Linkages Excellence to the Community November 2012

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CommunicatingLinkages Excellence to the Community November 2012

The Sound of Music at GCS One of the world’s favorite musicals, The Sound Of Music, will be staged in three performances by the award-winning Geneseo Central School Drama Club. The show will be presented November 16 and 17 at 7:30 PM, with a 2:00 PM matinee on the 17th, in GCS’ McCarthy Auditorium, 4050 Avon Road, Geneseo. Tickets are $10.00 for adults and $8.00 for students and seniors; they are available by calling 243-8088. The Sound of Music A warm and honest family story that’s based on fact, The Sound Of Music combines drama and comedy. The THREE PERFORMANCES ONLY script by Howard Lindsay and Russel Crouse is based on November 16 at 7:30 pm and Maria Augusta Trapp’s memoir The Trapp Family Singers. November 17 at 2:00 pm and 7:30 pm It also boasts of an exceptional song score by Richard Rodgers and Oscar Hammerstein II that includes the infectious “Do-Re-Mi,” the soaring “Climb Ev’ry Moun- tain,” the catalog of warm images “My Favorite Things,” the folksy “Lonely Goatherd,” the nostalgic “Edelweiss,” and the rousing title song. It tells of Maria Rainer, a high-spirited postulant in pre- WWII Austria, who is sent by her Mother Abbess to act as governess to the seven children of an autocratic naval captain and widower Georg von Trapp, in order that she may discover if she truly has a religious vocation. Maria’s love of music and life soon endears her to the children. But two circumstances bring danger into their lives: Maria’s grow- ing feelings of love for her already engaged employer and the Captain’s unconcealed detestation of the Nazi regime that is occupying his homeland. Playing Maria in the GCS production is Melita High-spirited governess Maria (Melita Kingston) GCS Board of Education Kingston. Captain von Trapp is portrayed by Ben Kelly. arrives in the home of the autocratic Captain The von Trapp children played by Evan Halstead, Emily Stephen Miskell, President von Trapp (Ben Kelly) in the GCS Drama Club production of The Sound Of Music. Slade, Josh DeBell, Jordan VanBuren, Mallorie Allan, Roger Collins, Vice-President and Addy Capel, with Mary Rutigliano as Liesl, the eldest Alfred Dietrich daughter. David Dwyer Courting Liesl is young Rolf, played by Jamie Andrest. Captain von Trapp’s fiancee Elsa Schrader is Leah Fletcher, Ph.D. played by Emily Mullin and family friend Max is played by Kyle Fletcher. Sara Finn is the Mother Abbess Mark Peace and playing nuns are Ashley Dee, Logan Ellis, and Felicity Thomas. Craig Phelps Also in the cast are Desiree Alexander, Paul Allen, Alexandria Barnett, Skye Boughton, Matthew Capel, Hannah Case, Makenzee Cohoon, Lexi Conner, Mallory Crane, Noah Crane, Joel Cripps, Han- Timothy C. Hayes, nah Gressinger, Sarah Halstead, Phoebe Hartvigsen, Kate Hochbrueckner, Garrison Hunt, Theresa Superintendent Ingro, Brittani Jopson, Brigid Kelly, Sean Kelly, Morgan Kennedy, Michaela Kingston, Anna Lamb, Eric Kyle Adamczak, Leary, Claire Linton, Francesca McClure, Zach Messerschmidt, Amanda Ortiz, Jaylene Pfaff, Emma Linkages Editor continued on page 4 2 Geneseo Central School District

Capital Project Nears Completion School Board by Timothy Hayes, Superintendent Recognition Week In May of 2011 the District broke ground on an $11.4 million project, representing the largest Governor Andrew M. Cuomo declared capital project ever undertaken by the Geneseo Central School District. All areas of the campus October 29 to November 2, 2012, as School have been impacted by the scope of this project. This fall, the last components of the project are Board Recognition Week. nearing completion. The work that has been completed has been widely praised by students and In his proclamation, Governor Cuomo staff, and visitors to our building have been very complimentary of our renovated spaces. states that “members of school boards are The first phase of the project took place in the spring and summer of 2011. This work involved dedicated to children, learning, and com- a complete overhaul of the District roadways and parking lots, renovations in the elementary munity, and devote many hours of service to gym, upgrades to Bondi Field (including the installation of a new all-weather track and multi-sport elementary and secondary public education scoreboard), and new drainage and natural turf upgrades on the Don Debadts’ Field of Dreams. as they continually strive for improvement, Current outside work includes additional lighting in the back parking lot and roadway and the excellence, and progress in education.” painting of the yellow mansard, on the exterior of the building, to a beige color. “Members of New York’s local school The second phase of the project began in January of 2012 and focused mainly on the inside of boards respond to the educational needs of the building. This phase included major renovations and upgrades to many of the core facilities on the communities they serve and, in doing so, campus. Improvements included a complete renovation of McCarthy Auditorium and the main these leaders help strengthen our state’s edu- lobby, the pool and large gym, all of the locker rooms and team rooms, the kitchen and cafeteria, cational system and improve future prospects and the band and chorus rooms. Offices in the District Hallway were also renovated including the for our children,” he added. special education, curriculum, business and superintendent’s offices. Geneseo Central School is fortunate to In the middle school/high school, renovations were completed in the media center, technology have seven outstanding people serving on the and business classrooms, health and home economics rooms, the nurse’s office, special education Board of Education. These community leaders classrooms, and a new storage space was added for the Odyssey of the Mind program. attend twice monthly meetings and participate In the elementary school, the media center has been completely enclosed and remodeled. A new in workshops on the local level and in Albany. elementary music classroom was created and major renovations occurred in the enrichment class- They serve on committees, attend school room. In addition, the elementary office was moved in order to be located at the current entrance to plays, concerts, and athletic contests. They the elementary building. The former office area is being converted in to special education classrooms oversee the educational policies, programs, and spaces for speech services, occupational therapy and physical therapy. and finances of our District. The quality of work in a capital project is dependent on the people involved in the oversight and They are the eyes and ears of our commu- management of the project. The District has been most fortunate to have Tom Curtin serve in the nity for the Geneseo public schools. role of Construction Manager for this project. Tom is the maintenance supervisor for the District and his extensive construction background made him the perfect individual to serve as the District’s Thank you for your dedicated overseer for the project. Tom is a long-time District resident who cares deeply about the quality of community service and your the facilities at GCS. Tom has had the assistance throughout the project of Bill McTarnaghan who has efforts on behalf of our students: served as the clerk of the works for the District. Bill has dedicated an enormous amount of time and energy to insure that the very best work is being done in all aspects of the project. Bob Irwin (GCS Class of ’76) has been the on-site manager for Building Innovation Group, the general contractor for the project. Bob’s connection to the District has been a very positive factor in the quality of the project. The work of Tom, Bill and Bob has been instrumental in a project that has resulted in wonderful new spaces for our students, staff and community. For many years, the physical facilities of our Dis- trict were in need of upgrading. Geneseo Central now has excellent facilities that will provide exceptional learning venues for the next generations of GCS students. A ribbon cutting ceremony is being planned for January 16, 2013. Please watch the District webpage and local news sources for details. Left to Right: Bob Irwin, Tom Curtin, & Bill McTarnaghan Communicating Excellence to the Community 3 Getting Geneseo Central School to the Next Level by Stephen P. Miskell, Board of Education President “If you bungle raising your children, I don’t think whatever else you do matters very much.” ~ Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis The Board of Education reflected on the former First Lady’s quote teachers with the support they need to be successful. When comparing when it met for its annual goal setting retreat on August 6th. Working ELA results for Geneseo with the Pittsford Central School District, it with the administrative team, the board established ambitious long became clear that an important distinction is the level of achievement range goals for children attending Geneseo Central School, including: our students start at when compared with their peers in Pittsford. • 90% of our elementary students will read at or above grade level by We believe that if we can get our children off to a stronger start in the the end of third grade. primary grades, they will compare favorably with students in the suburban school districts • 90% of our high school students will take at by the time they graduate from high school. To least one Advanced Placement course before “The board recognizes this end, the board is currently considering a graduating from GCS. that one of its most K-5 Summer School targeted to students at risk To establish these goals, the board and important functions of falling behind, a Universal Pre-Kindergarten administrative team reviewed data to identify Program, and a program for literacy for our Geneseo’s current level of success, including is to develop a budget most at risk readers in the primary grades. At the Business First rankings for Rochester area that supports the the middle/high school level, higher targets school districts, New York State Math and Eng- mission, vision and are being considered for mastery level scores lish Language Arts (ELA) assessments at the el- on NYS Regents Exams, as well as enhanced ementary and middle school levels, and results goals of the district.” standards for Honor Roll, High Honor Roll, of NYS Regents Examinations. Geneseo’s results National Junior Honor Society and National were compared not only to schools within the Honor Society. Genesee Valley Educational Partnership (GVEP), but to high perform- President John F. Kennedy once said, “A Rising Tide Lifts all Boats.” ing suburban schools such as Pittsford and Brighton as well. While President Kennedy was referring to macroeconomic policy for To make the attainment of these ambitious goals a reality, the board our nation, the metaphor is very appropriate for the goal setting and recently adopted goals for the 2012-13 school year in three key areas: budget development processes at Geneseo Central School. By raising Academics, Community and Collaboration, and Fiscal Stability and standards for academic achievement and making sure that appropri- Facility Maintenance. The board is also in the process of developing a ate support is in place for children to be successful, we believe that all five year Strategic Plan, which will clearly map out the strategy to make of our children will graduate well prepared to succeed in college, the Geneseo not only the top performing district among schools in the military, and our nation’s workforce. GVEP, but also on par with the highly competitive suburban schools in On behalf of the Board of Education, I invite all members of the Monroe County. community to have their voices heard as we build our budget for the The board recognizes that one of its most important functions is 2013-14 school year. Please join us at the second annual Community to develop a budget that supports the mission, vision and goals of the Budget Forum, to be held on Saturday, December 1st at 9:00 am in the district. To achieve the ambitious goals that have been established, the MS/HS Library Media Center. In the meantime, you are encouraged to board and administrative team are working to provide our students and attend any and all school board meetings, which are held the 1st and 3rd Tuesdays of each month, again in the Tom Preston Media Center.

Geneseo Central to Host Budget Forum In order to inform the school community and engage district residents in the development of the 2013-2014 budget, the Geneseo Central School Board of Education has announced that it will hold a special Budget Forum on Saturday, December 1st at 9:00 am. The forum will provide information on current budget conditions for education in New York State and at Geneseo Central. Superintendent Tim Hayes will explain how these conditions are impacting the upcoming budget years for the District. This remainder of the forum will be dedicated to small group discussions where all school community members will be asked for input regarding program priorities and cost sav- ing opportunities for the District. The Budget Forum will be held in the Thomas Preston Media Center located in the Middle School/High School. The forum will end promptly at 10:30 am. Child care will be available. 4 Geneseo Central School District

Sound of Music continued… GCS Filmmakers Win More Awards Post, Hunter Radesi, Olivia Radesi, Ethan Three films produced by Geneseo students won Roth, Anthony Rutigliano, John Rutigliano, awards at the Arts Council for Wyoming County Madison Scoville, Cameron Skidmore, Bailey Youth Film Festival. The awards were voted on Steinhauer, Dan Teall, Emily Watkins, Sarah by jury and by audience members, and were Watkins, and Courtney Welch. presented July 7 in the ACWC gallery, in The GCS production of The Sound Of Music Perry, by Trini Kuzmicki of Harts Insur- is directed by Bettina DeBell; it is produced ance Agency. by Chuck Nesbitt, and musical direction is The “Golden Holstein Jury Prize for provided by Emily McAdoo. Special Achievement” went to Amanda Also behind the scenes: stage manager-- produced by high school student Rebecca Esham; sound—K. Callaghan Cylke Amanda Jerome. and Jacob Lyon; lighting and spots—Matthew The “People’s Choice Award for Esham, Sean Bennett, and Abigail Phillips; Achievement in Video, Grades K-3” went crew—Kyle Scoville, Paul Cripps, Riley El- to Geneseo Cinderella, made by the team of lison, Stacy Ledwith, Josh Ruskauff, Han- Jake Scoville, Ava Scoville, and Jasmine Rozalski. nah VanWuckhuyse, and Maggie Wheeler; props—Nelle Argentieri, Stephanie Graham, The “People’s Choice Award for Achievement in and Julia Pavio; costumers—Autumn Lux, Video, Grades 10-12” went to Dream Driver, produced Kara Meierdiercks, Haley Moran, Paige More- by Sean Bennett. land, Gwen Norton, and Martha Norton; and Each of these short-short films were previous the house managers are Emily Podhorecki and award-winners at the 2012 Genesee Valley Educa- Elizabeth Kaye. tional Partnership Digital Media Festival. Composer Richard Rodgers (1902-1979) Top Right: 2012 ACWC Youth Film Festival Award- was born in NYC and educated at Columbia winners. Front, left to right, Jasmine Rozalski, Jake Scoville, University. He collaborated with lyricist Lo- and Ava Scoville, accepting their People’s Choice Awards for renz Hart on a number of hit musicals before Geneseo Cinderella from Trini Kuzmicki of Harts Insurance teaming with Oscar Hammerstein II (1895- Agency. 1960). Hammerstein (also born in NYC) had Bottom Right: Sean Bennett (left) won the ACWC People’s Choice Award for his short film Dream previously collaborated with such distin- Driver and Amanda Jerome won the special jury prize, the Golden Holstein, for her film Amanda. guished composers as Rudolf Friml, Sigmund Romberg, Vincent Youmans, and Jerome Kern. Together, Rodgers and Hammerstein wrote nine shows, including Oklahoma!, Car- ousel, South Pacific, and The King And I. Howard Lindsay (1889-1968) was born in Waterford, New York. He attended Harvard University and the American Academy of Dramatic Art and started out as an actor before becoming a playwright. In 1934, he teamed with Russel Crouse (1893-1966). Crouse, born in Findlay, Ohio, was a newspa- per reporter and publicist before becoming a playwright. Together, the pair collaborated on Anything Goes, Call Me Madam, Life With Father, and the Pulitzer Prize-winning The State Of The Union. The Drama Club’s benefit performances of last spring’s Charlotte’s Web earned $3,000, that was The Sound Of Music was a hit on Broadway, donated last summer to Ronald McDonald House Charity of Rochester in memory of Brigid opening in 1959 with Mary Martin as Maria. Herlihy. Pictured, far left, is Patty Schwarzwelle, Director of Development of Ronald McDonald Hollywood’s 1965 film version starring Julie House Charity of Rochester, accepting the donation from past and present Drama Club mem- Andrews was wildly popular, becoming one bers (left to right) Tom Hartvigsen, Heather Leary, Kathryn Nesbitt, Ben Kelly, Ethan Fletcher, of the most successful motion pictures of the and Rebecca Esham. twentieth-century. Communicating Excellence to the Community 5 School Pesticides On July 1, 2001, a state law came into effect requiring every school to maintain a list of parents who wish to receive advance notice of Of Note... pesticide application in their school building. Each time pesticides …percussionist Callaghan Cylke has been selected to for this are scheduled to be applied at the school, parents on the list must be year’s Area All-State Music Festival, held November 2-3, at Roberts provided with a written notice at least 48 hours in advance specifying Wesleyan College. This is the second consecutive year Callaghan has date and location of the application, the name and EPA registration been so honored. number of the product being applied, the name and number of a per- ...Little Leaguer Jessica Ruskauff was selected as a Livingston County son at the school who can be contacted to discuss the precautions be- News Athlete of the Week. ing taken to protect children from exposure, and telephone numbers ...Hailey Hopper was named Livingston County News Athlete of the of information services that can provide specific information about Week for winning the free-shooting championship at last summer’s the pesticides being applied. Therefore, if you wish to be notified of Hazardous Basketball Camp. such use, please fill out this form and return to the Business Admin- istrator at Geneseo Central School prior to December 10, 2012. For ...golfer Kevin Herlihy won the Livingston Country Club Junior further information please contact the Business Administrator at Championship and was also named a LCN Athlete of the Week. 4050 Avon Road, Geneseo, NY 14454, 243-3450, ext. 2219. In the ...volleyball player Aubrie Johnsen was named Athlete of the Week event of an emergency application necessary to protect against an by the Livingston County News. imminent threat to human health, a good faith effort will be made to …cross-country runner Brittany Johnson was profiled in the “Met- supply written notification to those on the 48 hour prior notification calf’s Hot Corner” feature of the Livingston County News. list.

Geneseo Central School District Request for Pesticide Application Notification

Date______

I am the parent (or guardian) of______

who attend(s) Geneseo Central School in the following grades:______. Please consider this my formal request to be placed on the list to receive pesticide notices and information. All notices are to be mailed to the following address: (Please Print Clearly)

Name______

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I can be reached by telephone at the following numbers:

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Sincerely, ______6 Geneseo Central School District

Geneseo Central School is pleased to welcome our new staff. Each brings excellent credentials and energy to our students and will be an outstanding addition to the knowledgeable and committed GCS faculty. Parents that are interested in learning more about the credentials or qualifications of their child’s teacher may contact the District Office. More new faces will appear in our next issue of Linkages.

in the film The Godfather. How I keep active: I play and coach tennis, LORNA ALMEIDA, Educational run, bike, and swim. I have done two half Interpreter For The Deaf If could host a dinner party and could invite anybody in history…the guests would in- marathons, relay marathon, two sprint triath- Hometown: Livonia clude Sacajawea, George Washington Carver, lons, and presently training for a 15K. Family Ties: Jane Austen, Josiah the boy-king of Israel, The I root for: New York Mets, Syracuse Univer- John (husband) Smothers Brothers, Margaret Thatcher, Thom- sity basketball, and Buffalo Sabres. and three as Jefferson and Susan Hayward. I would Favorite athletes: Mets’ David Wright and children, six serve scallops and shrimp over linguine, and a tennis players Steffi Graf and Pete Sampras. grandchildren, raspberry and chocolate trifle for dessert. Community service: Habitat for Humanity two great-grand- Freetime: Cooking, road trips, needlework children, and one CHRISTOPHER MORENS, Special on the way EMILY MCADOO, MS/HS Vocal Education Teacher Education: Fisher College, Boston, MA Music Teacher, Assistant Director of Hometown: Troy, NY Inspiration: A deaf family I knew in Mas- Musical, Director of Show Choir Education: sachusetts who has had to overcome many Education: Bachelor’s Geneseo State challenges while living in a hearing world. degree in Music University- Prior to GCS: Monroe BOCES #1 Education with Undergrad First impressions of GCS: Dedicated staff, voice and piano 2007- many smiles, and hidden hallways concentration Childhood and Professional Honors: Employee of the Year/ from Nazareth Special Education; R.E.A.D.S. Collaborative, Middleboro, MA College and Geneseo State masters degree Philosophy of Education: You never stop University- Graduate from SUNY learning! 2010- Literacy Specialist University at Buffalo in Prior to GCS: Easter Seals New York in On my bookshelf: Pride and Prejudice by Jane Musicology with concentration in film music. Austen, works of C.S. Lewis, grandchildren’s Irondequoit and York Elementary School. Inspiration: I believe music provides a strong storybooks, and text books Professional awards: A grant from the Tri- work ethic and builds self confidence. I want County Teacher Resource Center for a project Turn up the radio for: Contemporary to make a difference in students’ lives by involving graphic novels and elementary level Christian, grand opera, showtunes, and Josh facilitating a positive and successful music students with disabilities. Groban environment. On my bookshelf: Jpod by Douglas Coupland Critic’s Choice: (theater) Les Miserables; Prior to GCS: I worked for three years as vo- and Mockingjay by Suzanne Collins (movie) Sense and Sensibility; (TV) Chopped cal director and tennis coach at Canisius High and Downton Abbey School in Buffalo. On my ipod: Jazz, ska, and rock How I keep active: Walking and swimming On my bookshelf: In the Time of Butterflies by Best Picture: The Nightmare Before Christmas I root for: Boston Red Sox and the Indianapo- Julia Alvarez; Jane Eyre by Charlotte Bronte; A Must-see TV: Chopped, The Office, & Mad Men lis Colts Wedding in Haiti by Julia Alvarez How I keep active: Run, bike and coach cross Favorite sportsman: My son, Mike, tight-end, On my ipod: Jazz music, Keith Jarrett, Adele, country and track & field at GCS. Bristol Plymouth Technical High School, Dave Brubeck, Jason Mraz… I root for: New York Rangers Taunton, MA, undefeated season, 1991. A perfect night at the theater: Drama at Inish Always room for more… ice cream Always room for more… pasta anything by Lennox Robinson Freetime: I like to travel to visit friends and Bragging rights: My Aunt Mary was an extra Must-see TV: Revenge and The Sing Off families. Communicating Excellence to the Community 7

New Faces continued… Favorite sportsman: Michael Waddell Philosophy of education: Fair education JEFF PRICE, Resource/ISS Teacher Aide Always room for more… venison does not mean that everyone gets the same education. Fair education requires that every Hometown: Bristol In my freetime: Hunting, camping, and coaching lacrosse. student receives what they need in order to Education: St. John succeed. Fisher College JONNY ZACHARIAS, First Grade On my bookshelf: The BFG by Roald Dahl, Inspiration: Teacher the Harry Potter series by J.K. Rowling, The My high school Emerald Atlas by John Stevens lacrosse coach, Hometown: Canan- daigua On my ipod: Dave Matthews, Tim McGraw, by being an edu- Kenny Chesney, Luke Bryan… cator on and off Education: Must-see TV: The Middle and Modern Family the lacrosse field. SUNY Geneseo How I keep active: Running and walking Prior to GCS: Honeoye Inspiration: Central School District During my I root for: Boston Red Sox Philosophy of Education: Student first inter- junior year of Always room for more… sushi and bacon active learning. high school I took bleu burgers a foreign language Currently reading: The Good, The Bad, & The If I could host a dinner party and could teaching class. For this class we would visit the Ugly New York Giants by Michael Benson invite anybody in history, the guests would elementary school every two weeks to teach include… Albert Einstein and Boston Red Turn up the radio for: Country, “Simple basic items in our foreign language. After our Sox catcher Jason Varitek. Man,” Brantley Gilbert… first visit with the fifth graders I immediately Best Picture: National Lampoon’s Animal knew I wanted to become a teacher and pur- House sued this ever since. Must-see TV: Sons of Anarchy and M*A*S*H Prior to Geneseo: Bloomfield Central School How I keep active: Lacrosse District and summer camp counselor in Fire Inspection Notice I root for: Ohio State University football Canandaigua. Notice is hereby given that the annual inspection for the year 2011-12 of the Geneseo school building of Geneseo Central School for fire hazards which Middle School Civil War Reenactor might endanger the lives of students, Eighth grader Max Todd loves American history; so much so he became a Civil War reenac- teachers, and employees therein, has tor. Max recently shared the living history insights he gleaned from his participation in reenact- been completed and the report thereof ments, with his peers in Danielle Hammel’s social studies classroom, when he brought to school is available at the office of Geneseo his Union uniform and gear. Central School at Geneseo for inspec- “Max’s wealth of knowledge gave students a real understanding of just how difficult it was for tion by all interested persons. those young men in the war,” said Mrs. Hammel. “The students were intrigued with everything, from the buttons made of bone to the horse hair toothbrush that Max car- ries in his haversack.” AHERA Management Plan Max’s grandparents introduced him to the excitement of the Civil War The annual Geneseo Central School and have helped him develop an interest in reenactments. He has partici- Asbestos Hazard Emergency Re- pated in reenactments at Hamlin Beach as well as in Cal-Mum. His future sponse Act (AHERA) Management plans include travelling to Gettysburg to take part in the upcoming Plan is available for review by contact- reenactment to mark the 150th anniversary of that battle. ing Tom Curtin at 243-3450, ext. 4168. While all friable asbestos has been removed from the district, ongoing maintenance and inspection activities will be conducted to ensure non-friable asbestos-containing materials (i.e. floor tiles) remain in safe condition.

Civil War reenactor Max Todd. 8 Geneseo Central School District

Upcoming… Jacy Good Urges Students to November Hang Up and Drive 12 ��Recess Guest speaker 16 ��The Sound Of Music, 7:30pm Jacy Good, the 17 ��The Sound Of Music, 2pm & renowned advocate 7:30pm for cell-free roads, 21-23 ��Recess spoke to high school students from 26 ��Financial Aid Night, 6:30pm personal experience December about the dangers 5 ��MS & HS Band Concert, 7pm of texting and talking on phones 6 & 7 ��K-6 Parent Teacher Conferences, while driving. The K-6 Dismissal at 11am September 13 pre- 11 ��K-5 Choral Concert, 7pm sentation and was both a sobering and 13 ��MS & HS Choral Concert, 7pm Left to right: Trooper Kelley J. Mietlicki (NY State Police School and inspiring experience 14 ��End of 15 Weeks Community Outreach Coordinator), Annie Mills, Jacy Good, Sean for the students. 19 ��Elem, MS & HS Strings Ledwith, and Geneseo Police Officer Jeffrey Szczesniak. In 2008, Miss Concert, 7pm Good, her mother and father, were the victims of a horrific road accident caused by driver who 24 - Jan. 1…Recess ran a red light because he was distracted by a cell phone conversation. January The crash claimed the lives of her parents. Despite unequalled medical care that included 2 ��Modified Boys Basketball eight-and-a-half hours of surgery after her extraction from her crumpled vehicle, Miss Good Begins was given just a 10% chance of survival as she lay comatose that first night. Thankfully, her laundry list of injuries managed to heal through time (with a healthy dose of titanium rods, 7 ��Junior Parent Meeting, 7pm plates, and screws) but due to a traumatic brain injury she is unable to use her left arm or lower 12 ��Solo Fest at Warsaw CS leg and has minor lingering cognitive issues. 16 ��MS/HS Jazz Band & Show Less than a year after that life-altering accident, she began to campaign for a cell phone ban Choir Concert, 7pm in her native Pennsylvania. This unexpectedly triggered national media attention. 19 ��Solo Fest at GCS, Grades 7-12, Realizing her story could impact and potentially save lives she has, since June 2010, spoken 8am-1pm at over 100 events across the country to nearly 100,000 people, encouraging the public to make 21 ��Recess safer choices, companies to develop and enforce cell phone policies, and legislators to put in 22-25 ��Regents Exams place the necessary laws to protect the public. 25 ��End of 20 Weeks Parent Portal Now Available for MS/HS SchoolTool, a new student database, has been introduced at GCS. SchoolTool allows parents of middle and high school students access to classroom grades and attendance records of their POOL NOW children. OPEN The system is called the “Parent Portal.” All parents who have provided an email address to GCS have had a Parent Portal The pool is now open and account set up. morning lap swim is every day school is in session, from 6:00 - An email was sent out in early October giving instruc- 7:30 am. Family swim is every tions on how to access the parent portal account. If you Tuesday & Friday that school is in did not receive this email or have questions regarding session from 7:00 - 8:30 pm. the account, you can find the Parent Portal link under the “Parents” section of the district website. If you have any questions, For more information, please contact Kathy Mackey please contact Staci Bufano at in the guidance office at (585) 243-3450, ext. 1019, or by [email protected]. e-mail at [email protected]