Blue Jay By-Line September 2021 Whitesville Central School WCS, Empowering Learners to Lead, Innovate and Communicate _____________________________________________________________________________________________________ National Junior Honor Society Induction CONGRATULATIONS Katrina Lewis Alexys Palmatier Grace Fry Graci Lewis-Ellison Holden Matteson Girls’ Varsity Softball Seniors A completed Free and Reduced Meals application is required for all families that are income eligible. CONGRATULATIONS However, ALL families are ENCOURAGED to Jenna Button & complete the application to help with grant Jessica Erdmann funding. PLEASE REFER TO THE ENCLOSED SCHOOL MEAL APPLICATION FOR MORE INFORMATION. Senior Class Day Trip #3 had us traveling north to Buffalo. We boarded our coach bus early in the morning – the Class of 2021 likes to travel in style!! Our morning activity was the Buffalo Bicycle “Wing Tour” - and yes, we all traveled around on bikes, even our advisors – they made sure they didn’t lose any students by bringing up the rear. Our afternoon activity in Buffalo was a visit to the Buffalo Zoo. The Buffalo Zoo has some of the world's most exotic, endangered, and even local wildlife! But then again, so does the WCS Class of 2021!! We then made a stop for Ice Cream . Mrs. Tronetti has taught us that Ice Cream makes everything better!! We ended our day in Buffalo at the Walden Galleria where we shopped ‘til we dropped and then had dinner at Dave & Busters. This must be what heaven is like because we could Eat & Play at the same time!! It’s amazing to discover how competitive the folks you’ve been in school with all these years are over a game!! The WCS Class of 2021 would like to thank the Whitesville Community for supporting all their fundraisers throughout the years which enabled us to create Memories for a Lifetime as we all spread our wings and get ready to fly . we will always know where our roots are!! #livingourbeststories #wcsclassof2021webringthefun 2020-2021 Covid-19 Essay, Anonymous 5th grader Last year, on March 12, 2020, it was just a normal day until the next day came. Everything shut down all over the world because of a deadly sickness called COVID-19. And it really changed our lives. Before COVID-19 even existed, life was completely different. You did not have to wear hand sanitizer 24/7. Face masks were not as popular and needed as they are now. People did not have to social distance. Nobody was quarantined. We did not know what zoom meetings were at first. Everything was open. We were allowed to socialize more than we do now. Then on March 14, 2020, life changed. Schools had to shut down. People were dying because of COVID-19. It affected seeing friends and family, touching people and their things, and transportation. We must stay six feet apart in public. It also affected learning, so we had to do zoom meetings. People had to be quarantined. More people are in the hospital. We must test for COVID-19, and if we test positive then we get quarantined. It may have affected other’s moods and feelings. COVID-19 limits important and fun things which might make life harder for some people. Whitesville Central School’s Reopening Plan At-A-Glance **As of August 11, 2021, subject to change based on NYSED, CDD and DOH Guidance** Preventative Strategies • Acceptable face masks are required to School Day Schedule be worn at all times; however, students • School Day will be Face to Face Monday - Friday will be able to remove masks during Transportation meals, instruction, and mask breaks • School start and end times remain the same: • Masks will be required at all times o K-12 will attend 7:50-3:09 • Parents are encouraged to screen their while riding the bus o Pre-K will attend 7:50-11:00 child each morning and keep them • Students will sit in assigned seats for home if they are sick • BOCES is unchanged: safety and contact tracing purposes o Junior BOCES students will attend in the AM session Monday - Friday o Senior BOCES students will attend in the PM • Anyone that needs to enter the school session Monday - Friday other than staff and students will need to report to the Main Office • Students will have a hallway locker and switch classes Classroom Instruction • Attendance will be taken daily for face to face • Microsoft Teams will be used in grades K thru 12th for consistency. learning as well as virtual instruction in the event • school closes due to COVID-19 or mandatory Students in grades 3-12 will have school issued laptop quarantine by the Department of Health • K thru 2nd will have a school issued iPad • Normal grading will be used for face to face instruction as well as virtual instruction in the event of a mandatory quarantine by the Department of Health Lunch, Recess, Athletics & Extracurricular Activities • Breakfast & lunch will be served to all students in the cafeteria • Students will not change for PE • Playgrounds will be open • Athletics and extracurricular activities will follow NYSED, DOH, & NYSPHSAA guidance Don’t feel well? Stay Home When You Are Sick Tell your mom, dad, or caregiver before you come to school.Tell your teacher or an adult if you become sick at school cough Shortness of breath chills or problem breathing sore throat loss of taste muscle pain or smell Other symptoms include: fever, runny nose, diarrhea, feeling nauseous or vomiting, feeling tired, headache, and poor appetite cdc.gov/coronavirus CS 317450-A July 20, 2020 9:09 AM A message from Superintendent Emery.. Dear Whitesville Community, Welcome to the 2021-22 school year. Thank you to all who attended the Re-Opening/ARP Webinar held on August 11th. If you were unable to attend, please check out the “At a Glance” document in this By-Lines issue. The beginning of the school year will look similar to how we left off in June. We have kept the signage throughout the building for social distancing and masks are still required when not socially distanced. This will help keep our students and staff safe and our doors open. Whitesville has partnered with Andover for all sports teams this year. This will ensure we are able to offer our regular team sports and add JV teams to the basketball season. Please see the press release in this By-Line issue for more information. We have many new Blue Jays joining our school district this year! Please help me in welcoming: Christian Ambrosioni (Spanish Teacher), Cody Borden (Physical Education Teacher), Theresa Coyle (School Aide)., Rebecca Freeman-Brauen (Music Teacher), Claudia Neu (4th and 5th grade ELA and SS Teacher), Jennifer Reisman (Food Service Helper), Amanda McEvoy (Student and Family Support Specialist/After School Program Coordinator), Allyson Mitchell (Art Teacher), Yvonne Simmons (Cafeteria Manager), Emily Lane (1st grade Teacher), and Barbra Wascher (School Psychologist). We are very excited that each of them has made the choice and commitment to be at WCS! My commitment to Whitesville has not changed going into year three as your Superintendent. I will continue to lead by example, promote academic excellence and open lines of communication to continue growing Whitesville to be the best school for all our children. If you would like to join me on the WCS Advocacy committee to support our school, please email me at [email protected] for more information. Enjoy the rest of your summer! Nondiscrimination Notice: The Whitesville Central School District is Respectfully, an equal opportunity education institution and will not discrimination Tammy M. Emery race, color, religion, national origin, sex, sexual orientation, age, disability, or any other legally protected category. _____________________________________________________________________________________ For information regarding civil rights, admissions, grievance HOME - TO - SCHOOL CONNECTION procedures, services, activities, and facilities that are usable by person Student Insurance: with disabilities, contact the Superintendent, Whitesville Central The School District School, 692 Main Street, Whitesville, NY 14897 Parents of provides an accident Home Instructed If you believe you have been subjected to discrimination or insurance policy for each Students: harassment, you are encouraged to complete the Discrimination/ school child. Coverage Harassment Complain Form (located on the school’s website) and includes riding a bus to Just a reminder to submit quarterly submit it the Superintendent. If the Superintendent is the subject of and from school and your complaint, you may submit the form to the building Principal or during attendance at reports for your children. Annual the Board of Education President. You will not be retaliated against school. If an accident for filing a complaint. should occur, it is Assessments must reported to the nurse be filed with fourth Pesticide Use Notification: School law requires that the District quarter reports. who keeps a record of all maintain, on an annual basis, a list of parents who wish to receive injuries. If an injury Parents of students advance notice of pesticide applications at the school their child necessitates seeing a who intend to attends. To have your name included, a formal written request doctor for treatment, you educate their must be submitted. Forms are available on the school website or must first submit children at home can be obtained by contacting the school. coverage under your own must provide a family health insurance written notice to Title 1 Notice: You have the right to request information program. The student the Superintendent regarding the professional qualifications of your child’s classroom accident plan is annually by July 1 of teacher(s) and paraprofessional staff. secondary and may not each school year. Title 1, Part A, Section 111(h)(6) cover all of the cost. A message from Principal McNeely.