averly Central SChoolS

March 2013

WStudentS learn dangerS of diStraCted driving, Pledge to hang uP and drive

Jacy Good, a survivor of a car

accident caused by a cell phone-distracted driver, recently spoke to High School stu-dents about the consequences of driving while distracted. On the day Jacy gradu-ated from college in May 2008, a cell phone-distracted driver ran a red light, causing the accident that killed her parents and left her gravely injured. “I was really touched by her story,” said sophomore Delanie Sweeney. “I can relate to it because I had a friend who passed away in an accident that was likely because of distracted driving.” Jacy’s story also made an impression on sophomore Tanner Cantrell. “I’m glad she came to our school,” he said. “It takes a lot of heart to tell her story over and over, but it is definitely something that needs to be addressed.” Both students – along with many of their peers – signed a pledge promising not to drive while using a cell phone. “I tell my friends not to call or text me or answer my calls while they are driv-ing,” said Delanie. “I couldn’t live with the guilt if something happened.”

Jacy told the students that what was supposed to be the happiest day of her life turned into her worst nightmare. “People need to understand the dan-gers of using a cell phone – handheld or hands-free – while driving. My parents are gone and my life has been changed forever because of a driver who chose a cell phone conversation instead of safety. People need to understand what’s at risk and that their actions have life-long consequences,” Jacy said. After the loss of her parents, Jacy joined FocusDriven – Advocates for Cell-Free Driving, a nonprofit advocacy organization for victims of motor ve-hicle accidents involving drivers using cell phones. For more information, visit www.focusdriven.org. Funds from a state grant covered the cost of Jacy’s presentation.

Sophomores Tanner Cantrell and Delanie Sweeney sign a pledge not to drive while using their cell phones.

Fair Funding for Our SchoolsInformational Forum and Call to Action

Monday, April 15, 20136:30 p.m.

Corning West High SchoolFeaturing guest speaker

Dr. Rick Timbs,Executive Director of the

Statewide School Finance Consortiumwww.statewideonline.org

Get informed about the financial crisis facing our local school districts and how you can help.

Hosted by GST BOCES

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StudentS to PreSent Murder MyStery

The Waverly Drama Club will present Mandate for Murder by Pat Cook on Friday and Saturday, April 26 and 27 at 7:00 p.m. in the newly-renovated auditorium.

Tickets are $8 for adults and $5 for students. Mandate for Murder is an election night murder mystery. According to Cook’s website, Mathew Kensington’s supporters are throwing him a birthday/election party and all is well until an aide shows up with a cake knife in his back. Suddenly, all the guests find themselves suspected of murder. The show is produced by special arrangement with Eldridge Publishing Co.

StudentS learn Weather WiSdoM

Above, WETM meteorologist Sean Bailey and third-graders from Fred Kennedy’s classroom pose for a photo. Right, Mr. Bailey uses a map of the United States projected on a smartboard to explain weather concepts to students during the Weather Wisdom program.

Third-graders at Elm Street School had some exciting science lessons recent-

ly. WETM meteorologists Joe Pasquarelli and Sean Bailey visited classrooms to teach the students about the science of meteorology through the station’s

Weather Wisdom program. Students learned about weather patterns typical to each season and asked lots of ques-tions about predicting the weather. One of their questions was even answered on air during a weather report.

diStriCt naMeS neW direCtor of CurriCuluM

The district welcomes Sara Fontana as the director of curricu-lum and instruction. A graduate of Slippery Rock University

and SUNY Cortland, Mrs. Fontana comes to Waverly with expe-rience as a special education teacher and administrator. In her new role, Mrs. Fontana will work with teachers and principals to align the curriculum at all grade levels across the district, as well as align the district’s curriculum with the New York State Common Core Learning Standards.

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valuable leSSonS at CheMung

Chemung students recently received some valuable financial lessons from

representatives of the Ingersoll-Rand Federal Credit Union. Banking on Our Future is a financial literacy program that gives students the tools and understand-ing they need to become financially responsible young adults. The program encourages early learning of financial concepts so members of the next gener-ation are better prepared earlier to deal with the new financial landscape they will face as young adults.

Left, a representative from Ingersoll-Rand Federal Credit Union leads a lesson in the Banking on Our Future financial literacy program at Chemung School.

MS StudentS exPlore CareerS

Students at Waverly Middle School know its never too early to start think-

ing about their future careers. Seventh- and eighth-graders partici-pated in a career day sponsored by GST BOCES Career Development Council in February. The event kicked off with a presenta-tion about the Career and Technical Education (CTE) programs offered at GST BOCES Bush Education Center. Students then rotated through presentations by local professionals who generously vol-unteered their time to speak to them. Speakers discussed the education needed to do their jobs and encouraged students to work hard and follow their dreams. Career areas represented included the Armed Forces (Sgt. Cott and Sgt. Dahl of

the United States Army); author/illustrator (Tina Howe of Tina Howe Communications); banking/business (Wendy Martin of Tioga State Bank); computer technology (Kyle Ackland of Waverly Central Schools); construction (Jim Smith and Jeff Sayre of Welliver); education (Colleen Talada of Waverly Central Schools); engineering (Paul Mittan of Lockheed Martin); law enforce-ment (Sgt. Gelatt, Officer Nate Harvey and Officer Dana Nichols of the Waverly Police Department); nursing/flight para-medic (Lisa and Barry Larock); obedience and agility training (Laura Tanner); occupational therapy/physical therapy (Stephanie Sinsabaugh of Elderwood) and veterinary medicine (Dr. Rene Fisher and Cindy Carbone of Milan Veterinary Clinic).

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viSit uS on the Web at WWW.WaverlySChoolS.CoM

Student arChiteCtS PreSent ProjeCt

Middle School students Cassy Bowman, Logan Bowman, Tyler

Croft, Jose Garcia, Jason Hans Jequinto, Keegan Herriman, Cody Jerrells, Chris Johnson, Michael LaRock, Dalton Loper, Kelti McEvoy, Lyndsey Moore, Matthew Spencer and Jared Stewart recently experienced the work of architects first hand. The students worked closely with local architect Robert Butcher of Foor and Associates, and Adviser Fred Mills as they participated in the Architectural Awareness Program. The program, sponsored in part by GST BOCES Career Development Council, teaches middle school students about the field of architecture by involving them in adaptive reuse projects within their communities.

The students, who are in Mr. Mills 40-week architecture course, have studied numerous styles of architecture, not-ing the key features, characteristics and architects. The students decided to redesign The Tank restaurant in Waverly using four styles of architecture – Greek Revival, Victorian, Early American and Queen Anne – with each style forming a distinc-tive side of the building. Students cre-ated a cardboard mock up before head-ing to the wood shop to build the final model. The team presented their project to a packed house at the Corning Museum of Glass auditorium in February and were treated to lunch, a museum tour and hot glass show.

The Middle School Architectural Awareness team gets ready to present its project at the Corning Museum of Glass.

StudentS Celebrate dr. SeuSS’ birthday

Lincoln Street pre-k and kindergarten students traveled to the High School

to celebrate Dr. Seuss’ birthday at a read-ing party in March. As a senior project, the twelfth-graders read their favorite Dr. Seuss books and other stories, shared snacks and marched in a parade throughout the building to show off the younger students’ creative Dr. Seuss-inspired hats. Students also took a reading oath and received a free book from The Cat in the Hat.

More than 130 seniors and 200 pre-k and kindergarten students participated in the annual event. Many seniors re-member the excitement of going to the High School to be read to when they were in kindergarten. Lincoln Street teacher aide Jenna Tymoski remembers sitting on an older student’s lap to hear a story as well as the book she read to students when she was a senior. “That’s when I realized I wanted to work with kids,” she said.

Peyton Robinson and Tristan Miller climb onto Tim Vanderpool’s lap to hear a story. Ava Witman raises her hand as she takes a reading oath. Isabella Gonzalez dressed as Dr. Seuss character Thing 2 for the event. Jordan Grier receives a book from The Cat in the Hat (Rachel Luther).

Lincoln Street students (L to R: Jordan Grier, Bryce Rought, Meagan Frutchey and Crimson McClernon) and their High School reading buddies (Jenna and Sebrina Bowman) celebrated Dr. Seuss’ birthday with a reading party.

Kim Redder, a senior in the Automotive Technology program at GST BOCES

has been selected as a Career and Tech-nical Education Program Student of the Month for the Bush Education Center. According to CTE Assistant Principal Matt Talada, Kim is exceptionally hard-working and possesses a tireless work ethic and determination to succeed. In addition to maintaining a 95 percent average in her CTE course, Kim also is on the Honor Roll and taking an Advanced Regents course load at her home school. “Kim has shown herself to be a quiet and determined leader in the classroom through her example and attitude. She is an example of all that we praise in education, and specifically in career and technical education programming,” said Mr. Talada.

redder naMed Cte Student of the Month

GST BOES Career and Technical Education (CTE) Student of the Month Kim Redder (center) with CTE Assistant Principal Matt Talada (left) and Automotive Technology Instructor Dan McNaughton (right).

StudentS learn about life in ukraine

Last year, students in Cathy Hand’s classroom corresponded with chil-

dren in the Ukraine who were students of Waverly graduate and Peace Corps volunteer Laura Chaath. This year, Ms. Chaath visited Elm Street School to teach the third-graders more about life in the Eastern European country. She gave a PowerPoint presentation and showed students Ukrainian artifacts.

Ms. Chaath also thanked the Elm Street community for last year’s generous donation of books. Students packed 12 boxes of donated children’s books and the Elm Street parents’ group paid for the postage to send them to the Ukraine. The donations allowed Ms. Chaath to create an English room and fill classroom libraries at her school as well as give books to a local library.

Students pack boxes of books to send to the Ukraine. Laura Chaath speaks to Elm Street students.

Non-Profit Org.US Postage

PAIDWaverly, NYPermit #213

*****ECRWSS**

Postal Customer

Waverly SChoolS

15 Frederick St.Waverly, NY 14892

(607) 565-2841

board of eduCation

Dr. Joseph Picco,President

Lee Haxton,Vice President

Andrea GiovencoRenee KinsleyParvin MenschRobert PalanzaRonald Perry, Jr.Colleen Talada

Kasey Traub

SuPerintendent

Joseph Yelich

our MiSSion:

Waverly School

District is a

community

partnership

dedicated to

providing a

challenging

educational

environment

which prepares

every individual

for a productive

life in an

ever changing

global society.

StudentS PerforM in firSt ConCert

Lincoln Street kindergartners gave their first-ever concert in January. The

performance, postponed from Decem-ber, included holiday songs such as Snowflakes, I’m a Little Penguin and Five Little Snowmen. The final number fea-tured all 130 students singing Jingle Bells together.