January 2013 - Chenango Valley Central School

Transcription

January 2013 - Chenango Valley Central School
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Chenango Valley Central School District
January 2013
Warriors help hungry families
with annual food drive
Chenango Valley kicked off the season of giving
by collecting canned food items for local families
in need. More than 3,300 cans were donated by
students, teachers and faculty.
A few teachers gave students incentives for bringing in food items. Amber Henyan’s French students
were rewarded with an annual French food party if
they brought in 35 cans or more each. This year’s
largest class donation was a whopping 1,544 cans
from Erin Korn’s science classes.
The drive assisted more than 20 families within the
Chenango Valley district and donated a portion
of items to local food pantries. The food drive has
been a CV tradition for more than a decade.
District: 2-8
Athletics: 12-13
Arts: 14-15
Schools: 16-23
Message from the Interim Superintendent
Happy New Year! As we begin the second half
of the 2012-2013 school year I want to update
you on some areas since my last communication.
Building Safety
Chenango Valley Central School District shares
the grief of the entire nation for the tragic loss of
life at the Sandy Hook Elementary School. We
extend our deepest sympathies to the families
of the victims and to the entire community of
Newtown, Connecticut. This event reminds
David Gill,
Interim Superintendent
us of the need to be vigilant in our efforts to
maintain a safe, secure environment for our students and staff.
Chenango Valley’s Emergency Plan, along with other safety policies
and procedures, are reviewed with our staff on a regular basis, and
we work closely with local law enforcement officials to review these
procedures. In the wake of this senseless tragedy, we ask our school
community to respect and adhere to these policies, and remember
that they are in place for the safety of all of our students and staff.
Again, our thoughts and prayers are with the families and friends of
those lost in the Newtown, CT tragedy.
Bus Proposition Votes
The recent bus proposition was narrowly defeated. I sincerely thank
each of you who took the time to vote.
Had the proposition been approved, the property tax cap calculation
would have been unaffected. A majority of the cost for the proposed
bus purchase would have been reimbursed through transportation aid,
and the balance would have been financed over five years.
Some residents questioned the need for new buses, in light of the
possible merger with Chenango Forks. It is important to note that if
the merger occurs, the number of buses needed to cover the enrollment for both districts will not likely be reduced.
While it is not unusual for a district to hold a proposition vote at a
time other than with the annual budget vote, low voter turnout for this
proposition suggests that our residents would prefer that such referendums be voted on during the annual budget vote in May. As such,
we are considering a bus proposition added to the May 2013 budget
vote.
Pictured (l-r): Chantelle Judd, Margaret Galatioto, Adrienne Scala and
Corrine Muccio.
Consolidation Study
Thank you to the many residents who volunteered to participate on
our consolidation study committee. The committee held its first meeting on Jan. 8. Members were briefed on the study, reviewed demographics of the two districts and learned about the financial, program
and logistical resources needed to operate both districts. This committee will advise the consultants who will be completing a report to
the NYS Department of Education. We will continue to keep you
updated on the activity and progress during the course of the study.
see “Message” on page 5
Chenango Valley Central School District
January 2013
Vol. 7 Issue 3
Publication of the Board of Education
CV District News
Alumnus studies Greenland ice sheet for doctoral
degree
Chenango Valley alumnus Colin Gleason (Class of ’05) “chilled out” in Greenland
while working on his doctoral degree.
Since 2011, Gleason has been studying the Greenland ice sheet in collaboration
with a team from the UCLA geography department. The scientists are studying
the rivers and lakes that form on the ice sheet every year during the summer.
Using satellite data collected over the last two decades, they have determined
that the ice sheet has lost mass at an increasing rate. The satellite data cannot,
however, measure the exact volume of water leaving the ice sheet.
Gleason’s role in the project was to determine how much of the ice sheet melts
into liquid water, and either enters the ocean as runoff that raises the sea level, or
refreezes. Satellite time-lapse photography was used, alongside data from annual
field expeditions from 2006 to 2012 to determine the volume of water melting into
the ocean.
Because of Greenland’s rugged terrain and remote location, the only way the
crew could travel to work sites was by use of animal trails. During the most recent
trip, the team of scientists camped on top of the ice for a week.
“Finding drinking water was easy,” said Gleason. “Take your cup to one of the millions of streams atop the ice and have a drink of some of the purest and coldest
water on Earth.”
Colin Gleason (CV Class of ‘05) on the Greenland ice
sheet.
Gleason’s master’s degree work on forest biomass estimation using laser sensors mounted on airplanes, led to his current
doctoral work on the Greenland ice sheet. His findings will be published in the department’s report this year.
Holiday cards for soldiers
For CV students, remembering our service men and women during the holidays is part of the school culture. For the third
consecutive year, students at all grade levels created holiday cards for troops overseas.
High school business teacher Karl Krause organized the creative endeavor three years ago when his sons, Kevin and Kyle
Krause, were stationed in Afghanistan. “It was a wonderful project, and I was told by many teachers and parents that the children benefitted from it,” said Krause.
Even though the Krause brothers are
back on American soil, many other CV
staff, faculty and students have relatives currently stationed overseas.
This year, the cards were sent to CV
grad Kevin Egan (Class of 2005), a 2nd
Lieutenant in the U.S. Army.
Students of all ages, from early elementary to high school, took part in
the card-making project. The project,
and the photo at right, was prominently
featured on the “Our Schools” page in
the Binghamton Press.
Pictured (l-r): Nathaniel Smith, Ellayna Wilbur,
Elizabeth Eggleston, Jadyn Bobzien and Brandon Hirst
2
CV District News
Craft fair helps community,
benefits school clubs
Elementary schools win award for
healthy schools
A steady stream of shoppers and an overflowing parking lot
marked the success of this year’s craft fair. More than 100
tables of homemade goods from 74 local vendors filled the
high school classrooms for the annual event.
Chenango Bridge and Port Dickinson elementary schools
recently received the HealthierUS School Challenge Award
(HUSSC) Bronze award. Both buildings will receive a plaque,
banner, and $500.
The fair has been held for more than 15 years and was once
held at Chenango Bridge Elementary as a PTA fundraiser.
Currently, the proceeds from the event go to the S.A.D.D.
Post Prom Party.
The HUSSC is awarded by the US Department of Agriculture
to schools that have implemented nutrition and physical education programs that promote a healthy school environment.
“(The craft fair) is not just a fundraiser, but a community
service,” said Pam Puzio, organizer of the event. “We are
extremely fortunate to have high-quality crafters at our fair
every year.”
This year, the CVHS Art Club sold pink jewelry and ceramics
to raise money for local breast cancer awareness programs,
with a small share of the proceeds going to Art Club activities. Other clubs such as French Club and the Booster Club
traditionally participate in the craft show to raise funds for
their activities.
Students from S.A.D.D. and the CV Honor Society volunteer
for set up, concession stand and 50/50 and craft raffle duties.
Volunteers also dress as elves with Santa Claus and take
photographs.
CPR and lifeguarding courses at CV
Chenango Valley will be offering a CPR for the Professional
Rescuer Recertification class on Saturday, February 23 from
8:30 - 10 a.m. Cost is $35. The class will be held in the high
school library. For information contact Charles Frayer at
762-6929.
CV will also be offering an American Red Cross Lifeguarding
course February 18 - 27. Students must be 15 years old by
the start of the course, and must pass a pre-test, which consists of 350-yard swim, treading water for two minutes using
legs only, and then swim 20 yards, do a surface dive, retrieve
a 10 lb. brick from the bottom of the pool and swim back to
starting point.
Cost is $170 and includes course book, pocket mask, lifeguard training, waterfront lifeguarding, CPR for the Professional Rescuer, AED and first aid.
Class schedule:
Mon 2/18: 9 a.m. -1 p.m.
Tues 2/19: 3 p.m. - 5:30 p.m.
Wed 2/20: 3 p.m. - 5:30 p.m.
Thurs 2/21: 3 p.m. - 5:30 p.m.
Fri 2/22: 2:30 p.m. - 5:30 p.m.
Sat 2/23: 10 a.m. - 5:00 p.m.
Mon 2/25: 3 p.m. - 5:30 p.m.
Tues 2/26: 3 p.m. - 5:30 p.m.
Wed 2/27-3 p.m. - 5:30 p.m.
For information contact Mr. Frayer @ 762-6929
Chenango Valley participates in the Rock on Café program
designed by Broome-Tioga BOCES food service directors
and registered dietitian Julie Tucker. The program helps
school districts create healthy and affordable menus and
nutrition education programs that align with USDA MyPlate
guidelines.
“Chenango Bridge and Port Dickinson Elementary Schools
have achieved the HealthierUS Challenge Award by creating
a healthy environment for students through offering healthy
school meals, nutrition education, and providing increased
physical education,” said Tucker.
Chenango Bridge and Port Dickinson Elementary join more
than 4,400 HUSSC certified schools across the country, as
well as other districts in the Broome-Tioga BOCES region
that were recently certified.
Family
Swim
Wednesdays and Thursdays
7 - 8:15 p.m.
Kids $1 Adults $2 Families $4
No family swim on:
• March 6
3
CV District News
Teachers keep current through training
Chldren aren’t the only ones learning at CV...sometimes, our teachers
become the students. Our district places a high priority on keeping staff
current, not only with state requirements, but with approaches that have
proven effective in the classroom.
Recently, Broome-Tioga BOCES math specialist Gene Jordon held meetings with grade-level teams to discuss NYS Common Core Curriculum
standards, instructional modules, and best practices that teachers should
implement in their classrooms. Jordon also talked about changes and
updates from the NYS Department of Education.
Pictured are kindergarten and first-grade teachers learning fresh ideas to
bring to their classrooms.
Holiday Program helped families
A HUGE thank you to everyone
who participated in the Holiday
Program this year, it was a great
success! We reached out to
many families, thanks to the
donation of food, generous gifts,
monetary donations, and personal time.
Thank you to the following: Port
Dickinson PTA, Chenango Bridge PTA, St. Mark’s Singles
Ministry, Hillcrest Rotary, Interact Club, National Honor
Society, HS & MS Student Councils, SADD, CV Wrestling,
Ms. Keene and Chenango Bridge Student Government, The
Beal family, CV community, CV students and their families,
and CV faculty and staff, who were kind enough to take a tag
from the “Giving Wreath and Tree”.
Thank you, everyone!
4Submitted by: CV Nurses
Play it again CV
Did you know that you can
reuse, reduce and recycle
musical instruments by
donating them to the CV
music department?
“Play it again CV” is a new
instrument refurbishing
program where CV families
and community members
can donate used instruments. Chenango Valley Friends of BaCh will help cover the
cost of refurbishing the donated instruments under the direction of the music department.
This recycling program will add to the district’s instrument
inventory and reduce the amount of instruments that need to
be purchased.
For more information, contact music department chair, Karla
Jensen at 762-6900, or any music teacher.
CV District News
“Interim Superintendent Message,” from cover
Tax Collection Issue
As you know, a clerical error at our BOCES Central Business Office (CBO) recently resulted in an over-collection of school
taxes at Chenango Valley. We take this matter very seriously and have worked closely with the CBO controller to develop
procedures to ensure that such an error will not happen in the future.
The error was a miscalculation in the tax rate that resulted in an average overcharge of approximately $50 per property. A
total of $293,251 on our $18,187,668 tax levy was over-collected. In accordance with NYS Education Law, our Board of Education decided to place the over-collected funds into an interest-bearing reserve account that will be used to reduce the tax
levy increase for the upcoming school year. This means that your 2013 school tax bills will collectively be offset by $293,251
plus interest.
Annual Professional Performance Review
I’m pleased to report that our district’s Annual ProfessionalPerformance Review plan was just approved by the NYS Education Department. Many thanks to our teachers and administrators who worked very hard throughout the entire process.
If you have any questions or concerns on either the tax collection or the bus proposition, please feel free to contact me at
762-6810 or [email protected].
Lastly, I wish each of you and your families a healthy, happy, prosperous 2013!
CV BUDGET WORKSHOPS SCHEDULED
Chenango Valley holds several budget workshops each
year. These workshops are working meetings with administration, the Board of Education, and the community. Various aspects of the budget are presented and discussed and
decisions are made that will affect the final budget that will
be presented to the voting public on May 21, 2013. The CV
community is encouraged to attend. However, if you are
unable to attend a workshop, the audio presentation is made
available on the CV website shortly after each meeting. The
schedule of this year’s budget workshops are as follows:
Budget workshop #1 – 2/11/13 at 6 p.m. - This workshop
will review historical data, look at long term projections, and
provide a first draft “high level” view of the 13-14 budget. We
are also planning on presenting some information regarding
the recent overcollection of school taxes and how this will be
reflected in future budget workshops and the potential impact
on next year’s tax bills. John Harvey, CPA and Controller
for the Central Business Office of Broome-Tioga BOCES will
be presenting on this topic. This is an interactive meeting
where all community members are encouraged to attend to
ask questions and to get the information first hand.
Budget Workshop #2 – 3/4/13 at 6 p.m. – This workshop
builds on the information and the direction discussed at the
first workshop and generally involves an interactive spreadsheet.
Budget Workshop #3 – 3/25/13 at 6 p.m. – This workshop
breaks apart all of the various functions of the budget in
greater detail. By this time, more of the information is known
and we are just waiting for confirmation of the state aid numbers.
Budget Workshop #4 – 4/15/13 at 6 p.m. – This workshop
updates the state aid numbers and is used to fine-tune the
budget more as we approach the date that the Board of Education must adopt the budget that is presented to the public
for vote.
Budget Adoption date – 4/22/13 at 7 p.m. – This is the
tentative date that the Board of Education will adopt the 1314 budget for public vote in May. This is the last chance to
make any changes to that budget.
Budget Hearing – 5/13/13 at 7 p.m. – This meeting is designed to present the budget in its final form to the community for comment. No changes can be made to this budget at
this point.
Budget Vote – 5-21-13 Noon – 9 p.m. – This is sometimes
referred to as the annual meeting and is the vote day for
school budgets all across New York State.
We would encourage everyone to attend any or all of these
workshops.
5
CV District News
No Shave November
High school and middle school male staff members celebrated “No-Shave November,” otherwise known as “Mo-vember,” by
growing out their facial hair. The month-long event is part of a world-wide movement to raise awareness about men’s health
issues, specifically prostate and testicular cancers.
High school science teacher Paul Reed brought the movement to CV, after a discussion he had with a survivor of prostate
cancer.
“We talked about how it changed his perspective on life,” said Reed. “I decided to participate in “No-Shave November” in
honor of him. Just recently, another gentleman in my congregation was diagnosed with prostate cancer, had surgery, and
is now waiting for results. I think it made an impression on him that I was doing this in honor and recognition of him too.”
Chenango Bridge Elementary teacher aide Bill Hazilla is a two-and-a-half year survivor of prostate cancer. He decided
to participate in the event to bring awareness to the disease. “I’m thankful that it is being mentioned now so men can get
help,” he said. “The sooner you get checked, the better your chances are to survive.”
Ugly holiday sweater day
Wow, that’s a lot of ugly holiday sweaters! CVHS staff and students had fun wearing their tackiest festive gear on Dec. 18.
Tdap immunization requirement for fall 2013 students entering sixth grade
The New York State Public Health Law now requires children born on or after 1/1/94 and enrolling in sixth grade to receive a
pertussis booster. This is administered in a one-dose Tdap vaccine. According to the requirements:
•Students entering sixth grade, or a comparable age level special education school or program, on or after September 1, 2007, and who are 11 years of age or older, must receive Tdap.
•If a student has received a Td, DT, or DTap vaccination within the last two years, the student’s Tdap vaccination should be deferred until a period of two years has elapsed.
•Ten-year-old students who are entering sixth grade will not be required to receive the Tdap vaccine and will not be exclud-
ed from school, but they must be immunized when they turn 11 years old.
To comply with this new requirement, parents/guardians must provide the school with proof of your child’s Tdap immunization. There are three options to accomplish this:
1) Have your primary health care provider fax proof to the school nurse at 648-8959; OR
2) Allow the school to make a copy of your child’s immunization record with the required documented Tdap booster on it; OR
3) Present the nurse with a health care provider’s script stating that your child received the Tdap booster.
If you have any questions, please call Mrs. Johnson, Chenango Bridge Elementary School nurse, at 762-6952. Thank you for
your cooperation in this matter. As always, your child’s health is important to all of us.
6
CV District News
High School Business Club wraps for a good cause
Mr. Krause’s Business Club teamed up with the Broome County Council of Churches and Rev. Cris Mogenson, Coordinating
Broome County Jail Chaplain, to wrap up books that were given as gifts to children of incarcerated parents. It was a great
way the group could help another non-profit organization, and brighten the lives of kids who might otherwise have not received anything for Christmas.
Fashion students create aprons for student kitchen
It was a great lesson in recyling, and filled a need in the self-contained classroom kitchen at CVHS.
Students in the Fashion In Our Lives class recently created kitchen aprons using men’s dress shirts they received during a
visit to Project Concern, a local community outreach center and clothing bank. The students cut off the sleeves, used the
fabric to make the ties, and then finished the edges. The aprons are now being used in the kitchen in the Family and Consumer Science Department.
As part of the project, the students learned about Project Concern and how it helps needy members of the community by
providing clothes and household items for a nominal fee.
Students also made “corn bags”, small fabric bags filled with dried corn. The bags can either be frozen or heated in the microwave to provide relief from muscle aches or injuries.
Danielle Forbidussei, left, and Alaena Sullivan worked on corn bags.
Sarah Fernald, left, and Gabby Becker model the finished aprons.
7
Board of Education News
Message from the BOE president
On behalf of the Board of Education, I would like to wish you the happiest of holidays and a healthy new
year. As the school year continues to fly by, I would like to take some time to explain our recent school
bus referendum held on November 27, 2012. An editorial in the Press and Sun-Bulletin contained some
misinformation regarding the timing of the vote, the impact on the 2% cap limit, and the effect a bus purchase would have on the possible consolidation of the Chenango Valley and Chenango Forks school
districts.
Gerald Abbey Jr.
Board of Education
President
Bus referendums may be conducted anytime during the year, although for logistic’s sake they are typically held along with the budget vote in May. In the case of our school district, we’ve experienced a
supervisory turnover in the Transportation Department and were provided an update of our fleet this
past August by our newly appointed Transportation Supervisor, Ms. Sue Ticknor. Chenango Valley’s
bus fleet is aging and the window to keep our buses current is closing. The Board made the decision to
go out to vote as soon as possible; however, as with anything related to public finances, specific laws
and regulations must be adhered to before a vote is scheduled.
The total cost of the five buses included in that referendum was $440,000. After accounting for transportation aid and financing over five years, the local share of the cost to taxpayers would be approximately $22,000 per year
beginning in the 2013-2014 school year. This amount would be part of the budget and therefore part of the calculation of the
2% tax cap limit, regardless of when the referendum is approved by the voters. If we don’t replace the buses, we are expecting our repair expenses to increase which would also affect the total budget.
Lastly, the impact these buses would have on the possible consolidation of CV and CF could only be positive because an updated fleet is essential whether or not the consolidation is approved by voters. If the feasibility study determines fewer buses
are needed overall, we would still want buses that are under warranty with the lowest miles and years of service. If the district
waits until the study is complete, we would be spending taxpayers’ money on repairs rather than obtaining new buses at a
fraction of the cost necessary to repair an aging fleet.
In closing, I am respectfully asking you, the voters, to consider a future bus referendum and support what you believe to be
most beneficial for you and our community.
Board Updates
Board of Education Recognition Week
The Board would like to thank all of those responsible for the gifts we received at the October Board of
Education Meeting. Students presented each Board member with a personalized gift. A special note
of appreciation goes out to the students whose works of art were presented at that meeting.
Tax Collection Miscalculation
It was determined in October that BOCES Central Business office made a clerical error in the
calculation of taxes for all towns in the Chenango Valley District. This resulted in an over collection
of approximately $293,251. The average over payment was approximately $50 per property owner.
The Board discussed this issue at the November Board of Education meeting. It was decided that
the over-collected funds will be placed in a reserve account. These funds, plus interest, will be used
to reduce the tax levy and offset taxes for the 2013-2014 school year. A press release was issued to
notify residents via the local newspaper and television stations. Information can also be found on the
Lynn Kaufman
board member
CV website.
CV/CF Merger Feasibility Advisory Committee
Chenango Valley and Chenango Forks were recently awarded a $45,000 Local Efficiency Grant from
the State to complete a merger study. Organizational Leadership Services LLC will conduct the study, collaborating with
the Rural Schools Association and the New York State School Board Association. A committee is currently being formed
to assist in this proposed merger process. A request seeking committee members was placed in the local newspaper on
November 18, 2012. Information was also posted on our website and mailed to community members.
Bus Proposition
We would like to thank all the taxpayers that voted on November 27th. The special vote was held in regard to purchasing
five new buses for the District. The plan was to replace buses that are currently out of warranty and the potential higher
maintenance costs. The vote was defeated 134 to 125. The District may consider another bus proposition in the future.
Submitted by: Lynn Kaufman, Communication and Board of Education Committee Chair
8
Guidance
High School
Financial Aid Night
On Dec.5, Doug Lukasik, Director of Financial Aid from Broome Community College, spoke to juniors, seniors and their parents about the financial aid process.
Mr. Lukasik presented information about deadlines and processing procedures for
financial aid forms. The financial aid timeline and process was explained, and the
audience learned financial aid terminology, types of aid, and how to complete a
Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA).
Financial aid process for parents of seniors
In January, the Senior Bulletin included how to apply for student financial aid as
well as several scholarship opportunities. Seniors were encouraged to bring this and future bulletins home. If your son/
daughter is planning on attending college in the fall, please review the following student aid process.
Step 1. Get a personal identification number (PIN). A PIN lets you apply, “sign” your online free application for federal
student aid (FAFSA), make corrections to your application information, and more. To get your PIN, go to www.pin.ed.gov.
Step 2. Collect the documents needed to apply, including income tax returns and W-2 forms. A full list of what you need is
at www.fafsa.ed.gov. If your tax return is not completed when you apply, estimate the tax information and correct it later.
Step 3. Complete the (FAFSA) as soon as you can after January 1, 2013. Apply online at www.fafsa.ed.gov.
Step 4. Review your Student Aid Report (SAR) – the result of your FAFSA application. If necessary, make changes or
corrections and resubmit your SAR for reprocessing. Your complete correct SAR will contain your Expected Family Contribution (EFC) – the number used to determine your federal student aid eligibility.
Step 5. Be prepared to verify. Some FAFSAs are selected for verification by the Department of Education. If you are
selected, you will be notified on your SAR and by your school. You may be required to provide signed tax forms that the
school will use to verify information entered on the FAFSA.
Helpful Websites
www.finaid.org
www.fafsa.ed.gov
www.pin.ed.gov
www.hesc.org
https://studentloans.gov
If you have any questions or concerns, Mr. Lukasik can be reached at BCC at 778-5028.
Submitted by Karen Mullins – High School Counselor
Middle School
Parent Tip- Remember, the new semester offers a fresh start for students!
Just like the new year, the new semester can be a time for starting over. If your child has had difficulty in school, use the
new semester as a chance to begin again. Encourage your child to think about one area in which he could improve school
performance. Then set a goal---bring a science grade up 5 points, do all homework on time, read 20 minutes every day, or
have perfect attendance for the next quarter. Help your child to take steps to achieve this goal. You’ll be helping to improve
school performance and boosting your child’s self-esteem at the same time.
9
Honor Roll
Grade 7
Grade 8 ROLL
Grade 9
HONOR
Hailey Andrascik
Kiana Archer-Cronk
Cameron Ashman
Zachery Baer
Rachel Becker
Alyssa Benninger
Webb Botting
Riley Buckland
Kathryn Buckley
Tameira Card
Benjamin Cease
Rebekah Courtright
Maya Davies
Matthew DeLaney
Aidan Dofton
Sarah Dorn
Maria Forbidussi
Dominic Francavilla
Trenton Gates
Stephen Gehm
Preia George
Paige Gill
Marlaina Giurastante
Derek Goga
Cassidy Golden
Murissa Greiner
Jenna Hanyon
Zaphir Hill
London Jeter
Erica Kaufman
Elizabeth Kimble
Brenna King
Matthew Klein
Kristapher Lindsey
Kaitlyn Mach
Justin Markoff
Delany McDonald
Ryan Mellen
Emily Monk
Connor Paugh
Danielle Paulhamus
Laurel Pernesky
Brandon Pierce
Megan Proutey
Zachary Pruden
Jessica Riegal
Madison Riley
Jacob Shoemaker
Mackenzie Showers
Steven Smith
Chace Snyder
Mathew Tanzini
Jacob Tester
Emily Velez
Benjamin Venuti
Dylan Weeks
Jacob Weir
Jacob Willis
Julianne Worden
Collin Zaic
10
Cameron Auchinachie
Cynthia Bennett
Nicole Blance
Martin Buchinsky
Eric Castellucci
Leah Chamberlain
Kit Cheng
Matthew Cole
Kaylin Cooley
Meghan Cooley
Kyle Corey
Chandlar Courtright
Jennica Crisman
Andrew Cronin
Victoria DiRienzo
Sean Dundon
Samantha Ferry
Emily Friends
Kevin Grady
Kimberly Guernsey
Kevin Hammond
Matthew Harper
Carl Harvey
Megan Heifferon
Andrew Hogan
Nathaniel Hopper
Morgan Jamieson
Savanah Judd
Brandon Kipp
Matthew Livingston
Casey Lorenc
Joseph Maerkl
Ethan Marbaker
Nathan Marble
Nicholas Marinaro
Jordan McFadden
Corey Mies
Garrett Miller
Spencer Peters
Bailey Reardon
Devin Reitz
Tyler Sanderhoff
Rachel Seifert
Elizabeth Selby
Melissa Settle-Conant
Mackinaw Shutt
Gabrielle Siedlecky
Chad Simmons Jr
Christopher Singleton
Kyle Skinner
Austin Smith
Cameron Smith
Tyler Smith
Tyler Thorick
Christopher Vegiard
Carter Welch
Jeremy Whitney
Jeffrey Worden
Stephen Aylward
Tanner Beagell
Connor Brady
Devon Buckland
Sarah Chandler
Austin Crissman
Audrey DeLarco
Marcel Denny
Michael Distin
Nicholas Ehrensbeck
Chelsi Evans
Jessica Fitzgerald
Michael Fuller
Kelsey Guelzow
Kayla Guth
Joel Hopper
Kodie Johnston
Lea Kochis
Kelly Madden
Morgan Miller
Sophie Miller
Chase Page
Shiv Patel
Kristin Raminger
Abigail Snyder
Kevin Taylor
Maxwell Telfer
Dylan Warner
Gene Warren
Emma Yannuzzi
Congratulations MS/HS
First Quarter Honor Students
Grade 10
Grade 11
Grade 12
Victoria Austin
Gabrielle Becker
Anna-Marie Betkavsky
Megan Broughton
Lillian Brown
Madison Cline
Guinevere Cotten
Brian Cox
Benjamin Daniels
Rachel Fadden
Danielle Forbidussi
Shantel Francis
Alexandra Gee
Casey Gorman
Alec Grunder
Chelsea Henige
Rhianna Henson
Jacob Hertzog
Alexis Hitt-Warner
Cooper Holmes
Timothy Johnson
Charles Kane
Courtney Kushner
Tobias Lanfear
Laura LeVonne
Katelyn Lewis
Paxton Lewis
William Liberati
Rebecca Mach
Noah Manzer
Shane Moriarity
Elma Muric
Valerie Nguyen
Breanna Nowetner
Michael O’Neil
Abigail Palmer
Kyla Pruitt
Kristen Reistetter
Daniel Reppard
Kayla Robinson
Cody Schell
Zachary Skinner
Caroline Smith
Jordan Spencer
Megan Subik
Richard Terpstra
Zachary Tripp
Nicholas Venuti
Ashton Visconti
Sarah Volk
McKenna Westgate
Junki Yoon
Kaitlyn Yurenda
Chantel Adams
John Anderson Jr.
Gavin Ashman
Kelly Bakker
Brian Ball
Zachary Cole
Ryan Corey
Kayla DeNinis
Thomas Dundon
Amer Dzaferovic
Jason Fehr
Zachary Fuller
Maria Giurastante
Dustin Glezen
Devon Harris
Taylor Hayes
Bailey Hoadley-Brown
Brandy Illsley
Chantelle Judd
Mikayla Kilts
Tyler Kirby
Jessup Lints
Tristan Mace
Alexis Osborne
Jacob Raichlin
Nyasia Rice
Shane Robinson
Karoline Ross
Karlton Ruf
Catherine Schaum
Nicholas Schuldt
Natalie Spear-Meade
Jack Stacey
Christopher Sullivan
Mikayla Torrey
Devon Trudeaux
Ashley Turner
Matthew Waskie
David Weeks
Ashleigh Weir
Olivia Wickham
Christina Abbey
Kimberly Andrus
Dana Ashman
Margaret Barlow
Kevin Brady
Mercedes Brady
Zachary Collins
Joshua Cooley
Irma Covic
Nicholas Deamer
Geena DiPasquale
Aaron Fadden
Dominik Forbidussi
Alexis Francavilla
Rachel Griffin
Megan Horton
Alexandra Lewis
Joshua Martin
Samantha Masterson
Nicole Mayville
Mackenzie Moss
Melanie Norton
Jessica Perry
Matthew Pierce
Justin Raker
Clayton Read
Conor Roberts
Nathan Savelli
Nicholas Schmidt
Evan Trebilcock
Megan VanNamee
Angela Versace
Paige Walker
Mason Ward
Maxwell Webster
Gabriel Williams
Ademir Zukic
High
Honor Roll
Congratulations MS/HS
First Quarter High Honor Students
Grade 7
Grade 8
Grade 9
Grade 10
Grade 11
Grade 12
Ty Abell
Addelynne Bixby
Madeline Broderick
Patrick Buchinsky
Bethany Bullock
Alaina Carman
Brianna Dayton
Allen Doan
Natalie Ehrensbeck
Cora French
Patrick Giblin
Owen Gillette
Molly Grady
Hannah Grunder
Abigail Hamilton
Elaine Hamilton
Mia Hause
Mark Inzhirov
Peter Jensen
Ian Keldon
Kayla Lopez
Isabella LoVuolo
Zackary MacLaren
Lauren Marble
Lian McGuane
Grace McManus
Jonathan Miller
Emma Moore
Russell Nelson
Morgan Odgers
Matthew Pecha
Linsey Reardon
Lia Regan
Jackson Retzlaff
Jacquelyn Ruf
Craig Salzman
Roy SantaCroce
Devin Sawyer
Jocelyn Schell
Christofer Schmits
Kathleen Schultz
Kelly Smith
Madison Smith
Anna Stacey
Madison Stockmaster
Noah Stroka
Keira Strong
Tara Terpstra
Joseph Testani
Kelly Thompson
James Wyatt
Shai-ana Bess
Bradley Blewett
Alexis Brito
Alexandria Bryant
Zachary Carr
Logan Clements
Sean Corey
Emma Crooks
Jessica Feyler
Mariah Galli
Shannon Giblin
Robert Gross
Karl Grunder
Brittney Guernsey
Samuel Hatton
Zoe Hause
Matthew Igo
Jessica Kellam
Hollis Krisko
Gunnar Madison
Daniel Norris
Alexis Phillips
Lauren Rice
Jack Riegal
Mikayla Rogers
Spencer Root
Meg Rossie
Brendyn Savage
Jessica Spencer
Kesondra Stafford
Lindsay Thornton
Sarah Trick
Aaron Trumino
Kimberly Winans
Robyn Bremer
Kyle Briggs
Allison Button
Jenna Conrow
Rohit Duggal
Amber Falcheck
Mark Gallo
Mallory Mailen
Cydney Mallery
Mark Mullins
Connie Nguyen
Bailey Raker
Adisa Zukic
Ruth Crissman
Kaleb Green
Reed Grunder
Christian Hart
Connor Harvey
Tess Hatton
Kyra Heatherman
Michaela Hensel
Kristen Igo
Harold Jones V
Juliet King
Colton Miller
Oliver Mohr
Victor Mulligan
Stephanie Orzelek
Sarah Raichlin
Brittany Rose
Jacob Rossie
Amber Wallach
Gannon Connors
Caitlin Crisman
Emily Heifferon
Samantha Johnson
Calahan Jones
Jennifer Kipp
Gabrielle Mellen
Corrine Muccio
Sarah Munson
Matthew Personius
Bryan Pert
Victoria Pipher
Adrienne Scala
Kelsey Smith
Courtney Tester
Kayla Truxal
Faith Clark
Mikayla Cook
Zachary Englehart
John Ferranti
Jacob Gidzinski
Luke Grunder
Joel Gryskevicz
Mark Gryskevicz
Robert Hess
Liza Hillegas
Ryan Igo
Hannah Layman
Nicholas Lidell
Kelsie Lockwood
Stephanie Marion
Alexandra Mars
Dwight Meloling
Dylan Mosher
Jeremy Moyer
Katelyn Natoli
Jessica Petrylak
Tyler Price
John Shear
Audrey Sloma
Coleen Smith
Matthew Venuti
Kathryn Wallach
Krysta Wilcox
Alana Yanowiak
With Distinction
Rudy Cen
Erin Culver
William Eccleston
Ethan Elliott
Michaela Gay
Margaret Gross
Trisha Illsley
Owen Klepfer
Kerri Kunkel
Abigail Lane
Jacob Lehr
Melissa Marean
Kelsilyn Norman
Cassidy O’Brien
Carlee Ostrom
Nicholas Ostrom
Nicholas Pert
Ryan Phillips
Jenna Simons
Bailey VanSoest
Matthew Wells
With Distinction
Brenda Barry
Jared Cornell
Jenna Decker
Luke Dionne
Kassandra Friedrichs
Emily Hammond
Trevor Hope
Sonja Jensen
Caitlin Mellen
Julia Peters
Olivia Trumino
Zachary Wyatt
With Distinction
Rebecca Belo
David Bremer
Miranda Currier
Hannah Elliott
Courtney Fitzgerald
Margaret Galatioto
Eugene Gorman III
Rachel Guth
Natalie Hawkes
Sarah Kellogg
Julie LeVonne
Damiana Mellen
Allison Miller
Denae Moyer
Antonina Poplawski
Monika Roznere
Michael Spena
Madeline Staiger
Almasa Talovic
Mehmed Talovic
With Distinction
Megan Blance
Jamie Broughton
Kristen Carter
Evan Grunder
Kurt Grunder
Eric Hammond
Caileen Harvey
Katharine Henderson
Trevor Henige
Dylan Henson
Morgan Hope
Alexia Lamb
Nicole Leadbeater
Nicole Mulligan
Patrick Norris
Colleen O’Malley
Janki Patel
Brian Pragacz
Christopher Ruffo
Megan Santa Croce
Steven Sherwood
Nicholas Simons
Emily Smith
Matthew Vegiard
11
Athletics
Diver takes first
in state meet
All Stars - Fall 2012
Mackenzie Moss has been
a member of the Chenango
Valley swimming and diving
team for five years. In those
five years, she has compiled
an amazing list of accomplishments. Moss earned
the Class B and Class C
diving championship title for
four years and set and reset
school records in six and 11
dives every year.
Zach Collins
Dominik Forbidussi
Trevor Henige
Anthony Miller
Dylan Mosher
Eric Silvanic
Evan Trebilcock
Moss is a three-time state
Mackenzie Moss
meet participant, having finished ninth in 2010, fourth in
2011 and first in 2012. She
was also named an athletic All-American diver in 2011.
Moss also participated in many relay wins during the dualmeet season, finishing 13th in the 50-meter freestyle event
at the 2012 sectional meet. She is an honor roll student
and a member of the Art Club.
Sportsmanship Award
Girls soccer
Hannah Elliott
Swim
Alexandra Mars
Golf
Ryan Igo
Volleyball
Liza Hillegas
Boys soccer
Justin Raker
Girls tennis
Abby Palmer
Cheerleading
Coleen Smith
Football
Robby Hess
Boys x-country
Nick Lidell
Girls x-country
Colleen O’Malley
Academic All Stars
Cheerleading
Morgan Hope
Boys x-country
Tyler Price
Girls x-country
Olivia Trumino
Football
Evan Grunder
Golf
Jared Dischinger
Boys soccer
Matt Venuti
Girls soccer
Janki Patel
Girls tennis
Becky Belo
Girls volleyball
Jamie Broughton
12
Football
Honorable Mention:
Ben Daniels
Joel Gryskevicz
Nick Simons
Cheerleading
Spirit Award
Christina Abbey
Girls Soccer
All Division:
Jessica Spencer
Kaitlyn Yurenda
Ashleigh Weir
Girls Swim
All Conference:
Emily Smith
Mackenzie Moss
All Division:
Girls Tennis
All Division:
Megan SantaCroce
Chantelle Judd
Brittany Rose
Cross Country
All Conference:
Natalie Hawkes
All Division:
Brenda Barry
Kristen Igo
Gannon Connors
David Trudeaux
Golf
All Conference:
Jimmy Pecha
Zach Wyatt
All Division:
Charlie Kane
Ryan Igo
Mark Gryskevicz
Jake Colian
Volleyball
All Division:
Jamie Broughton
Anna Marie Betkavsky
Maria Giurastante
Faith Lanfear
Catherine Schaum
Katie Schultz
Spring sports physicals
Physicals for the 2013 SPRING SPORTS SEASON will take
place in February and March.
A green sport form must be completed for each sport season for all athletes, regardless of physical status. Parents,
please watch for this form to come home with your student
athlete. Please complete the health history, sign the form,
and have your student return the form to the health office
NO LATER THAN February 14th for JV/Varsity and March
4th for Modified. If you have any questions, please contact
Amy Frost, RN or Kim Riquier, RN at the High School/Middle
School Health Office at 762-6912 or 762-6911.
Athletics
Fall 2012 Outstanding Warriors
Division
Champion Teams:
Alexia Lamb
Emily Smith
Girls Swim
Jimmy Pecha
Golf
Kailtlyn Yurenda
Girls Soccer
Natalie Hawkes
Cross Country
Nick Schmidt
Boys Soccer
Gannon Connors
Cross Country
Kristen Carter
Girls Tennis
Jamie Broughton
Volleyball
Megan Santa Croce
Girls Tennis
Girls Cross Country
Football
Golf
Swimming
JV Volleyball
Congratulations,
athletes!
Varsity Football Team
13
Music and Arts
Area all-state musicians
Chenango Valley musicians showed off their skills at
the annual New York State School Music Association (NYSSMA) high and middle school area all-state
band, orchestra and choir performances this year.
Rebecca Belo, Kristen Carter, Ruth Crissman, Katie
Henderson, Jessup Lints, Michael Spena and Matthew Vegiard will be performing in the area all-state
concerts at Ithaca College on February 1 - 2. Three
middle school students, Austin Crissman, Gavin Jackowski and Lindsay Thornton performed during the fall
concerts held at Ithaca High School in November.
The CV music department has a long history of consistently sending students to the NYSSMA all-county
and area all-state performances since the inception of
the program in the 1970’s.
Front row, l-r: Ruth Crissman, Kristen Carter, Katie Henderson. Back row, l-r: Jessup Lints,
Rebecca Belo, Michael Spena, Matthew Vegiard
Jazz Choir
The High School Jazz Choir performed
Dec. 7 for the Western Broome/Eastern Tioga Retired Teachers’ Association Christmas Luncheon.
The group sang a variety of holiday favorites and led a sing-a-long. They also
performed for the Foster Grandparents
Organization of Broome County at the
Broome County Library on Nov. 30.
The Jazz Choir is a select group of
singers, led by high school Choir Director Margaret Buhl.
14
Music and Arts
Scenes from our holiday concerts
15
Elementary - Port Dickinson
We want to wish all of you a happy 2013. Things are slowly settling down after a busy month of
December filled with celebrations. Now we are working on our next exciting event at Port Dickinson.
We are planning to host Ken Nessbitt, a visiting author, for PARP (Parents as Reading Partners). Ken
lives in Spokane, Washington with his wife Ann, a son and daughter. He writes children’s poems such
as, ”Scrawny Tawny Skinner”. He also has written several children’s books such as, My Foot Fell
Asleep and a sequel titled, I’ve Seen My Kitchen Sink. He will be coming to Port Dickinson to talk to the
children about reading, writing, and poetry.
We would like to thank the PTA at Port Dickinson for working with the faculty and staff on promoting our
Olweus Anti-Bullying Program. We were able to put on a parent presentation that was well attended.
Jim Pritchard, principal,
Also, we held our official kick-off presentation for the children at Port Dickinson. The PTA supplied
Port Dickinson Elem.
t-shirts to all the children with the message that bullying will not be tolerated at Port Dickinson. We will
be working with faculty, staff, parents and children to learn the rules of bully prevention, and children will have a chance to
talk about bullying in their morning meetings.
1. We will not bully others.
2. We will try to help students who are being bullied.
3. We will try to include students who are left out.
4. If we know that somebody is being bullied, we will tell an adult at school and an adult at home.
We are planning to continue the Kelso and Olweus program, through class meeting times and our morning program at
Port Dickinson. Children seem to be enjoying those times together.
Thank you for taking time out of your day to attend our parent/teacher conferences. If we can be of further help at any time,
please call or send in a note. We would also like to thank you for your generosity! We helped support 13 families this holiday
season. Thank you for your generous donations.
Please feel free to stop by or drop us a line if we can further assist you.
Believe it! Achieve it! At Chenango Valley Where Warriors Excel!
Olweus kick off
A generous birthday girl
A school-wide pep rally -- our first ever -- was held at Port
Dickinson to kick off the Olweus anti-bullying program. We
have big plans for activities with the Olweus program, so be
sure to check our upcoming issues of the Newscaster for
details. Warriors are not bullies!
Most third-graders look forward to their birthday with the
anticipation of parties, cake, and presents, but Jazmyn
Palmatier had something else in mind. Instead of asking for
gifts, Palmatier decided to collect children’s shoes at her
party and donate them to CV students in need. Palmatier
and her grandmother donated 50 pairs of shoes for
distribution. Great job, Jazmyn!
16
Pre-kindergarten and kindergarten sign-ups
If you have a child who will be four or five years old by December 1, 2013, please call the following numbers:
762-6975 for four-year-olds
762-6970 for five-year-olds
You will be placed on a mailing list to receive information about pre-kindergatren registration (four-year-olds) or information about
kindergarten registration (five-year-olds). Parent information nights and registration for both will take place in April 2013.
Please note: if your child is currently enrolled in the pre-kindergarten program at Port Dickinson for the 2012-2013 school year, your
child will automatically be enrolled for kindergarten beginning in September 2013.
That’s a giant gingerbread cookie!
First-graders in Mrs. Lucas’ class had fun making a lifesized gingerbread man -- or, actually, a life-sized cookie in
the shape of their classmate, Ava.
Mrs. Lucas traced Ava’s outline to make the pattern. The
class rolled 14 batches of dough into balls, which was then
rolled out on the pattern. School ovens are big, but not
that big, so the giant cookie was baked in sections. Each
student was given a part of the cookie to decorate with icing,
sprinkles, gummy bears, and lots of other colorful sweets,
and students then sampled their creation before taking most
of it home.
can
she
really
eat
it all?
Student buddies go caroling at nursing home
Third-graders and their kindergarten buddies made a visit to Elizabeth Church Manor nursing home on Dec. 18 to sing
holiday songs to the residents and give them handmade ornaments. The residents were delighted with the youngsters!
17
Elementary - Chenango Bridge
Welcome 2013! It’s hard to believe that we are almost done with half of the school year and the holiday
concerts and activities are over for 2012. As we travel through the winter months, I want you to know
that the staff at CB has been working diligently on curriculum updates, Common Core Learning Standards and preparing students for upcoming state exams. We have worked with area specialists as well
as within grade levels to ensure each student has the opportunity to reach their maximum potential.
This effort will continue throughout the spring months as well.
Tamara Ivan, principal,
Chenango Bridge Elem.
We also have some school-wide events scheduled for students. They include the upcoming grade 4
chorus concert (January 30) at Chenango Bridge, a performance from the Tri Cities Opera in February and the CB Student Math Bee. As always, we feel it is important for the staff and parents to work
together. Please feel free to contact the school with a question or concern. On behalf of the staff at
Chenango Bridge I would like to wish you all a healthy and rewarding year.
Biome project helps students learn
about land and sea
Tundra, Taiga, Rainforest…oh my! Mrs. Clark’s sixth-grade
science classes brought the major land and ocean biomes
of the world to life. A biome is a biotic community that is
characterized by specific plants, animals and climate.
Each student read and researched information about
a particular biome. Individual 3-D biome boxes were
constructed using various types of materials. Each student
found 10 interesting facts about their biome and composed
an expository writing piece full of fascinating details related
to their particular ecosystem. The 3-D biome boxes were
AWESOME and were proudly displayed in the 6th grade
wing!
Students celebrate veterans, active
military with annual assembly
Honoring our nation’s veterans and active military troops is
a strong tradition at Chenango Valley, and especially so at
Chenango Bridge Elementary.
The annual Veterans’ Day celebration included performances by the CB choir and band and a slide show on the history
of the holiday.
During the assembly, the audience was asked to raise their
hand if they have a relative who is a veteran or currently
serves in the military. A sea of hands belonging to teachers,
staff and students rose in the air.
Local veterans attended the assembly and were given a
round of gratuitous applause for their service.
After the assembly, students engaged in another CB tradition by decorating the front lawn with small American flags.
18
Pictured: Marina Maerkl, Madison Perrault, Brittany Kropp, Kara Watson and Tori
Schreiber
State maps from creative materials
Annual hoop shoot competition
The Chenango Bridge Elementary School participated in
annual Elks National Hoop Shoot Free Throw in physical
education class.
The contest is America’s largest non-commercial co-educational sports program. It offers kids ages 8-13, regardless of
race, color, or creed, an opportunity for character and skill
development; healthy spirited athletic competition; social
relationships; quality family time; comradery; and travel with
minimal expense to participants and parents.
Winners advance to district level competition with the opportunity to advance to the national competition, where
the winners will have their name inscribed on a permanent
plaque at the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame in
Springfield, Massachusetts.
Pictured:front row, l-r: Kendra Potenziano, Gianna LoVuolo, Mary Katherine Doyle,
Zoe Gates; Back row, l-r: Peyton Broderick, Natalie Broderick, Brian Chong, Luke Hoyt
Students in Mrs. Vesci’s fourth-grade social studies class
created three-dimensional models of New York State using any medium they wanted. There was a wide variety of
designs...those creative juices were flowing!
Age Group
Student Name
Grade/Teacher
Boys age 9
Garrett Kraak
4th-grade / Sweeney
Girls age 9
Aaliyah Williams
4th-grade / Gates
Boys age 10
Sam Bozuhoski
5th-grade / Zanot
Girls age 10
Grace Elliott
5th-grade / Zanot
Boys age 11
Dylan Ferry
6th-grade / Fitzgerald
Girls age 11
Marina Maerkl
6th-grade / Keene
Boys age 12
Steven Goldstone 6th-grade / Bucci
Girls age 12
Peyton VanSoest
6th-grade / Bucci
The students were required to identify all the major cities,
lakes and rivers on their models, and each map also included
a key and compass rose. Well done!
Does anyone have photos from
CB holiday concert?
Pictured front (l-r): Aaliyah Williams, Grace Elliott, Dylan Ferry and Garrett Kraak.
Back (l-r): Ted Hoffman, Peyton VanSoest, Marina Maerkl, Steven Goldstone and
Sam Bozuhoski.
Submitted by Ted Hoffman, CB physical education teacher
19
Elementary - Chenango Bridge
Reading Promise Corner
Share your photos
with us!
We are looking for pictures
of students reading with
their Promise Partners.
Just send a picture to your
child’s teacher or email to:
[email protected].
Digital photos are preferred.
Matthew Cease reads with his mother. He likes to read
when he’s curled up on the couch, and loves reading books
about dogs.
Nicolas Riegal and his mother also love to read together.
He’s really enjoying this Christmas book!
The Reading Promise program at both Port Dickinson and Chenango Bridge elementary schools has become nothing short
of a phenonmenon, as students, parents and families are reading together more than ever. The program began at the beginning of this school year, and was inspired by the NY Time best-selling book, “The Reading Promise” by Alice Ozma, who
read with her father every day for years.
Although the real prize is building literacy skills and quality family time, Reading Promise prizes will be awarded after each
quarter. With so many great readers at Chenango Bridge, program coordinator Mrs. Vesci had to pull names from a random
drawing for the first quarter prizes. To be eligible to win a prize, students had to read at home for at least 10 minutes every
day with their reading partner. Pictured below are the winning students, who received Barnes and Noble gift cards.
Congratulations to all our great readers. Keep up the good work!
Reading Promise First Quarter
prize winners
front row, l-r: Zachariah Stanton, Jordan Gill,
Kendra Potenziano, Faith Riegal, all grade 4;
Middle row, l-r: Macklyn Hogan, grade 6; Max
Reppard, grade 5; Siya Parekh, grade 5; Morgan
Whittington, grade 5; Jessica Turner, grade 6.
Back row, Jeremy Kellam, grade 6
20
Middle School
Middle School Highlights:
Happy New Year! Now that 2013 is well underway, the entire Chenango Valley Middle School is beginning to look ahead, planning and preparing for the upcoming NYS Exams this spring. Our middle school
staff is very dedicated to working with our students. Please encourage your child to meet deadlines and
complete assignments, and most importantly remember celebrate their individual success.
On December 3rd, the Middle School Band and Chorus held their Holiday Concert under the skillful
direction of Mr. Brisk and Mrs. Buhl. It was a wonderful evening as the students performed traditional
tunes. Thank you to all the chorus and band students for kicking off the holiday season.
Please continue to reinforce proper cell phone etiquette during the academic school day. Cell phones
should be turned off and kept in the student lockers during the school day. Cell phones have a time and
a place; they may only be used after the instructional day has concluded. Thank you for your continued support.
Eric Attleson, principal
CV Middle School
Middle School students practiced yoga, “zumba-d”, and made homemade pretzels at the 7th Annual Middle School Wellness
Day. I would like to thank Mrs. Beth Hubenthal, MS School Social Worker, for organizing the Wellness Day. A huge thank
you also goes to Mrs. Deborah Lally, MS Guidance Counselor, and Mrs. Kim Riquier, MS Nurse, as well as the entire Middle
School faculty, staff, and our enthusiastic middle school students, for making this Wellness Day a complete success.
As the second half of the school year is underway, I urge all students to be on top of your academics. If you need extra help,
please plan to stay after school, during 10th period (2:20 pm to 3:00 pm – Monday - Thursday) with your academic teachers.
Eric E. Attleson
Middle School Principal
Students of the Month
Our Students of the Month “CARE” about CV!
C-Citizenship
A-Attitude
R-Responsibility
E-Enthusiasm
November 2012 Students of the Month:
Red Team
Jontay Card
Sean Dundon
Gray Team
Patrick Giblin
Emily Valez
White Team
Matthew Harper
Matthew Igo
Pictured: front row, l-r: Patrick Giblin, Matthew Harper. Back row, l-r: Jontay Card, Emily Valez,
Matthew Igo, Sean Dundon
21
Middle School
Wellness Day a huge, heathy hit
The annual CV Middle School Wellness Day brought inspiration, education and active
fun for everyone. With an overall theme of friendship and kindness, students spent their
last day before winter break learning about physical and emotional health, healthy eating,
fitness, the environment and much more.
Keynote speaker Ann Szymaniak, owner of the Dance Connection, kicked off the day
with a motivational talk to all students. Her message was, “you are AWESOME” and she
encouraged students to be who they truly are so that they will “shine their light.” Saying
that doing good for others makes you feel good yourself, she ended with the message that
‘kindness’ is the new cool for 2013.
Students then rotated through eight different sessions throughout the day, including a
school-wide Olweus meeting where “I’ve Got Your Back” bracelets were distributed to
each student. The bracelets, made by a goup of students, can be worn as a signal that
you are open to supporting anyone who needs help, or can be given to someone as a way
of saying “I’ve Got your Back”. Other sessions throughout the day included:
Athletics - presented by Bill Clark, CVHS Teacher and former professional athlete. Before becoming a teacher, Bill won
two world weightlifting championships. He shared the story of his early childhood, his experiences with bullying and the
difference that athletics made in his life. He encouraged students to pick something that can help them through difficult
times, encouraged them to be patient and never give up. Bill left the students with an important message – surround yourself
with people you can trust and who don’t let you give up!
Body Image – presented by Jessica Surdey, professor at BU and BCC, athletic trainer. Jessica talked with the students
about healthy food choices and portion sizes and explored the impact of media on their own body-image. She also stressed
with the students about being careful in the ways that we talk to each other about size and body weight. Jessica left the
students with an important message: “take care of your body – it’s the only place you have to live in”.
Environmental Wellness – presented by Taylor Lange (CV grad and senior at Binghamton University) and Cherie Lange
(MS Social Teacher and Taylor’s Mom). Taylor gave students an overview of chemicals that lead to greenhouse gasses
and global warming. Students completed an online survey about some of their own habits, calculated their personal
carbon footprint, and learned ways to reduce their carbon footprint. To calculate your own carbon footprint, visit http://calc.
zerofootprint.net/youth/iEarn.
22
Middle School
Healthy Relationships – presented by Garry Scutt, retired CVHS health teacher. Garry used popular songs to help students
see different ways to have healthy relationships with others. He stressed that this generation didn’t cause bullying, it’s been
around a long time and is everywhere around us (news, elections, editorials, movies). He encouraged students to be the
generation that decides to put a stop to it by following one rule, BE NICE. Garry also encouraged the students to surround
themselves with good people, and to be there for each other.
K-9 – presented by Deputy Andres and K-9 dog Mac. Deputy Andres
of the Broome County Sheriff’s Department and his dog Mac put on
a great presentation. Deputy Andres explained all that goes into
training police dogs as well as the tools and techniques the sheriff’s
department uses with the dogs. Mac then demonstrated some of his
skills, and Deputy Andres answered lots of questions from students.
Nutrition – presented by Joanne Terwilliger, CVHS FACS teacher.
In this session, students were able to learn about, make and eat
healthy whole wheat pretzels. While they waited for their pretzels to
bake, they played BINGO. Joanne had help throughout the day from
her high school students as well as from Jackie Arnold, CVHS Social
Worker.
Yoga - presented by Ann Szymaniak, owner of the Dance
Connection, yoga instructor. Ann led our students through a yoga
and meditation session. She taught the students the importance of the breath as well as
balance techniques. Ann continued to encourage the students to let their light shine and
embrace their own AWESOMENESS! She gave all of the students clear stones to allow
the students to carry their light with them and remind them that their bright shining light is
always with them.
Zumba – presented by CJ Michalak,
Zumba instructor. With an amazing
amount of energy, local Zumba
instructor CJ Michalak taught the
students the dance workout, and
students learned that exercise can
be fun! Zumba is a great total body
workout that makes you feel good
and keeps you smiling. CJ had help
throughout the day from MS PE
teacher, Cathy Lyons and HS students,
Victoria Austin, Nick Pert, Olivia
Trumino, Ryan Phillips and Natalie
Spear-Mead.
23
Middle School
Computer class demonstrates new skillls
Mr. Krause’s Computer 7 classes got into the Christmas spirit by showing off the t-shirts they created using their new computer skills. In addition to creating t-shirts, both classes wrote personal letters to President
Obama, his wife and children just before Thanksgiving and are hoping
to receive a response soon.
Students in 7th grade are required to take 20 weeks of computer instruction to learn proper keyboarding techniques, the basics of how a
computer works, and MS office products such as MS Word and PowerPoint.
Upcoming middle school events
January 21
School Closed
Martin Luther King, Jr. Day
January 25
1/2 day - conferences
students dismissed at10:30 a.m.
January 25
End of 2nd Quarter
Mid-April
ELA and math exams
Late May
8th grade science exam
Santa’s elves
We all know how busy Santa gets every year, but did you know he has
elves from the Chenango Valley Middle School keyboarding class who
help him with his correspondence?
It’s true, Santa has student elves who sent personalized replies to letters
to him written by students in Mrs. Dupre’s and Mrs. Hartman’s secondgrade classes at Port Dickinson. The elves used their keyboarding and
Word skills to create beautiful letters to over 40 younger students.
At left, Alaina Carman
shows the Santa letter she
replied to as part of the
“elves” project.
Top right, some of the
carefully written letters.
Bottom right, Patrick
Buchinsky works on a reply
letter, concentrating on
finding just the right words.
24
High School
Welcome back. I hope all of you had a great holiday vacation.
Students will return to find Local and Regents exams in January. Local test dates are January 15 and
16, Regents exams are scheduled for January 22 – 25.
As the second semester begins, I remind students they should continue to do their best in class.
Teachers offer extra help in our 10th-period remedial time Monday through Thursday each week. If you
had a rough beginning, you still have half of the school year and final exams to turn your grade around.
If you have had a great first half, keep it up! Before long, we all will be looking at final exams in June.
Do your best!
Terry Heller, principal
CV Senior High School
As always, feel free to contact me if you have any questions.
Chemistry class turns tasty
Students in Paul Reed’s chemistry class added a
little flavor to their science lab by making homemade ice cream.
Creating the frozen treat was a lesson in phase
changes in matter from the milk turning from liquid
to solid and the ice turning from solid to liquid because of the salt mixed in with the ice.
The class also discussed the difference between
making vanilla and chocolate ice cream and variations in amount of certain ingredients like vanilla
extract and sugar.
NAME?
Students pledge to keep “Eyes Forward”
Students at CVHS were encouraged to sign the “Eyes Forward”
safe driving pledge Dec. 19-20 during the 11th and 12th grade
lunch period. Signing the pledge indicates a promise not to text
and drive, and to further limit distrations while driving.
Those who signed the pledge received a bright green bracelet that
will serve as a visual reminder to pay attention when behind the
wheel.
The pledge form included tips to help students keep their promise,
such as placing the phone beyond your reach before starting the
car.
According the the Virginia Tech Transportation Institute, those who
text while driving are 23 times more likely to be involved in an accident.
The Eyes Forward campaign is a partnership between WBNG and
Columbian Financial Group. Supporting sponsors include Lourdes
Hospital, Endicott Interconnect Technologies and the Raymond
Corporation.
Brian Pragacz and Nicole Milligan sign the “Eyes Forward” safe driving pledge.
25
High School
A refreshing use of technology in the classroom
Students in Todd Hertzog’s digital photography class had the opportunity to add real refreshment to the curriculum. Each
student developed his/her own refreshing new energy drink, then recorded a podcast and created a commercial for their
product.
In the first stage, students created a product name and eye-catching logo, and added other necessary graphic elements,
such a recycle logo and bar code, to make the product ready to market and sell. During the second stage of the project, students recorded and edited an audio commercial in the Audacity program. Students created a full scale commercial advertisement for their product for the final portion of the project. The advertisement campaign included the energy drink, podcast and
video commercial using PhotoStory or PowerPoint, to create a professional looking, quality commercial.
Pictured below is a collection of the energy drinks from periods 3 and 8 digital photography classes.
Submitted by Todd Hertzog, HS business teacher
Student and firefighter John Shear goes where help is needed
Senior John Shear gave residents of Nassau County another reason to be thankful this
year. For three days in November, Shear volunteered with the Choconut Fire Department
to help with disaster relief efforts in Nassau County, NY.
“Houses were off the foundations and boats were everywhere,” said Shear.
Shear’s responsibilities included natural gas checks, picking up people from their homes
and running calls while the local firefighters attended to their own homes.
Hurricane Sandy was not Shear’s first time volunteering during a natural disaster. Shear
also lent a hand to the Choconut Fire Department during the local 2011 floods.
“There were six of us that worked 36 hours straight,” he said.
Shear plans on attending the University of Maryland to study civil or fire protection engineering. Shear also plans on living at the local firehouse to save money on room and
board and volunteer his time and services. He has been a volunteer of the Choconut Fire
Department for more than three years, and spends several hours training with the department each week.
Shear was recently featured as a “Class Act” student in a recent edition of the Binghamton
Press.
Congratulations, John! You’re setting a wonderful example about the importance of helping others.
26
High School
Carolers brought
festive sounds to
the MS-HS halls
Several staff members came
in a bit early on the last day
before winter break to roam the
halls and sing holiday tunes.
It was a great way to start the
day and get everyone into the
spirit!
MS & HS students show off keyboard skills in annual typing championship
The CVHS Business Education Department recently held its annual typing championship. Offered since 2001, the event has been sponsored by Ridley Lowell Business
Institute for the past several years and is open to all middle and high school students.
The competition involves a five minute, timed typing test. The student with the highest
net words per minute is the winner.
It was a close race this year. This year’s high school champion is Michael Spena, who
averaged 75 words per minute and made just three mistakes. Michael won $50 and a
personal trophy, and his name will be placed on the CVHS Typing Hall of Fame plaque.
Since Mike is a junior, he has a chance to match his sister, Samantha, as a two-time
winner.
Other winners at the high school division included: Derrick Moore, second place; and
David Weeks, third place.
In the Middle School division, in first place was Murissa Greiner; second place, Cassidy
Golden; and in third place was Sean Corey. As the event sponsor, Ridley Lowell Business Institute provided cash prizes and the trophy to the overall champ.
2012 Typing Champion Michael Spena
Believe It! Achieve It!
at Chenango Valley
Where Warriors Excel!
Front row, l-r: Sean Corey, Murissa Greiner, Cassidy Golden. Back row,l-r: Michael
Spena, Derrick Moore, David Weeks, and Kimberly Broderick from Ridley-Lowell.
27
ChenangoValley CSD
221 Chenango Bridge Rd.
Binghamton, NY 13901
Non-Profit
Organization
U.S. Postage
PAID
Permit No. 237
Binghamton, NY
Believe It! Achieve It! At Chenango Valley where Warriors Excel!
Directory
Lose your blues and come to see Footloose!
Website...........................................www.cvcsd.stier.org
CV School District Main Number.............. 762-6800
Board of Education
Gerald G. Abbey Jr...........................................722-5474
James DeGennaro............................................773-8078
Stuart W. Elliott................................................648-6061
John Hussar.....................................................773-8196
Terrence M. Kane.............................................648-4499
Lynn M. Kaufman.............................................221-6240
Steve Randall...................................................724-4823
Eric Rifenbury..................................................348-4294
Maureen A. Roberts.........................................724-3621
Interim Superintendent of Schools
David Gill..........................................................762-6810
Interim Assistant Superintendent of Schools
Mary Beth Hammond.......................................762-6811
District Clerk
Susan Cirba...................................................762-6812
Offices
Athletics.........................................................762-6904
Food Service..................................................762-6840
Guidance........................................................762-6918
Special Education Department.......................762-6830
Transportation Department............................762-6850
Schools
The mission of the Chenango Valley School community is to provide educational opportunities
to promote maximum learning potential for personal growth and social responsibility.
Port Dickinson...................................762-6970
Attendance.................................................762-6977
Health Office...............................................762-6976
DASA Coordinator, Jim Pritchard...............762-6970
Chenango Bridge................................762-6950
Attendance.................................................762-6954
Health Office...............................................762-6952
DASA Coordinator, Tamara Ivan.................762-6950
Middle School...................................762-6902
Attendance.................................................762-6931
Health Office...............................................762-6911
Homework Hotline – Grey..........................762-6870
Homework Hotline – Red............................762-6872
DASA Coordinator, Eric Attleson................762-6902
High School......................................762-6900
Attendance.................................................762-6931
Health Office...............................................762-6911
DASA Coordinator, Terry Heller..................762-6900
Chenango Valley High School Theater Guild
presents
March 22, 23, 24
Friday & Saturday: 7:30 p.m.
Sunday: 2 p.m. Matinee
Chenango Valley H.S. Auditorium
$10 Adults
$8 Child/Student/Senior (62+)
All tickets are for reserved seating.
Tickets can be purchased at the door.
To reserve tickets: Complete form below and mail with payment
Enclose a self-addressed stamped envelope with your order if you would like your paid tickets mailed
to you. Otherwise, tickets will be held at the box office until 15 minutes before showtime the day of the
performance. We will not be honoring refunds the day of the show.
For additional information, go to http://cvtheatertkts.webs.com
Mail to: Anne Carter/Tickets, 177 Krager Road, Binghamton, NY 13904. Tickets may also be reserved
by email: [email protected] or by phone: 771-8690.
Please make checks payable to “CV Schools”
Name:___________________________________Phone # or email address: ____________________
q
I am enclosing a self-addressed stamped envelope.
q
Please hold tickets for pick up by 15 minutes before showtime.
Friday, March 22, 7:30 p.m.
Reserve Tickets
Saturday, March 23, 7:30 p.m.
Reserve Tickets
Sunday, March 24, 2:00 p.m.
Reserve Tickets
_____ @ $10 each Adult
_____ @ $10 each Adult
_____ @ $10 each Adult
_____ @ $8 each Child/Student
_____ @ $8 each Child/Student
_____ @ $8 each Child/Student
_____ @ $8 each Sr. Citizens (62+)
_____ @ $8 each Sr. Citizens (62+)
_____ @ $8 each Sr. Citizens (62+)
_____ Total Tickets Ordered
_____ Total Tickets Ordered
_____ Total Tickets Ordered
_____ Amount Enclosed
_____ Amount Enclosed
_____ Amount Enclosed