education

We received this notice for parents of Batavia City school students:

Our school district will soon be able to contact you by an automated telephone/voice messaging system to notify you of emergency closings, important notifications, and specific school events.

We believe that this notification system is important as it will help to:
• Support safety and security in our schools
• Improve communication among our students, their families and the school district
• Contact our families and community about important events in a timely manner
• Increase family involvement in school activities and programs

In order to ensure that you receive these vital messages, it is necessary that we have your current phone number(s) on file. If you have already provided us with your revised phone numbers, we thank you. If you would like to update your telephone number(s), please contact the Main Office of the building your child attends.  If you have children in multiple buildings, you will only need to call one building to update your parent contact information for all your children’s records. Please contact us at 585-343-2480.

Ext. 2000 – High School
Ext. 3000 – Middle School
Ext. 4000 – Jackson Elementary
Ext. 5000 – John Kennedy Elementary
Ext. 6000 – Robert Morris Elementary

Please also let us know if you have any special needs to help us better communicate with you using this messaging system.  We thank you for your efforts to develop a strong partnership for our students.

Information submitted by Pam Buresch

It’s been just about a year since members of Miss Betsey Bodine's ND Environmental Awareness Club started actively filling up the large, green and yellow Abitibi recycling container which is located in the parking lot behind Notre Dame! Who says every little piece of paper doesn't add up!

Members of the ND family -faculty and staff, students, parents and friends of ND - can be proud of the fact that 25.27 tons - yes, tons!!! - of paper have been recycled during the past year through our Abitibi!

Congratulations on a job well done and keep up the good work!

Please pass the word . . . you do not have to be a member of the ND family to recycle in our recycling bin! Please encourage your friends, neighbors and relatives to use our Abitibi for recycling their papers and magazines and join us in our attempt to keep our campus - and our little bit of the world - GREEN!

Picture caption:  Student recyclers pose next to the Abitibi pickup truck on Friday, October 3, 2008. (L to R):  Haley Alexander '10, Alex Sandra Morgan '10, Sidney Moag '11, Sophia DelPlato '11 and Paul Teresi '11.

Item submitted by Notre Dame.

Elizabeth Fischer, daughter of Michael and Mary Anne Fischer of Medina, and a member of the ND Class of 2009 has been designated a Commended Student in the 2009 National Merit Scholarship Program.  Commended students are recognized for having demonstrated outstanding academic potential by their strong performance on the PSAT/NMSQT (Preliminary SAT/National Merit Scholarship Qualifying Test) which our current Juniors and Seniors took last October.  Our current Sophomores and Juniors will take the 2008 version of the NMSQT on Wednesday, October 15, 2008. 

Beth’s high Selection Index score on the PSAT exam last October places her among the top five percent of more than 1.5 million students in over 21,000 high schools who entered the 2009 competition.  Commended students are named on the basis of a national selection index of 200 which is applicable to all participants, without regard to state-by-state distribution.

A member in good standing of the ND Chapter of the National Honor Society since her Sophomore year, Beth has earned High Honor roll status in each quarter of her ND career, as well as highest average recognition in Biology and Global Studies 9 (2005-2006); Chemistry, Math 10, and Global 10 (2006-2007), and Physics, Math 11, AP US History, Spanish III and Theology (2007-2008).  She has also been an active member of the ND Student Senate, Science Club, and Mission Club and also currently serves as a morning PA announcer.

Beth is also very active in her parish (Holy Family) where she serves as a lector, Extraordinary Minister of Holy Communion and altar server.

Beth plans on pursuing a career in Biomedical Engineering and lists Cornell University, RIT, and Roberts Wesleyan as possible college choices. She will receive recognition for her Commended Student achievement at Notre Dame’s annual end-of-the-year Celebration of Gifts and Talent in May 2009.

Congratulations, Beth on this noteworthy achievement!

Information submitted by Notre Dame

This year's ND graduating class stands forty-two strong. Thirteen members of the Class of 2009 were commissioned as Extraordinary Ministers of Holy Communion at our Opening Day Mass on Friday, September 5, 2008. Father Michael Rock, OdeM., Pastor of Our Lady of Mercy in Le Roy, New York and a member of the ND Board of Trustees, performed the commissioning ceremony as part of the first mass of the year at ND.

Eleven of the students were trained at ND last spring by Deacon Tom Casey.  The remaining two were trained at their parish.  We look forward to their service to our community.

Caption:  L to R – Row #1: Henri Burdett, Eric Shormann, Melissa Smith, Brad Cohen, Kristen Francis and Beth Fischer

L to R – Row #2:  Craig Houseknecht, Stacy Squire, Paige Scofield, Kate Spadaccia, Matt Jackson, Ashley Calarco, Sean Zawicki

Information submitted by Notre Dame

The Notre Dame Volleyball Teams are fundraising to defray costs for Notre Dame students who will be participating in this year’s missionary experience to Camden, New Jersey.  The girls have been bicycling in the “Ride for Camden” effort for the last couple of weeks.  Each girl is riding fifty miles and asking for sponsorships per mile.  If anyone would like to sponsor one of these athletes please contact Rhonda DiCasolo, Carolyn Babcock, or any of the Notre Dame volleyball players.  Pledges from a penny to a dollar per mile are welcome as are donations in any amount.  We hope to provide an opportunity for more Notre Dame students to attend the life-altering experience of a week at Camden’s Romero Center.  Our trips in the past have always had such a tremendous impact on our students and staff.  Thank you to all who have already sponsored a volleyball player.

From Genesee Community College:

Dorothy Smith of Batavia, NY, Lead Teacher for the Toddlers, and Stephanie Kellogg of Oakfield, NY, Lead Teacher for the Pre-K of Genesee Community College Association Child Care Center have been awarded a Child Development Associate (CDA) Credential in recognition of outstanding work with young children. The credential was awarded by the Council for Professional Recognition in Washington, DC, which represents the early childhood education profession.

CDA is the only major national effort to improve early childhood education and care by evaluation and recognition of the skills of individuals providing care. The first Credential was awarded over 30 years ago, and now 49 states plus the District of Columbia include CDA in their childcare licensing regulations.

Today, parents who use early education and care are especially concerned about their children's welfare. With this in mind, as part of the CDA assessment process, every candidate for the CDA Credential is observed working with young children or families by an early childhood professional. In addition, the candidate must demonstrate the ability to work with families to develop children's physical and intellectual capabilities in a safe and healthy learning environment.

The CDA Credential is having a positive effect on the quality of early childhood education and care. Its impact is evident in center-based and home visitor programs as well as family child care, the most common form of care for children under five years old.

"We are very proud of the commitment and dedication exhibited by Dorothy and Stephanie," Maggie Hagen said. "This effort and their new credentials continue our ongoing belief in developing the skills that foster quality service and care for our children."

For further information on CDA, contact the Council for Professional Recognition at 2460 16th Street, NW, Washington, DC 20009-3575, (202) 265-9090 or (800) 424-4310. For further information on Genesee Community College Association Child Care Center call Maggie Hagen, Director, at 585-345-6833 or email: mkhagen@genesee.edu.

From the Richmond Memorial Library:

*Boys and Books:* The GRO program of the Richmond Memorial Library will offer a parent workshop that addresses the gender literacy gap and offers suggestions to parents of boys for fostering reading. This program will be held at 7:00 on Thursday, November 6, in the Gallery Room at the library. To register, call 343-9550 extension 4. Limited child care is available.

From GCC:

Pick up a pencil. Start with a line. See where it takes you. This is both an invitation, and the instructional challenge offered by local artist Diana ("Di-Di") Martin, who is leading a three-week, three-part drawing series at the Medina Campus Center intended for artists of all persuasions and levels of experience. From the novice to more experienced artist, the program will travel the road of the artistic masters while taking side trips for experimental techniques that provide creative freedom and flexibility to explore and expand individual skill and interest in drawing.

Among the topics Ms. Martin will introduce are: proportion; gesture drawing; composition principles; positive/negative space; Chiaroscuro; color; drawing what is seen versus drawing what the mind sees; visible ideas; and exploring the masters. Each class includes a demonstration as well as hands-on projects with plenty of assistance from the instructor. The artistic media choices include ebony pencils, or pastels, watercolors, or color pencils provided by the participants.

Part I of the three-part, three-week session starts Monday, November 17, and continues on Wednesday, and Friday, November 19 and 21. Part II is scheduled Monday, Wednesday, and Friday, December 1, 3, and 5, and Part III is Monday, Wednesday and Friday, December 8, 10, 12. All classes run from 9:30 to 11:30 AM. Each weekly part is just $10, or $30 for the entire program. Participants may register for one, two or all three parts. Advanced registration is requested, but not necessary.

Diana Martin is a local artist who spent a good part of the past two decades doing commissioned artwork, including a series of 36 baseball cards for Chicle Fantasy Company that was featured in Sports Illustrated. She teaches drawing and painting both privately and through organizations such as the Keenan Arts Center and GCC. Diana's studio, "The Drawing Room" is located at 936 Gwinn Street, just a short stroll from the Medina Campus Center.

Through her interest in taking computer classes from Genesee, a serendipitous arrangement of also teaching drawing developed. "There is such a wonderful group of people at the Medina Campus Center and the atmosphere is so positive that I am happy to be offering drawing classes and helping people with their own way of seeing the world," Diana said. "Sharing a vision of the world is a fantastic learning and growing experience for everyone."

For further information, or to pre-register, call the Medina Campus Center at 585-798-1688.

From the Cornell Cooperative Extension:
 
October 4 from 8 a.m. to 12 p.m. - Unwanted Pharmaceuticals Collection. Pavilion Fire Department, 11310 S. Lake Rd. (Rt. 19), Pavilion (1 mile south of Route 63). Residents will be able to dispose of unwanted, outdated and unused medicines, both prescription and over the counter drugs, FREE OF CHARGE and anonymously. Appointments are NOT required for this event. Residents from Genesee, Livingston and Wyoming Counties are eligible to participate. Sponsored by GLOW Solid Waste 1-800-836-1154.
 
October 6th through October 11th - National 4-H Week. 4-H is the only youth development program directly connected to the technological advances and latest research of Cornell University. 4 H members learn leadership, citizenship and life skills through hands-on projects in science, engineering and technology, healthy living, or citizenship. 4-H is one of the largest youth development organizations in America with more than 6.5 million young people ages 5-19, 538,000 volunteers, 3,500 staff and 60 million alumni. Learn more about the 4-H adventure at http://genesee.cce.cornell.edu/.
 
October 7th at 5:30 p.m. - Achievement Night and Volunteer Recognition Event. Held at the Kennedy Building located on the Genesee County Fairgrounds on Route 5 in Batavia. This is the perfect time to see what the best kept secret in Genesee County is all about. Join the 4-H youth, dedicated volunteers, and staff as they recognize the accomplishments of the past year.

October 9th at 6p.m. - Coffee and Dessert Series: “Putting Your Garden to Bed”. Held at the Extension Building. Your gardening tasks do not end with that killing frost.  There are many things you can do in your garden to assure gardening success next spring.  Let the Master Gardeners share their knowledge and tips with you. Other titles in the series include Spring Flowering Bulbs and Winter Birds. Cost is $10 per class and limited to fifteen participants per class. Pre-register at the Extension Center, 420 East Main Street in Batavia, visit our website at http://genesee.cce.cornell.edu, or contact Gail Culver at 343-3040, ext. 132 for more information.
 
October 16th from 4 p.m. - 7 p.m. - Anti-Rabies Immunization Clinic. LeRoy Village Highway Garage.  Offered by the Genesee County Department of Health. A $5 voluntary donation per dog, cat or ferret is requested to offset clinic expenses.
 
October 15th. Leadership Genesee Applications Deadline for 2009 – Applications are currently being accepted for the Class of 2009.  Application deadline is October 15th. For more information or to obtain an application, contact Program Coordinator Peggy Marone at 343-3040, ext. 118, stop by Cornell Cooperative Extension, 420 East Main St., Batavia or visit the website http://genesee.cce.cornell.edu.
 
October 18 - Agriculture Career Camp - Careers Related to the Viticulture Industry & Field Crop Farms. This is the second in a series of opportunities for 7th - 12th graders to explore the many careers that agriculture provides. The cost is $5 per session or $30 for all seven sessions. To register or for more details contact the CCE Ontario County office at 585-394-3977 x 427. Or visit http://fusiongrant.org and click on "Ag Career Camp".
 
October 20th at 5:00 p.m. – Board of Directors Finance Committee Meeting. Held at Cornell Cooperative Extension, 420 East Main St., Batavia.  For more information call 343-3040, ext. 112.
 
Tuesdays through October 21st - Positive Parenting Series – 3:30 p.m. to 5 p.m. at Cornell Cooperative Extension of Genesee County, 420 East Main St., Batavia.  Nutrition and Parenting Educator Mariellen Woodward-DeFelice will teach the following classes: Anger in the Family, Responsibility and Your Children, Disciplining Your Children, Setting Limits and Expectations, Winning Ways to Talk with Kids, and Family Enrichment. The series is offered at no cost to Genesee county residents and at a nominal fee for residents of surrounding counties. The next series will begin November 4th. For more information or to register contact Mariellen by phone at 343-3040, ext. 105, e-mail mew33@cornell.edu, or stop by the Extension Center located at 420 E. Main Street in Batavia.
 
October 23rd at 6p.m. - Coffee and Dessert Series: “Spring Flowering Bulbs”. Held at the Extension Building.  Do you know when and how deep to plant your tulips, daffodils, hyacinths, etc.  What is the latest you can plant your spring flowering bulbs?  This program will give you the “ins and outs” of spring flowering bulbs. Enjoy a cup of coffee or tea and some dessert while learning about your spring garden! “Winter Birds” will be offered November 6th. Cost is $10 per class and limited to fifteen participants per class. Pre-register at the Extension Center, 420 East Main Street in Batavia, visit our website at http://genesee.cce.cornell.edu, or contact Gail Culver at 343-3040, ext. 132 for more information.
 
Thursdays, October 2nd through November 13th - Positive Parenting Series – times vary. Held at the First Baptist Church - 5 East Main St. in LeRoy .  Nutrition and Parenting Educator Mariellen Woodward-DeFelice will teach the following classes: Anger in the Family, Responsibility and Your Children, Disciplining Your Children, Setting Limits and Expectations, Winning Ways to Talk with Kids, and Family Enrichment. The series is offered at no cost to Genesee county residents and at a nominal fee for residents of surrounding counties. For more information or to register contact Mariellen by phone at 343-3040, ext. 105, e-mail mew33@cornell.edu, or stop by the Extension Center located at 420 E. Main Street in Batavia.
 
October 28th from 8:30 am to 2:00 pm. Achieving Greener Communities through Civic, Private and Government Sector Innovation. Held at the Genesee River Restaurant, Mt. Morris, NY. This one-day conference of the Rural Learning Network of Central and Western New York will explore: The roles of local/regional/state governments, The contributions of citizens, civic organizations and public and private entities, The roles of research and innovation, The interrelationships among energy, land use, and climate change issues. For more information contact Jan at 585-343-3040 ext. 126 or stop by the Extension Center located at 420 E. Main Street in Batavia.
 
Fridays through October 31st from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. - Extension Educators at the Farmers’ Market.  Extension educators will be at the market Fridays throughout the summer and fall to offer hands on activities, food samples, soil testing and to answer any of your gardening, agriculture, 4-H and Youth Development or Nutrition questions. For a complete schedule of educators at the market call 585-343-3040, ext. 101 or stop by Cornell Cooperative Extension, located at 420 East Main St. in Batavia.
 
November 6th at 6 p.m. - Coffee and Dessert Series: “Winter Birds”.  Held at the Extension Building. This presentation is back by popular demand. Did you know that there will be different birds at your feeders during the winter months?  Do you know that to feed them or how to identify them?  Let our “birding” expert, Jan Beglinger give you in-depth information on this subject, while you enjoy coffee and dessert. Cost is $10 per class and limited to fifteen participants per class. Pre-register at the Extension Center, 420 East Main Street in Batavia, visit our website at http://genesee.cce.cornell.edu, or contact Gail Culver at 343-3040, ext. 132 for more information.
 
November 10th at 5:30 p.m. – Board of Directors Meeting. Held at Cornell Cooperative Extension, 420 East Main St., Batavia.  For more information call 343-3040, ext. 112.
 
November 10th, November 12th, November 17th, November 19th, November 24th from 7 p.m. to 9 p.m. Spanish For (Ag) Working People. Instructed by Camy Sorbello. Learn enough Spanish in ten hours to improve communication with your Spanish-speaking agricultural employees. English-speaking managers & co-workers learn enough job-oriented basic Spanish that allows them to greatly improve job performance, workplace quality & business functioning. Camy's teaching method is suited to people who have little time to learn Spanish, as she uses simple phrases & a non-grammatical approach, with an emphasis on the words & language customarily used in each specific business or job function. Camy is a professional Spanish translator. To ensure the best learning experience, we will have a maximum of 20 participants. Cost is $125 per person (includes handouts). Register by November 3rd by calling 585-343-3040 ext 126 or stopping by the Extension office at 420 E. Main Street in Batavia.
 
December 4th at 6 p.m. Holiday Greens Workshop.  Join Consumer Horticulture Educator Gail Culver and the Master Gardeners for a fun-filled hands-on holiday greens workshop. Participants will  be able to make a Holiday Wreath or Holiday Centerpiece. This workshop will be held at the Kennedy Building on the Genesee County Fairgrounds on Route 5 in  Batavia. Cost is $20 per person and pre-registration is required. Contact Consumer Horticulture Educator Gail Culver at (585) 343-3040, ext. 132, stop by the Extension office located at 420 East Main St. in Batavia or log on to http://genesee.cce.cornell.edu/.
 
December 9 from 9 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. - Agribusiness Economic Outlook Conference. Held at Cornell University, Kennedy Hall - David L. Call Alumni Auditorium. This year's conference will explore the theme of improved market access for New York farmers. The opening session, which will begin at 10 am, will examine emerging trends toward demand for local and regional food systems and emerging marketing and business opportunities in more distant markets. The theme of this portion of the program is Market Access for NYS Producers: Local and Long Distance Dimensions. For more information contact Jan Beglinger at 585-343-3040 ext. 126 or stop by the Extension office located at 420 East Main St. in Batavia.
 
2009 Agriculture Enrollment - This service provides subscribers with up-to-date information on trends in the agricultural sector by utilizing research-based knowledge from Cornell University. Included in this service, at no charge, are direct mailings of “emergency information” for commodities of interest to you and voting privileges at the Extension Association’s annual meeting to determine organization leadership. The deadline for enrollment in the 2009 agriculture information service is February 1, 2009.  Call Cornell Cooperative Extension of Genesee County at (585) 343-3040 ext. 126 or visit the Extension Center located at 420 East Main St. in Batavia for more information and enrollment packets.
 
4-H Participants - Please check the Extension website and refer to the monthly calendar for new and on-going events and deadlines. If you are interested in joining the 4-H program contact Amy at 343-3040, ext. 106 or stop by Cornell Cooperative Extension, located at 420 East Main St. in Batavia.
 
Eat SMART New York – This free, confidential program for food stamp participants and limited income individuals and families explores parenting strategies, healthy meal options, and ways to stretch food dollars.  For more information and to schedule an appointment, call the nutrition and parenting education program at 343-3040, ext. 134 or stop by Cornell Cooperative Extension, located at 420 East Main St. in Batavia.
 
Master Gardeners – Get answers on everything from landscaping to pest management.  Free service. Call 343-3040, ext. 127, 10 a.m. to Noon, Monday through Friday or e-mail geneseemg@cornell.edu, or visit the Master Gardener Office at Cornell Cooperative Extension of Genesee County, 420 East Main St., Batavia.
 
Master Gardener Home Diagnostic Service – Genesee County Master Gardeners conduct on-site visits to diagnose plant and pest problems, test soil pH, advise homeowners on gardening practices and more.  Cost is $25 for the first hour and $15 for each additional hour.  Fee includes informational packets, soil testing and diagnostic results. To schedule an appointment, contact Gail Culver, Consumer Horticulture Educator at Cornell Cooperative Extension of Genesee County, at 343-3040, ext. 132, e-mail gac11@cornell.edu, or visit the Master Gardener Office at Cornell Cooperative Extension of Genesee County, 420 East Main St., Batavia.
 
Master Gardener Speakers’ Bureau – Providing talks on a variety of topics, such as wildlife, local bird life, organic gardening, landscaping and more.  Programs can be tailored to meet audience needs.  Fee is $50, or $25 for non-profits in Genesee and surrounding counties.  For more information call Gail Culver, Consumer Horticulture Educator, at 343-3040, ext. 132, e-mail gac11@cornell.edu or stop by Cornell Cooperative Extension, located at 420 East Main St. in Batavia.