June 2012 - Chenango Valley Central School

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Chenango Valley Central School District
June 2012
French exchange trip
This spring, 25 high school students and four
teachers went on a two-week trip to Castres,
located in southwestern France as part of the
French Exchange program.
Chenango Valley has been conducting the exchange with La Borde Basse, a high
school in Castres, for the last 20
years. Students from La Borde
Basse visited Chenango Valley last
October.
While in Paris, students went on a
boat ride on the river Seine, saw
Monet’s famous painting Nymphéas
(waterlilies) in the Orangerie Museum, walked the streets of Montmartre, dined in the Eiffel Tower,
and took a guided bus tour where
they saw Notre Dame, The Opéra
Garnier, L’Arc de Triomphe and
ate many delicious French meals.
The class then hopped on the
“French exchange” continued
on pg 4
District - pg 2-4
Music - pg 5
Clubs - pg 6
Schools - pg 8-15
Ceramics students accomplish great
“feats” at annual tournament
Not many competitions encourage you to get down and dirty,
but the 35th-annual Feats
of Clay tournament held at
Onondaga Community College, convinced the CV varsity
ceramics team that a little dirt
doesn’t hurt.
The day-long event featured 21
upstate New York schools and
included timed competitions in stacking clay
cylinders, mug making, no-hands clay throwing, coil tower building, pot put, and a blindfold throw. Each event tested the students’
ability to work together as a team to
create the structures.
CV ended up the competition by winning the coil tower
building event with a 64.5
inch structure.
The biggest “win” for the
class, was recycling
Brian Kipp competeing in the blindfold throw event
nearly 500 pounds of
clay donated to the
competition. Students
packed the “used” clay from the competitions and brought it back to
the school for use in ceramics classes.
The event also features a teacher juried ceramics only exhibition,
where CV senior Peter Schubert won the coveted senior award, which
included a $200 scholarship and a silent auction of ceramic works
donated by teachers.
“The students worked very hard towards the Feats of Clay competition and exhibition. It is an opportunity for our students to demonstrate
their knowledge and skill in ceramics and the exhibition gives
them an opportunity to display their work for
judging and awards. The competition is a fun
way to put their skill and ability to the test
against Syracuse area schools. We are the
only southern tier school invited to the
event and I am very proud of our kids,”
said Andrew Fitzsimmons high school
ceramics teacher.
Feats of Clay started in 1988 in order
to encourage the education of ceramic
arts in the Syracuse area schools.
Each year more schools are added to
compete with Chenango Valley as the
only school from the greater Binghamton area to attend.
Chenango Valley Central School District
June 2012
Vol. 6 Issue 9
Publication of the Board of Education
CV District News
Message from the interim superintendent
First and foremost I want to thank our community for supporting our school budget. It is with your support and involvement that we can continue to provide the best educational experiences possible for our
children. I also would like to personally thank everyone for the support I have received over the last 6
months as your interim superintendent. You are all very much appreciated.
This is the time of year I like to reflect on the school year. What did we do well and what do we need
to improve upon next year. For teachers, I hope that they feel confident in what they provided our
students. I hope they are satisfied with the 100% effort they gave our students and the 100% they
received in return.
David Gill,
Interim Superintendent
Teaching is a difficult position and often under-appreciated. I want our CV teachers to know that our
community appreciate the hard work and effort they put in each and every day to help our students
grow.
For students, I hope they reflect on the school year and confidently say they gave their best effort. I
want our students to always know the importance of putting their best foot forward and letting their lights
shine. For parents and families, I hope they feel confident in the support they gave their children, teachers, and school community.
For all of us, I hope we continue to take pride in our community and hold it to a standard we are proud of and continue our
commitment of excellence for all.
David P. Gill
Interim Superintendent
Chess club is making
the right moves
For Chenango Bridge students, chess
is more than a board game.
The club’s advisor, Bill Hazilla, organized the school’s Chess Club to
resemble the “March Madness” college
basketball tournament. Players compete in this bracket-style tournament
throughout the month of March.
All Chenango Bridge students, regardless of skill level are welcome to join.
The club meets one day a week after
school and runs from November until
May.
Submitted by Bill Hazilla, teacher aide
2
Pictured (l-r) James Wyatt (champion), Brett Salzman (2nd place), Jim Hart (3rd place) and Faith Fassett (4th
place).
CV District News
Tdap immunization requirement for fall 2012 students entering 6th-grade
The New York State Public Health Law now requires children to receive a pertussis booster. This is administered as a Tdap
vaccine. The Tdap vaccine is one dose for children born on or after 1/1/94 and enrolling in 6th-grade.
The key points are:
• Students who are entering 6th-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 6th-grade will not be required to receive the Tdap vaccine and
will not be excluded from school, but they must be immunized when they turn 11 years old.
To comply with this new requirement, you must provide the school with proof of your child’s Tdap immunization. This can be accomplished by:
1) Having 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 shot 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 had 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 both of us.
Bus Rodeo
Three CV bus drivers hit the trail to participate in the Southern Tier Annual NYAPT “Bus Road-eo” with our head bus
driver Matt Bullock as a road-eo judge. All drivers were
required to use the First Student buses on site. For our
drivers, that meant driving a larger 72 passenger bus. The
CV bus drivers participating this year were Shanin Gates,
Miriam Mathurin and Kathy Filan.
Road-eo events included a written test and an obstacle driving course. For the obstacle course, each driver had an onboard judge to observe them as they prepare the bus and
drive the course. Also, there were judges stationed at each
obstacle on the driving course.
The obstacle course included a serpentine route through
barrels, narrow cone-lined areas, curves, parallel parking,
narrow alley docking (backing up), a simulated railroad stop
and bus stops to load and unload students. There was also
a section of the course where the drivers had to run their
back dual wheels between two lines of tennis balls without
disturbing them. Overall it required some pretty fancy driving!
Pictured (l-r): Kathy Filan, Shanin Gates, Miriam Mathurin and Matt Bullock
Each year there is also a surprise event. This year’s surprise event was stopping the front right bus wheel on a dollar coin,
which Mathurin won, giving her 20 extra points. In overall scoring Mathurin placed 6th in the Road-eo, Filan came in 11th
place, and Gates came in 14th place, only 3 points behind Filan. We congratulate our drivers for continuing to hone their driving skills and representing Chenango Valley in this regional event.
CV Interim District Superintendent, David Gill and CV School Business Executive, Beth Donahue attended the event in support of our drivers.
“I was impressed with not only the intricacy of the course itself but with the enthusiasm that the drivers had for the tasks and
the support that they provided each other. I have a renewed sense of respect for what our drivers do on a daily basis,” said
Donahue.
Submitted by Sally Nickerson, senior typist
3
CV District News
“French exchange” continued from cover
TGV (the high speed bullet train) for their trip to the south of France.
Students attended classes at La Borde Basse, where they learned how the French education system differs from ours. The
class also went to City Hall and was welcomed by the Mayor of Castres. Students also had the opportunity to visit castles
built in the Middle Ages, tour cathedrals built in Romanesque and Gothic architectural styles, and shop for the latest French
fashions.
Coordinators of the exchange, First grade teacher Susan Pierce and high school French teacher Amber Henyan, would like
to thank Chenango Valley for their continued support of this wonderful program. The students gained a new perspective and
brought a little bit of la vie française back with them.
Submitted by Amber Henyan, high school French teacher
Transportation notice
What Bus does my son or daughter ride on next school year? What time will they get picked up and dropped off?
The CV Transportation Department works very hard to accommodate the changing transportation needs of its students. In
order to accommodate all those needs we need accurate information on the students’ home address, and parent/guardian,
sitter, sports, visitation and after school activity information. We accept daily changes to the bus schedule until 1 p.m. daily at
762-6850. For permanent changes please send in a new change form, which you can find on the school website www.cvcsd.
stier.org under the Transportation Department link.
In the past the CV Transportation Office has sent out multiple sets of postcards during the summer months with the students’
bus number and schedule information for the upcoming school year as well as a form for any updates to the students’ (and
their parents’/ guardian’s / sitters’) contact information. The cost of sending out these postcards has become so great that
the cost far outweighs the value of the small number of changes and information that we receive from them; therefore we will
no longer be sending out these postcards.
In the interest of keeping the school’s costs down, this year we are asking you send in an updated transportation information
form no later than June 22. If your address, phone, or other information has already changed, or will change over the summer, please give us that information
as soon as possible so we can set up
our bus routes for September. You can
send these updates to school with your
student, before classes end in June.
Over the summer months, we will be
working hard to reroute our buses
based on the number of students per
route, bus capacity and which school
the students on each route are traveling to/from.
When all the routes have been set-up
the bus information will be listed in the
September edition of the Newscaster.
Your student will be picked up and
dropped off within the approximated
times listed. If your student rides a different bus for pick-up or drop-off from
the home address, please look for the
pick-up or drop-off street in the bus
listing to find the correct bus number
and time. If you have any questions
regarding this change please contact
the Transportation Office at 762-6850.
Submitted by Sally Nickerson, senior typist
4
Board of Education
Letter from the President
The Chenango Valley Board of Education would like to thank all of our district residents for the
successful passage of the 2012-13 budget for a 1.54% budget-to-budget increase with a 73%
positive vote.
We commend everyone in our district for continuing to support our educational program. The
Board of Education, administration and staff all worked diligently to develop a budget that
stayed below the tax cap while still addressing student needs. It is regrettable that in order to
meet the cap, we had to make some difficult personnel and program cuts. These cuts were
necessary to provide continuous fiscal stability for the Chenango Valley District. I’m very
happy to report that our district remains in a solid financial condition although the economy,
operational cost and the tax cap will present challenges in the years ahead.
The BOE is firmly committed to improving student achievement and preparation for future
learning. Internal data developed in recent years has identified areas in need of improvement and the administration lead by Interim Superintendent David Gill is diligently working to
advance these goals. We are committed to addressing students in need of educational assistance at the earliest age possible, as research has shown this is to be the most effective and
efficient strategy for long term educational success. Within practical budget constraints, our goal
is offer the broadest and most challenging educational opportunities to all our students.
James Penwell,
President, CV Board of Education
The district will continue to use the diligent fiscal management strategies that have been implemented in recent years. This
planning and operational management will assure that CV can achieve its’ educational goals.
One of the items we are anticipating is Chenango Valley - Chenango Forks merger study. The outcome of the study will
identify potential benefits of a merger. If these benefits are viable and the districts residents agree, a new future can be
forged with a great potential to lower cost while expanding student opportunity. The CV BOE will continue to plan our nearterm management practices to best position the district to address various merger study outcomes. We look forward to your
continued support and patience as we work together to develop the districts future direction. Thank You!
James W. Penwell
President, CV Board of Education
Thank you from the CV Board of Education
Maureen Roberts,
CV Board of Education Member
The budget season of 2012 will go down in the history books as one of the most difficult years
as a result of formulating a fiscally responsible budget given the new tax levy constraints. The
new 2% tax cap legislation was a challenge for the district in building a responsible budget and
educating the voters that “two percent does not equal two percent.” I attended the Broome-Tioga Board of Cooperative Educational Services (BT-BOCES) annual meeting including a presentation of the administrative and capital budgets for BT-BOCES. The theme for this year’s
event was “meeting the challenge together;” a statement we sincerely believe is pertinent to
our collective mission. More importantly, we heard directly from the students, past and present
that have gained success from the opportunities in which we have afforded with BT-BOCES.
In particular, former Chenango Valley student Cara Weissman read a poem that expressed
her journey through education. This young lady, once struggled in the learning environment at
Chenango Valley, but through the expenditures with BT-BOCES and the () program, she was
able to renew her spirit and develop confidence that was hidden within. It is our partnership
with BT-BOCES that helps to provide children with what it takes to maximize their potential for
lifelong success.
Congratulations and best wishes to all of our students but especially our graduating Class of
2012. It’s time to sit back and enjoy the end of the school year and all of the excitement it will bring. Graduation for approximately 153 seniors will be the highlight of the ending of my third year of serving my term on the Board of Education. Who
needs a paycheck when one of the fringe benefits is watching our children grow!
Submitted by Maureen Roberts, CV Board of Education Member
5
Music and Arts
CV students participate in annual NYSSMA competition
Over 50 students performed solo and small ensemble arrangements in either vocal or instrumental categories at this year’s
NYSSMA solo festival. The annual festival was held in April at Johnson City High School.
The following is a list of CV students who participated.
Name
Instrument
Lvl.
Heatherman, Samantha
Soprano Voice
6
McManus, Grace
Trumpet
1
Beylo, Becky
Alto Voice
5
Henderson, Katie;
5*
Mellen, Caitlin
Snare Drum
6
Callan, Lea
Soprano Voice
6
O’Malley, Colleen
Tenor Saxophone
duet
Mellen, Damiana
Trumpet
5
Carter, Kristen
Soprano Voice
6
Henderson, Katie
Tenor Saxophone
6
Chamberlain, Leah
Soprano Voice
2
Hitt-Warner, Alexis
Soprano Voice
4
Miller, Sopie
Soprano Voice
3
Clements, Logan
Trumpet
2
Jackowski, Autumn
Soprano Voice
4
Moriarity, Shane
Tenor Saxophone
4
Crissman, Austin
Trumpet, Bass
Voice
3
Jackowski, Gavin
Bass Voice
3
Moyer, Zachary
Trumpet
3
1*
4
5
Alto Saxophone
Soprano Voice
Clarinet, Soprano
Voice
Jensen, Peter
Muccio, Corrine
Crissman, Ruth
Jones, Calahan
Euphonium
5
Mulligan, Leann
Alto Saxophone
1
Elliott, Ethan
Trumpet
3*
Jones, Calahan;
Tuba duet
3*
Odgers, Morgan
Flute
2
Feyler, Jessica
Clarinet
2
Pruitt, Kyla
Soprano Voice
4
Galatioto, Margaret
Flute
4
Kellogg, Sarah
Clarinet
5
2
3
3
Clarinet trio
Alto Voice
Snare Drum
Kellogg, Sara;
Reynolds, Olivia
Griffin, Joey
Schultz, Katie
Trumpet
1*
Grubham, Ashley
Soprano Voice
4
Hamilton, Elaine
Flute
2
Selby, Madeline
Piano
1
Hart, Christian
Tenor Saxophone
4
Hart, Christian;
Moriarity, Shane
Tenor Saxophone
duet
2
Harvey, Caileen
Alto Voice
Heatherman, Nicole
Soprano Voice
Stacey, Jack
Tavlovic, Almasa;
LeVonne, Julie
Krisko, Hollis
Soprano Voice
5
Spena, Michael
Violin/Bassoon
6* 6
Lane, Abbey
Flute
3
Tavlovic, Almasa
Clarinet/Alto Voice
5
Lindsey, Brandee
Soprano Voice
5
Thornton, Lindsey
Soprano Voice
3
6
Lints, Jessup
Tenor Voice
5
2
Mace, Nicholas
Snare Drum
3
Vegiard, Matthew
Tuba
6
Waskie, Matthew
Bass Voice
5
An asterisk next to the level number indicates a perfect score.
Seventh-grader wins music camp
scholarship
One CV middle school student got a
helping hand in forwarding her
music career.
Alexandria Bryant, saxophone player in the CVMS
band received a scholarship to attend Bristol Hills
Music Camp in Canandaigua,
NY. Bristol Hills is a week-long
summer music camp for junior
and senior high school music students.
Scholarship recipients are chosen by a
panel of music teachers.
Submitted by Karla Jensen,
high school music teacher
6
Annual
summer band
concert
and ice cream
social
June 6, 6:30 p.m.
Featuring the CV elementary,
middle and high school bands
Bottles for Bach bottle drive
Please bring your clean, bottles
and cans for recycling.
Music and Arts
Middle school art students flourish at local art show
Chenango Valley middle school students experienced their
first public art show last month during the annual daVinci
Festival Student Art Show at the Broome County Library in
downtown Binghamton.
The art show was held to promote young area artists and
teach them proper gallery etiquette.
“We are fortunate to have the
support of “Binghamton Imaginink” and the Binghamton Public
Library as a venue to showcase
the artistic talent of Chenango
Valley students as well as
students from schools across
Broome County. Students
should learn to go beyond the
walls of the classroom and
become actively engaged with
the arts in their community.
Students benefit by discovering the impact that the visual
arts can have, both as a form
of expression and a source of
enjoyment,” said middle school
art teacher Karen Krawczyk.
The gallery show ran from late
April to late May with a wellattended opening on April 28.
Student artwork featured in the annual daVinci Festival Student Art Show held at the
Broome County Library.
Participating middle
school students
Geneva Anderson
Maggie Gross
Connie Nguyen
Nick Pert
Ryan Phillips
Michaela Gay
Melissa Marean
Kelsilyn Norman
Chase Page
Jenna Simons
CB students sing National Anthem at NYSEG Stadium
Over 50 members of the Chenango Bridge Elementary School chorus sang the national anthem for a Binghamton Mets game
at NYSEG Stadium. This performance was a great way to end a very busy year.
During this year, the 4th, 5th and 6th-grade choirs performed in two concerts, two assemblies, the Chenango Bridge Veterans’ Day program and for the students at Port Dickinson Elementary in a special concert.
Pictured: The members of the Chenango Bridge Elementary School choir at NYSEG Stadium.
7
Elementary - Port Dickinson
Five students represented Port Dickinson at the 2011-2012 Poetry and The Children’s Day at Binghamton University; they are Alexander Hilldale, Ella Stafford, Autumn Dorn, Gabriel McManus and
Faith Riegal. They will be recited their original poems as well as toured the University greenhouse. We
congratulate them for their efforts.
As we are about to start on the summer vacation season, I would like to remind you of the importance of taking time read with your children. Look for reading programs, such as the Summer Reading
Program at the Fenton Free Library, “Dream Big, Read” that will be running from June 19 to July 25.
Remember to read, read, read!
Jim Pritchard, principal,
Port Dickinson Elem.
Pupils practice poetry
at annual Poetry and
the Children Day
Thirty-three students from
Port Dickinson, Chenango Bridge, and the
Middle School attended the annual Poetry
Day at Binghamton
University. Students
were selected by
teachers at Port Dickinson and Chenango
Bridge Elementary
schools. Representing our middle school
were our Olweus poetry
contest winners.
Part of the day included a tour of the
Anderson Center and
the green house.
Special thanks to April
Huyck, Joshua Hubbard
and Deborah Lally for accompanying the students
on the trip.
Congratulations and best
wishes to these wonderful students for their effort
on behalf of Chenango
Valley.
8
Poetry Day participants
Alexander Hilldate.......... 3rd-grade
Ella Stafford.................... 3rd-grade
Autumn Dorn.................. 3rd-grade
Gabriel McManus........... 3rd-grade
Faith Riegal.................... 3rd-grade
Nikkolas Hiras................ 3rd-grade
Elizabeth Morgan........... 4th-grade
Julia Morgan................... 4th-grade
Jim Hart.......................... 4th-grade
Jacob Brown.................. 4th-grade
Madelyn Clark................ 4th-grade
Caleb Schwartz.............. 4th-grade
Max Reppard.................. 4th-grade
Ethan Cooper................. 5th-grade
Jeramiah Reynolds........ 5th-grade
Morgan Gostinski........... 5th-grade
Jennifer McLaughlin....... 5th-grade
Sabrina French............... 5th-grade
Marc Marion................... 5th-grade
Kayla Ferris.................... 5th-grade
Alexa Attleson................ 5th-grade
Jeffrey Rice.................... 5th-grade
Hannah Grunder............ 6th-grade
Cora French................... 6th-grade
Zachary Mars................. 6th-grade
Grace McManus............. 6th-grade
Linsey Reardon.............. 6th-grade
Paige Gill........................ 6th-grade
Noah Stroka................... 6th-grade
Kelly Thompson............. 6th-grade
Trisha Illsley................... 8th-grade
Abbey Lane.................... 8th-grade
Cassidy O’Brien............. 8th-grade
Please return library
books
The PD library would greatly appreciate
the prompt return of all library books.
We will begin a much needed inventory
and the best way to do it is if all books
are in the library. Please look for any
overdue books and send them with
your students. If a book is damaged or
missing, please call the library at 7626970 so we can work it out.
Thank you for your help.
Submitted by Heather Wiggins & Kicki Durgin
Teddy bear picnic
If you went into the kindergarten hallway of Port Dickinson Elementary, you
would’ve been surprised.
The kindergarten students were lined
down the hallway eating “wonderful
things to eat” with their favorite teddy
bear for the annual Teddy Bear Picnic.
Due to rainy weather the picnic was
moved indoors, but that didn’t seem to
dampen the spirits of the classes.
The Teddy Bear Picnic is part of the
science curriculum, particularly the
section on local wildlife. Students learn
about different species of bears, their
eating habits and other characteristics.
Pictured (l-r): Christopher Davies and
Teaghen Driesbaugh
Students grow green
thumbs for PD park
School has traditionally been for helping
students grow. Port Dickinson Elementary
took this concept a step further and has
been teaching their students how to grow
– plants.
Ed and Kay Corcoran have been teaching botany lessons at Port Dickinson for a
number of years. Students learn about the
life-cycle of a plant, plant anatomy, and
the cause and effect of weather on plants.
The students are given small flower plants
to grow at the school.
The second part of the lesson involves
a short field trip to Port Dickinson Park
where the students take their seedlings
and plant them in the community garden.
We would like to thank Ed and Kay Corcoran for the time and passion they put into
teaching our students, and the wonderful
opportunity they give them through the
Port Dickinson Park planting project.
Pictured: Kay Corcoran and Corcoran and
Justin Wardell, grade 2.
9
Elementary - Chenango Bridge
It is hard to believe that another school
year has flown by. The end of the
school year is a very exciting time and
we have experienced giant puppet
shows to our own CB talent show to
celebrate this time of year.
Thanks to Daniel Brisk for organizing and running the talent show. Our
students certainly have amazing abiliTamara Ivan, principal,
ties. We also had a “Career Day” for
Chenango Bridge Elem.
6th–grade organized by Linda Bucci.
Thanks to all the people who took time out to share their
professions with our students.
In early June we will welcome the 3rd-grade students to tour
CB and get comfortable with their soon-to-be new surroundings.
We’re looking forward to seeing parents and families at the
ice cream social and concert. The CB music department
Daniel Brisk, Nicole Nirchi, and Barbara Crowle work hard to
coordinate these productions. We are also looking forward
to our 6th-grade field days thanks to Terry Price and Ted
Hoffman, end of the year carnival (thanks to all, especially
Erin Peterson), “Moving UP” ceremonies and the 6th-grade
“graduation.”
Cyber bullying stops here
The mode in which people bully others has changed dramatically over the last 10 to 15 years with social networking sites
and modalities becoming more popular at an increasingly
younger age.
Chenango Bridge
Elementary
recently held a
short assembly
for students on
the dangers on
“cyber-bullying,”
where students
bully each other
via the Internet
or cell phone.
Students also
learned that
cyber-bullying
Pictured: Sarah Wiggins holding dog tags to be awarded
not only affects the to students.
person being bullied,
but the bully as well. Digital records are kept of everything
a person posts on websites like Facebook and Twitter, and
years down the road potential colleges or employers can access that information.
As part of the assembly, Sarah Wiggins introduced the new
dog-tag endeavor as part of the Olweus Bully Prevention
Program. The multi-colored plastic dog tags have positive
personality traits written on them, with each color signifying
a different trait. Each week, students who exemplify these
behaviors are awarded a dog tag to wear on a chain.
Students show off their science
skills at annual fair
Hundreds of science experiments packed the multipurpose
room at Chenango Bridge Elementary for the annual Science and Book Fair and Basket Raffle.
With 250 projects and 315 students in grades 4 through 6
participating, there was a wide variety of scientific topics
covered that included life, physical and earth science.
Students created their projects based on the scientific
method which the students learned in the classroom.
The Chenango Bridge PTA held their annual Book Fair
along with the student government’s basket raffle to help
fund the student carnival at the end of the school year.
“The entire event was very well attended, it was packed,”
said Judith Beylo teaching assistant in the Chenango Bridge
Elementary science lab.
10
Camryn Zaic and her experiment on bubbles
4th graders dive deep for
marine biology
CB’s got talent
The 4th-grade hallway at Chenango Bridge Elementary
School is swimming with creativity.
As part of their research papers on marine
life, students were given the choice
of making a poster or building
a 3-D model of the animal they
researched.
The hallway is lined with images
of sharks, dolphins, fish and
crustaceans as
well as models made
of a large
variety of
materials.
Amazing feats and daring acts were witnessed at the annual
Chenango Bridge Talent Show.
Many students danced, sang, or played their favorite instrument while some tapped into their creative side and wrote
comedy skits or performed acts of incredible flexibility or skill.
Students performed for their fellow classmates and a separate show for their parents and community.
Special thanks to Daniel Brisk for organizing and announcing
the event.
Great job
students and
parents.
Submitted by
Carrie Vesci,
4th-grade teacher
CB’s Got Talent: Erin Skinner, grade 5
Science class
tests their luck on
St.Patrick’s Day
Rebecca Clark’s 6th-grade science
classes had the Luck of the Irish on St.
Patrick’s Day.
Each class learned about superabsorbant polymers by making instant
“green snow” where students inflated a
leprechaun lunch bag using Bernoulli’s
Principle.
The class also searched for invisible
leprechaun eggs that held 400 times
their weight in water.
The favorite experiment was “worm
goo” that was made with of sodium
alginate.
It was a fun day that ended with everyone being ooey, gooey, and green.
Submitted by Rebecca Clark, 6th-grade
science teacher
Pictured (l-r): Rebekah Courtright, Danielle Paulhamus, Matthew Delaney and Zachary Mars
11
Middle School
As the school year comes to an end, CV middle school has been positively crackling with activity. The
7th- and 8th-graders completed the New York state testing in English language arts and mathematics.
Additionally the 8th-graders completed the New York state science exam. Students did a terrific job
and our faculty carefully graded each exam. We all managed to survive without a scratch!
The 8th-grade students in Deidra Bigelow’s and Mike Turna’s science classes created children’s books
with a science theme and read them to students at Port Dickinson. The students loved being read to by
the middle school students. These books will be used by the elementary students throughout the years
to help teach science topics. Thank you Deidra, Mike and the 8th-grade students for your hard work.
Eric Attleson
deputy exec. principal
The middle school band and chorus showcased their musical talents during an evening concert in May.
The students performed enthusiastically as the audience tapped their toes and applauded throughout
the concert. Sincere thanks goes out the Nicole Nirchi and Margaret Buhl; it was a perfect musical
evening.
The middle school students and staff were treated to a choir concert assembly focused on bullying prevention. Deputy
Stapleton, our school resource officer from the Broome County Sheriff’s Department, also gave a short presentation on
digital citizenship that focused on the importance of caution when posting information in cyberspace. The program concluded
with a presentation by Yves Paultre, school psychologist, and Trent Patterson, school security, entitled, “You, Your Actions,
and Your Words Speak Volumes About Your Character”. Thank you to all who participated and prepared the materials for
our students. Please take a moment to reinforce computer safety and appropriate usage with your child.
The incoming 6th-grade students from Chenango Bridge visited the middle school for orientation. Eighth-grade students
took the 6th-graders on a tour of the middle school and completed this visit with a question and answer session about “life in
the middle school.” Thank you to Deb Lally, Tamara Ivan, and the 6th-grade teachers and students. Many thanks to the 8thgrade students for providing the tours and information to the incoming middle school students. We look forward to seeing
you next year.
Respectively, our 8th-grade students had an opportunity to take a tour of the high school in preparation for their freshman
year. Thank you to the high school guidance department, Judy Hayes, Karen Mullins, and Charles Purse for an informative
tour. The 8th-graders enjoyed their visit.
Lastly, I want to take a moment to thank the parents, community members, and students for your support this year. I would
like to recognize the middle school faculty and staff for their hard work and dedication to our students. They always go the
extra steps to ensure our students’ success.
Middle school choir sings the
praises of bully prevention
Music can communicate a variety of emotions
when simple words can’t express what we’re feeling. Recently the middle school choir performed a
concert to express their feelings on bullying.
The choir sang songs including “Unwritten” by Natasha Bedingfield, “Nowhere Man” by the Beatles
and “Lean on Me” by Bill Withers.
Students came forward and recited short, positive
statements to their fellow classmates and even
reprieved the song Unwritten, inviting their classmates to sing along.
Pictured left: Kaitlin McFadden, grade 8
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Reading for science
Learning about plant cycles can be fun and educational,
especially if you’re a student at Port Dickinson Elementary.
Students from Deidra Bigelow’s middle school science class
created children’s books based on fundamental botany
lessons such as photosynthesis, pollination, and ecology
complete with illustrations and memorable characters.
The middle school students worked in pairs and small
groups and spent a week completing the project. The goal in
mind was to integrate literacy and teamwork into a science
project.
After the books were printed, the students read the stories
to students at Port Dickinson Elementary and left the books
with the classroom teacher for students to read again later
on.
Pictured right: Mrs. Kong’s class with four of the middle school readers
Upcoming middle
school events
Students of the Month
Science written exam
Monday, June 4
In-class finals
Tuesday, June 5 through
Friday, June 8
Half-days for exams
Monday, June 11 and
Tuesday, June 12
dismissal at 11:15 a.m.
Academic awards ceremony
Friday, June 15
9 a.m. in the auditorium
Pictured front (l-r): Mark Gallo and Cassidy O’Brien.
Back (l-r): Shannon Giblin, Hollis Krisko, Cydney Mallery, Shai-ana Bess, Melissa Marean and Kevin Taylor.
Artists express anti-bullying themes in poster contest
Middle school art students are creating for a cause – to prevent bullying in the middle school.
The students entered a regional anti-bullying poster contest sponsored by the Children and Youth Services Council and were
displayed in front of the JC Penny store in the Oakdale Mall.
CV students Karl Grunder, Hollis Krisko, Marty Buchinsky , Rachel Seifert and Lexi Bryant won 2nd place for their poster, an
honorable mention award went to Mornee Robinson.
Awards will be given to the contest winners at the Stand for Children Event on June 7 at 6 p.m. at Recreation Park in
Binghamton with the winning posters displayed at the event.
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High School
The 2011-2012 school year is coming to an end. Classes are finishing and students are preparing to
take their local and Regents exams. Seniors are excitedly waiting for graduation to take place. It is
amazing how fast a school year seems to fly by!
Students who have worked hard this year should be very proud of their achievements and accomplishments. Chenango Valley students have excelled in the classroom, stage, auditorium, and on the athletic
fields. I would like to thank the Chenango Valley students, and especially the senior class for a tremendous year. Well Done!
Terry Heller,
executive principal
I would also like to thank some people who may go unnoticed throughout the year. Support staff, secretaries, custodians, and maintenance workers make the high school building run so well each day, week,
month, and year. Chenango Valley wouldn’t have such a successful school without the help of these
folks!
Latin Club visits the Big Apple
The Latin Club got a taste of New York City life during their annual field trip.
Eleventh- and twelfth-grade students visited the Cloister gardens and the Metropolitan Museum of Art. At the Cloisters,
students went on a guided tour of the medieval art collection, saw the famous unicorn tapestries, and walked through the
gardens.
At the Metropolitan Museum students visited the Greco-Roman gallery and other exhibits of their choice. Students who
participated in Susan Halpern’s “walking tour” saw many famous sights in midtown Manhattan. It was a wonderful day and
multas gratias (many thanks) to all who made it possible.
Submitted by Susan Perry, high school Latin teacher
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Pictured (l-r) Drew Dryer, Emily Proutey, Greg Santa Croce, Kathleen Kunkel, Nicole Fragnito, Lea Callan, Shane Hart and Ashley Gay.
Living environment class
discover jurassic period
During a discussion on the origin of life and evolution, the living environment class
had a lecture on evidence of evolution through fossils and other sources; one of
the sources we talked about was amber (solidified tree sap).
Students started asking about the possibility of the events in the novel
Jurassic Park by Michael Crichton, becoming a reality.
The class read the book, discussed various events, and then
watched the movie to compare the text to the video. A
few weeks of extra work that included reading at
home, answering questions, and discussion in
class, brought a greater understanding of
this concept. I am very proud of the extra
work these students were willing and able to
do.
Submitted by Paul Reed, high school science teacher
YES! Leads teaches life lessons to students
The 40 YES! Leads club members recently spent a morning teaching students at Chenango Bridge Elementary about making
good decisions regarding drugs and alcohol.
Club members taught the class by having the elementary students role play scenarios on how to say no to illegal substances,
participate in an activity on consequences of using drugs and alcohol and answered questions from the elementary school
students ranging from the popularity of drugs and alcohol in the high school to regular high school life.
YES! Leads is a local youth program organized into district-based chapters. Students in grades 9-12 take part in raising community awareness on healthy decision-making and abstinence from alcohol, tobacco and other drugs.
Pictured: YES! Leads club members with students from Chenango Bridge Elementary
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Athletics
Winter sports round-up
Boys and girls bowling
Girls basketball
Boys wrestling
• Varsity boys: claimed the STAC-East
division championship with a record
of 10-2 and the Section IV Class B
championship.
• Varsity team finished with an overall
record of 11-9 and finished 3rd in
the STAC-East division.
• Varsity team finished with an overall
record of 6-6.
• Senior Tyler Ruffo was a member of
the Section IV All-Star team and
participated in the NYSPHSAA
championships where his team
finished 3rd in the state championships.
• Junior varsity boys team finished 2nd
in the STAC-East.
• Varsity girls team finished 1st in the
STAC-East with a record of 9-1.
• Junior Mikayla Cook was a member
of the Section IV All-Star team and
participated in the NYSPHSAA
championships where her team
finished 5th in the state championships.
• Junior varsity girls team finished 1st
in the STAC-East with a record of
7-1.
Boys basketball
• Varsity team finished 2nd in the
STAC-East and advanced to the
Section IV Class B championship
game where they lost to Norwich
56-50.
• Finished with an overall record of
13-8.
• Earned the NYSPHSAA Team
Scholar-Athlete recognition.
• Senior Robert Heller was named
the Section IV Class B player of
the year and was named to the 4th
team all-state Class B team.
• Junior varsity team finished with a
record of 8-9 and was 3rd in the
STAC-East.
• Modified team finished the season
with an overall record of 7-6.
• Advanced to the Class B semi-final
round of the Sectional Tournament.
• Earned NYSPHSAA Team ScholarAthlete recognition.
• Senior Claire Walsh was a STACAll Conference selection and was
named to the Press and Sun AllMetro team.
• Junior varsity finished 3rd in the
STAC-East and finished with an
overall record of 10-8.
• Team defeated Chenango Forks for
the first time since the 1975-1976
season.
• Section IV champions included:
senior Adam Greene-3rd title; Billy
Liberati-2nd title; and Kyle Halladay-1st title.
• Modified team finished with a record
of 8-3.
• Adam Greene, Dustin Greene, and
Kyle Halladay represented CV at
the NYSPHSAA state wrestling
championships.
Cheerleading
• Modified team and athletes competed well.
• Varsity team finished 6th in the
STAC Championships.
• Junior varsity team finished 2nd in
the STAC Championships and
• Earned 2nd place in the Tumbling
Division of the Central New York
Championships.
Boys swimming and diving
• Varsity team finished with an overall
record of 7-4.
• Placed 3rd in the Section IV Class C
championships and 2nd at the EFA
Invitational.
• The 400 meter freestyle relay team
of Kurt Grunder, Robbie Glover,
Nick Liddell, and Gannon Connors
claimed the Section IV Class C
championship.
• Junior Kurt Grunder won the Section
IV Class C 100 butterfly event.
• Participated in the NYSPHSAA
Swimming and Diving championships in the 200 individual medley
event.
• Modified team finished with a record
of 7-3.
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• Finished 1st in the Walton tournament, 2nd in the Valley Duals, and
3rd in the CNY Tournament of
Champions.
• 7th-grader Karl Grunder was the
STAC champion in the 100 yard
breaststroke.
Athletics
Bowling teams lead winter athletics
The winter teams all performed very well and enjoyed successful campaigns during this past season. Leading the
charge were our varsity bowling teams. The boy’s team won
the STAC-East division for the second consecutive season
and claimed the Section IV Class B championship, their first
sectional title since the 2002-2003 season. The girl’s team
claimed the STAC-East division title.
Our winter program supports 7 varsity teams, 5 junior varsity
teams, and 4 modified teams. Chenango Valley winter teams
continued our strong tradition of being highly competitive
within the Southern Tier Athletic Conference (STAC). In
addition, our coaches and athletes continue to be strong
ambassadors for our community and school district.
It is the purpose of this communication to share program
and/or team highlights. I congratulate all the winter athletes
Pictured (l-r): Jim Pecha, Jessica Perry, Corrine Muccio, Jessica Aurelio,
and coaches for their positive seasons, successful endeavors, Alaena Sullivan, Mikayla Cook and Kevin Novotny
and honors that they earned during the winter season. Additionally, I continue to be extremely thankful for our school staff, the student body, parents, and community supporters for their
continued dedication and commitment to our athletic program. Warrior pride continues to be a noteworthy foundation that
makes CV a district we all can be proud of.
Pictured front (l-r): Preston Brown and Tyler Ruffo. Back (l-r): Jim Pecha, Peter
Schubert, Jimmy Pecha, Gavin Brown and Kevin Novotny.
Junior competes in prestigious tournament
Junior Ryan Igo qualified for the Section IV Individual Medalist Tournament held at Robert Trent
Jones Golf Course at Cornell University on May 17. The tournament was held for Section IV
golfers from any classification that had a stroke average of 5.00 or lower from our fall golf season.
The top 20 scores, plus ties, from the round on May 17 returned on May 19 for a second round.
The final 9 players with the lowest scores will make the Section IV state golf team.
Igo led the Chenango Valley golf team this season with a 4.43 stroke average. His low round
was a one under par 34 versus Windsor at Genegantslet Golf Course. He also had rounds of 35
(even par), a round of 36 (one over par), and two rounds of 38 (three over par).
Submitted by Dave Tidick, Chenango Valley golf coach
Pictured: Ryan Igo
17
Believe It! Achieve It!
Sixth-graders go green
In honor of Earth Day students in Therese Staiger’s English
class came up with the idea to collect trash found on school
grounds. After brainstorming different slogans and researching eco-friendly designs, they created t-shirts to wear during
the project.
Armed with gloves and bags they scoured the fields and ble
a week they volunteer their time to clean up litter.
Next year, they will be setting up and managing a greenhouse thanks to the efforts of Teresa Ruf and a donation
from the middle and high school PTSA. They also plan to
continue their “Go Green, Keep it Clean” endeavors. The
students learned that working together goes a long way in
helping the environment.
Pictured (l-r): Gene Warren, Teddy Harding, Therese Staiger, Joel Hopper, Marcel
Denney, Meghan Cooley, Alison LePre, Kodie Johnston
Student Community Service Award
Marissa March and Vanessa Versace was recently awarded the Student Community Service Award, given to one student at each participating district to recognize
their time and energy put in to helping their community through volunteerism.
The SCSA is in its’ 14th consecutive year of the program, initially launched by
Sen. Libous and partnered with Broome-Tioga BOCES and WBNG-TV, as a way
to recognize deserving young people.
Each recipient is nominated by his or her high school. The only requirements for
the nomination are for the student’s district to be located within the Senator’s 52nd
senatorial district, and he or she must be planning to attend a college in New York
state. Each student receives a $1,000 award toward the cost of attending that college.
Directory
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
Terrence M. Kane.............................................648-4499
Lynn M. Kaufman.............................................221-6240
James W. Penwell............................................722-5269
Steve Randall...................................................242-9698
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
Maintenance Department...............................762-6860
Schools
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Pictured (l-r) Broome-Tioga BOCES Superintendent Al Buyck, Senator Thomas Libous, Marissa March and
WBNG-TV general manager Greg Catlin.
Port Dickinson...................................762-6970
Attendance.................................................762-6977
Health Office...............................................762-6976
Chenango Bridge................................762-6950
Attendance.................................................762-6954
Health Office...............................................762-6952
Middle School...................................762-6902
Attendance.................................................762-6931
Health Office...............................................762-6911
Homework Hotline – Grey..........................762-6870
Homework Hotline – Red............................762-6872
High School......................................762-6900
Attendance.................................................762-6931
Health Office...............................................762-6911