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January - February 2012
I•S•T•R•I•C•T
ialogue
How to help two students with cancer
Beecher and Fassett
elementary schools have
teamed up to help two
young boys who are facing critical medical challenges.
Two Fassett Elementary students have been
diagnosed with different
types of cancer. Both have
siblings at Beecher Elementary.
Here are the boys’
stories.
Tristin Malone, second grade,
Fassett
Tristin has a rare form of cancer called rhabdomyosarcoma. This is a type of cancer that begins
in the muscles and can occur in many places in
the body. The most common sites are the head and
neck, and the arms or legs. Tristin had two cancerous spots and is expected to be out of school for a
long time. On Nov. 2, Tristin began receiving chemotherapy treatments at Geisinger Medical Center
in Danville, Pa. He eventually will receive radiation
treatments in Philadelphia. His prognosis is unknown. Tristin’s sister, Hailey Hoskins, is in fifth
grade at Beecher. Tristin’s brother, Devin Hoskins,
is in sixth grade at Beecher.
Jacob Davila, Kindergarten, Fassett
Jacob has a rare form of kidney cancer called
a Wilms tumor. He first became ill in April and
had a kidney removed. His cancer was in remission during the summer, but recently, two new
cancerous spots were found on both lungs. He is
receiving treatments at Strong Memorial Hospital
in Rochester. His mother has no car and has a dif-
ficult time traveling between Rochester and Elmira.
Jacob’s prognosis is unknown.
Jacob has two sisters: Justine Davila is in second
grade at Fassett and Jessica Davila is in sixth grade
at Beecher.
School fund-raising
activities
From Crazy Hat Days to student dress-up days,
the two schools have a variety of fund-raising activities planned through May.
Faculty Dress-down Days every Friday, $1
donation.
Student Dress-up Days on certain Fridays, $1
donation.
February 14: Formal Dress-up Day
Crazy Hat Days for students and staff, $1
donation. The first Crazy Hat Day is March 15.
Feb. 25 through March 15: Read-A-Thon
Student Committees: Both schools have formed
committees of students to come up with
additional fund-raising ideas including movie
nights or bake sales.
Money Weeks: through March. The idea is that
each student will bring in a penny on Monday,
a nickel on Tuesday, a dime on Wednesday, a
quarter on Thursday and $1 on Friday, totaling
$1.41 per student each week. February–
Fassett; March–Beecher and Fassett.
PFO Donations
How you can help
Anyone who would like to participate in a
fund-raiser or contribute a donation should contact
Beecher Principal Mike Lanning at 735-3500 or
Fassett Principal Mary Cox at 735-3900.
Inside:
Page 2
Music scholarship
news;
District featured in
national DVD
Page 3
Socks for Sandy;
Coburn goes pink
Page 4
Diven moves it for
math;
School counselors
honored
Page 5
EFA inducts 19 to
NHS;
SHS hosts coffee with
the principal
Page 6
Flu info on Web;
Do you Mango?
Dad visits Pine City
Page 7
Good news
Page 8
Musicians perform at
NYSSMA festival
1
District’s APPR plan
approved by NYS
The New York State Department of
Education has formally approved the Elmira
City School District’s Annual Professional
Performance Review plan for teachers and
principals for the 2012-13 school year.
“This has been a unique and evolving
process in which we were asked to locally
negotiate evaluations that gave us very little
autonomy. I thank the teachers and administrators in our district that were part of this
learning experience,” said Superintendent
Joseph Hochreiter.
Student volunteers
sought for new program
The District is participating in a new
program called TIES – Together Including
Every Student. The program matches student volunteers in grades 8-12 with children and young adults ages 8-21 who have
developmental disabilities.
TIES will benefit everyone involved. The
program gives students with developmental
disabilities the opportunity to participate in
extracurricular and community activities.
The volunteers will gain invaluable experience helping people and will learn about
dealing with diverse abilities.
Volunteers are needed to attend activities with their partners such as Girl Scout
meetings, after-school clubs, swimming,
YWCA and YMCA programs, and other
recreational programs.
This is a great opportunity for students
interested in careers in education, psychology, social work or nursing, or for those
who simply want to make a positive difference in their community. Volunteer applications are available in the guidance offices
at EFA, Southside High School, Ernie Davis
and Broadway middle schools.
To volunteer, contact Penny Penn at
398-9133, 731-7942 or Penny_penn70@
yahoo.com. For information, visit www.
elmiracityschools.com/ties.cfm.
Student music
scholarship competition
Thursday Morning Musicales Scholarship Competition
What: The 51st Annual Thursday Morning Musicales Scholarship
Competition
Awards: $1,500: 1st Place
$750: 2nd Place
Who: High school seniors living or attending school in Chemung
County who plan to continue their study of music in college.
Students do not need to major in music.
When: Thursday, April 18, 2013, at 9:30 a.m.
Where: North Presbyterian Church, Elmira
District featured in a national
educational DVD
The Elmira City School District is highlighted in a new DVD created by ASCD (Association for Supervision and Curriculum
Development), an educational leadership
organization that develops programs, products and services for educators.
This past fall, a film crew from ASCD
came to Diven Elementary School to interview Superintendent Joseph Hochreiter,
Diven Principal Pam Davis-Webb and other
Diven staff members about implementing
the new Common Core Standards. The DVD,
“Leading with Vision: 6 Steps to Implementing the CCSS,” is a staff development tool for
schools and districts and is now available
for purchase.
“Educators dream of recognition such
as this,” said Superintendent Hochreiter.
“We are extremely proud of this DVD.”
ASCD Executive Director and CEO Dr.
Gene R. Carter complimented the district’s
curriculum work and subsequent contribution to the DVD: “ASCD is excited to
highlight the excellent work of the Elmira
City School District in our new video,
‘Leading with
Vision,’”
Carter
said. “The
district’s
work in
implementing the new
Common Core State Standards is an excellent
example we look forward to sharing with
other educators nationwide.”
Superintendent Hochreiter described
making the DVD as a “wonderful, collaborative process,” and thanked his staff members for their input.
“ASCD is the authority on staff development in education, and we are honored
to have been selected and highlighted. This
is a testament to our staff’s commitment to
making instructional decisions based on
data and results,” Hochreiter said.
For more information, visit their Web
site at www.ascd.org.
2
Broadway Elementary collects ‘Socks for Sandy’
Broadway Elementary School families quickly pulled together to help victims of
Hurricane Sandy. The school participated in a project called “Socks for Sandy,”
in which socks, hats and mittens were collected to help the victims of Hurricane
Sandy. In just two days, parents brought in more than 330 items. April Starkweather, the school’s Parent Partner, organized the drive.
Coburn fifth-graders go pink to show support for
breast cancer awareness
How many times do 23 out of 23 students all do what they promise? Ask Brett French, a teacher at Coburn Elementary School, whose
entire fifth-grade class wore pink one day in support of breast cancer awareness. French said that “some of the boys really had to scramble
to find something to wear, but when everyone showed up in pink, the whole class thought it was really cool.”
3
Riverside holds Book Recycling Day
Riverside Elementary School found
a great way for all their students to take
home a new book-- at least a book that
was new to them. The school held a Book
Recycling Day, in which students went to
the library to pick out a free book to bring
home. Where did the books come from?
Riverside parents! Parents sent in books
that their children no longer wanted but
were still in good shape.
Dawn Parker, Riverside’s
Parent Partner,
organized the
event.
wards learning. The Math & Movement program is based on research that shows that
moving during learning facilitates muscle
memory, an important factor with younger
children whose abstract thinking skills are
not fully developed.
The Family Fun Night was sponsored by
the Corning/Elmira Community Foundation.
For more information about the program, visit www.mathandmovement.com.
Fassett to hold
Math & Movement
event on Feb. 7
Diven Elementary
held a family
Math & Movement
Night
Diven Elementary School hosted a Family Fun Night in November in Diven’s gym
and cafeteria. The high-energy evening featured the Math & Movement program, an
educational program that combines physical
fitness with learning and practicing math,
reading and other concepts. The evening
was designed to boost students’ confidence
in math and reading skills.
During the Family Fun Night, parents
and children moved from station to station,
learning math activities while completing a
Math & Movement activity guide. Students
used floor mats and wall charts to learn
math and reading concepts through movement. Students from the EFA National Honor
Society supervised the stations.
Studies have shown that eight out of
10 children are kinesthetic learners. (They
learn best through movement.) The program
harnesses children’s natural kinesthetic
learning style to foster positive feelings to-
Fassett Elementary School will hold
their Family Fun Math & Movement Night
from 5:30-7:30 p.m. on Thursday, Feb. 7.
School counselors honored during National School Counseling Week
National School Counseling Week, celebrated from Feb. 4-8, focuses public attention on the unique contribution of professional school counselors.
The week highlights the tremendous
impact school counselors can have in helping students achieve school success and
plan for a career.
Formerly known as guidance counselors, school counselors help students examine their abilities, strengths, interests and
talents; work in a partnership with parents;
focus on positive ways to enhance students’
social/personal, educational and career development; and work with teachers to provide an educational system where students
can realize their potential and set healthy,
realistic goals for themselves.
The Elmira City School District has a
K-12 School Counseling Program that has
been recognized across the state.
As part of its celebration of National
School Counseling Week, school counselors
in the district will be providing a variety of
activities for students about making healthy
choices: something that school counselors emphasize on a daily basis. Examples
include poster contests, journal prompts,
trivia questions and more.
The district school counselors are Sonja Jennings, Madeline Mathews, Jean Coons,
Kimberly Webster, Michelle Wichtowski,
Nancy Coldiron, Justin Fuchs, Traci Harke,
Brian Fitzgerald, Terry Nicklaus, Eloise
Streeter, Joan Fedor, Heather Lutz, Steve
Mastronardi and Mike Middaugh.
4
EFA National Honor Society inducts nineteen
Nineteen juniors at Elmira Free Academy were inducted into the National Honor Society during a ceremony in December. All of those selected for this honor have demonstrated
a cumulative 89.5% grade point average or higher, as well as character, leadership and
service. The inductees are:
1. Aleah J. Briggs
2. Grace Chorpenning
3. Kiersten Delaney Cobb-Wilkins
4. Hailey A. Court
5. Melissa M. Erway
6. Susan Anne Fennell
7. Maureen Hill
8. Nicole Hill
9. Alana M. Kapusta
10. Theo Keeley-LeClaire
11. Tyler J. Lynch
12. Maureen D. Milliken
13. Meredith Moore
14. Zachary Nierstedt
15. Joseph Nugent
16. Luke M. Proudfoot
17. Aricca Senkow
18. Drew B. Serva
19. Sahriah M. Waters
A faculty council reviewed the applications and determined this year’s inductees for the
EFA chapter, which is called the Albert B. Helmkamp Chapter, now in it’s fifty-eighth year.
The 19 inductees joined 32 current members at EFA. The club adviser is math teacher
Elaine Perkins.
Southside High
School to host
‘Coffee with the
Principal’
Southside High School Principal
Chris Krantz will host a “Coffee with the
Principal” hour from 8-9 a.m. on the
third Thursday of each month to engage
in dialogue with parents.
This is an opportunity for parents
and guardians of Southside students to
discuss ideas and/or issues with Principal Krantz.
This open forum will take place in
Room 104 at the high school. No signup
is necessary; coffee and refreshments
will be available.
5
Web site posts flu information
Do you Mango?
Elmira City School District health officials have posted information for staff, parents and students on their website: www.elmiracityschools.com. Click on the Quick
Link called Flu Information.
District health officials urge parents to
get children immunized as soon as possible,
if they aren’t already. Other important information posted on the Flu Information section of the Web site includes:
Students who
are learning a
foreign language
may find Mango
helpful. Mango
is an online language-learning
system, available from the Chemung County
Library District, that can help in practicing
languages such as Spanish, French, Japanese, Brazilian Portuguese, German, Mandarin Chinese, Greek, Italian, Russian and even
ancient Greek. In addition to learning a new
language, there are several English courses
for non-native speakers. Mango also can be
accessed via Apple or Android device.
To access this new language tutorial,
students can visit the Library District’s website: http://ccld.lib.ny.us/mango.htm. A
library card is required to use Mango. Those
who want to apply for a library card should
bring ID with current address to any Chemung County Library. Library cards are free.
Thanks to a generous gift from the
Friends of the Steele Memorial Library, Chemung County Library District patrons now
have 24/7 access to Mango Languages.
• Flu prevention tips
• Guidelines for when to keep
your child home if he or she is
sick
• How to know if your child has
the flu, and how to treat it
• When to seek medical help
“The flu season is hitting Chemung
County hard this year,” said Kim Holden,
FNP, district nurse practitioner.
“Above all else, if children have flu
symptoms, they should not be sent to school
until they’re feeling well and have been free
of fever for 24 hours without fever-reducing
medicine such as Tylenol or Advil.”
Staff and students are allowed to bring
their own hand sanitizer to school. However, staff and parents are asked to please
educate children that alcohol-based sanitizer is flammable and should not be exposed
to an open flame, and that it’s poisonous if
swallowed.
See the Web site for details.
Pine City dad talks to his son’s classmates about his military service
On Jan. 9, Pine City student Landyn
Gunderson had an unexpected visitor.
Landyn’s father, Jeremy Gunderson, was deployed to Afghanistan a year ago.
He arrived home late on January 8 and
surprised Landyn at school the next day.
The second grade class gathered in the
cafetorium without Landyn knowing what
was about to happen.
It was a happy reunion!
Landyn’s father answered questions
from the second-grade boys and girls, and
then he read Don’t Forget, God Bless
Our Troops by Jill Biden.
Jeremy Gunderson answers the students’ questions about his experience in the military.
6
Good news
District students to
graduate in February
Congratulations to a group of seniors
from EFA and Southside High School who
will graduate from high school in a ceremony that begins at 7 p.m. Thursday, Feb. 7 in
Southside High School’s auditorium.
Beecher names Town
Meeting award winners
Congratulations to the following Beecher Elementary students who were honored
at January’s Town Meeting for demonstrating responsibility, following the Golden
Rule, or were honored as Beecher’s Best
for good behavior.
Third Grade
Najae Bacome, Madison Brouwere,
McKensey Cantando, Jalyn Culmer, William Jackson, Logan Johnson, Katelyn Jordan, Jasmine Knox, Timothy Miller, Nathan
Negrete, Danielle Quire, Mackenzie Shaffer,
Cody Sheely and Robert Woodson.
Fourth Grade
Ethan Bauman, Kyler Brenzo, Monika
Bustamante, Renata Chalk, Aneisa Dodson,
Nerissa Dodson, Madelyn Hartley, Lamaiya
Inness, Mykaila Jessup, Alyssa Lewis, Angela
Lewis, Antonio Maria, Matthew Melendez,
Lawrence Nickens, Meghan Oakley, Isabel
O’Brian, Liberty Somers, Jah’layzha TerryCampbell and Domitri Valentin.
Fifth Grade
Lucas Allen, Yasmin Barnes, Jack
Brewer, Ne’Jhare Cayne, Talynn Coleman,
Ryan Giammichele, Sabrina Hall, Azsyanti Harriell, Hailey Hoskins, Jordan Klein,
Julie May, Chloe Morrow-Terwilliger, Nyson
Quinitchett, Barbara Simons, Tamari Watkins, Desmond Williams and Nick White.
Sixth Grade
Carter Allen, James Bailey, Magnificent Baker, Jaheim Brown, Olivia Burchard, Kirstin Laird, Nick Lawson, LeAnn
McKerrow, Zariyah Mathis, Haley Mustico,
Breanna Ostrander, Olivia Patricelli, Caylin
Proctor, Antonello Ruggiero, Elyjah Smith,
Matthew Spencer, Michael Strait, Jeremiah
Walborn and TahZae
Watkins.
Diven gives
Super Splash
awards to
students
Congratulations
to all the Diven Super
Splash student award
winners. Click here
to see the complete
list on our website:
http://www.elmiracityschools.com/
DivenSuperSplash.
cfm. These awards
are presented to stu- Parents Paula and Dean Hackett, and their son, a Diven Elementary
dents who consis- Super Splash award winner, stand with Splash the Dolphin.
tently make the classroom a better place to
learn by:
EFA student recognized
• Exhibiting a positive and cooperative
attitude
as outstanding musician
• Using manners
Congratulations to Rachel Doud, a
• Being helpful to others
senior
at Elmira Free Academy, who was
• Following the Dolphin Way.
selected to perform in the 2013 National
Association for Music Education, Eastern
Student musicians
Division Honor Ensembles. Doud, a violinperform in Junior High
ist, will travel to Hartford, Conn., from April
to 7 to participate in the prestigious orArea All-State concerts 4chestra
ensemble.
Congratulations to seven Elmira City
Participants in the 2013 National AsSchool District students from EFA and Er- sociation for Music Education, Eastern Dinie Davis Middle School who were selected vision Honor Ensembles will spend three
to perform in the NYS School Music Asso- days rehearsing under the leadership of
ciation’s Junior High Area All-State concert at prominent conductors and will perform
Genesee Valley Central School District.
for an audience of thousands on April 7 at
Students who performed in the Mixed Hartford’s Bushnell Center for the PerformChorus were Alexandra Wakefield, Claire ing Arts.
Touschner and A’Don Allen. Students who
Doud also attended the NYSSMA Allperformed in Band were Nicholas Kandaras State Festival in Rochester from Nov. 29-Dec.
from EFA, as well as Martin Cain, Abigail Duvall 2, performing with the String Orchestra. She
and Aallyah Williams, all from Ernie Davis was the only student representing the district
in the orchestra.
Middle School.
7
Elmira City School District
951 Hoffman Street
Elmira, NY 14905
Student musicians
performed in Senior High
Area All-State festival
Twenty-five high school student musicians from the Elmira City School
District attended the New York State School Music Association’s Zone 15 Area
All-State Festival at Haverling High School in Bath.
Students are selected for an Area All-State ensemble through an application process that begins in September. Applications include a solo audition
rating sheet from the previous school year and music teacher recommendations. Students then are selected through established criteria and are notified
of their acceptance.
Congratulations to the following ECSD students:
Non-profit org.
US postage
PAI D
Elmira, NY
Permit no. 39
• Band:
Lauren Cain, EFA
Seth Kramer, Southside
Kathryn Tubby, EFA
Skyler Morseman, Southside
Calvin Kennedy, Southside
Ingrid Peterson, Southside
Sarah Swarthout, Southside
• String Orchestra:
Joe Allen, EFA
LaShawn Johnson, EFA
Deric Bristow, EFA
Janeah Thomas, EFA
Marsden Cornish, EFA
Delaney Beckhorn, Southside
Rachel Doud, EFA
Micah Coons, Southside
Sam Halperin, EFA
Hunter Prior, Southside
Nathan DePuy, EFA
Victoria Scott, Southside
• Mixed Chorus:
Nate Giammichele, EFA
Monica Schornstheimer, EFA
Joel Stooks, EFA
Lyric Boothe, Southside
Hunter Lares, Southside
Hannah Mase, Southside
Morgan Sterling, Southside
District Dialogue is published monthly
by the Elmira City School District
for its employees and patrons.
Superintendent:
Joseph Hochreiter
Board of Education:
Sara Lattin, President;
Larry McGovern Jr.,
Vice President;
Ed Cleary, Jr., René Dickens,
Lynn Grottenthaler,
Scott Moore, Claude Oliver,
Randy Reid and Jessica Roberts.
Editors:
Kathleen Costello, 735-3091,
and Pam Hawthorne, 739-3581
• Women’s Chorus
Brenna O’Brian, Southside
8