Proud first graders read to Mr. Slentz:
It was hard to tell who was having more fun: Superintendent Ken Slentz or the group of first graders who got to sit on the comfortable big couches in his office and read to him with pride.
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"Chitty Chitty Bang Bang" now showing!:
Ella Briand is blown away by the scenes and props that are popping up daily on the Skaneateles High School stage as the Drama Club prepares for the March 3-6 performance of Chitty Chitty Bang Bang.
It all looks so good that Briand, the district’s humanities curriculum coordinator, is reluctant to even share what she really thinks. “I don’t want to be a spoiler,” she says with a smile. Indeed, the hard work of community members, students, staff and parents has paid off in a major way. Ask anyone who has listened and watched the singing and dancing during rehearsals.
“This is going to be another show stopper,” she said. “And it is for the whole family – young and old alike.”
Details: ...
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Investigation shows no threat intended:
A message from Superintendent Ken Slentz:
After meeting with the student, the student's parents, and other individuals relevant to the social media posting we told you about earlier today, we have determined that there was no threat intended towards the schools or towards any specific students. Accordingly, school will open on schedule tomorrow, but the student involved will not be in attendance.
As we suggested in the first notice on this issue, we will react as quickly as possible to any threat – real or perceived – in making sure that our students are safe while on our buses, in our schools, and on our grounds. With this in mind, we also have the obligation to make sure that our individual students who may be struggling for a variety of reasons - including ...
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You Won't Want to Miss Chitty Chitty Bang Bang!:
The Cast and Crew have been working hard to bring you a phenomenal show! 7:30pm on March 3rd, 4th and 5th with a 2:00pm matinee on Sunday, March 6th in the High School Auditorium.
CAST LIST :
CARACTACUS POTTS: CONOR DRISCOLL
TRULY SCRUMPTIOUS: MADDIE VAN RIPER
JEREMY POTTS: JACK PATTERSON
JEMIMA POTTS: SIERRA SANDERS
GRANDPA POTTS: SAM SMITH
BARON BOMBURST: CALVIN BLACKWELL
BARONESS BOMBURST: JACKIE ABERI
THE CHILDCATCHER: NOLAN MEIER
THE TOYMAKER: MICK ELLIOT
GORAN: JOSH LUCE
BORIS : TYLER ATWATER
LORD SCRUMPTIOUS: BEN BLACKWELL
MRS. PHILLIPS: AIMEE LAFRANCE
ASSISTANT: MARIAH MCCARRON
SID: JOE BENEDICT
VIOLET: LYDIA PARKER
JUNKMAN: ETHAN GOLDSTEIN
COGGINS: MICHAEL PARKS
TURKEY FARMER: NOAH SMITH
CAPTAIN: DAN KLOSOWSKI
1ST SOLDIER: RJ SCHMELING ...
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Sixth graders learn to Be Cool Not Cruel:
Academics were put aside at Skaneateles Middle School one recent Friday morning. High school students became teachers of the entire sixth grade class, putting the focus on being compassionate and kind human beings.
It was part of the annual anti-bullying program called Be Cool, Not Cruel , where high school mentors promote respect for others in dynamic participatory small group sessions. The coolest thing about it is that the high school students can put themselves in the shoes of the sixth graders, because they vividly remember being there and participating in Be Cool Not Cruel not so long ago.
“We have been doing this program for 20 years,” prevention counselor and organizer Marcy Weed told the entire group at the end of the day. “The ...
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Widening the gaze, helping out:
Superintendent Ken Slentz thanked cafeteria workers during a meeting (and surprise breakfast) Friday morning in the District Office at Waterman School. He told them what a difference they can and do make in their daily interactions with students. He said the importance of person-to-person interactions cannot be overstated.
“We have kids in crisis and we all need to reach out,” Slentz said. “You never know how that quick hello might make a difference,” he said. “I’ve seen you. You are good at it.” More than ever, “We all need to widen our gaze,” in order to spot and reach students who need help, he said.
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Wear red day:
State Street School had another successful Wear Red Day for the American Heart Association. While wearing red, students and staff raised $247 on Friday, February 5. “Thanks to Kelley McQuiggan for offering a cookie ‘incentive’ and thank you to everyone who donated,” said teacher Heather Buff.
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Director and producer returns to his “home” school:
When 2001 graduate Zack Ford came back to town, Skaneateles art students learned about filmmaking, directing and – maybe most importantly – the art of branding and re-invention.
They learned that being talented isn’t enough for an artist. They also have to cultivate traits like determination and confidence.
“It might be hard to raise your voice to say ‘I am a director,’ or ‘I am a photographer’,” Ford said. “But if you can’t say it, who will?”
A prolific writer with a passion for screenwriting, Ford did many things to support himself after graduating from New York University with degrees in both Dramatic Writing, and Film and TV Production (BFA ’05) – including ...
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Tom Selleck Mustache Competition raises money:
Teachers had some fun while raising money for the Pat Tillman Foundation with the annual Tom Selleck Mustache Competition at Skaneateles schools. Organizer Rob DeMass said a total of 27 patrons raised $235. “Not too bad for growing a few mustaches,” he said. Judges awarded the following during the festive annual awards ceremony in the high school library:
Best in Show – Rob DeMass
Most Creative - Rob Pickup
Best Beard - Josh Williams
Most Pathetic (3 out of 4 years) - Justin Suhr
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Skaneateles has ties to The Giver:
Three Skaneateles eighth graders are in the Auburn Players Community Theatre production of The Giver, directed by Skaneateles Middle School teacher Josh Williams February 11-14 at Bisgrove Theater at Cayuga Community College. Ben Kringer is Asher, Sharla Dart is Rosemary (The Giver’s daughter) and Emma Hall is a "nurturing attendant."
Williams, who teaches 7 th and 8 th grade language arts, has exposed countless Skaneateles students to the Newberry award winning novel by Lois Lowry over the past decade or more. “About half of the high school student population read the book when they were in middle school with either Andrew Tidd or me,” Williams said. The play is adapted by Eric Coble.
Williams is currently teaching the novel to 7 th ...
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Strategic Planning Committee looks to the future:
The district's Strategic Planning Community Advisory Committee met Tuesday, February 2, to review the next steps in the long range planning process. Board of Education members and advisory committee members focused primarily on how the planning process could have the greatest impact on teaching and learning, while meeting the ever-evolving needs of students.
Superintendent Ken Slentz said, "We have to have a relentless focus on teaching and learning in all of our processes within the district so as to ensure that we are providing the greatest advantages possible to our students. Increasingly that means we have to question, think, and act differently than we have in the past."
The committee reviewed a guiding model that would be utilized at each meeting ...
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National Signing Day for Football!:
Congrats Tom Hagen and Aubrey Leverich! Today is National Letter of Intent signing day, with the focus on football and soccer. Aubrey Leverich today signed a letter of Intent to play football at Mercyhurst, and Thomas Hagen committed to play football at Cornell University. Congratulations!
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Look who was "Caught Giving Their Extra Ten Percent":
Each month faculty and staff are asked to nominate a fellow colleague for The Laker Way Award. KAREN VEVERKA was caught giving an Extra Ten Percent! Here is what her nominator said: “I would like to nominate Karen Veverka not for what she was caught doing just now … but for what she does every day, week in and week out, year in and year out. She makes a lifelong impact through her teaching and conducting … and is dedicated beyond measure. She inspires with music -- and that music translates to all of life, as exhibited in the words of her students who write and talk about how orchestra helps them in so many ways, including classes, studying and athletics.”
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Team Brain Freeze does it again:
Our teacher team (Team Brain Freeze) was the first to take the plunge again at this year's Polar Bear Plunge. The dedicated teacher team earned the honor by raising the most funds for the past three years. This year, the teachers, the Interact Club, and their supporters throughout the district raised $1,300. (Still waiting to hear the winner for this year). Proceeds go SAVES, the fire department and Skaneateles Education Foundation. Here they are before and after. At left, they are anticipating ... in the middle photo they are being interviewed on stage before jumping in. At right, they are warm again and wearing their new polar bear sweatshirts. Bravo to the brave team! And kudos to junior Joe Benedict for leading his club members in this effort.
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District overview given at forum:
From the SKANEATELES JOURNAL | Residents heard an overview Wednesday of the school district’s fiscal position and how it plans to build the 2016-17 budget.
In the Waterman Elementary auditorium, Superintendent Kenneth Slentz spoke to approximately 50 taxpayers at the first of three community forums.
Earlier this month, he said, Gov. Andrew Cuomo released his proposed education budget. It referenced a $2 billion allocation to schools, plus introduced new state aid categories.
“That is not accurate,” Slentz said. “It’s not untrue, but it’s not accurate.”
Describing Cuomo’s projection as “misleading” and as a “two-year” figure, Slentz explained the governor’s plan includes monies already owed to schools via ...
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Wrestlers are OHSL champions:
The high school wrestling team won the OHSL Liberty Championship on January 27 with a 69-12 win over Syracuse ITT. It capped off an undefeated season for the Lakers who finished 21-0. Next for SCS will be the Section III Class C Tournament at Adirondack Central on February 6.
MORE from the Skaneateles Press, by Phil Blackwell:
Far from just an isolated accomplishment, what the Skaneateles wrestling team pulled off, going through an entire season of 21 head-to-head matches without a defeat and earning its first league championship in 35 years, ran deep within its family.
No less than four members of that long-ago 1981 team that last claimed a league title – Jon Leubner, Joe Brillo, Chris Rourke and Jim Simmons – had sons that were key parts of this year’s ...
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A STEM lesson and the Polar Bear Plunge:
As part of their study of animal adaptations this week, second graders learned about how blubber helps arctic animals survive. Teacher Mary Arnott thought the lesson tied in nicely with this weekend’s upcoming Polar Bear Plunge, which features a teacher team. She invited Superintendent Ken Slentz to the classroom to tell about his possible upcoming plunge. After the students showed Slentz the experiment on how blubber keeps a hand warm even when put in ice water, they suggested ways he might stay warm while taking the plunge. (“Wear a blubber suit!” “Wear something hollow”). The Polar Plunge is at 12:30 p.m. Saturday, and Team Brain Freeze, the districtwide team, plunges first. The team earned the honor because it has been the top fundraising ...
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Business students featured in Journal:
SKANEATELES JOURNAL | A hit television show from the 1980s and '90s is poised to make a comeback as the brainchild of two marketing representatives seeking to help their network boosts its ratings and target a new audience.
Not quite — but that is the scenario that Skaneateles High School seniors Bennett Morse and Jacob Patalino came up with to help them take first place in the Sports & Entertainment Marketing Team Decision Making event of the Distribution Education Clubs of America regional competition two weeks ago.
The seniors were among eight of their peers, out of 18 students on the Skaneateles team, to place either first or second in the Jan. 6 competition, both numbers of which business teacher Dan Mulroy said are impressive since this is the first time ...
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Student art at "Both Ends of the Rainbow":
Skaneateles art students are a part of the colorful art show “Both Ends of the Rainbow” at the Schweinfurth Art Center in Auburn. An opening reception from noon to 5 p.m. Sunday, January 31, will welcome artists and family members from area schools to view the show. The show will be open to the public through March 6. “It is a great way to brighten up a dreary winter day and be amazed at area student art talent,” said elementary art teacher Susan Barry.
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National Honor Society Induction Ceremony:
Fifty juniors were inducted into the National Honor Society on Monday, January 25, as parents and educators proudly watched. They were escorted to the stage by seniors who were inducted last year. In this photo, they are pledging:
“I pledge to maintain my high scholastic standing, to hold as fundamental and worthy an untarnished character, to endeavor intelligently and courageously to be a leader, and to give myself freely to others. So doing, I shall prove myself worthy of a place in the National Honor Society.”
In welcoming remarks, NHS Advisor Sandra Taylor praised the students and turned the spotlight on their parents and guardians. “You deserve tons of credit” for inspiring and transporting the remarkable students, she said. “Never have I seen the ...
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