Dimension - December 2011

DIMENSIONDecember 2011Holley Central School District

In this issueSED approves capital project .............p. 2

School emergency procedures .........p. 3

Kindness Counts ...................................p. 4

Castle Learning – the online edge.....p. 5

ES Students of the Month ....................p. 6

Sports news ...........................................p. 7

December 2011 ....................................p. 8

Environmental science class tests water using high-tech lab equipmentAll bottle waters weren’t created

equally. That’s one of the many facts that the students in Lisa Wischerath’s environmental science class learned during a recent lab assignment. The students worked with John Handyside, a certified biology teacher and University at Buffalo graduate student, for two days using probeware to compare the total dissolved solids contained in water samples from various sources.

Probeware is scientific equipment which allows probes to be interfaced with software and computer systems for the purpose of collecting, interpreting, and analyzing data. Holley School District does have some probeware, but Mr. Handyside brought with him additional equipment for the students to use during the lab.

“John is a fellow grad student and needed to do a lesson that tied technology to curriculum, so I invited him to my class,” said Ms. Wischerath. After teaching the students how to use the probes and giving them some background information, Mr. Handyside had them begin testing different types of water – distilled, spring, water from their homes, even water from his fish tank after his fish had died.

The probes measure temperature, dissolved oxygen, ph, and much more, but the students concentrated on measuring the electrical conductivity of dissolved solids. “All of the water we brought from home had a higher concentration of dissolved solids,” said senior April Iachetta. “It has more minerals and stuff than the store-bought spring water.”

“Solids that are dissolved in water samples include soluble salts that yield ions such as sodium, calcium, magnesium, sulfate, and chloride – and the ions conduct electricity,” explained Ms. Wischerath. “The conductivity probe measures the ability of the dissolved salts and their resulting ions to conduct an electrical current.”

To view a brief video, visit www.holleycsd.org

Junior Hannah Sulkowski (front) and senior Cassie Vaccarelli use probeware to measure the electrical conductivity of various types of water in their environmental science class.

HOLLEY DIMENSION December 2011

Holley Central School District2

A message from the SuperintendentSED approves Capital Projectby Superintendent Robert D’Angelo WHEN: Wednesday,

January 4 from 6 – 7:30 p.m.

WHERE: MS/HS Cafeteria

OPEN TO ALL DISTRICT PARENTS

Do you wonder what to say to your kids about puberty, relationships, dating, and sexuality? Many parents feel the same way and are unsure of how or when to start these important conversations with their kids. Come to the Parents Night Out and discuss parental fears and concerns around these issues.

Real Life Real Talk is a national program that was developed to help parents open a dialogue with their children about healthy sexuality. The program’s goal is to create more open, honest and balanced talk about sexuality and health.

This is an adult only event.

The physical education staff won the STAR 102.5 Workday Wake Up breakfast and was treated to two Tim Horton’s Take Ten breakfasts! Teacher Lisa Campbell (right) submitted an application to win the breakfast for the PE staff for all their time and dedication devoted to the Jump Rope For Heart event. “I was really surprised when Sally Martin (music teacher) and Sharon Gross (PE teacher) came to my office and told me they had heard on the radio that we had won,” said Mrs. Campbell. The PE staff, including John Grillo, pictured here, and members of the elementary staff enjoyed their delicious win!

Parents Night Out with Real Life Real Talk

A great way to start the day

On October 20, we received formal notification from the State Education

Department that our phase 2 capital project was formally approved. The approval process is lengthy and detailed as every aspect of the project, such as mechanical, electrical, instructional space, etc., is closely examined by the folks in Albany. Once the drawings and plans meet with their specifications, the project is approved. Please keep in mind that once a project is submitted, it goes to the bottom of the pile and projects are reviewed in the order that they arrive. There are, at times, factors beyond our control that impact the approval process. In our case, the flooding that took place in the eastern portion of the state forced state officials to concentrate on remediating flood damaged schools and dealing with FEMA assistance. Fortunately for us, the delay was not that long and we were back on track quickly.

The board formally accepted bids from six contractors at the November 21 meeting. All bids came in under budget.By the first part of December, you should begin to notice construction trailers on the property and the work beginning. This is an exciting time for the district as the project will provide us with the renovations needed to upgrade our physical plant as well as our grounds. If you should have any questions about the project, please do not hesitate to contact me or Assistant Superintendent for Business Gene Mahaney at 638-6316.

Sincerely,

Robert C. D’AngeloSuperintendent of Schools

P.S. Please join us for a ground breaking ceremony on Dec. 5 at 1:45 p.m. beginning in the MS/HS auditorium.

Holley Elementary School honored Veterans’ Day with a meaningful school-wide assembly. A group of local veterans posted the colors then everyone recited the Pledge of Allegiance and the chorus sang “The Star Spangled Banner.” Teacher Lisa Hendry explained how Veterans’ Day began and the chorus performed “Thank You, Soldiers.” After a moment of silence, high school student Steven Johnson played taps and the colors were retired. Shown here are (l-r) Eugene Weader, VFW Post 202 and American Legion Post 529; Rob Johncox, Jr., Post 333; Tom Bringenberg, Navy Club 812; Robert Blosenhauer, Post 529; and Commander Chuck Eberhardt, Post 529.

Thank you, soldiers

Holley Central School District 3


School Emergency Procedures – vital information for parentsCritical incidents at schools and catastrophic natural disasters are rare, but it is

very important that school personnel, students, and parents know what to do if such an incident occurs.

The purpose of this article is to educate our parents and guardians regarding pertinent emergency procedures. It is helpful for parents and guardians to understand the difference between certain emergency procedures and to be able to react appropriately.

While the first and natural response of a parent or guardian would be to get in a car and drive to the school – that is not always safe or possible. First responder procedures are in operation, including road blocks so emergency vehicles have priority access to the school. Our schools are all located on single lane roadways, so a gridlock could quickly hinder response and recovery efforts.

The safety of our students is the collective responsibility of the school district, its parents, and federal, state and municipal agencies. The district uses terminology and procedures adopted through the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) and the U.S. Department of Homeland Security. Drills are practiced throughout the school year, and our staff and students are prepared to respond to a variety of emergencies.

These are the four emergency procedures most often implemented within a school building:

It is important for parents and guardians to know that during a lockout, students can be signed out and released for appointments. However, during a lockdown, no one enters or leaves until the situation is deemed safe by authorities.

It is also important for parents and guardians to know that if students are dismissed early due to an emergency, only a child’s parent or guardian will be permitted to sign him or her out and the parent should be prepared to show identification.

If you have any questions regarding the above emergency procedures, please do not hesitate to contact the school.

Emergency Procedure

Definition and Purpose

What occurs in school while authorities investigate the

emergency?

Shelter in Place

Staff and students remain within a sheltered location,

usually weather related.

Classroom activities continue. Passing between class periods may

or may not occur.

Building Evacuation

A serious event requires all staff and students to

physically leave the building.

Students and staff remain together in designated areas outside or at

an alternative site.

Lockout

All outside activities are terminated. This procedure

is initiated when there is a threat near the school

campus.

All exterior doors are locked and secured. Building activities continue

as normal. Entry and exit to the building is gained only through one

locked and monitored door.

Lockdown

Dangerous intruder or suspicious situation on

campus. Extreme caution is warranted.

All exterior and interior doors are locked. No one enters or leaves the classrooms or the building. All

interior communication stops while the situation is investigated.

by Kristina Mack, School Counselor

ScholarshipsScholarships are posted on our website on a rolling basis at www.holleycsd.org/scholarships. PLEASE continue to check the website and see me to obtain applications. Pay particular attention to the deadlines!

Attention, Seniors Senior students should be applying to colleges by now. They should also be taking the SAT and/or ACT again, if they haven’t already. Watch for college application and scholarship deadlines. Make sure application information is sent on time. In addition, seniors should provide their counselors with a list of colleges to which they have applied.

Big Brother Big Sister Program The Big Brother Big Sister program is up and running again for this year. The “Big” or volunteer is not an academic tutor, but someone who will help boost the “Little’s” or younger student’s self-esteem and confidence, improve his or her social skills, and help give him or her that extra desire to want to attend school. A Big will be chosen for each Little and will see him or her, on average, once a week during school. All mentors are screened and trained. For more information about the program, please contact the Middle School/High School counseling office at 638-6335, ext. 2192.

WEMOCO Field TripOn December 9, 10th graders will be able to explore a field of interest at the WEMOCO Career and Technical Education Center in Spencerport. Students who are interested should sign up in the Counseling Office. Three sessions are available and participation is on a first come, first serve basis. Students can select two courses from two different clusters, and will have the opportunity to gain specific hands-on vocational experience and to obtain general WEMOCO information. The tour is a full day and transportation will be provided.

COUNSELING N e w s



Middle School/High School UPDATEby Susan Cory, Principal

A group of seventh graders, who served as Student Ambassadors at the Elementary School, are now using

their skills to spread kindness at the Middle School/High School. Friends of Rachel is a student group led by juniors and seniors that seeks to inspire, equip and empower students to make a positive difference in their world. The goal is to replace bullying and violent behavior in schools with kindness and compassion so students can learn more in a safer, more respectful environment.

Rachel Scott was the first person killed at Columbine High School on April 20, 1999. Her acts of kindness and compassion coupled with the contents of her six diaries have become the foundation for the Rachel’s Challenge movement.

In Holley, the Friends of Rachel recently made kindness cards that fellow students can use to share compassionate acts that occur throughout the school. A Kindness Counts box, created by the older students, was placed at the attendance desk. Students who witness a kind act complete a card with the date and describe what happened. Then once a month, the Friends of Rachel review all of the cards and vote on which displays the best kindness and compassion. That person receives an award and will be featured in the next issue of Dimension.

Current members are: Anna Brasted, Kelly Coopenberg, Claudia Drechsel, Hannah Ellsmore, William Harrington, Taylor Kimmerly, Jessica Mandigo, Alice McAllister, Derek McArthur, Dylan McKay, Jennah McMillion, Alex Mounts, Collin Papaj,

Jessica Riis, Bailey Schubmehl, James Skehan, and Jessiqua Underwood. F.O.R. leaders are: Libby Harder, Karlissa Harper, and Michelle LaBelle. F.O.R. teacher coordinators are: Kristina Mack, Keri Pratt, and Aaron Spyra.

Once the program has been established, Kristina Mack, school counselor, said she hopes to expand it to other grade levels.

Seventh grader Jessica Riis shows the kindness card she created for the Kindness Counts nominations.

Do we have your current email address?

This year we are all working to keep parents informed on a regular basis

about things that are happening in our building and with our students. The easiest way to get this information out is through email. Teachers will often email the parents of students in all of their classes or in specific classes. I have also sent emails about particular events or activities that are happening within our school.

We have many email addresses that are tied to the parent portal of our student management system, SchoolTool. However, we are missing many current addresses. If you would like to receive emails from your child’s teacher(s) and the school please make sure that we

have a current email address on file. You may email me at [email protected] to update your email address or to add an address.

Communication is the key to the success of your child as well as the success of the school. Your input is important to us.

Winter sports competitions get underway in December. Please check the schools website for athletic schedules. Students love to have a full house cheering them on. We also have a wonderful band and chorus concert scheduled for December 8 at 7 p.m. in our auditorium. What a great way to get into that holiday spirit! If you have not been to a concert in a while, you will be pleased with the changes in the program and the students’ enthusiasm for the music.

Hope to hear from you or see you soon.

Students spread the word that “kindness counts”

(L-r) Derek McArthur, Dylan McKay and Claudia Drechsel work hard on creating kindness cards.

Brandon Belski was selected as the WEMOCO Career and Technical Education Center Student in the Spotlight for October. The Student in the Spotlight represents the key qualities of respect, responsibility, and safety in an outstanding manner. Brandon attends the WEMOCO Power Technology course in the morning and is a student in the Holley Alternative High School in the afternoon.

Congratulations, Brandon!

Holley student named WEMOCO Student in the Spotlight



Benefits for Students• Learn at your own pace • Review what’s most important for you.

Always Ready – Your own student home page shows the assignments from your teachers, whether you’ve completed them and your scores. Here you’ll have everything you need – both the questions and helpful reference material. You can sign in from school, home or library to work and when you finish your assignment, it’s automatically sent to your instructor.

Instant Feedback – In review sessions, you always know how many questions you’ve answered correctly and your score.

Behind the Correct Answers – Every correct answer includes an explanation of the reasons why the answer is the right choice.

Help for Wrong Answers – Every incorrect answer includes key information in the form of a ‘hint’ plus related vocabulary with definitions and the opportunity for you to answer the question again.

Personalized Reviews – Instant feedback from assignments lets you know which areas need more review. It’s easy to create a personalized session with more questions on the same topic so you can practice at your own pace withemphasis on the areas most needed.

Independent Use – Create your own review to practice in your areas of weakness. You have access to all courses, plus special math skill and vocabulary activities.

Benefits for Parents

Mentoring – Parents can easily mentor and guide learners to academic success.

Behind the Correct Answers – Every correct answer includes an explanation of the reasons why the answer is the correct choice.

Help for Wrong Answers – Every incorrect answer includes key information in the form of a ‘hint’ plus related vocabulary/definitions and the opportunity for the student to answer again.

Personalized Reviews – Instant feedback from assignments lets the student know which areas need more review. It’s easy to create a personalized session with more questions on the same topic so your child can practice at his or her own pace while emphasizing the areas most needed.

Reach – Your student has access to all courses at all levels including math and vocabulary activities. Only Castle Learning Online puts the power of all this information at your child’s fingertips.

(Benefits for students and parents was adapted from www.castlesoftware.com)

Castle Learning – an online learning edge

Have you accessed your 2011-12 Castle Learning Account? If not the following information will help you learn how. Student accounts were created for all students in grades 1-12 for the 2011-12 school year by Castle Learning Online. Any prior user names are no longer active.

Usernames were created using the following:• Holley – first three letters of first name

followed by first six letters of the last name. (For example, Karen Campbell would be: holley-karcampbe)

• All apostrophes, spaces, periods and diminutives such as Jr. were omitted.

Passwords are not preset on any of these student accounts:• Students will be prompted to set a

password the first time that they sign into Castle Learning Online.

• Go to CastleLearning.com and where it says “Sign into Castle Learning Online,” type in the ID created by following the above instruction.

• Skip the password field.• Click the sign-in button and follow the

steps to choose a password.

The district will provide parents with the Castle Learning Online Newsletter through email and will post it on the District website, www.holleycsd.org, under the Parents tab.

The use of e-instruction is not only widely accepted – it’s become an expectation from students. Students want to use technology today and are often more

motivated to learn when technology is involved.

Castle Learning Online supports classroom instruction through web-based content-related review assignments, practice sessions and benchmark testing. It includes over 70,000 field-tested questions supported by defined vocabulary, reference tables, hints and reasons for correct answers in math, science, social studies, English and foreign languages. Core courses for grades 3-12 are correlated to standard curriculum.

Preview the items on Friday, December 2 from 8:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m., then shop Monday through Friday, December 5 – 9 from 8:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. There are also evening hours Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday until 7:30 p.m. Items were carefully chosen, purchased, and funded by the Holley PTSA.

PTSA NewsDon’t miss Santa’s

Gift Gallery!

All profits benefit Holley students! Quantities are limited, so please shop early.

Also, please note that there is no PTSA meeting for December. The next meeting is Wednesday, January 11 at 5:30 p.m. in the Elementary School library. Everyone is welcome!

All items are

$5 or less!



Access databasesfor valuable, accurate informationby Lisa Osur, Librarian

Parents, students and teachers are always in search of valuable,

accurate information.

YOU have access to a number of databases which are electronic collections of reliable, relevant resources for study. These databases are accessed online at the Holley CSD website: www.holleycsd.org Click on the Elementary Library OR MS/HS Library links under “Quick Links,” then click on the Databases page from the bulleted list.

The databases are available 24/7 and are all web based.

In addition to the databases made available through the New York Online Virtual Electronic Library (NOVELNY), we purchased several new databases for the Holley CSD libraries this year.

Opposing Viewpoints – a current events resourceCQ Researcher – social and political issues resourceCultureGrams & Lands & Peoples – cultural resources for countries of the world, U.S. and CanadaThe New Book of Popular Science – a science & technology resourceAmazing Animals of the World – all about animals and their habitats

Students and teachers have been given a username and passwords to access the databases. Community members who would like access to these databases can contact me at 638-6335, ext. 2139 for this information.

The October Students of the Month were recognized for consistently displaying respect, responsibility and safety: (first row, l-r) Juleeus Newton, Jesse Patterson, Julia Scroope, Loretta Sorochty, Abigale DeRock, Sophia Papponetti, Callie Updike, and Grace McKeon; (second row) Brianna Heffernan, Cameron Bates, Tim Frisbee, Emily Legan, McKenzie Hill, Jayden Stone, Olivia Radford, and Alina Phelan; (third row) Kasey DeFrank, Adriana Croce, Ellie Williams, Riley White, Patrick Bower, Noah Shipe, Matthew DeSimone, Morgan Cary, Megan Harrington, and Ella Mohney.

The September Students of the Month were recognized for consistently displaying respect, responsibility and safety: (seated, l-r) Nathan Nothnagle and Karl Biedlingmaier; (first row) Tia Brien, Rachel Kinsey, Jasmine Apicella, Hayli Kuellertz, Cavan Bennage, Ruthie Patton, Dillon Penders, and Daisy Fahmer; (second row) Kayla Pagano, Cora Bennage, Nicole Bull, Hannah DeRock, Ericka Mendoza, Emily Bibby, Ethan Bibby, and Erin DeFrank; (third row) Liam Anderson, Brandon Burdick, Hunter McMillion, Jessica Sedore, Luca Fahmer, Corrine Spychalski, Damian Gamble, Clayton Garnier, and Kalee Passarell.

Elementary Students of the Month for September

Elementary Students of the Month for October



Congratulations to the boys’ soccer team for receiving the Sportsmanship Award for the Genesee Region League

and congratulations to Coach Dan Orbaker for being named Section V, Class CC Boys Soccer Coach of the Year. The 2011 varsity soccer team finished 14-3-1 and was ranked as high as ninth in New York State. They finished number one in the Section V Small School Polls, and was the number one seed in Class CC Sectional play. “As a team, this group of young men worked very hard for each other and in representing Holley High School,” said Coach Orbaker. “I was extremely proud of their work and team ethic in every game and training session. The boys enjoyed playing the game with each other and worked very hard not to let down their teammates.”

Named to the Genesee Region All Stars First Team were Will Barniak, Zac Clark, and David Moore. The Exceptional Senior participants were Andrew Heath, Sam Mauro, Justin Mulcahy, Camron Quaranto, and Stephen Schubmehl. Named to the Section V Senior Select team was David Moore. Receiving honorable mention from the Genesee Region were Andrew Heath, Sage Hodge, and Justin Mulcahy. Named to the Section V All Tournament Team were Zac Clark and David Moore. The Section V Class CC semifinalist and All State nominee was David Moore.

“In retrospect, this team maybe wasn’t the most talented team in Holley history, but could be ranked as one of the most dedicated teams in preserving the excellence in play of Holley Boys Soccer,” said Coach Orbaker. “I will miss this team’s chemistry and wish the seniors good luck in any direction their lives may take them.”

Genesee Region All Stars for the fall season

Boys’ soccer team and coach get kudos from Section V

The 2011 boys’ soccer team: (front, l-r) Stephen Schubmehl, John Morrill, Tri-Captain Sam Mauro, Josh Drury, Zac Clark, and Don Brice; (middle) Justin Mulcahy, Andrew Heath, Steven Dill, Jake Bower, and Denis Kraft; (back) Manager Tony Escobar, Tri-Captain Camron Quaranto, Tri-Captain David Moore, Nick Winkley, Zach DeLuca, Sage Hodge, Will Barniak, Sam Beadle, and Coach Dan Orbaker.

Holley wrestler headedto compete in Division I

Holley senior Quinton Murphy is headed to Indiana University when he graduates where he’ll wrestle as a Hoosier. When he and his father, Shawn, visited the university in October,

Quinton received a verbal commitment from Wrestling Coach Duane Goldman that he just couldn’t pass up. Quinton will receive full tuition at the Big Ten program. He is shown here with his proud coach, John J. Grillo, who has coached Quinton since sixth grade.

Congratulations to the following Holley athletes for being named Genesee Region All Stars for the fall season: (seated, l-r) David Moore (soccer), Brianna Goodwin (soccer), and Taylor Zona (soccer); (standing) Kacee Sauer (football), Martin Beadle (cross country), Alyssa Lasch (volleyball), Will Barniak (soccer), Delaney Williams (soccer), Zac Clark (soccer), and David Smith (cross country).

Honorable Mention:Football – Ed Kane, Mike SilvisBoys’ Soccer – Andrew Heath, Justin Mulcahy, Sage HodgeGirls’ Soccer – Brenna DeFeliceVolleyball – Cheyenne Hovey

Superintendent of SchoolsRobert C. D'Angelo

Board of EducationJohn Heise, PresidentBrenda Swanger, Vice PresidentElaine BergSalvatore De Luca, Jr.Norman KnightDorothy MorganRobin SilvisKellie SpychalskiJohn C. Welch, Jr.

Holley Dimension is produced with the assistance of the Communication and Technology Services (CaTS) Department at Monroe 2–Orleans BOCES.

Editor: Grace Griffee, 585-349-9072, [email protected]

Photography: Grace Griffee

Layout & Design: Lisa Mott

HOLLEY DIMENSION Month 2011

December 2011


2 Santa’s Gift Gallery Preview, ES Library Instruction Room, 8:30 a.m. – 3:30 p.m.

3 SAT

5-9 PTSA Santa’s Gift Gallery, ES Library Instruction Room, 8:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. Evening hours Tues., Wed., & Thurs. until 7:30 p.m.

7 Story Hour, “Mittens/Coats,” Community Free Library, 10:30 – 11:30 a.m.

8 MS/HS Winter Concert, MS/HS Auditorium, 7 p.m.

10 ACT

13 ES Winter Concert, MS/HS Auditorium, 7 p.m.

14 Story Hour, “Jan Brett: What is your favorite book?” Community Free Library, 10:30–11:30 a.m.

16 MS/HS Interim Reports Available Online

Community Holiday Party with carols, stories and a visit from Santa – all are welcome, Community Free Library, 6 p.m.

19 Board of Education Meeting, Board Room, 6 p.m.

21 Story Hour, “Christmas,” Community Free Library, 10:30 – 11:30 a.m.

22 ES Interim Reports Sent Home

ES Sing-A-Long, ES Intermediate Gym, 9:30 a.m.

23-31 NO SCHOOL Holiday Recess

28 Story Hour, “New Years,” Community Free Library, 10:30 – 11:30 a.m.

30 SAT Registration Deadline

Girls in Lisa Campbell’s grades 4-6 physical

education classes started an exciting new unit this year – archery! All physical education staff have been trained and certified to teach archery by the National Archery in the Schools Program (NASP) and received over $950 in free archery equipment from NASP to begin the programs in Holley.

“The girls and I really had a great time with this new activity; it was so much fun!” said Mrs. Campbell. “At first, the girls realized that it wasn’t as easy as they thought it would be, but by the end of the unit everyone improved immensely.” On the last day of the unit, Mrs. Campbell put balloons filled with treats on all of the targets. Archery is considered a lifetime activity that helps to meet state mandates for physical education.

Grades 4-6 take a stab at archery Sixth grader Diana Castillo takes aim during the new archery unit in physical education.

Our District’s MissionWe, the students, parents, staff, and community of the Holley Central School District, will work together to provide the opportunity and means for all students to acquire the skills, knowledge, and attitudes to become responsible

and productive citizens in a diverse and changing society. The ideal is to instill a passion for lifelong learning.

Documents

Dimension - December 2011