1. education
2. school

W
averly Central Schools
A Message From the Superintendent
D
ear Waverly Community Members,
March 2015
I hope this note finds everyone healthy
and enjoying the weather as best you
can. This is my first full winter in the
Southern Tier and I’ve found it different
than the harsher winter weather I am
accustomed to as a native Northern New
Yorker. I am welcoming the difference!
It’s a busy time in the district and as we
begin the second semester. I have several notes on a variety of topics.
First, the topic of leadership. Ashlee
Hunt recently was selected as High
School principal for grades 9-12. I am
confident that she will work collaboratively with all stakeholders to advance
student learning and solve issues as they
emerge. Later this spring, the district will
search for a new High School assistant
principal.
Likewise, Cate Pichany, the new assistant principal at the Middle School, will
assist Principal Paul Vesci in rebuilding
a true Middle School program for sixththrough eighth-grade students. In the
end, our goal is to have a grade 6-8 program which accommodates the needs of
middle school-aged students and all of
the associated development challenges
unique to this age group.
Having a full leadership team for both
programs will help to improve student
learning and achievement during a time
of great change in public education in
New York State.
I want to personally thank Paul
Zoltowski for serving as interim principal
since last May. He did an outstanding job
and his contributions were noteworthy.
Mr. “Z” will continue serving the district
as a project consultant as he works on
returning summer school to our district,
improving the guidance program and
implementing blended (online) learning
programs for our grade 9-12 students.
Likewise, congratulations to Director
of Curriculum/Chemung Principal Sara
Fontana, who has taken a new position
at GST BOCES as supervisor of instructional programs. Mrs. Fontana provided
great curriculum and building leadership
and her many contributions advanced
the district during her time at Waverly.
For the remainder of this year, GST
BOCES will provide curriculum services
for the district, while Athletic Director
Brian Miller will assume additional duties
as principal of Chemung Elementary.
Obtaining the best leaders for our district is very important. The new team is
committed to helping our students and
parents in any way possible. If you have
an issue, problem or just want to talk
about something, please use our “chain
of communication” (see pages 4-5) to
address your concern at the proper level.
Our team will accommodate you. Building strong partnerships with parents and
the community remains important to us.
The second topic I’d like to discuss is
student achievement in English Language Arts (ELA). In December, the Board
of Education received a very positive
report concerning student progress at
all levels across the district and how the
district’s programs are meeting students’
Continued on page 15.
New Principal, Assistant Principal
Join Middle/High School Team
T
he Board of Education appointed two
new administrators at its December
meeting. Ashlee Hunt was named High
School principal and Catherine (Cate)
Pichany was named Middle School assistant principal. Both started in the district
on January 20.
According to Superintendent Randy Richards,
representatives of the
district including students, parents and staff
were involved in the hiring process. “The district
worked hard to find
quality people to provide
leadership at the Middle
School and High School,”
he said. “We believe we
found the right people
and I am confident that
both of these leaders
Ashlee Hunt
will bring a collaborative leadership style to
the district and advance
student achievement.”
Mrs. Hunt taught in
the Tioga Central School
District for 13 years and
served as a secondary
Lead Assistant Principal
in the Corning-Painted
Post Area School District
since 2011. She earned
her bachelor’s degree,
master’s degree, and
administrative certificate
at SUNY Cortland.
Catherine (Cate) Pichany
Mrs. Hunt is a studentcentered leader, with a strong background in instructional leadership. She
is excited to share her experiences and
continue her learning as the principal at
Waverly High School.
“Ashlee brings an innovative 21st century perspective to our program,” said Dr.
Richards. “She brings outstanding experience and vision to her new position, as
she has worked in a small district (Tioga),
as well as a much larger, progressive
district (Corning). That balance will serve
the High School well.”
Mrs. Hunt is an active member of the
Valley community, where she resides
with her husband and their children.
Ms. Pichany taught in the Tioga Central School District at the middle and
elementary levels since 2003. In addition, she has experience at the high
school level through her administrative
internship experience during which time
she worked with students, families and
teachers to ensure academic success
for all students, as well as assisted in the
preparations for entry into college or the
career world.
Ms. Pichany earned her bachelor’s degree at SUNY Cortland, master’s degree
at University of New England and her administrative certificate at SUNY Cortland.
“Cate has outstanding personal and
leadership qualities,” said Dr. Richards.
“She has excellent people skills and I
am confident that faculty, students and
parents alike will enjoy working with her.”
Ms. Pichany is excited about her new
role in the Waverly Central School District. She is looking forward to contributing to the rigorous and challenging journey the middle and high school students
are on.
Visit us on the Web at www.waverlyschools.com
Page 2
Phinney-Foreman Earns New York
State Master Teacher Status
C
ongratulations to High School science teacher Ann Phinney-Foreman,
who was recently named a New York
State Master Teacher.
The New York State Master Teacher
Program (NYSMTP) seeks to identify, reward and support master teachers from
across the state. According to the State
University of New York website, “These
outstanding STEM teachers have been
recognized for their commitment to
professional growth, learning and excellence in the classroom.”
The NYSMTP recognizes the work of
the highest-performing STEM teachers
by establishing an expert community
dedicated to developing expertise in
the areas of content, pedagogy and
students, families and communities.
Master teachers are committed to ongoing professional work in addition to their
regular school responsibilities, and serve
as mentors and models for STEM teaching throughout the state.
Phinney-Foreman went through a
lengthy application and interview process prior to being recognized. She will
receive additional professional development in her content areas as she
prepares to mentor new teachers and
facilitate professional development opportunities for current teachers.
She recently met with other newlyappointed master teachers from the
Southern Tier and came
away excited about working with them. “There
was so much enthusiasm
about the program. It was
very motivating,” she said.
“I am looking forward to
working with and learning from other master
teachers.”
In addition to PhinneyForeman, Middle School
math teacher Karin Mann
and High School science
Ann Phinney-Foreman
teacher Stacey Coston
were named master
teachers in the 2013-14 school year.
“I want to thank Stacey Coston and
Paul Zoltowski for encouraging me to
apply for this program, and for their continuing support,” she said. “I’d also like to
thank all of my present and past chemistry students at Waverly who inspire me
every day to do my best.”
STEM (science, technology, engineering and math) teachers in the Southern
Tier wishing to apply to become a master
teacher have the opportunity to do so
by early spring. For more information on
requirements, visit the NYS Mater Teacher website at suny.edu/masterteacher
or contact Phinney-Foreman, Mann or
Coston.
Thank You, Mrs. Fontana
D
irector of Curriculum and Instruction/Chemung School
Principal Sara Fontana recently left her position in the
district to take on a new role as supervisor of instruction at GST
BOCES. Mrs. Fontana led the district through the implementation of the Common Core Learning Standards and the Annual
Professional Performance Review (APPR) plans.
Page 3
When in Doubt... Check it Out!
T
he Waverly Central School district is
committed to listening to suggestions, answering questions and addressing concerns, complaints or issues in a
timely and efficient manner. Therefore,
issues must be handled closest to the
source by contacting the person responsible for the various areas of school
operations. He or she has the most detailed information about his or her area
Concern
Step 1
Step 2
of responsibility and is most prepared to
offer assistance.
If issues are not resolved, please work
through the chain of communication
(below) as needed.
Again, if you have questions pertaining to the school district or about your
child’s work, please do not hesitate to
call. District contacts, phone numbers
and email addresses are listed on page 5.
Step 3
Step 4
Athletics
Coach or
Athletic
Principal
Director of Phys. Ed.
Director
Management
TeacherServices
Step 5
Superintendent
of Schools
Budget
Business Superintendent
Administrator
of Schools
Community use Director of
of buildings or Management
athletic fields
Services
Athletic Director Superintendent
and/or
of Schools
Principal
Curriculum
Teacher
Family-Student
Principal
Advisor or
School Counselor
Director of
Curriculum
and Instruction
Superintendent
of Schools
Medical
Nurse
Principal Superintendent
of Schools
Difficulty
Teacher Family-Student Principal Superintendent
in school
Advisor or
of Schools
School Counselor
Special
Special
School
Principal
Director of
Education
Education
Psychologist
Special
Case Manager Programs
Superintendent
of Schools
Transportation
Bus Driver
Transportation
Director of
Principal
Supervisor
Management
Services
Superintendent
of Schools
It is important to follow the step-by-step procedures to solve problems. An appeal to the Board of
Education may be sought on any of these issues after all the appropriate steps have been exhausted.
It is the primary responsibility of the board to set policy for the school district. The superintendent and
his administrative staff are legally empowered to administer the school district and put into operation
the policies and decisions of the Board of Education.
Page 4
District Office____________________________________________________ 607-565-2841
Superintendent of Schools______________Dr. Randy C. Richards_______ ext. 1030 or rrichards@gstboces.org
Business Administrator_________________Kathy Rote__________________ ext. 1031 or krote@gstboces.org
Director or Curriculum and Instruction___________________________________________________ ext. 1017
Director of Special Programs_____________Jeff DeAngelo____________ ext. 1014 or jdeangelo@gstboces.org
Director of Management Services_________Dave Mastrantuono_______ ext. 1036 or dmastran@gstboces.org
Athletic Director_______________________Brian Miller________________ ext. 1018 or bmiller@gstboces.org
School Psychologist____________________Angela Yartz________________ ext. 1254 or ayartz@gstboces.org
Head Custodian_______________________Michael McKee____________ ext. 1000 or mmckee@gstboces.org
Bus Garage______________________________________________________ 607-565-8114
Transportation Supervisor_______________Randy Benjamin__________ext. 1041 or rbenjamin@gstboces.org
Lincoln Street School (PreK-Grade 1)________________________________ 607-565-8176
Principal_____________________________Diane (Dee Dee) Tymoski___ ext. 1700 or dtymoski@gstboces.org
Family Student Advisor_________________Kay Robinson_____________ ext. 1702 or krobinso@gstboces.org
Nurse________________________________Heather Rinus_______________ ext. 1720 or hrinus@gstboces.org
Physical Education Teacher______________Lauren Hassler_____________ ext. 1700 or lhassler@gstboces.org
Elm Street School (Grades 2-4)______________________________________ 607-565-8186
Principal_____________________________Anne Bernard_____________ext. 1401 or abernard@gstboces.org
Family Student Advisor_________________Kay Robinson_____________ ext. 1415 or krobinso@gstboces.org
Nurse________________________________Heather Rinus_______________ ext. 1414 or hrinus@gstboces.org
Physical Education Teacher______________Pete Girolamo_____________ext. 1401 or pgirolam@gstboces.org
Chemung School (Grade 5)_________________________________________ 607-529-3221
Principal_____________________________Brian Miller________________ ext. 1600 or bmiller@gstboces.org
Family Student Advisor_________________Kristen Wilson_____________ ext. 1605 or krwilson@gstboces.org
Nurse________________________________Tamara Stanton___________ ext. 1604 or tstanton@gstboces.org
Physical Education Teacher______________Lauren Hassler_____________ ext. 1600 or lhassler@gstboces.org
Middle School (Grades 6-8)_________________________________________ 607-565-8101
Principal_____________________________Paul Vesci__________________ ext. 1011 or pvesci@gstboces.org
Assistant Principal_____________________Catherine (Cate) Pichany____ext. 1007 or cpichany@gstboces.org
High School (Grades 9-12)__________________________________________ 607-565-8101
Principal_____________________________Ashlee Hunt________________ ext. 1004 or ahunt@gstboces.org
Assistant Principal___________________________________________________________________________
Middle/High School (Grades 6-12)___________________________________ 607-565-8101
School Counselors_____________________Lindsay Rapp________________ ext. 1008 or lrapp@gstboces.org
Kari Eiklor__________________ext. 1009 or keiklor@gstboces.org
Nurse________________________________Jodea Sweeney___________ ext. 1012 or jsweeney@gstboces.org
Physical Education Teachers_____________Kathy Girolamo____________ ext. 1000 or kgirolam@gstboces.org
Dave Hogan_______________ext. 1000 or dhogan@gstboces.org
Charlie Hughes____________ ext. 1000 or chughes@gstboces.org
Kim Podoliak_______________ext. 1000 or kpodolia@gstboes.org
Page 5
High School Offers A MultiDisciplinary Approach to Literacy
A
t the High School, the approach to
Literacy is multi-disciplinary.
These are the six shifts in ELA/Literacy
that are the foundation of achieving
skills across all subject areas:
1.Balance informational and literary text
2.Knowledge in the disciplines
3.Staircase of complexity
4.Text based answers
5.Writing from sources
6.Academic vocabulary usage
The literacy standards are a part of the
Common Core curriculum across the
various subjects in the building. Subject
areas combine literature, complex text,
informational text and the foundational
skills necessary for students to gain
knowledge and content specific to that
subject. Evidence collection and analytical skills, such as critical thinking and
problem solving, are all integral components for success in college and career
life that lies ahead.
The English teachers have taken on the
EngageNY modules for the learning and
curriculum in their classrooms.
Math teachers are seeing more literacy
activities than ever before incorporated
into their curriculum and practice standards. Students are building knowledge
from content rich, nonfiction selections
in social studies and science, as well as
English classes.
Teachers are incorporating lessons
where there is regular practice with complex text. Students are using evidence
from the text they are reading to analyze,
defend claims, and present information
based on the reading selection, not just
using their prior knowledge. This is a
shift from the strictly narrative writing
that existed, to one of a more persuasive,
informative, and argumentative basis.
Students are becoming critical thinkers and detailed writers in the process
of transitioning to the literacy standards
and integrating the knowledge and content of each subject.
Reading, writing, listening and speaking activities span across the disciplines
and are all important for student success
in the future, as well as integral components of the 21st Century learning
process.
Learn about the Special Education
Process at March 10 Presentation
D
irector of Special Programs Jeffrey
DeAngelo will offer Special Education
101: The Basics for Parents and Educators
on Tuesday, March 10 from 6:00-8:00
p.m. in the High School Library.
During this free session, participants
will gain an awareness of the special
education process including referral,
Page 6
evaluation, eligibility, what’s in an Individualized Education Program (IEP) and
the types of special education programs
and services considered.
To register, please email Holly Wright at
hwright@gstboces.org or call (607) 5658101, ext. 1014 by Friday, March 6. The
number of participants is limited to 20.
Middle School Students Continue to
Strengthen Reading, Writiing Skills
W
averly Middle School staff understand the importance of teaching
literacy in their content area, especially
in this age of high stakes testing and
higher standards. Here’s a look at what
the ELA teachers are doing to improve
literacy in grades 6-8.
As part of the English/Language Arts
modules, teachers of sixth-, seventhand eighth-graders are preparing their
students by teaching them how to be
close readers. Students are asked to read
the text once for the gist and then again
for more details. Middle school students
also are involved in shared inquiry. This
means that students work collaboratively
to interpret meaning in the text and help
each other answer higher-level questions related to the text.
In addition to close reading, teachers
are making focused discussions around
text-related topics a high priority. These
kinds of discussions require substantial
interaction among teachers and students with text materials as the focus of
discussion. Students work together with
one another to investigate the text. In
this way, they are actively learning while
gaining depth of knowledge.
Students in the Middle School also are
working to become better writers each
and every day. They practice their written fluency in the form of “quick-writes”
as well as “mini essays.” These exercises
help students become more proficient
in writing for a specific audience, but
also serve as practice for what they will
be asked to write on the New York State
Assessment. Teachers expect students to
be able to analyze content, identify the
main idea and then make conclusions
by citing specific evidence from the text
to support their main idea. Teachers also
push for their students to compare and
contrast text and
reflect on their
own experiences to
help them develop
a deeper understanding.
In addition to
literacy in the
content area,
students also can
get extra support
in academic intervention services
or AIS. The district
has purchased the WonderWorks reading program to use with our students
who qualify for reading intervention
services. This program was implemented
at the beginning of the school year. It
is designed to help struggling readers
become better at making connections
to the text and drawing inferences. Our
reading and AIS teachers focus on these
skills, along with other literacy skills to
help these students become more sophisticated readers and writers.
Middle School
students Patrick
and Madeleine
read and write
during their
English class.
Page 7
Chemung Students Perform Readers Theater
S
tudents at Chemung Elementary
School love to read. Each day, there is
a dedicated 60-minute ELA block. During this time, teachers use the state ELA
modules, which can be accessed on the
EngageNY website.
The fifth-graders recently performed
a Readers Theater play Esperanza Rising
for the whole school. Students put on
a great show that was enjoyed by all.
Readers Theater is an example of one of
the activities found in the ELA modules.
This year, staff is using AIMSweb as the
universal screener for reading. Students
are screened in oral reading fluency and
comprehension three times a year. The
first screening identifies students who
could benefit from reading remediation
with the district’s reading specialists. The
middle and end-of-the-year screenings
provide the opportunity to celebrate the
students’ growth throughout the school
year.
The WonderWorks program is the main
curriculum tool for reading intervention.
Students who receive reading intervention services are progress monitored
every few weeks to ensure improvement
is being made. Teachers meet with interventionists every six weeks to review
data and to confirm that all of the students are placed properly.
The fifth-graders are growing by leaps
and bounds in reading and writing. The
staff at Chemung School are very proud
of them for their accomplishments.
Fifth-graders perform a Readers Theater at Chemung School.
Summer School to Return to District
T
he district is in the early planning
stages of creating a summer school
program to begin in July.
The program will be a combination
of traditional summer school in which
students would receive remedial help
Page 8
to recover credits, online and blending
learning options and enrichment opportunities.
Watch for more information on the district website, in future newsletters and a
packet to come home with students.
Literacy News from Elm Street School
T
eachers at Elm Street are busy implementing new English/Language Arts
materials designed to promote growth in
literacy for students. All of the new materials are aligned to the New York State
Common Core Standards for ELA.
Second-grade students are using a
new reading series from McGraw Hill
called Reading Wonders. The program
comes with a wide-range of Common
Core aligned materials including smartboard-ready lessons that are both interactive and user friendly.
Third- and fourth-grade teachers are
implementing the recently-developed
NYS English/Language Arts Common
Core curriculum for each of the grade
levels. The curriculum is made up of individual modules which are broken into
units and lesson plans. The ELA modules
also have lessons from science and social
studies built into them. Students are focusing on learning to “close read,” which
is a strategy designed to help students
read and reread text looking for specific
content or “textual evidence” to deepen
their understanding.
In addition, the district has purchased
new materials to support intervention
for students at risk in the area of literacy.
Second-graders Payton and Isabella take turns
reading aloud during a partner reading exercise.
The SPIRE (Specialized Program Individualized Reading Excellence) program
was purchased to support students with
various learning disabilities in reading
and spelling. The WonderWorks program also was purchased as part of the
Reading Wonders program and provides
additional intervention support for many
students.
Preliminary data recently collected using AIMSweb (a benchmark assessment)
is showing fantastic results for students.
Students Create Winning Posters
Lincoln Street School
students (front row,
L to R) Kohen, Alissa
and Andrew and
Chemung School
students (back row,
L to R) Nathan and
Olivia were the Tioga
County winners of the
Yes! Safe Choices for
Kids Red Ribbon Week
poster contest. Red
Ribbon Week is a drug
prevention program.
Page 9
Lincoln Street’s Daily Literacy Routines
S
tudents and staff at Lincoln Street
participate in many daily activities
that introduce even the district’s youngest students to new words while building
a foundation for a lifelong love of reading. A few of those activities are:
• Word of the Day
Each day, Principal DeeDee Tymoski
announces the Word of the Day, as well
as its definition. Teachers incorporate the
words into daily lessons and conversation. Words are displayed in the main
hallway. “It is our intention to develop
oral vocabularies with our pre-k, kindergarten and first-grade students,” said
Mrs. Tymoski.
• I Read to You, You Read to Me
This activity is a fun way to read aloud
as partners take turns reading to each
other.
• Write, Write, Write
Students write in journals, have Letter
Books and participate in Reading Wonders scripted lessons each week.
Lincoln Street School students (L to R) Isabella, Matthew, Arabella, Sadie, Max and Trent pose in
front of the school’s Word Wall.
Administrative Assistant
Substitutes Needed
A
Page 10
dministrative assistant substitutes
are needed in the Waverly Central
School District. Strong office skills are
necessary.
Contact Director of Management
Services Dave Mastrantuono at (607)
565-2841, ext. 1016 for more information
and an application.
Middle School Students Honored
T
his year, the Middle School started
a student recognition program with
awards including the Dream It Award for
creativity, artistry and “thinking big”; the
Believe It Award for positive character traits
and good citizenship and the Achieve It
Award for academic success or improvement.
Congratulations to these students who
were honored in the first semester:
Dream It Award
Grade 6:
Mara Bailey, Ryan Bennett, Caden Delill,
Madison Fiske, Collin Keefer, Kaci Lofton,
Alexa Onsager, Rachel Shambo, Angela
Sinsabaugh, Rachel Smith, Zacchariah
Spencer, Richard Stevens, Preston
Tompkins, Parker Watt, Collin Wright
and Kayla Yarrison.
Grade 7:
Sam Apgar, Mike Atanasoff, Naveya
Barber, Noah Carpenter,* Sabrina Foster,
Eric Lougher, Megan Lee, Chelsea
Peterson, Madison Randall, Megan Riker,
Patrick Schrader, Patrick Shay, Alyssa
Simonetti, Meisi Williams and Caleb Wilcox.
Grade 8:
Nate Bowers, Josie Burgess, Max Gesford,
Paul Girolamo, Zayta Hall, Starr Harford,
Christian Henley, Stanley Lin, Sam
McConnell, Jordan Mente, Hailey
Onofre, Derek Sackett, Kari VanAllen,
Adrian Weaver, Dylan White and Auggie
Worden.
Believe It Award
Grade 6:
Tyler Carpenter, Kaitlyn Clark, Nikolas
DeSisti, Campbell Dougherty, Hali Jenner,
Gauge Johnson-Mumme, Emilee Little,
Tessa Petlock, Emery Rice, Logan Shipman,
Bryanna Talada, Taylor Thomas, Nicholas
VanHouten, Candon Westervelt, Mia Williams and Collin Wright.
Grade 7:
Jessica Brown, Brandon Clark,
Kaleb Ennis, Isabella Garvey,
Hunter Gowan, Jerred Howard,
Kaden Hughes, Samantha Keller,
Tashahnda Myers, Jacob Sackett,
Trent Skeens, Elizabeth Stanton,
Lexi Streeter, Sadie VanAllen and
Scott Woodring.
Grade 8:
Kylan Carpenter, Montana Davis, Alicia
Hadamik, Carly Harrower, Trenton
Henizelman, Haley Judge, Sydney Meyers,
Hannah Peppard, Zachary Satterly, Cohen
Sprague, Malcolm Storm, Sarah Uhl,
Reagan Vaughn, Dylan Ward, Brandi Welch
and Michael Zimmer.
Achieve It Award
Grade 6:
Anna Bernatavitz, Kaitlyn Clark, Robert Clover, Madelyn Goodwin, Max Harford, Kaci
Lofton, Matthew Mauersberg, Maximus
Pan, Gabriella Picco, Jayden Rose, Nathan
Ryck, Alyssa Sindoni, Rachel Smith, Megan Ward, Nicholas Wheeler and Spencer
Yeager.
Grade 7
Paige Ackley,* Mike Atanasoff, Elizabeth
Fritzen, Karmeren Garrity, Josiah Golden,
Jalen McCarty, Ashlynn Mcduffee, Caden
Mint, Melina Ortiz, Kendra Park, Alex
Podmenik, Elizabeth Sampson, Noah
Shannon, Sheridan Talada and Nathan
Wagner.
Grade 8:
Justin Bloss, Jillian Cantieni, Abigail Durgin,
Dallas Lattimer, Ethan Lloyd, Seth Lloyd,
Paige Pierce, Alexis Pritchard, Nicholas
Spinner, Courtney Stillman, Siara Tompkins, Mitchell Yeager, Elexes Westervelt,
Alexis Whitney, Jonathan Wilkins and
Trenton Wright.
*Earned the same award twice.
Page 11
Students Learn About Structures
Eighth-graders in Toni Risboskin’s technology classes learned about the building concepts
of load support, rigidity and stability in their Automation and Robotics unit. Weekly design
challenges reinforced lessons through tasks such as attempting to build the tallest stable structure
in 20 minutes.
Pictured are Crystal and Christine, who built the tallest structure at 136 mm in the third period
class and period 5 finalists Carly, who edged out Aaron and Adrian for the tallest structure at 147.5
mm and 146 mm, respectively.
Students get a Taste of Careers
Page 12
Students in Tara
Hogan’s sixth-grade
class learned about
careers in the building
construction industry
in Toni Risboskin’s
Technology Careers
course. After safety
training in the wood
shop and discussions
of tools used in
the trade, students
constructed, sanded
and painted their own
personal toolboxes.
Budding Architects Present Plans
T
wenty-two seventh-graders in Fred
Mills’ architecture elective class recently experienced the work of architects
first hand. The students worked closely
with local architect Robert Butcher of
Foor and Associates as they participated
in the Architectural Awareness Program.
The program, sponsored in part by GST
BOCES Career Development Council,
teaches students about the field of architecture by involving them in adaptive
reuse projects in their community.
Team 1 decided to transform an old
coal storage building into a banquet hall
while Team 2 chose to repurpose the
former Lefty’s restaurant into a family entertainment destination with a rooftop
restaurant, movie theater and toy store.
Participants included Morgan Adams,
Paige Ackley, Michael Atanasoff,
Abigail Bonning, Brandon Bubniak,
Joseph Buffone, Brandon Clark, Chloe
Croft, Nicholas Cusano, Elizabeth Fritzen,
Jared Hugo, Josh Lee, Morgan Lee, Zoe
Lunduski, Jalen McCarty, Melina Ortiz,
Rachel Ovedovitz, Gianna Picco, Thomas
Price, Cora Smith, Sheridan Talada and
Meisi Williams.
Page 13
District, Dealership ‘Share the Love’
With Stray Haven Animal Shelter
I
n January, representatives from Waverly Central Schools and SimmonsRockwell Subaru came together to fulfill
a challenge. Waverly students filled a
Simmons-Rockwell Subaru with items for
Stray Haven Animal Shelter and, in turn,
Simmons-Rockwell donated $1,000 to
the shelter.
Waverly Middle/High School students and
staff and community members teamed up
with Simmons-Rockwell Subaru for the Share
the Love event and filled this Subaru – and
other cars – with donations for Stray Haven
Animal Shelter.
Page 14
Inspired by Subaru’s annual Share
the Love event, in which participating dealerships try to fill a Subaru with
items needed by a local charity or nonprofit organization, Waverly Middle/High
School students and staff chose Stray
Haven as its non-profit. Math teacher
Lynne Nemeth arranged the pairing with
Simmons-Rockwell Subaru.
During the week of January 20, a vehicle was parked on the front lawn of the
school and students, staff and community members were invited to donate items
including cat and dog food, old newspapers, cleaning supplies and various gift
cards in an effort to fill the car from front
to back. By the end of the week, not only
had enough items to fill the Subaru had
been donated, but there were numerous
other items that had to be put in other
cars to be transported to Stray Haven.
Kelly Goodwin, special education
teacher, was instrumental in helping to
collect the items and having her students help with loading the car as the
donations poured in. Jason Felker,
Simmons-Rockwell Subaru general
manager, came to school at the end of
the week to collect the vehicle and was
awed by the outpouring of support for
the animal shelter.
As an entourage of vehicles arrived at
Stray Haven with the donations, Shelter
Manager Mike Collins was speechless
at the generosity of the school district
and community. He was very appreciative of the many supplies, gift cards and
the $1,000 donation from SimmonsRockwell. Eighth-grader Michael Zimmer
and tenth-grader and shelter volunteer
Deanna Thomas were present for the
delivery of the goods and presentation
of the check.
Superintendent’s $800 Raised
Message, con’t. for The Bridge
needs. One of the subgroups reported
on student progress in reading in second grade. Somehow, what was a positive – yet honest – report was reported
by the local media in a negative fashion.
Some of our second-grade students are
struggling with learning to read, and the
district acknowledges that. We are implementing the necessary interventions
to assist students with their learning.
That’s what quality school do – adapt
and change to meet students’ needs. Our
goal is to have all students progress one
grade level each year and to read fluently
by the end of third grade.
Finally, planning for the development
of the 2015-16 school budget is well
underway. This year, political wrangling
in Albany will make an already challenging budget development process even
more so. As of this writing, Gov. Cuomo
is refusing to release state aid runs or increase school funding unless legislation
he wants is approved by the Legislature.
Not knowing how much revenue to
anticipate makes planning a budget very
difficult. It will be interesting to watch
how this issue unfolds in the coming
months.
One thing that we do know is that the
Board of Education remains committed
to meeting the “tax cap.” That is, any potential increase in the school budget will
not exceed the limits allowed under the
formula required by New York State.
In closing, if you have any questions
concerning the school district, please do
not hesitate to contact me.
Sincerely,
Dr. Randy C. Richards,
Superintendent
Wayne laughs as he smashes a pie in the face of former Interim High School
Principal Paul Zoltowski as Science Teacher Jennifer Joyce (left) and Middle
School Principal Paul Vesci (right) look on.
T
he freshman class organized an old
fashioned pie-in-the-face contest at
the Middle/High School and raised $800
for The Bridge. Because many families
in the district have benefitted from assistance from The Bridge at one time or
another, students felt this was a worthy
cause to support.
Students purchased $1 raffle tickets to
be eligible to have their name drawn to
be a pie thrower at a school-wide assembly. For every $100 raised, a student,
teacher or administrator was added to
list of people to get a pie in the face.
The raffle raised $738. Pie-in-the-face
recipients included Jared Stevens, freshman class president; Hunter Bodine,
sophomore class vice president; Lucas
Beardsley, junior class vice president;
Mac Brown, senior class president; Dave
Mastrantuono, director of management services; Jennifer Joyce, science
teacher; Paul Zoltowski, former interim
High School principal; Paul Vesci, Middle
School principal; Brian Miller, athletic
director and math teacher Lynne Nemeth, whose name was drawn during
the assembly. A final donation during the
assembly brought the total to $800.
Assisting the freshman class in hosting
the event were teachers Kelly Goodwin,
Deb Gutierez, Ms. Nemeth and members
of the Leadership CREW.
Page 15
Capital Project Updates
A
new $4.6 million project will address several infrastructure projects
such as renovations of the Middle/High
School track, kitchen and fitness area;
Elm Street Elementary kitchen renovation; Chemung Elementary cafeteria,
nurse’s office, teachers’ lounge and accessibility renovations, boiler room and
classroom floor slab repair; Lincoln Street
Elementary back parking lot repaving and underground electrical service
Renovations
at War Memorial
Stadium were
completed at
the start of the
2014-15 school
year. The two-part
project, included
new stadium
lighting, seating,
press box, ticket
booths, concession
stand, bathrooms,
scoreboard, sound
system, security
cameras and service
parking lot.
Page 16
upgrades, Center Street transfer lot
reconfiguration and repaving and select
interior work; and district-wide asbestos
abatement with a focus on the Middle/
High School.
The total scope of the project work to
be completed will be determined at the
time of bid opening and upon selection
of base bid and alternates that can be
accomplished within the referendum.
Replacing the
stadium’s natural
grass field with a
synthetic surface was
a cost-effective way
to improve safety
and durability while
increasing usage.
Good News from the Athletic Dept.
F
ive of the winter Varsity athletic teams
were recently named Scholar Teams
by the New York State Public High School
Athletic Association (NYSPHSAA). To
qualify for this honor, teams must have
a cumulative grade point average of at
least 90 percent. Scholar teams were:
• Girls Indoor Track, with a 97.059 GPA,
including Paige Acklen, Julia Bowers,
Saige Flintjer, Elizabeth Fritzen, Alex
Kline, Samantha Lloyd, Zoe Lunduski,
Zoe Mennig, Melina Ortiz, Kate Oteng Bediako, Alyssa Simonetti, Anna Smith,
Cora Smith and Kaylee Uhl.
• Girls Bowling, with a 93.416 GPA,
including Cassandra Bowman,
Michaela Guilford, Sam Mennig, Jamie
Talada, Rubina Tracy, Megan Thorp and
Karleigh VanNess.
• Boys Bowling, with a 91.660 GPA,
including Mason Beard, Nicholas
Briggs, Trevor Campbell, Ben Cowles,
William Cowles, Christopher Johnson
and John Panek.
• Boys Swimming, with a 91.378 GPA,
including Michael Atanasoff, Lucas
Beardsley, Keilen Carpenter, Kylan
Carpenter, Josh Gallaher, Michael
Girolamo, Josh Lee, Josh Mastrantuono,
Jared Stewart, Mike Tracy and Brandon
Whitley.
• Wrestling, with a 90.266 GPA, including
Austin Burkhart, Cody Gallow, Jeff
Klossner, Michael
LaRock, Dalton
Loper, Kacey
Madigan, Owen
Maryott, Joey
Peters, Ethan
Stotler and Trenton
Wright.
K
Kaylee
aylee Uhl was
named a Time
Warner Cable New Scholar Athlete of the
Week for her excellence in academics,
athletics and community service.
Kaylee is in the top ten percent of the
senior class with a GPA of 97 percent. She
is a three-sport athlete in cross country,
indoor track and track and field who will
have earned 17 Varsity letters by graduation. She was nominated by Scott Baird.
In addition to her performance in
the classroom and on the track, Kaylee
volunteers at Elderwood Senior Living
facility.
Kaylee hopes to attend SUNY Cortland
to study exercise science this fall.
T
he Varsity Wrestling Team was selected by the Section IV Wrestling
Officials Association as the recipient of
the Sportsmanship Award. The award
was presented to the team prior to the
Sectional finals on February 14.
Photo provided by
Tim Birney, Valley
Sports Report
(valleysports
report.com)
Page 17
Waverly Wolverines
2015 Spring Sports Schedule
JV Softball
4/1_______
4/8_______
4/10______
4/15______
4/17______
4/20______
4/22______
4/24______
4/25______
4/27______
5/1_______
5/2_______
5/4_______
5/11______
4:30 p.m.___________________ vs. Newfield
4:30 p.m._____________________ vs. Candor
4:30 p.m._________________ vs. Notre Dame
4:30 p.m._______________ vs. Newark Valley
4:30 p.m.______________________ at Edison
4:30 p.m._______________________ at Tioga
4:30 p.m._____________________vs. Dryden
4:30 p.m.____________ at Spencer-Van Etten
TBA_______________ at Verona Tournament
4:30 p.m._________________ at Notre Dame
4:30 p.m.________________ at Newark Valley
12:00 p.m._____________________ vs. Sayre
4:30 p.m._____________________ vs. Edison
4:30 p.m.________________at Whitney Point
Modified Softball
4/21______
4/23______
4/28______
5/5_______
5/7_______
5/12______
5/14______
5/19______
5/21______
5/28______
6/1_______
6/3_______
4:30 p.m.________________ vs. Watkins Glen
4:30 p.m._____________ vs. Odessa-Montour
4:30 p.m.____________________ at Newfield
4:30 p.m._______________ vs. Newark Valley
4:30 p.m._______________________ at Tioga
4:30 p.m._________________ at Notre Dame
4:30 p.m._________________at Watkins Glen
4:30 p.m._____________ at Odessa-Montour
4:30 p.m.___________________ vs. Newfield
4:30 p.m.________________ at Newark Valley
4:30 p.m.______________________ vs. Tioga
4:30 p.m._________________ vs. Notre Dame
Modified Track & Field
4/15_________ at Edison vs. Edison, Candor, Notre Dame
4/22_______________ at SVE vs. SVE, NV, Lansing, Edison
4/29______ at N-field vs. O-M, T-burg, N-field, Edison, WG
5/6__________________________ vs. Candor, Tioga, O-M
5/11___________________ at NV vs. NV, WG, Notre Dame
Good Luck,
Wolveriines!
JV Baseball
4/1_______
4/8_______
4/10______
4/13______
4/15______
4/17______
4/20______
4/22______
4/24______
4/25______
4/27______
5/2_______
5/4_______
5/6_______
5/8_______
5/9_______
5/11______
5/16______
4:30 p.m.___________________ vs. Newfield
4:30 p.m._____________________ vs. Candor
4:30 p.m._________________ vs. Notre Dame
4:30 p.m.________________ at Trumansburg
4:30 p.m._______________ vs. Newark Valley
4:30 p.m.______________________ at Edison
4:30 p.m._______________________ at Tioga
4:30 p.m._____________________vs. Dryden
4:30 p.m.____________ at Spencer-Van Etten
12:00 p.m._______ vs. Sayre (E. Waverly Park)
4:30 p.m._________________ at Notre Dame
11:00 a.m._____________________at Athens
4:30 p.m._____________________ vs. Edison
4:30 p.m.________________ vs. Trumansburg
4:30 p.m._____________________at Corning
12:00 p.m._____ vs. Norwich (E. Waverly Park)
4:30 p.m.________________at Whitney Point
11:00 a.m.____________at Campbell-Savona
Modified Baseball
4/21______
4/23______
4/28______
5/5_______
5/7_______
5/12______
5/14______
5/19______
5/21______
5/28______
6/1_______
6/3_______
4:30 p.m.________________ vs. Watkins Glen
4:30 p.m._____________ vs. Odessa-Montour
4:30 p.m.____________________ at Newfield
4:30 p.m._______________ vs. Newark Valley
4:30 p.m._______________________ at Tioga
4:30 p.m._________________ at Notre Dame
4:30 p.m._________________at Watkins Glen
4:30 p.m._____________ at Odessa-Montour
4:30 p.m.___________________ vs. Newfield
4:30 p.m.________________ at Newark Valley
4:30 p.m.______________________ vs. Tioga
4:30 p.m._________________ vs. Notre Dame
Visit us on the Web at www.waverlyschools.com
Varsity Softball
4/1_______
4/3_______
4/8_______
4/10______
4/13______
4/15______
4/17______
4/20______
4/22______
4/24______
4/25______
4/27______
4/29______
5/1_______
5/2_______
5/4_______
5/8_______
5/11______
5/14-15___
5/19-31___
6/4-6_____
6/13______
4:30 p.m.____________________ at Newfield
4:30 p.m.______________________at Athens
4:30 p.m._____________________ at Candor
4:30 p.m._________________ at Notre Dame
4:30 p.m.________________ vs. Watkins Glen
4:30 p.m.________________ at Newark Valley
4:30 p.m._____________________ vs. Edison
4:30 p.m.______________________ vs. Tioga
4:30 p.m._____________________ at Dryden
4:30 p.m.____________vs. Spencer-Van Etten
TBA_______________ at Verona Tournament
4:30 p.m._________________ vs. Notre Dame
4:30 p.m._________________at Watkins Glen
4:30 p.m._______________ vs. Newark Valley
12:00 p.m.______________________ at Sayre
4:30 p.m.______________________ at Edison
4:30 p.m._____________ vs. Odessa-Montour
4:30 p.m._______________ vs. Whitney Point
TBA_______________ at IAC Championships
TBA_______________________ at Sectionals
TBA_______________________ at Regionals
TBA__________________________ at States
Varsity Baseball
4/1_______
4/3_______
4/4_______
4/8_______
4/10______
4/13______
4/15______
4/17______
4/20______
4/22______
4/24______
4/25______
4/27______
4/29______
5/1_______
5/4_______
5/8_______
5/9_______
5/11______
5/14-15___
5/19-31___
6/4-6_____
6/13______
4:30 p.m.____________________ at Newfield
4:30 p.m.______________________at Athens
12:00 p.m.___________________ at Towanda
4:30 p.m._____________________ at Candor
4:30 p.m._________________ at Notre Dame
4:30 p.m.________________ vs. Watkins Glen
4:30 p.m.________________ at Newark Valley
4:30 p.m._____________________ vs. Edison
4:30 p.m.______________________ vs. Tioga
4:30 p.m._____________________ at Dryden
4:30 p.m.____________vs. Spencer-Van Etten
12:00 p.m._____________________ vs. Sayre
4:30 p.m._________________ vs. Notre Dame
4:30 p.m._________________at Watkins Glen
4:30 p.m._______________ vs. Newark Valley
4:30 p.m.______________________ at Edison
4:30 p.m._____________ vs. Odessa-Montour
12:00 p.m.___________________ vs. Norwich
4:30 p.m._______________ vs. Whitney Point
TBA_______________ at IAC Championships
TBA_______________________ at Sectionals
TBA_______________________ at Regionals
TBA__________________________ at States
Good Luck,
Wolveriines!
Varsity Track & Field
3/24______
4/10______
4/14______
4/17______
4/21______
4/23______
4/24______
4/28______
5/1_______
5/4_______
5/9_______
5/18______
5/21______
5/22______
5/26______
5/28______
6/4_______
6/12-13___
4:30 p.m._________ at Edison vs. SVE, Edison
4:00 p.m._________ at Mansfield Invitational
4:30 p.m._________________at Watkins Glen
TBA____________ at Lock Haven Invitational
4:30 p.m._________________ at Notre Dame
TBA_____________________ at Penn Relays
4:00 p.m._________________at Ithaca Relays
4:30 p.m.________________ at Newark Valley
4:00 p.m._____________ at Sayre Invitational
4:30 p.m._________________ vs. NV, ND, WG
12:00 p.m.______________ at U-E (Parkhurst)
4:00 p.m._ IAC Steeple Chase/Pent. (Waverly)
4:45 p.m.____ at IAC Championships (T-burg)
4:45 p.m.____ at IAC Championships (T-burg)
4:00 p.m._____ at Class Steeplechase (Vestal)
4:00 p.m.______ at Class B Sectional (Owego)
3:30 p.m._________ at State Qualifier (Vestal)
TBA__________ at State Meet (SUNY Albany)
Varsity Boys Golf
4/7_______
4/14______
4/16______
4/20______
4/22______
4/24______
4/27______
4/29______
5/1_______
5/4_______
5/6_______
5/8_______
5/13______
5/15______
5/18______
5/20______
4:30 p.m._____________________vs. Dryden
4:30 p.m._____________________ at Candor
4:30 p.m._________________ at Notre Dame
4:30 p.m.________________ vs. Watkins Glen
4:30 p.m.________________ at Newark Valley
4:30 p.m._____________________ vs. Edison
4:30 p.m.______________________ vs. Tioga
4:30 p.m.____________vs. Spencer-Van Etten
4:30 p.m._________________ vs. Notre Dame
4:30 p.m._________________at Watkins Glen
4:30 p.m._______________ vs. Newark Valley
4:30 p.m.______________________ at Edison
4:30 p.m._____________ vs. Odessa-Montour
4:30 p.m.________________at Whitney Point
TBA______ at Section IV Class C Tournament
TBA______________ at IAC Golf Tournament
Varsity Tennis
3/23______
4/6_______
4/13______
4/15______
4/17______
4/20______
4/24______
4/27______
4/29______
5/1_______
4:30 p.m._______________ vs. Newark Valley
4:30 p.m._________________ at Notre Dame
4:30 p.m.____________________ vs. Moravia
4:30 p.m.________________ vs. Trumansburg
4:30 p.m._______________ vs. Elmira Heights
4:30 p.m.________________at Union Springs
4:30 p.m._____________ at Southern Cayuga
4:30 p.m._____________________ at Lansing
4:30 p.m._________________at Watkins Glen
4:30 p.m._____________ vs. Odessa-Montour
Waverly
Schools
Non-Profit Org.
US Postage
PAID
Waverly, NY
Permit #213
15 Frederick St.
Waverly, NY 14892
(607) 565-2841
Board of Education
Parvin Mensch,
President
Lee Haxton,
Vice President
Andrea Giovenco
Douglas Killgore
Renee Kinsley
Colleen Talada
Matthew Talada
Kasey Traub
Kristi Zimmer
*****ECRWSS**
Postal Customer
Superintendent
Dr. Randy C. Richards
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 Collect ‘Jeans for Teens’
Members of
the High School
Leadership
Crew organized
a district-wide
Jeans for Teens
drive in February.
The program,
sponsored by
Aéropostale,
provides jeans
for homeless
teenagers.
Pictured (L to R)
are Samantha,
Nitya, Delanie,
Katie and Sidney
with some of the
229 pairs of jeans
collected.