of the
education spectrum, as a student and a teacher. “Being a student with them gave me a
connection with my students,” said Gumble.
Gumble’s dissertation research focused on the implementation of the Common Core State
Standard focused on text complexity and increased rigor in the classroom. She plans to
use her research to help strengthen the humanities department by keeping the information and teaching methods
relevant to the world we live in today.
What Gumble has taken from her educational journey, aside from being a positive role model for her children, is a
renewed fervor for writing, insight into new education theories, and new resources to conduct research on education.
Sophomore Performed in Macy’s Parade
Kevin Vogel teamed up with students from around the country to play in the Macy’s
All-American Marching Band at the 88th-annual Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade.
Vogel, an alto sax player, auditioned in September by posting a solo recording of a Hungarian
folk song on YouTube. He was accepted into the program in October.
Band members had less than a week to rehearse together before the 2.5 mile parade.
www.cforks.org
Middle School
6
Principal’s Message
We have three principles we
follow at our middle school; to
be respectful, responsible, and
reasonable. This is the message
we convey as well as reinforce.
Respect is being polite with a
simple “please” and/or a “thank
you.”
Respect is accepting the way
a person is, and not judging
them for the clothes they wear or their likes or dislikes;
everyone is different and that is what makes for a wellrounded community.
Lori Pourby,
Middle School Principal
Respect is showing kindness and being courteous and
considerate of other people’s feelings and listening to
someone when they speak.
Winter 2015
Respect is complying with home, school and
community procedures, policies and guidelines.
Modeling and continuous reinforcement are essential
to teaching respect, not only for others but for one’s self.
It is difficult to respect others if we don’t first respect
ourselves. One way the adult community at CFMS
accomplishes this is through our positive behavior
meetings. During our meetings, real issues, today’s
issues, and student issues are discussed and addressed.
Respect can be received and earned, and we as
parents and educators need to have a partnership
to demonstrate and teach our children the values of
respect.
The most important lesson we can teach our children
is to “treat people the way you want to be treated. Talk to
people the way you want to be talked to. Respect is earned,
not given.” - unknown
Sixth-grader Receives Honorable Mention in Writing Contest
Sixth-grade student Kaileigh Phillips recently won an honorable mention in the Syracuse.
com holiday story writing contest where students were asked to finish the story “The
Monster in My Stocking” in 250 words or less.
Students in kindergarten through 7th-grade could enter, with entries judged in three age
groups.
Phillips admits she was a little nervous entering the contest, as it was her first writing
contest entry, but plans to enter more contests in the future. In her spare time, Phillips
finds time to write once a week.
“It’s a good way to get my thoughts out,” she said.
As for the contest, the most difficult part for Phillips was developing an idea that worked
well with someone else’s writing.
Lockheed Provides Creative Career Learning Event
In November, a group of CFMS students visited Lockheed Martin to learn about careers in engineering.
Students constructed a fan out of K-Nexs, worked on an electrical circuit board and built a paper rocket. They then
launched their rockets and prizes were awarded to the team whose rocket flew the farthest.
The engineers talked with the class about the importance of building helicopters for national security. The students
were able to see the helicopters up close and also tour the manufacturing facility. All the students agreed that it was
a worthwhile field trip.
Many thanks to Lockheed Martin for the wonderful opportunity they offered to our students.
Submitted by Jane Warren, MS counselor
www.cforks.org
Winter 2015
Middle School
7
Intramural Sports Keep Kids Moving
Intramural sports programs have traditionally been an
excellent way for students who want to play sports, but
not in an inter-scholastic atmosphere, to participate in
an athletic environment. The intramural program in the
middle school has been providing such an experience for
years.
This year, students were able to participate in football
and speedball and will soon have the opportunity to play
volleyball. The intramural program also has a singleelimination tournament.
“I like it because it gives the kids more opportunities
to be active after school during remedial,” said physical
education teacher Paul Derr.
Pictured front (l-r): Amya Spivey, Sal Frontera, and Brad Fassett.
Back (l-r): Alana Schleider, Aidon Acla, and Nate Clark
Family & Consumer Science Class Recycles, Reuses
According to the United States Environmental Protection Agency, an estimated 14.3
million tons of textiles were generated as waste (5% of total waste) in 2012. Identifying
environmental resources that are available and examining behaviors that conserve,
reuse, and recycle resources to maintain the environment is a really important part of
the family and consumer sciences curriculum.
That’s exactly what Fara Shoudy’s 6th-grade students did with old T-shirts. The class
practiced hand-sewing skills and turned old T-shirts into tote bags.
“I wanted to teach students that they can take something old, or maybe don’t use
anymore, and re-purpose it into something useful,” said Shoudy.
The students loved creating something they could use and now have a sense of pride
because they made the tote bags by hand. Some even had time to add a pocket or sew a
second tote bag.
Submitted by Fara Shoudy, MS family and consumer science teacher
Dawson Palmer
Science and Snacking Lead to Learning
Maureen Gregory’s 7th-grade science classes are learning about DNA in a
fun and tasty way. The lab has students construct a model of a molecule of
DNA using Twizzlers, marshmallows, and toothpicks.
“The goal of this activity is to have them physically build a molecule of DNA
to see what it looks like and how the nitrogen bases pair up,” said Gregory.
After the students completed their model they compared with neighbors to
make sure their bases were paired correctly before eating their DNA models.
Pictured (l-r): Nevan Valla, Justin Saymin
www.cforks.org
Middle School
8
Winter 2015
Science Teacher Receives Grant for Bird-watching
Seventh-grade life science students always enjoy heading outside for instruction
whenever possible. Thanks to the acquisition of materials from the Cornell Lab of
Ornithology, students can now further their interest in science and the world around
them.
Teacher Maureen Gregory applied for a small grant through the lab and Cornell decided
to give the students more than what they had hoped for. The class will now receive 15
Celestron nature binoculars to help explore the world around them. In addition to the
binoculars, the classroom will also receive four bird feeders and a curriculum kit to help
guide them through the process of bird observation and identification.
Gregory has also been invited to participate in an educator retreat at the Cornell Lab of
Ornithology this summer.
Submitted by Maureen Gregory, 7th-grade science teacher
Health Class Gives Gift of Positive Message
In December, 12 eighth-grade health students visited Joyce Pixley’s 1st-grade class to share an important message
about staying drug-free. The eighth-graders designed hats for each of Pixley's students with a positive drug-free
message.
“While my students completed the hats, I expressed to
them the importance of a positive message and how they
can be such an influence on younger students because
they look up to them,” said middle school health teacher
Julie Paludi.
The students introduced themselves and spent some oneon-one time working on worksheets that addressed the
dangers and negative effects of drug use. The students
expressed how much they really enjoyed the visit.
What seems like a small gesture has annually made a
big impact. Many of the current 8th-grade students
have shared that they still have the hats they received in
elementary school.
Pictured: Eighth-grade health students with Joyce Pixley’s 1st-grade class
CPR Taught to Promote Readiness
During a course organized by our high school and middle school physical
education teachers, all students in grades 7 through 12 were trained to perform
CPR on adults, children and infants.
Students were taught the basics of administering CPR in a variety of different
scenarios. All students took a written and skills test at the conclusion of the two
week unit.
Submitted by Dave Hogan, Director of Athletics and Physical Education
Katie Hibbard
www.cforks.org
Winter 2015
Middle School
9
Kahoot App Makes Studying Fun
Students in 7th-grade science have
been working for several months
reviewing course material using an
online medium and iPads. Using
the Kahoot app, teachers are able
to create questions for students in
a game-like situation that creates a
fun, social situation.
The questions can be presented as
multiple choice or true or false and
can include pictures and diagrams.
The students have thoroughly
enjoyed using Kahoot and have all
said that it has helped them review
and prepare for assessments.
Submitted by Maureen Gregory, 7th-grade
science teacher
Pictured:Two students use iPads to play Kahoot, an application that uses a game-like format to quiz
students on information covered in class.
Theater Visit Breathes Life Into Lesson
“No school today? Bah, humbug!”
That was the reaction of the majority of our middle
school students when they heard that there was a snow
day on December 10. That is because this was the
day that 7th- and 8th-grade students were scheduled
to see a performance of “A
Christmas Carol” at The Cider Mill
Playhouse.
As we all know, the show must go
on. Thanks to a lot of phone calls
and schedule juggling by both
Cider Mill and CF staff – it did.
Attending this event is a timehonored tradition at Chenango
Forks Middle School. This year, our admission was
completely funded through BOCES Arts in Education
Program. Studying “A Christmas Carol: Scrooge and
Marley,” a play written by Israel Horovitz and based on
Charles Dickens’ famous novel, is an important part of
the 7th-grade English curriculum. Attending the Cider
Mill performance enables students to witness firsthand
Ebenezer Scrooge’s transformation from a misanthropic
miser to a man who “knew how to keep Christmas well,
if any man alive possessed the knowledge.” Writing
assignments during this unit focused on character
analysis; students were asked to think and write about
how an important event can have a
significant influence on a person’s
life.
“The play brought the story to life.
It was exciting to watch people act
out the story we read in class,” said
7th-grader Ethan Cetton
The 8th-graders studied “A
Christmas Carol” last year,
but were unable to attend the
performance due to the spending freeze. So, they were
invited to attend this year. The 8th-grade will soon begin
reading a play based on the life of Anne Frank, and
watching the actors on the stage “bring a play to life” will
deepen their understanding of drama.
Submitted by Nicole Dimatos, 7th-grade English and French teacher
www.cforks.org
Elementary
10
Winter 2015
Principal’s Message
As we welcome 2015 at CFE, our resolution is to give each of our students the tools to
make their dreams come true. We ask you to join us in making this happen. The past few
months at CFE have been busy with a variety of events.
Lorrie Hulbert,
3-5 Principal
We had parent teacher conferences and our 5th-grade
team hosted our first recognition assembly of the year.
We celebrated holiday traditions from around the
world with our kindergarten and 1st-graders. Our 2ndgraders participated in the Olympics and were featured
on our Cube Web-page with live commentary by our
5th-grade reporters, Quinn Tasber and Vincent Vavra.
The following months will be just as busy with PARP
(People As Reading Partners) activities, our 5th-grade chorus and band concerts
and the 100th day of school, not to mention field trips, breaks, and a variety of
celebrations.
“All of our dreams
can come true, if we
have the courage to
pursue them.”
—Walt Disney
We look forward to seeing you at school, so please check our building newsletter and individual classroom
newsletters for dates and times for all of our upcoming events.
My door is always open, so feel free to contact me with any questions, comments or concerns.
Second-grade Holds Annual Winter Olympics
As a way to better understand the classroom lessons on ancient Greece, 2nd-grade students participated in the 2ndannual Olympics in physical education class.
The games were created last year when 2nd-grade
teachers Heather Marvin and Stephanie Mirabito
and physical education teacher Jarrod McMullen
collaborated to find a way to make the ELA
curriculum more engaging for the students.
Each class chose a country to represent, created a
banner, and carried the banner in the gymnasium
during the opening ceremony. Students from
visiting classes cheered as the Olympic theme
music played over the speakers.
McMullen gave a short history lesson on the
ancient Olympics and how the central ideas of
trying your best and friendly competition are
still relevant today in elementary school and the
professional world.
Pictured (l-r): CFE physical education teacher Cheryl Kozol gives Ethan Austin a
laurel wreath during the 2nd-grade Olympic games.
Students competed in events similar to those held in the ancient Olympics such as running, hurdling, throwing,
and scooter or “chariot” races. After each race, the winning team received laurel wreaths to wear and stood on the
podium while their classmates cheered.
You can find photos of the second grade Olympics on our photo gallery page, http://www.cforks.org/
PhotoGalleries.aspx
www.cforks.org
Winter 2015
Elementary
11
Sing-a-long Encourages Fun, Learning
This year’s annual holiday sing-a-long turned into a multi-cultural learning experience for students in 1st grade.
Each class picked a different country from which to study a native Cinderella story and the traditions surrounding
their culture’s winter holidays.
“We came up with the idea because it
meets many of our social studies and ELA
standards,” said 1st-grade teacher Joyce
Pixley. “Learning about family traditions
and traditions of other cultures were the
two biggest ones.”
Countries represented were France,
Germany, Ireland, Zimbabwe and China.
Students completed Venn diagrams of
the Cinderella stories and presented
information they learned on the winter
holiday celebrations. The students then
sang or danced to a holiday song from the
country they studied.
Pictured (l-r):Tylor Fink, Mya Wyant and Rylie McKrell
Fourth-grade Clicks Their Way to Better Understanding
Living in a world of instant knowledge has its perks, especially in education.
Marcy Slocum’s 4th-grade class has been using Senteo clickers in tandem with a Smartboard with great success.
Each student has their own clicker that they sign into with their personal log in. When Slocum quizzes the class,
each student chooses an answer and the results are known by Slocum and the students right away.
This process saves a lot of time and paper. Slocum and
the students know immediately whether or not the class
understands the concept instead of waiting for the results
after a paper quiz. The time saved by not grading the
papers can be used to reinforce ideas that students are
struggling with.
During an informal quiz, students can see immediately
if each answer is right or wrong. During a formal quiz,
students will know their score immediately at the end of
the quiz.
“It’s really fun to use (the clickers) instead of pencil and
paper,” said Hannah Roody, a student in Slocum’s class.
“I like that you know if you got the question right and
not have to wait.”
Pictured: Morgan McGuigan
www.cforks.org
12
Elementary
Welcome New Teachers
Two new teachers recently started at CFE. Jessica Stark
is teaching reading in grades 3 through 5 and Kim Rullo
is teaching special education in grades kindergarten
through 2.
Stark previously taught in the middle school for 10 years
and is returning to CF after teaching in the Vestal school
district. Rullo previously taught in the Greene school
district for seven years.
Hoop Shoot Contest Winners
Every student in grades 3 through 5 participated in
the annual Hoop Shoot contest in physical education
class. Students are divided by age group and take
15 foul shots each. The students who makes the
most foul shots in their group advance to the local
competition at the Broome Developmental Center.
The 2014 winners are Kaili Young and Steven Samsel
for the 8-9 year-old group, and Grady Stark and Faith
Brown for the 10-11 year-old group.
Pictured (l-r): Jessica Stark and Kim Rullo
Olweus Kicks Off Another Year
The Olweus Anti-Bullying program celebrated its’ 201415 kick-off at CFE this fall.
Winter 2015
Pictured (l-r): Kaili Young and Steven Samsel
Students in every classroom worked together to create
a classroom banner that represented their anti-bullying
theme for the year. One by one the classes paraded to
the football field with their banners. Once everyone
reached the field all the students chanted “Be a buddy,
not a bully” with their banners held high.
Pictured (l-r): Faith Brown and Grady Stark
www.cforks.org
Winter 2015
Elementary
13
Fifth-grade Learns From the Past to Understand the Present
During Recognition
Three times during the school year, CFE holds a recognition event for students in 3rd- through 5th-grade. The
event gives teachers and administrators a moment to recognize classroom achievements as well as honor those who
are good citizens to others.
This event’s theme was “the 60’s,” and focused on the civil rights movement that occurred during this time. It was
a timely choice, as students were learning about the civil rights movement in social studies and ELA lessons when
the events in Ferguson, Missouri, began. All classes reviewed articles and news sources about the recent struggle in
Missouri and the civil rights movements of the 60’s and drew parallels between the two events.
To prepare for the recognition event, each social studies class researched one of the main issues during the civil
rights movement and the students created signs and an appropriate chant to do for the audience.
You can find a video of the recognition online on the CFE Web page.
PARP Month Promotes Literacy
PARP (People as Reading Partners) month encourages
students to read to or with parents, siblings, friends, and
even pets to promote literacy and help foster a love of
reading at a young age.
During the annual month-long event, students are given
a calendar with reading challenges such as reading a
book about a particular subject, wearing clothing with
words on it, and writing letters to a family member.
Students also signed a PARP “contract” promising to
read with a parent or family member for at least 15
minutes a day five days a week throughout the month of
January.
Students were visited by children’s singer/songwriter
John Simon. He performed music to inspire a love of
Pictured (l-r): Lisa Diamond, Heidi Stemple, and Debbie Abbey
reading, exploring
and friendship. The
students sang along
and danced to the
music.
Author Heidi
Stemple also visited
CFE, and talked to
the students about
reading and writing.
Students learned
about the writing
process and how
writing drafts are
important to the
creation of a good
story or poem.
Stemple also talked Singer/songwriter John Simon performed
for CFE students
about members of
her family who are also published authors and how that
influenced her to become an author as well.
At the end of the month, CFE held a night program
featuring quilts as part of this year’s theme, “Wrap
Yourself in a Book.” Quilts and stories about them were
displayed for community members and students to see.
Throughout the month students read numerous stories
about quilts and their place in history and American
folk art.
www.cforks.org
Technology and Fine Arts
14
All-County
Band &
Choir
Winter 2015
10-12 All-County Band
High School All-County Choir
Pictured (l-r): Kyra Salinkas and Gabe Whitney
7-9 All-County Band
Pictured front (l-r): Kelly Saroka, Cassandra Pinataro, Jenny Dyer, and
Sam Beston. Back (l-r): Claire Stocum, Chris Roberts, and Seth Hall
Middle School All-County Choir
Pictured (l-r): Anastasia Rusnak, Ethan Stocum, and Katey Church
6th and 8th-grade All-County Band
Pictured front (l-r): Claire Costello, Katie Hibbard, and Kylie Gilroy.
Back (l-r): Braden Burns, Michael Sehr, and Sean Wood.
Pictured front (l-r):Thomas Bongiorno, Anthony Schultz, and Madison
Hamlin. Back (l-r): Kaiyu Tio (8th), Jennifer Rudy, Skylar Flanagan, Ethan
Howell, and Josephine Kaminsky (8th).
www.cforks.org
Winter 2015
Technology and Fine Arts
15
CFTV Makes Learning Experience Out of the Mundane
For decades, students have heard the morning announcements over the public address system at the beginning
of the day. Today, our CFTV crew takes the announcements and turns them into a morning news show and
broadcasts the program on our HS Cube and high school Web pages.
Announcements are filmed and edited by a
team of seven high school students a day in
advance, uploaded to our HS Cube Web page, and
embedded on the high school Web page. Teachers
turn on their projector and click on the link each
morning to watch.
Teachers send announcements to Keith Rosko,
the high school art teacher and technology
specialist, who loads them into the teleprompter
for the anchors, Antonia Lobacz and Chris
Roberts, to read. Aside from the general
announcements, special segments such as sports
with James Dyer, and weather with Garrett
Krisko, are also aired. More segments are in the
works for production, including interviews with
school administrators.
Pictured: Chris Roberts and Victoria Markham prepare to broadcast.
Parents and community members can watch the
morning news show on the high school Web page from their computer or mobile device.
While the announcements are currently prerecorded, the hope is to streamline the process by going to live
broadcasts in the 2015-16 school year.
“My goal is to have the entire station student run and managed by the end of next year, and the most exciting part
is that our partnership with WSKG on both the studio and the STEAM Academy will allow CF students from the
class to participate in internships with WSKG, at WSKG, working on real world materials,” said Rosko.
National Art Journal Publishes CF Artwork
Eight more CF students are now published artists.
The students submitted artwork to the Celebrating Art Journal, a publication
featuring artwork from students in grades K-12 across the country.
Name
Grade Medium
McKenna Gill
12
sculpture
Sara Clark
12
sculpture
Once submitted, the artwork is juried and then considered for publication.
Approximately 25 percent of entries submitted are published.
Rikki Donahue
12
sculpture
Alice Webb
10
drawing
The publication accepts submissions three times a year. The journal can be
purchased from their website - www.celebratingart.com - approximately 20-24
weeks after the conclusion of each contest season.
Abby Rosko
11
sculpture
Ben Ashbaugh
9
sculpture
Alex Dimatos
9
drawing
Laura French
9
mosaics
www.cforks.org
16
Technology and Fine Arts
Winter 2015
Schoology, Google Classroom Makes Learning Efficient
Students enrolled in several classes, including foreign language classes in the high school and some classes
in the middle school, are using digital platforms such as Schoology and Google Classroom as a way to access
their teachers’ materials. These are Web-based learning management systems, which allow teachers to present
information to students in an organized way online. Some examples of what teachers and students do using
Schoology and Google Classroom include:
• Teachers post videos or multimedia lessons for students to watch at home or in class.
• Classes use discussion questions to have conversations at any time.
• Teachers create quizzes or short assessments such as Bell Ringers for students to complete. Students often get
instantaneous feedback when finished.
• Students can access their daily activities, upcoming assignments, homework and documents used in class from
anywhere.
• Teachers post updates such as a quote of the day, daily activities or reminders for upcoming assignments.
• Students may electronically collaborate and submit assignments and projects.
• Students send teachers direct messages through Schoology to communicate about assignments or questions
they may have.
These are a few tools that many of our teachers are using to teach our students content through technology. These
are especially effective when used in our classes along with iPads because students are able to access these platforms
from anywhere they have an Internet connection.
Submitted by Mandy Black, HS Spanish teacher
www.cforks.org
Athletics
Winter 2015
17
Fall Sports Teams Win Big
Our fall sports teams kicked off what will
hopefully be an outstanding year in CF
athletics.
The varsity football team won its 4th state
championship title last fall with many
students receiving honors. Congratulations
to our students for being named to this year’s
All-State New York State High School Football
Team. Ryan Bronson was named NYS Class
C Player of the Year. Jack Sherwood, Hunter
Luybli, and John Hardy were chosen as first
team All-State selections while L.J. Watson
was selected as a second team player. Tony
Silvanic, Caleb Gould and Cody Lamond
were awarded NYS honorable mentions for
their performance. Congratulations boys!
Pictured front (l-r): Hunter Luybli, Ryan Bronson, and John Hardy. Back (l-r): Cody
Congratulations to Lamond, L. J.Watson, Jack Sherwood, Caleb Gould, and Tony Silvanic
varsity swim team
member Sam Suer for her second place finish in the 100-yard butterfly at the New York
State Swim Championships held in November. Suer, a sophomore, finished third in this
event in 2012 as an 8th-grader and second during her freshman year. Furthermore, Suer
also broke a long-standing school record in the 200-meter freestyle this season. She now
holds our school record in both the 200-meter free and the 100-meter fly. Suer’s time in
the 100-meter fly has also earned her All American consideration. Congratulations Sam
on another remarkable season!
Our girls tennis
team won the
Class C, Section
Sam Suer
IV title this year
with Cassie Pinataro winning the Section IV
Class C Tennis Singles title and Mia Hayes
the runner up in the sectional competition
held in October. Congratulations girls!
Submitted by Dave Hogan, Director of Athletics and
Physical Education
Pictured front (l-r): Section IV, Class C Champions Mia Hayes, and Cassie Pinataro.
Back (l-r): Kaycee George,Victoria Garcia, Coach Hanzes, Hannah Benscoter, Mollie
Elder
www.cforks.org
18
Athletics
Winter 2015
FALL SPORTS ALL-STARS
Football - Class C State Champions and NYSPHSAA Scholar Athlete Team
Academic All-Star: Jack Sherwood, Sportsmanship Award: James Pattwell, Ernie Davis Selections: Ryan Bronson, Hunter Luybli, Jack Sherwood, Caleb
Gould, N.Y.S.P.H.S.A.A. All Stars: Ryan Bronson, Hunter Luybli, Jack Sherwood, Caleb Gould,Tony Silvanic, Cody Lamond, L.J.Watson, John Hardy, Mason
Rowe, Rob Story WBNG-TV Awards: L.J.Watson – Class C Running Back of the Year, Hunter Luybli – Class C Lineman of the Year, Ryan Bronson –
Class C Defensive MVP
Cross Country - NYSPHSAA Scholar Athlete Team
Pictured front (l-r): Carley Church (Academic All-Star), Katie
Flynn (All-Conference), Mary Kumpon (All-Division), Sarah
Knox (All-Division). Back (l-r): Mike George (All-Conference),
Seamus Houlihan (Academic All-Star), Chris Roberts (AllConference), Isaac Pixley (All-Division)
Pictured (l-r): Alex Stout-Moran (Sportsmanship
Award), Kelly Saroka (Sportsmanship Award)
Girls Soccer - NYSPHSAA Scholar Athlete Team
Cheerleading
Pictured front (l-r): McKenna Williams (All-Division), Kaitlyn
Walsh (All-Conference). Back (l-r): Anastasia Rusnak (AllDivision), McKenna Gill (All-Division, Academic All-Star),
Brooke Crowningshield (All-Division), and Brooke Maietta
(All-Division)
Pictured (l-r): Rebecca Shoemaker (Sportsmanship
Award), and Mackenzie Wilson (Academic All-Star)
Ava Hudak
(Sportsmanship Award)
www.cforks.org
All photos are courtesy of the Athletic Department
Winter 2015
Athletics
19
Boys Soccer - NYSPHSAA Scholar Athlete Team
Pictured (l-r): Jesse Ingraham (All-Division), Nicholas Hurd
(Academic All-Star), and Dan Ames (Sportsmanship Award)
Pictured (l-r): Brandon Woolston (All-Division), Derek Galla
(All-Division), and Treynor Peterson (All-Division)
Golf - NYSPHSAA Scholar Athlete Team
Girls Swimming and Diving NYSPHSAA Scholar Athlete Team
Pictured (l-r): Kyle Norton (All-Conference), Ryan Gresham
(All-Division), Michael Bubniak (Sportsmanship Award), and
Zach Norton (All-Conference)
Pictured front (l-r):Taylor Thomas (Sportsmanship Award), Natalie Valla (Academic
All-Star), and Lisey Freije (All-Division). Back (l-r): Victoria Godden (All-Division),
Mackenzie Bronson (All-Division), Lillie Brenchley (All-Division), and Samantha Suer
(All-Division, All-Conference)
Garrett Krisko (AllDivision)
Hailey Brace (Academic
All-Star)
Girls Volleyball
Girls Tennis - Class C Section IV Champions
Pictured (l-r): Kara Heath (Academic All-Star) and Darrian
Gardiner (Academic All-Star)
Pictured (l-r): Mia Hayes (Academic All-Star, All-Conference),
and Cassie Pinataro (Section IV Class C Singles Champion,
All-Conference)
www.cforks.org
Katelyn Trammel
(Sportsmanship Award)
Home of the Blue Devils
20
Winter 2015
Nonprofit Org.
1 Gordon Drive
Binghamton, NY 13901
U.S. Postage
PAID
Permit No. 155
Binghamton, NY 13901
Superintendent of Schools
Lloyd “Joe” Peck, Ed.D.
Board of Education
Don Edwards - President
Spyros Dimatos - Vice President
Amy O’Brien
Ken Starr
Tom Wiser
ECRWSS
Postal Patron
IMPORTANT DATES:
February
24: Bus Proposition Vote
March
12: BOE Meeting
13: No School—Teacher Conference Day
27:
Half-day Dismissal—Teacher Conference Day
30-31: No School—Spring Break
April
1-3: No School—Spring Break
9: BOE Meeting to Adopt Budget
14-16: Grades 3-8 ELA Exams
22-24: Grades 3-8 Math Exams
27: Special BOE Meeting BOCES Proposed
Administrative Vote
May
1-3: Drama Club Musical
4: PreK and Kindergarten Info Night
7: BOE Meeting and Budget Hearing
www.cforks.org