1

Honor

Wisdom

Leadership

Truth

Keshequa

Chronicle

Volume 2, Issue 6

The mission of the

Keshequa Central

School District is to

provide

opportunities to

empower all

students to be

cooperative, self-

directed lifelong

learners, prepared

to responsibly meet

the challenges of

the twenty-first

century.

February 2005

www.keshequa.org

To reach school district personnel by email

please visit our website at www.keshequa.org,

click on the Dalton Elementary, Nunda Middle

School, or Nunda High School link, scroll down

the page and look for the link that says Facility

Directory. For questions please call 468-2541

ext. 1105.

A Message

from the

Superintendent

Dates to Remember

In the next few issues of the Chronicle I will continue to

update you on our 2005­2006 budget development. We are

committed to scrutinizing all of our expenses, including

staffing, so that we can present to you in May a spending plan

that will be as affordable as possible to you, while providing a

quality education to our students.

A decision was made at the January 13

th

Board of Educa­

tion meeting to proceed with the planned purchase of busses in

the amount of $185,000 with funds that were approved by the

voters last May for the 2004­2005 budget. However, since

under the new rules the State will not be reimbursing us next

year, but over the next five (5) years instead, we will ask you the

District

Goals

Keshequa Central School

District Goals, 2004-05

No. 1 Academic Achievement

No. 2 School Climate

No. 3 District Communication

No. 4 Facilities

No. 5 Educational Structure

Evaluation

2/4/05…Report Cards Carried

Home by students

2/14/05…St. Valentine’s Day

(Remember someone special to

you)

2/16/05…Scheduling meeting

at 7:00 p.m. with 8

th

grade

parents to plan student’s

schedule for 9

th

grade

2/21/05…No School –

Presidents’ Day

(Remember

George Washington and

Abraham Lincoln)

2/23/05…MS Rollerskating

Party, 2:20­4:00 p.m.

continued on page 2

voters, on May 17, 2005 for authorization to finance these bus purchases

through five year bonds and set the already approved funds in a reserve to pay

the bonds. This way our taxpayers will not have to

shoulder the burden of a big expense in one year

without the aid. So here is how it would work:

Option #1

2004­2005 ....... Spend $185,000 Cash on busses

2005­2006 ....... Receive $33,300 State Aid

2006­2007 ....... Receive $33,300 State Aid

2007­2008 ....... Receive $33,300 State Aid

2008­2009 ....... Receive $33,300 State Aid

2009­2010 ....... Receive $33,300 State Aid

Final Cost to District .. $18,500

---

2

Option #2

2004­2005 ....... Spend $185,000 with the cost financed over five (5) years

2005­2006 ....... Pay $37,000 on Bond Receive $33,300 State Aid

2006­2007 ....... Pay $37,000 on Bond Receive $33,300 State Aid

2007­2008 ....... Pay $37,000 on Bond Receive $33,300 State Aid

2008­2009 ....... Pay $37,000 on Bond Receive $33,300 State Aid

2009­2010 ....... Pay $37,000 on Bond Receive $33,300 State Aid

Final Cost to District .. $18,500

(Note: There would be interest involved, but this would be reimbursed by the State.)

If Option #1 is used, the District would front the $185,000 and get reimbursed over five (5) years.

If Option #2 is used the District would finance the $185,000 and make the payments over five (5) years using the money

already appropriated in the current year’s budget. These funds would be set­aside for this purpose.

Option #2 is being recommended to you over the transportation reserve fund discussed in December so that other district

reserve funds would not be tied up. This method still spreads the payments and receivable state aid evenly over the years, and

also allows voters to approve transportation purchases yearly.

If you have questions on this proposal please feel free to give me a call at 468­2541 ext. 1105. You may also hear and see a

detailed explanation at the Annual Meeting on May 10, 2005.

Board of Education Communication

Meeting Highlights

This section of the newsletter is intended to communicate highlights from BOE meetings the previous months. Complete

minutes are available from the District Clerk.

Superintendent’s Message

continued from page 1

November 15

•This meeting was held in the Cafetorium of the Elementary

Building in Dalton. The Board of Education completed a

tour of the Elementary Building prior to the Business

Meeting.

•A routine meeting with the normal action items for ap­

proval.

•Policies regarding Fund Raising (for education or school

activities) and Operation of Motor­Driven Vehicles on

District Property were approved.

December 9

•A routine meeting with normal action items for approval.

•Dominic Aloisio, Business Administrator did a presentation

regarding a transportation reserve fund to assist with the

purchases of busses. Discussion regarding the reserve was

held with Board members who are exploring the different

scenarios.

January 13

•Elena Samson of Genesee Community College did a

presentation on the number of students at Keshequa that

have taken and or are currently taking advanced placement

courses. She explained that students are able to take these

budget for Buildings and Grounds, Debt Service and the

Cafeteria Fund were highlighted.

•The Board of Education voted unanimously to have a

storage building located at Dalton Elementary declared an

unsafe structure and to be removed as recommended by the

State Education Department.

•The Board increased the limits for the Senior Citizen and

Disability Exemptions for taxpayers. Persons with qualify­

ing income of $24,400 or less may be eligible for this

exemption. You may contact your local assessor with any

questions.

college level courses at a lower rate than when they

begin classes at the college level.

•A presentation was made by Dominic Aloisio regard­

ing the 2005­2006 school budget. In particular the

Next BOE Meetings

Board meetings are generally the second and fourth

Thursdays of the month but can vary. The public is

welcome and encouraged to attend these upcoming

BOE meetings:

February 17, 2005... 7:00 p.m., Nunda Boardroom

March 3, 2005 ......... 7:00 p.m., Nunda Boardroom

March 17, 2005 ....... 7:00 p.m., Dalton Cafetorium

---

3

PageTurners

Submitted by Joan Ellison, Elementary Librarian

At the first PageTurners competition of the year for the lower level team (grades

3­5), held on January 7, our team took first place! We competed against teams from

Dansville, Wayland, and Cohocton. Each team read 24 books from the same list. At

the competition a series of questions were asked to see which team could answer the

most about the books read. The questions were difficult, but our team knew many

of the answers. I would like to thank the parents, faculty, friends and relatives who

came to support our team.

We will compete against the same schools in April. We have a new list of books

to read for the second competition. Our score from the January competition will be

added to the score we receive in April. If we are in first place after the second

competition we will go to the finals, which will include teams from other schools in

our BOCES

district.

Team mem­

bers are: Gabrielle

DiAngelo, Lindsay

Piriano, Michaela

Hillier, Amzi

Mitchell,

Alexandrea Flint,

Brooke Alford,

Harlee Wood,

Katie Forrester,

Katelyn Costello,

Tim Carlin, Sarah

Link, Blaithe

Donovan, Olivia

Morris­

Quackenbush,

Sofia Pernicone,

Audrey Preen,

Jessica Ratchford,

and Amy

Bloomer. Great

job, team!

The southern division of upper level PageTurners

held their first competition for the 2004­05 school year

at Perry Elementary School on November 30. Keshequa

Middle School students competed against students from

Dansville, Letchworth, and Perry. This was our first time

competing at the Middle School level. Although our

group was smaller than those from the other schools we

held our own in the competition, coming on strong in

the second half. As it stands Perry and Letchworth both

have 28 points and Keshequa and Dansville both have 18

points. The second tournament is scheduled for April 28

at Dansville with a new set of books to read and become

familiar with. Points from the first competition will be

added to the points from the second and the winner will

go to a final round against the winners of the central and

northern divisions in May. We have enjoyed it so far and

look forward to our next match.

Members of PageTurners are: Tom Bailey, Tom Miller

(8th grade); Elizabeth Gilbert, Christine Tallman, Paige

Essler, Zach Coffey, Josh Gonzalez, Patti Toler (7th

grade); and Justin Kelly (6th grade). Lydia Keough, the

school librarian, is the coach. Congratulations to all for a

great start and best of luck for continued success for the

spring competition.

Mock Trial

Dates Set

The Livingston County High

School Mock Trial Competition has set

its dates. Keshequa, who has finished

first and second in the county the past

two years, plans to be very successful.

The law program, taught by business

teacher Mr. Riggi has been increasingly

popular at KCS. This year the district

will enter two teams into the tourna­

ment. The team is anchored by return­

ing stars Chris Whiteman, Steven Duby,

Amber Funk and Dillon Kronert.

Round 1: Saturday, February 12, 2005

Courtroom

9:15 am

11:15 am

2:00 pm

A

Avon I vs. Geneseo

KCS II vs. Avon II

KCS I vs. KCS II

B

Cal­Mum vs Avon II

Dansville vs. KCS I

Dansville vs. Avon I

GJ

KCS II vs. Dansville

Avon I vs. Cal­Mum

Avon II vs. Geneseo

KCS School­to­Work Coordinator

Mr. Bielicki, who helped make arrange­

ments for the tournament commented,

“We plan on great success. We booked a

field trip down to the courthouse to

help the students become more com­

fortable in front of the judge and I

know Mr. Riggi has been working

countless hours drilling the class on

procedures and techniques.”

Riggi closed, “All the students will

be winners, irregardless of what place we

finish.” This will be KCS’s third appear­

ance in the tournament.

Do You Want To Know if a Sex

Offender Lives In Your Area?

Go to: http://criminaljustice.state.ny.us. Look for Quick Links. Click on: Sex

Offender Level 3. You will be required to complete the Inquirer Information

screen and acknowledge reading the disclaimer. After completing this form you

will be able to search by zip code or county.

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4

Keshequa Receives 3 Mini-Grants

from Business Education Alliance

Keshequa Central Schools has been awarded three mini­grants to complete standards based field trips and career based

learning extensions. The grants were awarded by the Livingston County Business Education Alliance.

Each grant is worth one hundred dollars, which helps offset the district’s cost in providing these opportunities to its

students. The field trips, or learning extensions, are tied to the career development and occupational (CDOS) New York State

learning standards: career development, integrated learning, universal foundation skills, and career majors. Mr. Bielicki serves

as CDOS Coordinator and applied for the mini­grants. “As a teacher I am thrilled that our students will have additional

opportunities to learn. Walt Disney once said that crowded classrooms are the biggest waste of our most valuable resource ­ the

minds of our children,” stated Mr. Bielicki. “As a community member, I am always pleased to receive unexpected funds. Every

bit helps and I know we work hard at grabbing these types of grants. I am thankful for Carrie Malone (BEA County Coordina­

tor) and the BEA for continuing to work with the districts on such programs.”

The district follows up with the specifics of the trip and informs the BEA how many students benefited from these experi­

ences. Bielicki, who reports for KCS closed, “Ultimately, no one will benefit more than the students from these experiences and

knowing that makes it all worthwhile.”

Keshequa is an active member of the Livingston County Business Education Alliance. Carrie Malone is in her first year as

the County BEA Coordinator. Mr. Bielicki is in his seventh year for KCS.

E-Learning at KCS

Keshequa students earn more than a

grade in Mr. Bielicki’s Computer 11/12

Web Page Design course; they also earn

real­life experience, technology skills,

and college credit. The AP course is

offered as an elective through Genesee

Community College. Students earn 3

college credits, but also an important

skill. “Computers are an equalizer for

rural communities and small schools. In

today’s age, the ability to navigate,

interpret, develop, and communicate is

essential for success. Global technology

makes the world smaller,” Bielicki

stated. “Students who learn to create

web pages are often given internships as

designers while still in school. Many of

them will earn real­life experience before

graduating and some of them will earn

real­life money.”

Senior Bryan Buckel takes the

course and created a frames­enabled

informational website about paintball.

Junior Alex Ulik hosts his own website

for online video games, chatting, and

viewing cartoons. His site features

a simple registration process and

has almost one hundred registered

users. Ulik stated, “one

thing I like about the

course is that it is good

for both beginners and

advanced people. It’s

information that can be

used anytime and in the

real world.” He has an ‘A’

average in the course and

ultimately plans to study

electronic engineering at

college. He is currently

looking at attending

Clarkson.

Students spend half

the course learning to

write HTML code and

the other half using

Microsoft’s FrontPage software. Stu­

dents will complete a number of

websites, but their final one is most

important. Students must create a page

for a business, organization, or person.

While students may build a website for

a make­believe business, many students

opt to create one for a real business and

take advantage of an internship oppor­

tunity. “Many students seem to be

excited about the website class because

they are able to make connections from

the textbook to the real world. They

recognize that it doesn’t matter if you’re

in a big city or small village. Some of

them, I expect, cut a deal on the side

with a business to make their website

and get paid, in essence, for their

schoolwork. I never ask, but their smiles

usually give it away.”

KCS student Bryan Buckel writes code for his website

---

5

Candidate for Mayor of Buffalo,

Restauranteur Visits Keshequa

Owning four

of Buffalo’s most

prominent

restaurants, a

men’s spa, an

upscale clothing

store, and a

catering business

is not enough for

Steve Calvaneso,

self­made entre­

preneur. He is

now running for

mayor of Buffalo. As busy as he is, he

still found time to give something back,

as he visited Keshequa’s small business

class taught by Mr. Riggi. Mr. Riggi said

simply, “Mr. Calvaneso came to talk

about success, and he left students with

a road map.”

Mr. Calvaneso grew up poor, but

wanted to be rich, like so many students

today. His mother told him to do

something he loved, so he started

working in the restaurant business.

Today he owns Ultimate Restaurants

Inc. which includes an impressive lineup

of Bacchus, Calvaneso’s, City Grille,

Ya Ya Bayou, and Exquisite Catering. He

no longer views success as financial.

“Success is when your personal and

business goals are on the same page”

told Calvaneso.

Steve was never without adversity,

as many of his businesses struggled at

one point or another. He kept true to

his goals of family, ethics, and civic

pride which make a run for the mayor

of Buffalo a logical one. “You live. You

grow. You build up, rather than break

down.”

When asked the secret of finding

success, Calvaneso replied, “Know what

motivates you. Do your homework.

Plan. Have pride in everything. Ask

yourself, ‘Are you proud of the work

you’ve done today and is this your best?’

If it is, success will follow.” He taught

the students to manage by exception,

“Only 10% of what you do is impor­

tant. Concentrate on it!”

The advice he gave some future

entrepreneurs was to look for opportu­

nity. Successful people will take you

under their wing. He emphasized to

only work with people you like, “people

who you feel comfortable representing

you”. He also told students to closely

follow their mission and to set very high

standards. “You get what you give.”

Mr. Calvaneso left the class with

some interesting business expectations

that can also be applied to school:

1) Do your best;

2) Be respectful;

3) Be honest;

4) Give back to your community;

5) Take pride in everything;

6) Be dependable;

7) Have a nice appearance and never

use foul language;

8) Speak highly of yourself and of your

organization;

9) Welcome adversity (it’s where

champions are made), and;

10) Seek opportunity.

He explained how these all lead

back to ambition, which in turn, will

lead to success.

Mr. Bielicki arranged the visitation

as part of the district’s effort to add

relevance to classroom material. Bielicki

closed, “Bringing in Mr. Calvaneso

wasn’t just a big score for the district.” It

was also a big score for the students.

They left motivated and inspired. Few

textbooks can do that.”

Steve Calvaneso

visits KCS Small

Business Class

Greetings from KCS

High School

by Mark Mattle, High School Principal

As Mid­Term and the second quarter come to an end I would like to share

with you several exciting field trips taken by our high school students.

Mr. Burt and Mr. Boos

took their Busy Bees to visit

Allegany Log Homes and

then to the location of the

log cabin built by last year’s

Busy Bee students. Pictured

is this year’s level I and level

II students exploring the site

and proudly posing in front

of the cabin actually built last

year at our KCS Construc­

tion Trades Technical Facility and trans­

ported to an Allegany County location.

Mr. Bucur and Mr. Raymond took this

year’s photography students to visit the

…continued on page 12

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6

Community/Adult

Education Classes

Please register for all classes with Peggy Huffman at

468­2541 ext. 1105. No registration is needed for the

Open Computer Lab.

Intermediate Microsoft Office Programs

Come and experience more advanced features in the Microsoft

Office software package. We will be learning further elements

in Word, organizing and presenting numerical data and charts

in Excel, creating animated presentations in PowerPoint and

designing publications in Publisher.

Date..........

February 8 and 10

Time .........

3:30­5:30 p.m.

Location ...

Middle School Lab 1170

Cost ..........

$10 per person

Internet 101

Are you finally ready to really start using the Internet? This

course will cover the basics of logging on to the internet,

surfing, searching, shopping, using email, booking travel, and

more. This course is designed for the beginner and will help

students become comfortable with using the Internet. Senior

students are welcome. No computer experience required.

Date..........

Wednesday, February 16

Time .........

6:30­8:30 p.m.

Location ...

1170 (Computer Lab)

Cost ..........

$5 per person

Open Computer Lab

The Middle School Computer Lab will be opened to all

students and community members on Tuesdays and Thursdays

throughout the school year. Feel free to stop in, use Microsoft

Office, or surf the Internet. No registration is required.

Date..........

T

uesdays and Thursdays

Time .........

6:00­8:30 p.m.

Room........

1170 (Computer Lab)

Cost ..........

Free

Congratulations to Eric Kanouse and Janae Holley for being selected as the

Section V of the New York State Public High School Athletic Assoc. and Birds

Eye Foods, Inc. Player of the Week. This award is for outstanding performance

in basketball during the week of December 6 – 11, 2004.

Congratulations!

Melissa Krenzer finishes computer work

before heading to her internship

KCS Student on the

Move

Keshequa

Senior Melissa

Krenzer finished

up her first

semester intern­

ship at St. John

and Baldwin

Financial

Services in

Nunda. Melissa

kept busy

doubling as a

student by day,

bookkeeper by

afternoon. Her internship was part of an early release program

that allows seniors in good standing to seek real life work

experience to complement their education. Mr. Bielicki, KCS

School­to­Work Coordinator, oversees the program for the

district. Students fill out work logs and take responsibility for

themselves.

Making community ties and bridging the gap between

textbooks and real life is a goal of the district. According to

Bielicki, “Melissa sought out this opportunity herself and did

a great job. She is one of our best and we are proud of her.

Studies show that students like these are extremely successful

in college and I have no doubt she’ll mirror that.”

Melissa’s supervisor Chris at St. John and Baldwin added,

“Melissa did a real good job for us. She is very good at

following through with her work and a great plus is that she is

not afraid to ask questions. She also picked up things pretty

quickly. We were happy with her.”

Melissa Krenzer will be attending SUNY Fredonia this

fall and majoring in business administration. She commented

about her internship experience, “although my internship

focused on bookkeeping, it entailed more business than

expected. It also allowed me the opportunity to see what

accounting is all about. Through this experience, I know what

I want to do after high school.”

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7

Middle School Corner

by Doris Marsh, Interim Middle School Principal

It’s Elementary!

by Marilyn Capawan

The time and snow

have been flying this

January in Dalton! Here

is a sampling of what has

been keeping us busy:

Congratulations to

our PageTurners Club! In

their first competition in

January, they won first

place among four area

schools. Dansville

Wayland, and Cohocton

joined us for the event in the High School auditorium. It was exciting to watch

our students excel in their reading efforts, and we look forward to seeing them

again in April!

5

th

Graders and their teachers have organized a coin drive to aid the victims

of the recent tsunami. The contributions will be sent to the American Red Cross

International Response Fund. Our children may live in a small, rural area, but

they have shown that they are aware and part of a global community.

At the last KPTSA meeting, held in Dalton, awards were presented to many

of our students for their excellence in artistic expression. The annual Reflections

Program gave children the opportunity to submit works of art in literature,

musical composition, photography, and the visual arts to express their idea of “A

Different Kind of Hero”. The KPTSA meeting was also noteworthy because of a

special presentation by first graders Brock Allen, Dylan Lew, and Anthony Dietz.

Study. Rest. Eat a good breakfast.

No arguing with siblings! These words

were spoken many times during the

month of January in the KCS Middle

School – especially with our eighth

grade students. Eighth grade students

took the NYS ELA and the NYS

Science tests in addition to studying for

the mid­term tests at the twenty­week

marking period.

Grades 6­8 took the mid­terms on

January 26­27 and will be taking their

report cards home on February 4, 2005.

Mrs. Marsh will be rewarding all

students who have an 80 average or

better, or were acknowledged by their

teachers for working to the best of their

abilities. This reward activity will take

place during the week of February 7.

An anti­bullying workshop presen­

tation for parents was held on Tuesday,

January 11, 2005. If you were unable to

attend, please contact the Middle

School Office for information on anti­

bullying.

Eighth grade parents are encouraged to

attend a Parent Information meeting on

Wednesday, February 16 at 7:00 p.m.

regarding creating next year’s schedule

for ninth grade. Believe it or not, your

eighth grade student will be a high

school student soon. So have your

student begin thinking about what

courses they will have to take to meet

their career goal.

Our Middle School Student

Council will be combining the

Valentine’s Day activity with a Tsunami

relief project. The council will sell red,

white, and blue hearts for .50¢ each.

Students and faculty may put a message

to a special friend on the heart and we

will post the heart in our Middle

School display case. All donations will

go to the American Red Cross. Student

Council will also be hosting a roller

skating party at the end of February or

the first part of March. The roller

skating party will be on February 23,

2005, from 2:40 – 4:00 p.m. Students

will need to arrange for their own

transportation home that day.

Our Middle School Math Competition

Team competed in two competitions

this year. Team members were Amber

Herington, Matt Moran, Christopher

Gray, Brett Vesico, Amanda Gath, Jake

Rung, Stephanie Kruezer, and Brandy

Gallicchio. We had nineteen students

participate in the National AMC 8

Math Competition. We are hoping that

more students will join our team next

year as we continue to increase student

awareness of this great opportunity.

Middle School students are being

encouraged to participate in job

shadowing opportunities coordinated

by the Livingston County BEA. We are

presently asking our eighth grade

students about their job interests and

looking for businesses that might allow

these students to shadow an employer

for one day.

Enjoy the month of February.

Remember someone special to you on

Valentine’s Day! Remember the MS

Principal Loves Chocolate!!!!

…continued on page 8

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8

February is Heart Healthy Awareness Month

Diabetes Prevention

Diabetes is a growing disease –

8,000,000 new cases of diabetes are

diagnosed each year – a number that is

expected to rise as baby boomers age. If

not diagnosed and treated early, it can

result in blindness, heart attack, stroke,

kidney failure, birth defects, and limb

loss. What’s more, diabetes kills approxi­

mately 200,000 people each year.

Startlingly, you may not know you

have it. Onset is often gradual and

difficult to identify­you can have

diabetes without any symptoms. In fact,

half of those affected don’t even know

they have the disease until they seek

help for one of its complications. In

spite of these statistics, diabetes in not

an inevitable part of aging. You can do

much to prevent it by eating right and

simply moving more.

Eating Right

•You don’t have to cut out the foods

you love to eat. Just cut down on the

amount you eat, and eat them less

often.

•T

ry to keep meat, poultry, and fish

servings down to three ounces­that’s

about the size of a deck of cards.

•T

ry to eat three sensible meals at

regular times throughout the day.

•

Eat more fresh fruit, veggies, nuts,

and whole grains.

•

Limit fried foods. Baking and broiling

are healthier ways to eat meat,

chicken, and fish.

•When eating out, share large portions.

•Drink six to eight glasses of water

every day.

Moving More

•Put away the TV remote control – get

up to change the channel.

•March in place during commercial

breaks.

They and reading teacher Jeaneane Finnemore demonstrated reading strategies

and games for parents to use with their children to help develop reading skills.

Dalton Elementary School has been chosen as a model school for the

Peacebuilders Program. Please check us out on their website

www.Peacebuilders.com. In the last two months, nearly140 students have

received “I Noticed You Build Peace” awards! This month we are also beginning

“Principal’s Preferrals” as a way to recognize students who demonstrate outstand­

ing peacebuilding skills. Teachers may nominate one or two students each

month to receive these awards. I am looking forward to sharing lunch and

conversation with these children who are serving as role models for all of us!

It’s Elementary

continued from page 7…

•T

ry walking around the house

while you talk on the phone.

•Park the car farther away from stores,

movie theatres, or your office.

•Get off the bus one stop early if you

are in a safe place to walk.

•Visit museums, the zoo, or an

aquarium. These are great ways to be

active with your family.

For more information on diabetes

prevention visit the National Diabetes

Education Program’s website at

www.ndep.nih.gov.

Source: National Institutes of Health

Coming to Terms With

Exercise

When you begin exercising you’ll

hear all kinds of talk about intensity

level­light intensity, moderate intensity,

and vigorous exercise. What does it all

mean? Below you’ll find examples of

activities and how they rank.

Light­Intensity Activities

•Walking slowly

•Golf in a powered cart

•Gardening or pruning

•Dusting or vacuuming

Moderate­Intensity Activities

•Walking briskly

•Golf­pulling or carrying clubs

•M

owing the lawn with a power motor

•Bicycling on level terrain, or with a

few hills

Vigorous­Intensity Activities

•

Racewalking, jogging, or running

•M

owing the lawn with a hand mower

•Bicycling more than 10 mph, or on

steep uphill terrain

•M

oving or pushing furniture

Here’s the key. You don’t have to be

a marathon runner to get health benefits

from physical activity­in fact, you

should begin exercising slowly and build

your endurance.

The Surgeon General recommends

that you engage in moderate level

physical activity for 30 minutes on most

days of the week, but some benefit can

be derived from doing low intensity

activities, too­you’ll just have to do

them for longer periods of time.

If you’re doing low intensity

activities, you’ll need to do them for

about an hour to get health benefits.

Moderate level activities, about a half

hour, and if you’re engaged in vigorous

activity, you’ll only need to keep it up

for about 20 minutes. Also, it’s recom­

mended that you check with your

healthcare provider before beginning or

increasing physical activity.

Sources:

www.acsm.org

,

www.acdfitness.org

,

www.fitness.gov

---

9

Counseling Corner

Sideline Suggestions

10 Things Your Kids Say

They Don’t Want

by Darrell J. Burnett, Ph.D.

1.

Don’t yell out instructions.

During the game I’m trying to concentrate on

what the coach says and working on what I’ve been practicing. It’s easier for

me to do my best if you save instructions and reminders for practice or just

before the game.

2.

Don’t put down the officials.

This embarrasses me and I sometimes

wonder whether the official is going to be tougher on me because my

parents yell.

3.

Don’t yell at me in public.

It will just make things worse because I’ll be

upset, embarrassed, worried that you’re going to yell at me the next time I

do something “wrong”.

4.

Don’t yell at the coach.

When you yell about who gets to play what

position, it just stirs things up and takes away from the fun.

5.

Don’t put down my teammates.

Don’t make put­down remarks about any

of my teammates who make mistakes. It takes away from our team spirit.

6.

Don’t put down the other team.

When you do this you’re not giving us a

very good example of sportsmanship so we get mixed messages about being

“good sports”.

7.

Don’t lose your cool.

I love to see you excited about the game, but there’s

no reason to get so upset that you lose your temper! It’s our game and all

the attention is supposed to be on us.

8.

Don’t lecture me about mistakes after the game.

Those rides home in the

car after the game are not a good time for lectures about how I messed up –

I already feel bad. We can talk later, but please stay calm and don’t forget to

mention the things I did well during the game!

9.

Don’t forget to laugh and have fun.

Sometimes it’s hard for me to relax

and have fun during the game when I look over and see you so tense and

worried.

Don’t forget that it is just a game! Odds are, I’m not going to make a career

out of playing sports. I know I may get upset if we lose, but I also know that

I’m usually feeling better after we go get a pizza. I need to be reminded some­

times that it’s just a game.

Beginning on February 11 our

school will be implementing a program

called Project ALERT. A presenter from

Livingston County Council on Alcohol

and Substance Abuse, Prevention and

Education, will be at our school on

T

uesdays and Wednesdays to incorpo­

rate this program during your son’s/

daughter’s library skills class. Project

ALERT is an age­appropriate substance

abuse prevention curriculum proven

effective in reducing experimentation

and usage among teens.

Project ALERT contains 11 lessons

in its initial year that focus on alcohol,

tobacco, marijuana and inhalants –

those substances that are the first and

most widely used by young people

today. Project ALERT’s focus is on

motivating non­use, learning to recog­

nize pressures that are used and on

developing and practicing skills to resist

these pressures.

Our district is committed to

providing the most effective approaches

to preventing the use of alcohol,

tobacco, and other drugs in our school

and community. We know that preven­

tion is most effective when it is a

partnership between the community,

the home, and the school.

According to a nationwide survey

released by the Partnership for a Drug­

Free America, youth who learn about

the risks of drugs from their parents are

much less likely to use drugs than those

who do not. However, getting the

message across is not easy. According to

the partnership’s survey, virtually all

parents (98%) reported talking to their

kids at some point about drugs, but just

68% of the kids remembered the

conversation, and only 27% reported

learning about this issue at home. Here

is where the structured home learning

opportunities within Project ALERT

can help to focus discussion between

you and your kids.

Your child will be bringing home

five homework assignments that will

involve you in discussion, sharing

responses and listening to oral reports.

These Home Learning Opportunities

will be for Lessons 1,5,6, 8, and 9.

Please be aware that this process

and your responses will not be shared in

class. These activities provide you an

opportunity to communicate with your

child about these important issues. If for

any reason you are not comfortable with

returning your responses, a note will be

accepted confirming the assignment has

been completed. If you have any

questions, please contact the Middle­

School Counselor, A. Prince at 468­

2513 ext. 2008.

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10

Reflections 2004-2005

A Different Kind of Hero

National PTA believes all children deserve a quality arts education and encourages students to pursue artistic expression

through participation in its annual Reflections Program. The program offers students the opportunity to create works of art for

fun and recognition.

Students in preschool through grade

12 are encouraged to create and submit

works of art in four areas: literature,

musical composition, photography, and

the visual arts (which include art forms

such as drawing, painting, print making,

and collage). In its more than 30­year

history, the program has encouraged

millions of students across the nation

and in American schools overseas to

create works of art. The Reflections

Program was started in 1969 by then

Colorado PTA President Mary Lou

Anderson.

Once again, the Keshequa PTSA is

proud to sponsor a successful Reflections

Program which challenged 513 students

to create a total of 558 works of art that

support this year’s theme “A Different

Kind of Hero”. Awards and prizes were

presented to our winners during the

Keshequa PTSA meeting held on

January 11.

Thank you to all the students for

sharing your creative abilities. And,

thank you to the parents and teachers for

supporting our children. The hard work

and time spent shows in each and every

wonderful piece. The KPTSA would also

like to acknowledge and thank Mrs.

Castor, Mrs. Coffey, Mr. Bucur, Mr.

Raymond, Mrs. Therrien­Borgus, and

Mrs. Strathearn (Get Well Soon!) for the

extraordinary time and effort committed

to our program. Your dedication reflects in our students, and is greatly appreciated.

Congratulations to all of our winners!!

Winners

Visual Arts

Primary: Preschool – Grade 2:

1

st

Place

–

Sylvia Thompson*;

2

nd

Place

–

Brittany Pierce;

3

rd

Place

–

Paige Lew

Middle/Junior: Grades 6 – 8:

1

st

Place

–

Emily Gibson;

2

nd

Place

–

Albert

Schmitter

Intermediate: Grades 3 – 5:

1

st

Place

–

Nick Faulds*, Philip Wood*;

2

nd

Place

–

Atticus Kiser;

3

rd

Place

–

Shannon Gordinier

Senior: Grades 9 – 12:

1

st

Place

–

Kassandra Schrier;

2

nd

Place

–

Rachel King;

3

rd

Place

–

Melissa Strain, Greg Fraser

Photography

Primary: Preschool – Grade 2:

1

st

place –

Cortney Clinton**

Intermediate: Grades 3 – 5:

1

st

Place –

Megan Moran*

Senior: Grades 9 – 12:

1

st

Place –

Tiffany Nixon;

2

nd

Place –

Paul Kreuzer;

3

rd

Place –

Steve Duby

Literature

Intermediate: Grades 3 – 5:

1

st

place –

Michaela Hillier*;

2

nd

Place –

Megan

Moran;

3

rd

Place –

Kathryn Forrester

Middle/Junior: Grades 6 – 8:

1

st

place –

Michelle Montgomery*;

2

nd

Place –

Rissa Smith;

3

rd

Place –

Paige Essler

Musical Composition

Intermediate: Grades 3 – 5:

1

st

Place –

Amzi Mitchell*;

2

nd

Place –

Lindsay

Piraino;

3

rd

Place –

Kendra Smith

*denotes student entries submitted to the Genesee Valley Region PTA Competition

**denotes winner in Region Competition and submitted to NYS PTA Competition

The AHERA Periodic Surveillance was completed on December 17, 2004

by John Polito, of the Genesee Valley BOCES Regional Environmental

Health & Safety Office. There were no changes recommended in the

condition of the asbestos containing building materials in the Jr./Sr. High

School Building, Nunda or the Elementary Building, Dalton.

---

11

Getting Enough Sleep

Submitted by Christina Meissel, RN

Many of our children are sleep deprived. Many adults do not realize the implication of this deprivation. Our children are

barraged with demands of school, chores, keeping good relationships with others, and just being kids. How your child thinks,

feels, and functions depends on their sleep habits. A study showed that students who received C’s, D’s, and F’s got 25 fewer

minutes of sleep and had later bedtimes – 40 minutes later than A and B students. Sleep also improves the body’s immune

response and helps cell repair.

Interestingly pediatric research shows the following:

•Complaints of depression, decreased

energy, feeling tired, tense, moody,

stressed and irritable with low self

image is directly related to lack of

sleep.

•Sleep deprivation has been associated

with daytime fatigue, inability to

concentrate in school, ADHD,

problematic behaviors, and lower

levels of social skills.

•Several studies report that more total

sleep, earlier bedtimes, and later

weekday rise times are associated with

better performance in school.

Studies showed that almost 40% of

elementary school­aged children have

some kind of sleep problem while 10%

of them had daytime drowsiness. Up to

half of adolescents reported at least

occasional difficulty falling asleep or

staying asleep with up to 13 % experi­

encing chronic and severe insomnia.

The average sleep time for teens is

under 71/2 hours per night with only

15% sleeping 81/2 hours or more on school nights and more than 25% typically sleeping 61/2 hours or less. Clearly our teens

are not receiving enough sleep at night.

Sleep deprivation is difficult to detect because children rarely complain of sleep problems, we are unaware of the actual

time they fall asleep as well as night awakenings.

What can we do?

Children as a whole do not “grow out” of sleep problems. They tend to persist into adulthood. Early intervention is key.

•Taking the time to talk with your son or daughter with the right questions can go a long way. If you discover a problem,

make a plan agreeable to all. You may include target behavior and rewards in your plan.

•It will help to speak to coaches, bosses, and teachers and ask them if they see signs and symptoms of sleep deprivation.

•Teach your child good sleep habits while they are young. These are also known as “sleep hygiene” Having good bedtimes

with routines, habits, and diets will help immensely.

•Limit TV and other ‘screen time’ near bedtime. It is also a good idea not to put a TV in your child’s bedroom, which en­

hances stimuli that is not conducive for falling asleep.

Put an End to Bedtime Battles

•C

reate a routine which fits everyone’s needs. Bedtime routines can include:

bathing, teeth brushing, stories, listening to music, recalling events from the

day, talking about feelings, saying prayers, etc. Having a predictable, consis­

tent routine helps give them a familiar sequence they can begin to relax to.”

•Discuss with your child ways to help themself fall asleep. “If you are still

awake after we leave the room, you could help yourself go to sleep by

thinking of your favorite friend, or by holding your bear, or by singing

yourself a song.”

•Decide on a plan for follow­through or limit­setting. If they call or cry, you

can peek your head in

once

and remind them that it is bedtime and that

they can help themself go to sleep. Explain that you will not come to them

again. If they get out of bed, gently, firmly and without anger, talking or

fanfare, put them back in bed. You may need to do this many times before

they get the message. Understand that they may need to test you many times

in order to learn you are serious, it may prevent you from feeling angry.

•Tell your child the plan. “Once we leave the room, it will be your job to stay

in bed and help yourself fall asleep. You can cry or call if you need to. If you

get out of bed, we will put you back in bed, because it is your bedtime.”

• Give your child information about the importance of sleep. “Your body

needs sleep so you can have energy to play tomorrow. Sleep helps you feel

better, grow and be strong.”

•

As with anything, be consistent with routines and habits. Ask for help. Do not hesitate to call your doctor or sleep

specialist.

Sleep well!!

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12

Keshequa Central School

PO Box 517

Nunda NY 14517­0517

February 2005

School Board Members

Theron Foote

John Gordinier

Lori Gray

Patricia Kreuzer

Terry Lowell, Vice­President

Kevin Whiteman, President

Joyce Zeh

NONPROFIT

ORGANIZATION

US POSTAGE

PAID

PERMIT NO. 1

NUNDA NY 14517

Lucinda Miner,

Superintendent

Dominic Aloisio,

Business Administrator

George Eastman House in Rochester. Pictured is

Mr. Raymond and his photo students engaged in

one of the may exceptional displays depicting the

life and accomplishments of George Eastman.

The students had an opportunity to see first hand

the development of modern photography and the

house where it all began. Also pictured is an old

friend of Mr. Bucur who popped in to say hello,

he was too big to use the door so he just opened a

window!

High School

continued from page 5…

Scholarship Announcement

Seniors who are dependants of local small businesses may be eligible to apply for Padgett Business

Services Foundation scholarships. Winners will be determined based on GPA, test scores, and extra­

curricular activities. Interested students may contact Mr. Bielicki for more details or log onto

www.smallbizpros.com. Deadline to apply is March 1.