schools

BATAVIA, N.Y. — Six years of instructing, formulating, collaborating, and educating has given hope and success to one family in Batavia, who thought it could never be possible.

Trisha Finnegan, Director of Special Education and Alternative Education for Batavia City School District, strives to accomplish the department’s goal of providing all children with the necessary support and assistance to be successful learners.

“Compassion creates compassion,” said David Hamblin, of Batavia, “My son is finally building positive self-esteem, and it is our team at Batavia school district, along with the educators at BOCES, making this huge positive difference in my family's life.”

Hamblin, a single-parent, moved to the area about a year ago with his adopted son Matthew, 15, after much disappointment with school districts in New Mexico, Indiana, and Brighton.

“I was so frustrated by our former school districts that I pulled my son out of school and home-schooled him,” said Hamblin. Matthew has been diagnosed with basal ganglia syndrome, a learning disorder that is often characterized by behavioral problems and attention difficulties.

Before a student is diagnosed with a disability, teachers will discuss the student's behavior and try to accommodate the child in other ways. For example, if a child fidgets all day in their chair, the instructor might set a cushion on the seat. If that doesn't work, they will try something else. Finnegan said they have to exhaust all options first.

“You can have ten kids who have a learning disability, but not everything is going to work the same for each one,” said Finnegan. “We have to work hard to find the accommodations and everyone has to work together as a team.”

Hamblin had a few conversations with School Board President Patrick Burke and decided to re-enter Matthew into a public school. Finnegan said it is their number one goal to keep the students involved in general education classes.

“We really want to make sure we level the playing field,” said Finnegan. It's important, she said, to make a face-to-face connection because it can build the next 12 years of an education.

“Trisha gave me the hope I needed at a very crucial time,” said Hamblin, “I can’t say enough about her and our team of educators here in Batavia. Gratitude flows from this family.”

Finnegan has been the director for six years and said her motivation to work with children came from her parents.

"My parents were foster parents,” said Finnegan,  “I grew up with a lot of kids and a piece of me wanted to work with kids.”

Finnegan thought she was destined for a legal career, and after receiving her Bachelor's in Law at Union College, she decided to attend Buffalo State, where she received a Bachelors of Science and pursued her Masters in Education.

She is so excited to watch her students graduate and go on to be successful.

“I am at a point now where I really have gotten to know my kids, and I think, in the future, I will be able to see a lot more of my students graduating,” said Finnegan, who hopes also to keep in contact with the students and their families.

“Parents can participate in their child’s programming, visit their student, chat with teachers,” said Finnegan, “It is really important to be open and willing because it is a key part of planning.”

Advice for parents: “Don’t be afraid to ask questions. Ask lots and lots of questions.” she said. “It will be very beneficial for the student.” There are no dumb questions, she said.

Finnegan said the most important characteristic is to be collaborative. The program is not like it used to be where a teacher would pull a student out and work with them one of one.

“Now we must work as a team,” she said.

Hamblin can’t thank Finnegan and her team enough for the time and patience they spent with his son.

“They took the time to get to know my son and see what he was capable of achieving,” said Hamblin.

“When you see the look in (the parents') eyes that says: 'My child got here because of what you did,' those are the little moments,” said Finnegan. ”When parents just want to thank you, that is special.”

“She is a hero in my book,” said Hamblin, “I am now able to breathe a sigh of relief.”

An announcement from Genesee Community College that the criminal justice program at the Batavia campus will be launching a new "Student Safety Patrol" seems timely.  Just last week, a student was arrested on allegations of leaving a rifle and a shotgun laid across the front seat of his unlocked car in the campus parking lot.

Derek J. Wilson, 34, of Byron, was charged Friday with two counts of fourth-degree criminal possession of a weapon. Deputies have already said that they did not believe Wilson to have any malicious intent. Neither weapon was loaded.

Nevertheless, the school feels it can benefit from some extra eyes on patrol on campus. In fact, it was a vigilant passer-by who spotted the guns in Wilson's car and reported the incident to campus security.

"With the increase in incidents on college campuses, we thought a Student Safety Patrol would be most beneficial," Barry Garigen, professor of Criminal Justice said. "The students gain valuable experience in working these details and enjoy providing volunteer service to the College."

Students in the criminal justice program will make up the staff of the patrol.

From the press release:

For a number of years, the Criminal Justice Club at Genesee has been providing security services at various events on campus, such as the annual Fashion Show, Rockfest, and Experience Genesee. As a result of student interest and funding from a Perkins Grant, the Criminal Justice Club was able to start the SSP. Currently, there are ten students trained and participating in the program. Students become eligible for the program when they complete the NYS Security Guard training course. The security guard training is offered several times a year through the College's BEST Center. Students who enroll in CRJ120: Intro to Security also receive the training. The next BEST Center course is being offered on March 28 from 8:00 AM - 4:30 PM at the Batavia Campus. To register for the NYS Security Guard training course, visit (the Web site).

The objectives of the new safety patrol are to enhance the level of security patrol presence, particularly in campus buildings, and ensure a high level of personal safety for those working, studying, or visiting the campus. In addition, the SSP provides an opportunity for volunteer duties for Criminal Justice students who have a career interest in law enforcement, public safety, or security. The Student Safety Patrol also assists the College's public safety staff to achieve their operational objectives and target special security and safety needs.

It is stressed that the students will be performing "non-police" functions.

Student Safety Patrollers augment Public Safety services by performing the following light security details in and around Genesee Community College:

• Patrol all campus buildings as a visible deterrent and community resource
• Assist as directed during critical incidents, at Public Safety's discretion
• Observe and report any suspicious/criminal activity observed on patrol
• Perform customer service duties when required
• Audits of campus lighting, emergency phones, access card systems
• Fire safety equipment checks
• Assist with control of vehicle/pedestrian traffic during events
• Safe-walk (escort) service provided as requested
• Perform the receptionist function in Public Safety as assigned
• Other duties as assigned

Student volunteers are still needed for the remainder of the spring 2009 semester and for the fall 2009 semester. For further information or to join the SSP program, contact Barry Garigen, Criminal Justice professor at Genesee, at 585-343-0055 x6307 or bjgarigen@genesee.edu.

BATAVIA, N.Y. — On March 12, Batavia Middle School's eighth-graders will listen to a powerful and emotional story of what it was like for Henry Silberstern to experience the Holocaust at the age of 14 and later be married by the rabbi who liberated him at the end of the war.

Boonie Abrams, Director at the Center for Holocaust Awareness and Information in Rochester, said these lectures are so important for today's eighth-graders because they will likely be the last generation to hear the living survivors speak.

"The survivors who speak will tell kids: You are the next generation; you will be in charge of creating a world where perhaps genocide will disappear," said Abrams.

Silberstern is the only person out of his 54 relatives to survive the Holocaust. Out of the 15,000 boys who came through Terezin, only 150 survived the Holocaust, Silberstern being one of them.

Abrams said most of the survivors lost their parents and some or all of their siblings. She said eighth-graders are old enough to understand this, and young enough to imagine the pain of the loss.

"Sometimes, kids leave these presentations with renewed love and affection for the siblings they fight with and the parents they get mad at," said Abrams.

The emotional impact varies with each student. Abrams said Silberstern speaks in a "matter of fact" way. He explains that this was life as he knew it.

There is a positive influence on students who hear a survivor's story, and studies prove it.

"Studies of students who heard survivor testimony have shown that a higher number of these students go into helping fields or programs designed to bring relief to areas of the world where there is a lot of suffering," said Abrams.

It is important for students to share these stories with others.

"In thirty years, when there is no one left who remembers the Holocaust, and Holocaust deniers say, "It never happened," today's eighth-graders, now middle-aged adults will say, "Yes there was, I met someone who lived through it, and I am a witness to their experience," said Abrams.

She said even those students who dread the lecture for fear it will upset them or even bore them are usually riveted by hearing a survivor speak.

"And the impact lasts a lifetime," said Abrams.

Images courtesy of the Holocaust Resource Center of Buffalo.

A faulty alarm caused an evacuation at Genesee Community College's Batavia campus this morning. Rick Ensman, director of external affairs at the college, told us by phone that the alarm sounded some time around 9:50 a.m.

"It was a faulty alarm head," he said. "We're not sure why it got set off, but we did clear the buildings and alert the fire authorities just as a precaution. The alarm head is back working, and we've got everybody back in now."

Ensman said he didn't know what could have caused the false alarm. It could have been dust, something in the air, or just an old head, he said. "There was no actual emergency."

People were allowed back in the buildings approximately 20 minutes after the alarm sounded and the administration got the OK.

"It was just a report in the C building," said Ensman. "So the technology and arts buildings and the arts center were clear. So we were able to move people inside pretty quickly."

And that's a good thing. It's not the kind of day to be standing around outside.

Attica and Wyoming central schools are closed this morning as a result of the fierce weather, according to WBTA's Dan Fischer.

We've also got power outages in the area: some 73 folks are without electricity in and around Alexander, and another 65 are in the dark in Darien. Wires have come down on Dewey Road in the town of Batavia. No outages yet reported in that region.

The calmness in Scott G. Martzloff’s voice assured me he was beginning to gear up for the challenges of his new position. On July 1, Dr. Martzloff will take over as the Superintendent of Schools of the Byron-Bergen Central School District. He will be succeeding Gregory Geer who is retiring after eight years on the job.

Martzloff’s voice raised with excitement as he spoke of the committment of the entire school administration. He knew this was the place for him when he first went to a Byron-Bergen basketball game and got to talk with staff, parents and those involved in the community. There is a sense that this is a real close-knit community, he said.

His visit to the area showed him the eagerness of the community members to help one another. After his visit he said, “I want to be a part of this.”

Martzloff has always been committed to his work. He earned Doctorate of Education at the University of Rochester, a Master of Science degree and Certificate of Advanced Study in Educational Leadership at SUNY Brockport, and a Special Education teaching certification at SUNY Geneseo. He published a book in 2007 titled: Transformational School Culture.

He knows the position is going to be a change from his last. For ten years, he was a school administrator in the Rochester City and the Rush-Henrietta Central school districts. Still, he feels he's ready to face all that comes with the title: Superintendent.

“It is a challenging position, but I feel I have prepared myself well to take on that challenge,” said Martzloff. He said the most rewarding part of his job is seeing students be successful. His number one priority as Superintendent is to listen, listen and listen.

“I plan to do a lot of listening. I want to have a lot of conversations with people in the community and hear their perceptions,” said Martzloff.

Enthusiasm took over his words when he spoke of the importance of community involvement.

“I am looking forward to being very active in the district, and working with all members of the community,” said Martzloff. He plans to set goals and see Byron-Bergen become a world class district. His wife, Kimberly, a school counselor at Rush-Henrietta Senior High School, and their three young children, 6-year-old Victoria, 4-year-old Elizabeth and 3-year-old Scott Jr., plan to relocate to the Byron-Bergen School District from their current location, Honeoye Falls.

Martzloff said that it's hard sometimes managing his time for work and family.

“Although I am very committed to my work, family comes first,” said Martzloff.  

He said he will spend more time talking with the current superintendent, Geer, when it is closer to July. Martzloff said he wants to be respectful to Geer, and allow him to continue to do his job in a positive manner.

From the Byron-Bergen Web site:

Mr. Ernie Haywood, President of the Byron-Bergen Board of Education, commented on the appointment saying, "After extensive input from the community and our staff, the Board of Education chose Dr. Martzloff because we believe his qualifications and experiences fit our District’s needs. His skills set is one that will continue the District’s efforts focused on providing each and every one of our students the best educational experience possible.”

One local institution is not only surviving the current economic crisis—it's thriving. Genesee Community College set a new record for enrollment at the start of this past school year. Now, the Batavia-based college is gearing up to erect a new campus center in Lima.

From the press release:

Genesee Community College will open a new campus center on Rochester Street (Route 15A), north of Lima, President Stuart Steiner announced Friday, February 6th.

The new Center, near the corner of Rochester Street and Gale Road, will replace the campus center currently located in Lakeville. The new structure will be about 9,000 square feet and, unlike the Lakeville building, will contain a multi-disciplinary science lab.

Over the next several weeks, the College will contract with a private developer to construct the new center. With an aggressive construction schedule, the College hopes to occupy the building for the fall semester, Dr. Steiner said.

A College task force examined many possible sites in northern Livingston County for the new center. The task force recommended the Lima location to best serve students, Dr. Steiner said. "We believe that the greatest concentration of northern Livingston County students attending Genesee in the years ahead will be from that sector of the county," Dr. Steiner said. "Just as important, the Lima location is quite accessible to students living across northern Livingston County."

The size of the Lima parcel will give Genesee the opportunity to expand the Center in the future if enrollment outgrows the building, Dr. Steiner noted.

The center will house technology-equipped classrooms, a student computer lab, and will be electronically linked to the College library and other College services. A wide range of courses will be offered at the Lima Center, and students will be able to obtain academic advising, financial aid assistance, and other services from Center staff. The Lima Campus Center will also be a focal point for business training offered through The BEST Center (Genesee's workforce education division), non-credit classes, and community events, Dr. Steiner said.

The current recession has prompted great public recognition of the value of Genesee and other community colleges, Dr. Steiner noted: "Community colleges now serve more than half of all students in the State University of New York, and a growing number of students and families now make community colleges their top higher education choice. At Genesee, we've become recognized for classroom excellence, small classes, state-of-the-art technology, and transfer and career programs that bring students the results they need. We believe the new Lima Center will bring top-notch education to even more Livingston County students, and make a very positive impact on the well-being of Livingston County."

More than 900 Livingston County residents attended credit classes at Genesee Community College last year.

From Genesee Community College:

Helen Keller once said: "Character cannot be developed in ease and quiet. Only through experience of trial and suffering can the soul be strengthened, ambition inspired, and success achieved."

Moses Nhial, a refugee from Sudan and a full-time student at Genesee Community College, has experienced trials and suffering that most Americans can hardly imagine much less endure. Through it all, Moses has overcome adversity to become an ambitious young man, flourishing in an environment very unlike what he experienced growing up.

Genesee Community College is honored to announce Moses Nhial will take the Oath of Allegiance to become a United States citizen on February 12, 2009 in Rochester at the Federal Building. A College Citizenship celebration is planned for February 19 at 1:00 - 2:00 p.m. at the Batavia Campus in the Library Media Room. After much preparation for the Naturalization examination and a childhood replete of hardships, this occasion marks a pinnacle in this young man's life.

Born in 1987 in Sudan, Moses' childhood was filled with attacks on his village and constant fleeing to new refugee camps and other countries to avoid violence and brutality. As a youth, he took refuge in Ethiopia and Kenya with help from the United Nations. While in Ethiopia, he not only encountered the outbreak of another civil war, but his mother, the only family member with him at that time, died of an illness. Moses then relocated to northern Kenya and remained there until 2001, when he came to the United States.

Moses first applied to a refugee program in 1999 and through much diligence he was moved to the U.S. with help from Catholic Charities. He settled into Rochester with a foster family through the Catholic Family Center. He attended Thomas Jefferson High, where he flourished as a remarkable student. During his junior year at Thomas Jefferson, he was voted vice president of the student government and the following year he was voted president. Moses graduated high school in 2007 and started Genesee Community College in 2008.

Moses is now 21 and is no longer with the regional foster program. He lives in College Village, Genesee's campus housing facility, but he frequently visits his foster family for holidays and special events. He is studying General Studies with his favorite subject being History. He plans to one day work in International Relations. He has a work study position in the Library at Genesee and is enjoying his studies and time in College.

"I think my favorite part about Genesee Community College is that all the teachers and staff are really nice," Moses said.

Nina Warren, Director of Library Services at Genesee, first came to know Moses when he applied for a work study position. She and the library staff had learned some things about his life from his resume and through conversations during his first weeks of work. During the last week of October, he requested working Friday instead of his usual Thursday shift because he was scheduled to take the Naturalization tests to become a U.S. citizen.

"We not only willingly agreed, but we were awed by this young man's quiet progression in his life and his immense integrity," Ms. Warren said.

After he took the test and passed, the library staff talked at greater length and learned about Moses' challenging past and inspiring life story. There was also a new collective awareness about the long process required to become a U.S. citizen, and everyone waited with great anticipation for the official letter to arrive with news of Moses' final step-his Oath of Allegiance in downtown Rochester.

"We are all very excited and honored to have Moses working here in the library during this very significant event in his life," Ms. Warren said. "Everyone enjoys working with him because he's smart, calm, polite and enthusiastic about doing a wide range of tasks and projects for the library. His great smile is a perfect match for his patience that serves him well on either busy or slow days, or when assigned tasks by one or even five staff members."

Moses has adjusted to an American way of life and has taken the opportunity to share his life's tragic past with others. In November, he spoke at St. John Fisher College as part of a viewing and discussion for the documentary film, "The Lost Boys of Sudan."

A Citizenship Celebration is planned for February 19 at 1:00 p.m. in the Library Media Room at the Batavia campus. A pre-celebration Media Hour is scheduled from 12:00-1:00 p.m. for reporters or photographers interested in meeting and interviewing Moses. For further information, please contact Nina Warren at 585-343-005 x6256 or at ntwarren@genesee.edu.

Hi everyone! My name is Tasia and I currently live in Batavia. I am an undergraduate  student at SUNY Brockport majoring in journalism. For the next four months I am going to be doing an internship with The Batavian and am very excited to get to know the community better.

 I enjoy spending time with my husband and my puppy, Jake. I love being outdoors and can not wait for summer time. I hope to have a novel published someday and I am always jotting things down in a notebook.

I am excited to cover the area's school districts and be an active positive voice in our community.

After slimming the budget by a half million dollars last night, the Batavia City School Board has already cut the proposed property tax increase from 23 to 16 percent, according to WBTA's Dan Fischer. City Schools Superintendent Margaret Puzio told Fischer that she hopes an offer of early retirement option to three labor unions could help stave off any outright layoffs of teachers or staff. Puzio also hopes and expects to further reduce the tax increase. Visit the WBTA Web site to hear her comments on that.

Batavia city schools are closed today for Superintendent's Conference Day. Also, LeRoy BOCES school is closed today due to a water main break.

Batavia's City School Board will meet tonight at 7 o'clock to discuss the proposed budget for next year, WBTA's Dan Fischer reports. In its current version, the budget calls for a 23 percent property tax increase.

Students will not have classes at Notre Dame High School today. A funeral mass will be held this morning at 10 o'clock at St. Anthony's Church for Nadine Netter, the school's cook who died unexpectedly last week.