Truth

Wisdom

Honor

Chronicle

Keshequa

Leadership

Students Donate to Backpack Program

Elisha Jines challenged her ninth graders to show some holiday spirit while helping out the community. For two

weeks, her social studies students brought in food donations for the Backpack Program. “I wanted to teach generos -

ity and to promote community caring and to show students that in the hard economic times you can still help oth-

ers,” said Jines.

The four classes collectively donated 225 items of food. Jines’ second period class donated 132 items to the pro -

gram, winning themselves a pizza party and bonus points. “I brought food in so we could help the community,” said

student Brooke Essler.

Dalton’s Backpack Program is in its third year and is run by Deb Baxter, Home/School Liaison. Elementary

families in need sign up to receive a backpack. Every other week, a child is given a filled backpack to take home. The

child returns the bag to school and it is filled again. “It’s wonderful to see students excited about helping others in

the community,” said Baxter.

Food and backpacks are donated from individuals, community organizations, churches, and businesses. Last

year, the program serviced 36 families in need. “With the help of food drives as well as donations from staff and

community members we are able to keep this program going. Thank you!” said Baxter.

If you would like to donate a new or slightly used backpack, canned or boxed foods, or would like more infor -

mation about the program contact Deb Baxter at 476-2234 ext. 2106.

February 2009

www.keshequa.org

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Page 2

Keshequa Chronicle

Student Success

Marilyn Capawan, Superintendent of Schools

As you read

this issue, you will

notice the many

opportunities and

experiences Kes-

hequa provides for our students to grow and excel. Our District continues

to sharpen our focus on student success and to recognize the necessity to

both challenge and support our children throughout their academic careers.

Keeping student need at the forefront of our planning is particularly impor-

tant during our budget process, and it has become even more critical as we

build our budget for 2009-2010. With Governor Paterson’s Executive Budget

proposal, school districts across the state are facing significant reductions in

state aid. Keshequa’s projected state aid for next year will be reduced by ap -

proximately $450,000 from our 2008-2009 state aid. The task of providing a

quality education to students balanced with respect for the taxpayers of our

community may prove to be especially daunting this year, but the Board is

committed to meeting that goal. We will examine all our expenditures, from

facilities to instructional programming, to determine what we truly need to

provide an excellent education for all of our students, and develop a fiscally

sound plan to make that happen.

We are all aware that as a nation, a state, and a school district we now

face financially difficult times. Although the news may be negative, our

response to it will ultimately make the difference. The work we do is still

important, the talents of our faculty and staff are in no way diminished, and

our will to give our best to students remains unchanged. While money is a

limited resource, the spirit and commitment of our community are without

limits. Together we will find long term solutions that maximize both our

resources and results.

We are proud to welcome Todd Galton as our newest Board of Educa-

tion member. Todd has been appointed to fill the recently vacated seat until

June 30, 2009. We thank him for his willingness to commit his time and

energy to the District, and look forward to working with him.

We are also happy to welcome back the KPTSA, which is reorganized

and renewed in its commitment to building positive relationships for the

betterment of our District and students. You will find a membership form on

page 8 of this issue. Our hope is to build a strong partnership that will work

in constructive ways to make Keshequa the best it can be, and we are very

excited about the possibilities.

Our EXCEL capital project continues at a healthy pace and on budget.

Weekly construction meetings are held to review progress and address issues

as they arise, and the Building and Grounds Committee of the Board meets

with the Construction Manager and architect monthly. The constant com-

munication among all parties has been a key to the success of the project

thus far. Current work includes increasing handicapped accessibility of some

rest rooms, and replacement of tile in the oldest section of the Nunda build-

ing. Renovation of the auditorium seating and roof replacement are slated

for spring.

Title I: Facts

for Parents

by Carol A. McCarville, Interim

Director of Curriculum and

Instruction and Data Administrator

Title I is the name of a

federal grant program that was

established in order to ensure that

all children have a fair and equal

opportunity to obtain a high-

quality education as determined

by the No Child left Behind

act. Each state shares federal

funds for use in assuring that

all children reach, at minimum,

proficiency in meeting rigorous

curriculum standards and bench-

marks in achievement.

Keshequa receives funding

from Title I, Part A, which spe-

cifically targets academic achieve-

ment for students who need

additional assistance. Other Title

grants we receive target areas

like professional development,

use of technology in instruction,

and school safety. We use the

Title I, Part A funds to help pay

salaries of academic interven-

tion and summer school teachers,

provide supplies and materials

to academic intervention pro-

grams, and fund professional

training for teachers to increase

student achievement. Title I, Part

A funds are also used to obtain

materials for use with Limited

English Proficiency for students

in the district. Federal law also

requires us to set aside some of

the funds for use in helping any

homeless students in our schools.

You can learn more about

Title I funds as well as other Title

grants by contacting me at 468-

2541, ext. 1102.

Keeping student need at the forefront of

our planning is particularly important…

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February 2009

Page 3

Student Spotlight: Victoria Underwood

Student Victoria Underwood thinks it’s important to have school spirit. After being at

BOCES and hearing friends from other districts discuss celebrating homecoming or spirit week,

Victoria knew she wanted to bring that sense of school spirit to Keshequa.

“If students get involved, they care about the school,” she said.

Last fall, Victoria approached High School Principal Mark Mattle with the idea for a KCS

spirit week. There was little time to organize a whole week of spirit events before Halloween, so

Victoria organized a costume contest for her fellow classmates instead. Messages were placed

on the morning announcements weeks prior to Halloween. Victoria also reminded underclass-

man she saw at dance class to start preparing their costumes.

Victoria was then faced with the dilemma of how to actually judge the costumes. She

decided to recruit all the English teachers since all students have English during the day. She kept her choice of

judges anonymous to keep the contest fair. Victoria received support from Student Council, who agreed to pay for

the ice cream prizes for all the winners.

The KCS senior then organized a spirit week which was celebrated after winter recess. During the week,

students dressed in their pajamas, as their favorite movie character, in decade attire, and in school colors. The

highlight of the week was the donkey basketball game on January 10. The spirit week provided students with the

opportunity to showcase their school spirit while having some fun. Victoria did a great job organizing the week

and motivating her fellow classmates to get involved.

Student of the

Month Awards

Mark Mattle, Middle School/High School Principal

We are starting a “Student of the Month”

award in the Middle School and High School. For

each month there will be a boy and girl picked for this award. The stu-

dents’ pictures will be displayed on the wall across from the cafeteria and

the Board of Education will be treating the students to a special lunch at

the end of each month. The criteria for the award are determined by the

grade level teachers. Congratulations to the following students chosen

for the month of January:

• Sixth graders Tom

Mann

and

Jessica Vandorn

• Seventh graders Travis

Montgomery

and

Kierstin Houtz

• Eighth graders James

Derrenbacher

and

Sam Lucier

• Ninth graders Troy

Hatfield

and

Ashlee Callaro

• Tenth graders Jordan

Shute

and

Amber Garwood

• Eleventh graders Thomas

Coates

and

Katherine Mucha

• Twelfth graders Jeff

Steidle

and

Kayla Beardsley

; honorable mention,

Matt Moran

Some of the qualities the grade levels focused on were good charac-

ter, responsibility, work ethic, honesty, and attendance, just to name a

few.

Committe

on Student

Achievement

The Keshequa Board of Educa-

tion has created an interim BOE

committee on Student Achievement.

We are looking for two community

members to be part of this commit-

tee and would like to invite interest-

ed community members to join. The

group will establish goals and action

plans, and implement these plans for

contributing to our student achieve-

ment. Committee meetings will be

held on the first Wednesday of each

month from 5:30 to 6:30 p.m.

If you would like to participate

in this committee, please contact

Tammy Clark at 468-2541 ext. 1105

or via email at tclark@keshequa.org

to express your interest. Thank you

in advance for your interest.

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Page 4

Keshequa Chronicle

Bus Change Information

From the Transportation Department

Keshequa Central School has a childcare transportation policy in

place that greatly restricts bus changes for students. The only changes that

are allowed are bus changes necessary as a result of parents’ work sched-

ules and/or shared custody arrangements.

Bus changes are not allowed

for any reason other than for childcare.

Student pick up/drop off changes must be received in the transpor -

tation office in advance of the day of the change so that questions and

concerns regarding the change can be investigated and resolved ahead

of time. Forms must be used; hand written notes will not be accepted.

Forms are available from your student’s bus driver, on the school’s web

site, or at the Transportation Office. Please fill out a separate form for

each child and forward the forms to the transportation office. Completed

forms should not be sent to the school building. They should be given to

your child’s bus driver or mailed to: Keshequa Central School, Transpor -

tation Department, PO Box 517, Nunda, New York 14517

The safety and general welfare of students are our primary consid-

erations in the implementation of policies and procedures. Unnecessary

bus changes become overwhelming for the transportation department

and can compromise both the safety and welfare of the students that we

transport. Operating the transportation department as cost effectively as

possible, and at the same time being realistic in meeting the needs of the

community and the students that we transport has become a real chal-

lenge. Keshequa’s childcare transportation policy is critical in helping us

accomplish these goals. Your cooperation

will greatly be appreciated.

You may contact Transportation Super-

visor Ivan Beardsley with any questions by

calling 476-5789 or by visiting the Transpor-

tation Office located in the bus garage on

Route 408 in Dalton.

Parents’ Right to

K now Information

According to the No Child Left

Behind legislation, any school that

receives federal funding through the

Title I federal grant must provide

information to parents about the

qualifications of the teachers in that

school. The Dalton Elementary

School receives Title I funding. Par-

ents have a right to know informa-

tion regarding the teacher’s certifica-

tion for their child’s class and any

qualifications of the paraprofession-

als that are serving their child.

Parents can learn about their

child’s teachers’ qualifications by

calling the District Office at 468-

2541 ext. 1105.

Middle School Math Team

Finishes First

The middle school math team recently placed first at the Genesee Valley

BOCES Junior High Interscholastic Mathematics Competition. The team

finished fifth in the first competition of the year. The third and final compe-

tition will be held this month. Student Lindsay Piraino was the top scoring

seventh grader at the first meet as well as the top scoring student (in both

seventh and eighth grades) at the second meet. Jessica Steidle tied for second

amongst the eighth graders at the first meet and was the top scoring eighth

grader at the most recent meet. The team includes: seventh graders Hannah

Acciari, Kate Forrester, Gabe Mehlenbacher, Lindsay Piraino, and Brody

Wood; eighth graders Mariah Barranco, Tori Coon, Christian Garwood,

Zachary Mehlenbacher, and Jessica Steidle.

Keshequa

Community

Chorus

Do you love to sing?

KCS Varsity Chorus invites

you to join them in song for the

second annual

Music in our Schools

Month

concert on March 26.

We will rehearse Tuesdays,

February 3 - March 24, from

7:00-8:00 p.m. in the vocal music

room at the Nunda High School.

If you are interested please call

Kim Coffey at the Nunda MS/

HS: 468-2541 x1140 or email:

kcoffey@keshequa.org.

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February 2009

Page 5

Students Chosen for All-County Chorus

Music teacher Cheryl Sanford is proud to announce that the follow-

ing students were accepted into the Elementary All-County Chorus: Fifth

Grade: Amelia Borgus, Kathryn Gelser, Kelsey Holley, William Rich, and

Nicole Simone; Sixth Grade: Josh Barranco, Taylor Forrester, Latisha

Learn, Sean Lunn, and Kirsten Willey. These students will have the privilege

to participate in the All-County Conference to be held this month at Livonia

Central School. Congratulations!

Students Chosen to Sing with the RPO

by Kim Coffey

In Other Music News…

The Music Department is

now selling

“Keshequa Music

Rocks”

car magnets to benefit

our music department. These are

round magnets with a G-Clef and

Staff in the middle surrounded

with “Keshequa Music Rocks.”

They are orange and white with

black trim. The magnets are

selling for $6.50 - including tax.

Please see any MS/HS music

student or call Mrs. Coffey at 468-

2541 ext. 1140. Thanks for your

support.

Music Students Attend

Quartet Auditions

Katelyn Gelser, Sam Gordinier,

Sarah Gray, Lindsay Gunn, Brady

Jeffords, Ariel Simone, and Carly

Underwood attended the All-

County Quartet auditions at Perry

Central School in January. The

students prepared two pre-selected

pieces for the audition process,

then went into the audition room

in quartets (Soprano, Alto, Tenor,

and Bass) and sang for two judges.

They received a grade for singing

and a grade for sight reading. The

auditions will hopefully lead to

a spot in the Livingston County

2009 All-County Chorus.

Sarah Gray Represents KCS at

Senior High Area All-State

Senior Sarah Gray, daughter of

Lori and Doug Gray, represented

Keshequa Central School at the

Senior High Area All-State Music

Festival held on Saturday, November

22, at Marcus Whitman High

School in Rushville. Gray scored

99 out of 100 on her spring 2008

All-State tuba solo,

Diverse Moments

by Robert Jager. The Area All-

State Festival is held every year and

features the best student musicians

from around the local area.

Congratulations to Sarah for being

selected into this highly selective

musical ensemble!

Four Keshequa students were

chosen to sing in the 200 voice

Festival High School Chorale with

the Rochester Philharmonic Or-

chestra. The students chosen for this

honor were: Zach Coffey, Angela

Colombo, Lindsay Gunn, and Greg

Hoodak. The students put in many

hours to learn music and rehearse

with the RPO. The group performed

during the Gala Holiday Pops at

the Eastman Theatre in Rochester

December 17-21. Congratulations

singers, you make Keshequa proud!

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Page 6

Keshequa Chronicle

Coach Lewis Visits KCS

Dr. David Lewis, women’s soccer coach at Houghton

College, presented to Pete Piraino’s middle school and

Martha Blair’s high school physical education classes

about becoming “Champions of Character.” During the

presentation, Lewis shared his humble beginnings with

the program and discussed how he helped transform it

into one of the most successful women’s soccer programs

in the country. He told students that athletic success can

only come after character and academic success. He

shared stories with the students about some of the charac-

ter that he has witnessed over the years from his players.

Under Lewis, the Houghton Highlanders have demon-

strated a commitment to excellence and have played in

many third world countries, teaching both the sport and

how to become a champion of character. Dr. Lewis ex-

plained that his team works together demonstrating good

sportsmanship to not only change the culture of the sport,

but also to change the culture through the sport.

Coach Lewis recently was named the American

Coach Dr. Lewis poses with students Leigh Swartzfager

and Morgan Ewing after the “Champions of Character”

Communication is the Key

Ami Hunt, Elementary Principal

We are having a great 2009 at Dalton Elementary. Our third through

fifth grade students have taken the New York State English Language

Arts exam, and all our students will be completing mid-year benchmark

assessments in reading. Report cards were distributed at the end of Janu-

ary. As always, if you have any questions or concerns about your child’s

program or progress, please contact your child’s teacher. Communica -

tion between home and school is very important to the success of all of

our students.

We have the opportunity to offer a new program to our pre-kinder-

garten, kindergarten and first grade students. We will be partnering with

the Dansville and Canaseraga Lions Clubs to provide a free eye screen-

ing to our students. The

Lions Screening Eyes Early

program’s goal is to

help identify children with or at risk for vision problems. The Lions will

also assist those who are deemed in need of further vision testing. We

are very thankful for all the community organizations that are willing to

help our students!

Our drop-off loop in the front of the building has been very ben-

eficial. As you are dropping off, please pull up to the curb on the right

before letting anyone out of the vehicle. Please remember that it was

designed as a drop-off or pick-up area, not necessarily for parking. We

do realize that you may need to enter the building to sign your child in

or out. If there is no parking available in our visitor spaces, you may

park in the loop for a very short time. We do ask that if that occurs, you

do not park on the curved area of the loop as it makes it very difficult for

vehicles to get by. We appreciate your cooperation.

Mideast Conference Coach of the

Year for the sixth time. He is the all-

time leader in victories for women’s

soccer in the NAIA with an overall

record of 281-58-18. During his

career, he has coached more than

fifty All-Americans and his team

has routinely won academic honors

and awards. The speaker was ar-

ranged by school-to-work coordina-

tor Shawn Bielicki as part of the

district’s effort to promote positive

school climate.

BEA Awards

KCS Mini-Grants

Keshequa Central was award-

ed three mini-grants for worksite

visitations from the Livingston

County Business Education Alli-

ance. Students in different classes

will have the opportunity to visit

Allegany Log Homes, the County

Courthouse, and the

Our Fragile

World Fair.

The funds help cover

the costs of transportation and

substitute teachers incurred by the

trips.

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February 2009

Page 7

Students Take a Look Back at Nunda’s Past

On October 22 and

23, students in third,

fourth, seventh, and

eighth grades went on

an historical adventure

at the semi-annual Nun-

da History Days. The

program was part of the

official Town of Nunda

celebration and was

co-sponsored this year

by the Nunda Historical

Society and the Town

of Nunda Bicentennial

Committee.

The goal of the pro-

gram is to provide an

opportunity to explore

the history of Nunda

and Western New York

and increase aware-

ness of the historical

resources available in

our area. There was no

cost to students. Fund-

ing for the program

comes from the Town

of Nunda Bicentennial

Committee and a grant

from the Genesee Val-

ley Council on the Arts.

“We want students

to be immersed in lo-

cal history,” said Tom

Cook, Nunda Histori-

cal Society president.

“They are the generation who one day will be preserving

local history.”

The elementary and middle school students attended

the program on separate days, allowing organizers to

plan activities according to the age group. The middle

school students had the opportunity in the first program

to see an atlatl demonstration by Letchworth Park natu-

ralist and atlatl expert Doug Bassett. Students learned a

brief history of this spear throwing technique and had

the opportunity to try it themselves.

During the second program students went on a

scavenger hunt using the museum exhibits and Rose

Shave Gallery. Missy Clark of Barkertown Sutlers was

in 18

th

century costume to demonstrate colonial/fron -

tier spinning techniques. Nunda resident Jim Cromwell

displayed and discussed

a variety of Iroquois

cultural items from the

Woodland and Contact

eras. Folk musician Sue

Henglesberg played

traditional American

music on the hammered

dulcimer for students.

The Genesee Valley

Mountain Dulcimer

Club provided students

a chance to play a song

on the Appalachian Mt.

Dulcimer.

During the final

program, middle school

students were chal-

lenged by West Sparta

Town Historian Dave

Palmer to identify 18

th

and 19

th

century tools.

Students also met with

members of the Mo-

ses Van Campen Long

Rifles, who provided a

living history glimpse

into the lives of trap-

pers and early settlers.

Former Nunda resident

Terry Parker represented

the 136

th

NY, a Civil

War infantry company

from Nunda. Parker

and other members

discussed a soldier’s life

during the war.

The elementary groups were treated to many of the

same presenters with some additions. Town Historian

Valerie Griffing discussed with students the uses of

wool and showed them some spinning techniques. She

also discussed her job. Kay Swyer, whose family’s ties

go back to the local Seneca reservations, talked about

Seneca women and family life.

“We feel that the kids saw people enjoying history as

a hobby,” said Cook

History Days is offered biennially so organizers can

keep the information fresh. The two-day program was

also opened to the community. Organizers would like to

thank the school district, administration, and bus trans-

portation for all their help and support.

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Page 8

Keshequa Chronicle

NHS Welcomes New Members

On November 6, the Keshequa Chapter of National Honor Society hosted its annual induction ceremony.

Students Sarah Allan, Lauren Donovan, Katelyn Gelser, Sam Gordinier, Andrew Hark, Tim Jackson, Claire Mann,

Kevin Moran, and Ariel Simone were the fall 2008 inductees.

The current members of NHS include: Kayla Beardsley, Thomas Coates, Courtney Curry, Ryann Gardner,

Emily Gibson, Chrysta Giles, Brian Gordinier, Christopher Gray, Sarah Gray, Lindsay Gunn, Ashley Hark, Mariah

Mahlendorf, Terrence Mann, Ashley McWilliams, Michelle Montgomery, Matt Moran, Catherine Mucha, Brandon

Nickerson, Jesse Orellana, Erin Pattridge, Albert Schmitter, Jeff Steidle, Sydney Sullivan, Christine Tallman, and

Ethan Trim.

The ceremony has previously been held in the spring, but all inductions will now be held in the fall. During the

ceremony several current NHS members spoke, along with advisor Carol McCarville and Principal Mark Mattle.

Speakers discussed the four qualities of National Honor Society: character, scholarship, service, and leadership. A

dessert reception was held after the ceremony.

The group plans to sell daffodils in the spring with the proceeds going to the American Cancer Society. They are

also planning their car wash fundraiser at Nunda Fun Days. McCarville said members are looking into having one

more fundraiser along with the car wash. Funds are used for the three scholarships that NHS gives out to seniors at

graduation.

Keshequa Parent Teacher Student Association

Membership Due: Teachers/parents $5, Students $3.50

If you are interested in becoming a KPTSA member, fill out the form below and return it to: KPTSA,

P.O. Box 493, Nunda, NY 14517

Name(s): ______________________________________________________________________________________

Address: ______________________________________________________________________________________

Phone(s): _____________________________________________________________________________________

Email: ________________________________________________________________________________________

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February 2009

Page 9

Teen Entrepreneurs Speak to KCS Students

Former KCS student John Johnson and his younger

brother, current high school student Ben Johnson, pre-

sented to Rick Riggi’s sports marketing classes about

starting and running their own business, Running Wild

Paintball.

John explained to the students that his participation

in the Young Entrepreneurs’ Academy (YEA) at SUNY

Geneseo last year proved beneficial to him opening the

business. The program helped him obtain a DBA, polish

his presentation skills, understand zoning laws, acquire

financing, and develop marketing materials. While his

name is on the business, John pointed out that his brother

Ben runs much of the day-to-day operations. The young

entrepreneurs said they have gained support from local

groups, especially churches.

The two admitted that the first year has been pretty

difficult and that they underestimated the amount of

work involved. One of the biggest challenges for the pair

has been getting their message out. They learned to take advantage of free marketing opportunities, such as post -

ing their messages on the internet, hanging fliers, using e-mail, and cold calling. To date, they are right on pace for

achieving their sales goals. Their next prospect involves starting some school teams.

“The best part of being in business is pride of ownership,” said John.

Running Wild Paintball is located on Route 408 in Nunda. If anyone is interested in learning more about the

YEA, contact Shawn Bielicki at 468-2541. For more information on Running Wild, check out their website at www.

RunningWildPaintball.com.

Brothers Ben and John Johnson show off their business

website.

Physical Education News…

The high school physical education

students took a trip to the Letchworth

Pines on December 8 and 9 to put their

bowling skills to the test. Students used

plastic pins and rubber balls to practice

approaches, scoring, aiming for the

“pocket” and picking off spares before

the trip. Close to 200 students bowled,

had fun and got exercise too. Chris Gray

got the overall high score of 167 and

Angela Colombo bowled the runner up

score of 152.

Forty-eight students entered the high

school table tennis tournament. Students

were randomly seeded in three pools

with the winner of each pool playing

off for the championship. Chris Gray,

Dakota James and Tim Jackson were the pool winners, who played off in a round robin format to determine the

school champion. Chris Gray defeated both competitors for the crown. Congratulations Chris!

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Page 10

Keshequa Chronicle

for Guests

Colleen Proctor’s

life skills class treated

family and friends to a

homemade Thanksgiving

dinner on November 19.

The students prepared the

entire meal themselves

with the skills they’ve

learned in cooking and

etiquette. They made sure

their guests felt welcomed

as they greeted them at

the door, and made all the

decorations on the tables.

The group spent the days

prior cooking five turkeys,

mashed potatoes, stuffing,

corn casserole, pumpkin pie bars, apple cobbler, rolls, and punch. Mrs. Proc -

tor has been having the dinners for many years, but this is the first year this

group of students has prepared the meal.

NJHS Shows Support for Community

The members of the National Ju-

nior Honor Society spent a few hours

on Saturday, November 1, lending a

hand – and a few rakes – to the Bell

Memorial Library. Advisor Elaine

Morgan contacted Library Manager

Pat Galbraith to ask what the group

could do to help the library. They

decided to rake leaves, which would

save the library the cost of a lawn

care service.

“We’re trying to give back to our

community and show our support,”

said Morgan.

The group was demonstrating

the qualities that a NJHS member

should hold: scholarship, leadership,

service, character, and citizenship.

The following students are members

of NJHS: Mariah Barranco, Victoria Coon, Blaithe Donovan, Alex Flint (president), Michelle Hand, Kristen Jack -

son, Atticus Kiser, Dan Mattle, Grace Mehlenbacher (secretary), Zach Mehlenbacher (treasurer), Alicia Pritchard,

Chauna Savastano, Steven Schiano (vice president), Alex Simone, Jessica Steidle, and Carrie White.

GCC Offers Free

Su mmer Courses

to Graduates!

As a continuation of

The

Genesee Promise Plus

initiative at

Genesee Community College, ev-

ery student who graduates from a

Genesee-Livingston-Orleans-Wy -

oming high school in June will

receive a full tuition scholarship

for one or two summer courses

beginning June 29. All June 2009

graduates are eligible whether

they plan to attend GCC, another

college or university, or even if

they have not made college plans.

Students can attend classes at the

Batavia campus or any of the six

campus centers. Go to http://

www.genesee.edu/gcc/promise/

to get a GCC admissions applica-

tion and GPP scholarship form.

Students show-off their cooking skills to guests

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February 2009

Page 11

Busy Bees and Sixth Graders Team Up

On Friday, December 12 and 19, the Busy Bees

teamed up with KCS sixth graders to build some much

needed locker shelves so the younger students can orga-

nize their hall lockers. The Bees set up “stations” and

manned the saws. The sixth graders, after receiving care-

ful instruction, safely ran their pieces on the router table

under the watchful eye of Jim Myers. They then sanded

their shelves.

The project went very smoothly and was a huge suc-

cess. These shelves will certainly help in the longevity

of the students’ textbooks as they will now no longer get

tossed in lockers, caught in the doors, or have their spines

split from improper stacking.

More Buzz from the Hive…

Seven out of the sixteen Busy Bees made the honor

roll! Over 70 community members attended the Busy Bee

Mini-Open House Thursday, December 11. The Hive was

so packed with people it was hard to walk around! The students brought

parents, grandparents, aunts, uncles, cousins, friends, and even their regular-

ed teachers. School Board members and administrators were also in atten-

dance.

The Bees took great pride in showing off their work. Every student re-

ceived a different individualized award. Many of the awards reflected their

building skill, improvement, creativity, and/or team participation. Pictures

were taken of every student with the people they brought to the event. It

was a great success. The Bees’ next project will be a log cottage and storage

sheds.

Students Reprise Roles in

Rumors

The Keshequa Drama Club presented Neil Simon’s

Rumors

on December 5-7 in the high school auditorium.

The students reprised the roles they first performed when

they were middle school students. Erin-Kate Howard

directed the production with the help of assistant direc-

tor Chris Norton. The cast included: Zach Coffey (Lenny

Ganz), Brandy Gallichio (Claire Ganz), Sam Gordinier

(Officer Welch), Lindsay Gunn (Cassie Cooper), Michae -

la Hillier (Chris Gorman), John Nesbitt (Ken Gorman),

Erin Pattridge (Cookie Cusak), Hannah Snyder (Pudney),

Ethan Trim (Ernie Cusack), Tyler Westcott (Glenn Coo -

per), and Kiersten Willey (voice of Myra). Stage manag -

ers and crew members were Josh Callaro, Victoria Coon,

Hannah Snyder, and Kiersten Willey.

Rumors

is set in the New York home of Charley and

Myra Brock. The couple invites four couples over to

celebrate their tenth wedding anniversary. The first couple

arrives to find Charley upstairs bleeding from a gunshot

wound to the ear and his wife is nowhere to be found.

The first couple spends the evening trying to conceal the crime from the rest of the guests and the police.

Members of the cast pose for a picture while rehearsing.

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Page 12

Keshequa Chronicle

Native American Celebration

After completing their unit of

study on Native Americans, the

fourth grade classes held an evening

celebration to showcase all they had

learned. Fourth graders displayed

their Native American projects for

both family and friends to see. Proj-

ects ranged from birch bark canoes

to longhouses and False-Face masks.

Guests were able to try Native Ameri-

can food which included Iroquois

Strawberry Drink, corn bread, and

Three Sisters Soup. A great time was

had by all! A separate celebration was

held during school hours so other

grade levels could admire all the proj-

ects. The fourth grade classes would

like to thank everyone who attended.

A Glimpse of the Past

Mr. Joe Christiano and Mr. Sam Maggio brought in their personal collection of Native American artifacts.

Fourth grade students were enthralled to learn that the artifacts presented were all found in our area! Students

enjoyed touching arrow heads, primitive tools, and beads. The most popular item was a stone carving. Legend says

touching it makes wishes come true!

The Rotar-

ians paid a visit

to the Middle

School on Oc-

tober 16. Barb

Baldwin (presi-

dent), C.J. Bul -

len (secretary),

Fran Mann (past

president and

chair of diction-

ary and thesau-

rus project), and

Donn Thomp-

son (past president) met with the sixth grade and passed

out thesauruses to each student. This is the second year

thesauruses have been passed out to the students in an

effort to help them be more successful in school.

The students and Rotarians had a short discussion

regarding what a thesaurus was and how its use could

be helpful in school. Students reminded the visitors that

they had received dictionaries when they were third

graders. The Rotarians were pleasantly surprised to find

that many of

the students still

have and use the

dictionaries to

help with their

schoolwork.

Students

were then asked

to look up the

word “eradi -

cate,” which led

to a discussion

about Polio and

the Rotarians ef-

forts to help eradicate the disease in the handful of coun-

tries still plagued by it. They spoke directly about their

efforts to raise money to help send vaccination serum to

those countries.

The sixth grade students, their teachers, and the Kes-

hequa Central School administration would like to send

a heartfelt thanks to the Rotarians for their kindness and

their continued support of the school system.

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February 2009

Page 13

Published Author

Thanks to being chosen by a panel of judges as the

winner of a middle school children’s book writing con-

test, KCS student Arielle Bielicki published her first chil-

dren’s book, “The Mystery of the Stolen Cookie.” Fund -

ing was provided by an enrichment grant titled, “Pen,

Publish, and Promote” which took students through

the process of writing a story, having it illustrated, and

promoting the work by creating flyers, invitations, post-

ers, and conducting a story-tellers seminar and a book

signing. Drama club advisor and local artist Christopher

Norton completed the illustrations for the book using

paint on canvas. Cornerstone Books in Nunda hosted the

book signing. Many students, teachers, politicians, and

community members attended the signing making it a

very busy and exciting day for the author and illustrator.

KCS student, author Arielle Bielicki explains the writing

process as illustrator Christopher Norton looks on.

Fifth grader Amelia Borgus helps kindergartner Alexis

Ethridge with her journal.

Everyday, fifth graders Amelia Borgus, Rachel

Bugman, Mary Columbo, Austin Galton, Dylan Lew,

Hannah Moriarty, and Abby Wood visit the kindergar-

ten classrooms of Kammy Snyder, Patrice Forrester,

and Heather Macomber to help the younger students

write in their journals. The fifth graders help the kin-

dergartners develop topic ideas and check for spelling

and punctuation. Both kindergartners and fifth graders

alike learn from this experience. The adults are very

impressed with the kind, caring nature of the older

students.

Third Graders Take a Trip

Back in Time

In December, the

third graders vis-

ited Mills Man-

sion for

A Child’s

Christmas at Mills

Mansion

. During

their visit, stu-

dents played with

toys that chil-

dren would have

played with 200

years ago. They

also toured the

house and learned

how different life

was that long ago.

Mrs. Long and

Mrs. Martello

gave the students a first hand look at the hard work of

servants. Some of the children were able to try out old

items like a top hat, cape and pipe. The house is main -

tained by the Mount Morris Historical Society and the

visit is funded by a grant from Genesee Valley BOCES

Enrichment program On-The-Go.

Nathan Ellsworth and Cassandra

Szulewski dressed as Mr. and Mrs. Mills.

Fifth Grade Journal Helpers

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Page 14

Keshequa Chronicle

A Look Back…

Mrs. Hoch’s kindergarten class posed for a picture back in 1954. Kindergartners in Mrs. Randall’s class smiled for the camera this

fall.

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February 2009

Page 15

Lower Level PageTurners off to a Great Start

By Joan Ellison

Kindergartners Have Holiday Fun!

The Kindergarten classes spent time before Thanksgiving completing

some decorations and fun activities they could take home for the holiday.

Kindergarten teachers Joyce Randall, Patrice Forrester, Heather Macomber,

and Kammy Snyder rotated their classes so each could work with a differ-

ent class and on a different activity. In Mrs. Randall’s room students made

Mayflower ships with flags that pictured what they would bring on the ship

if they were a pilgrim. In her classroom, Mrs. Snyder had students color

a picture of a cornucopia, a horn filled with food which symbolizes abun-

dance. They then glued that to another piece of paper and added a patterned

border around it. Mrs. Forrester and Mrs. Macomber had students make a

Thanksgiving banner that could be hung at home. At the end of the morn-

ing, students had several decorations they could take home for the holiday.

Teacher Joyce Randall helps a student assemble his Thanksgiving project

The 2008-

2009 PageTurners

team worked hard

to get ready for its

first competition

which was held

on December 12

at Letchworth

Central School.

Team members

read books from

the official Page-

Turners’ list and

then wrote ques-

tions about what

they read. The list

contained many

genres of books

such as poetry,

science fiction,

mysteries, biogra-

phies and non-

fiction. The books were also at many different reading

levels. The students met every other week after school to

practice for the competition. Once at the competition,

they were asked questions about the books and it was

amazing how much they remembered! They competed

against teams from Dansville, Letchworth, Wayland,

and Cohocton. At the end of a tight competition, the

team is currently in fourth place.

The team is made

up of students in

grades 3-5 and

includes: Chris-

tina Adams, Liam

Costello, Danielle

Dean, Julia How-

ell, Cheyenne

James, Allegra

Learn, Tami

Lovell, Hannah

Moriarty, Kyrstin

Rawleigh, Lauren

Simmons, Nicole

Simone, Cassan-

dra Szuluski, Gar-

rett Thompson,

Sylvia Thomp-

son, Savanah

Vasile, Lillian

Willett and Han-

nah Wood.

The next competition will be in April and students

will have a new list of books to read. The score from the

December competition will be added to the score of the

April competition and whichever team has the highest

score will go to the finals in May or June. Congratula-

tions team! Keep up the good work.

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KCS Provides Cozy Cover to Fa milies

Keshequa faculty and staff collected 17 blankets to donate to the Cozy Cover Campaign. The campaign was or -

ganized by the BOCES Geneseo Migrant Center for migrant farm workers and their families. Sara Privitera’s fourth

grade class made two blankets to donate.

NONPROFIT

ORGANIZATION

US POSTAGE

PAID

PERMIT NO. 1

NUNDA NY 14517

Keshequa Central School

P.O. Box 517

Nunda, New York 14517-0517

February 2009

School Board Members

Anita Buchinger, President

Paul Jackson, Vice-President

Mark Ewing

Todd Galton

John Gordinier

Lori Gray

Barbara Waddle

Marilyn Capawan,

Superintendent

Dominic Aloisio,

Nunda RD 2