Casey Chronicle

Casey Families,

We’re excited to kick off our Spring Music Series and invite you to join us in celebrating the incredible talents of our student musicians. All concerts will take place in the Casey auditorium at 7:00pm. We hope to see you there!

Concert Schedule:

• May 15: Band 5 and Jazz 7/8

• May 22: 7/8 Orchestra and Chorus

• May 27: 5/6 Orchestra and Chorus

Congratulations to this month’s Student Spotlight recipients! Your hard work, leadership, and positive spirit continue to make Casey a special place for everyone. We’re proud to celebrate you!

A big thank you to the Rembold, Schara, Haas, Henzler, Bruno, Omerhodzic, Ernst, Baker, Henshaw, Ruhle, and Faber families for generously sponsoring our May faculty meeting. Your support and kindness are greatly appreciated by all of us here at Casey.

Thank you for your continued partnership,

Dr. Curella, Principal

Leon Sanchez, grade 5

From Ms. Martin:

"Leon is a kind-hearted and respectful student who is very considerate of others. Each morning, Leon is seen holding the door open for his peers, setting a positive tone for the day. He treats both peers and adults with kindness. Leon is also a hardworking and dedicated student. Leon completes tasks and takes pride in doing his best work. Great job, Leon!"

Lylah Brown, grade 5

From Mr. Scaduto:

"Lylah is always the student to try new things. She plays the saxophone in band, but she also took the opportunity to play in Junior Jazz Band. Lylah is picking up sports like basketball. She comes to class ready to learn every day. With all of the opportunities she takes advantage of, Lylah maintains her grades in the 90's. Go Lylah!"

Julianna Ware, grade 6

From Ms. Binkowski:

"Julianna is a very happy, positive, and polite girl. Whenever I see her, she makes sure to say hello with a smile. She cares greatly about her school work and always puts forth her best effort. She is also very willing to help her classmates when they need some extra support. She is a very caring and encouraging person who brings a great energy to the classroom.

Joey Matisz, grade 6

From Mr. Steinwachs:

" Joey always comes to Math and ELA with a positive mindset. He always has a smile on his face and is eager to learn. He works well with others, always helping others when needed, and loves to participate. His positivity and willingness to learn makes the classroom a better place for all."

Claire Oh, grade 7

From Mrs. Szafranski:

" Claire comes to school each day ready to engage in any activity that is presented to her. She is hardworking and has a great attitude, even when the activity may not be easy for her to complete. Her positive attitude, focus, and concentration in the learning environment is exceptional. Claire is truly a star student with a drive for excellence."

Jay'zi Anderson, grade 7

From Mrs. Kowalski:

" Jay'zi enters the classroom each day with a positive and polite attitude that brightens the room. He consistently shows a willingness to participate and approaches each activity with motivation. His energy and outlook set a great example for others and contribute to a supportive, engaging learning environment."

Jelyanis Lopez, grade 8

From Mrs. Askey:

"Jely brought a friend to the Health Office who needed some assistance. She was a caring advocate for her friend while with her and showed great concern for her well being. It was so nice to see students caring for each other and Jely truly showed what an amazing person she is."

Declan DiNunzio, grade 8

From Mr. Smart:

"Declan is always working to his fullest potential. He is kind to others, respectful to his peers and the adults in the building. Declan embraces challenges as opportunities."

Annual Budget Vote and Board of Elections will take place on

Tuesday, May 20

7am - 9pm

Williamsville North HS gym

The District is conducting a Transportation Efficiency Study to help optimize transportation in the District. As we prepare for the 2025-2026 school year, our goal is to ensure efficiency with overall ride time for students and also streamline arrival and dismissal at our buildings. Parents/guardians need to submit a response for arrival and dismissal for each child. The survey will be open on WITS Tuesday, April 1st through Monday, June 2nd.

Please note that once a parent/guardian makes their selection, the Transportation Efficiency Study will no longer be available.

Williamsville offers math acceleration beginning in 7th grade, allowing students to complete Algebra 1 by the end of 8th grade. Some students enter this pathway by enrolling in Math 7AA or Math 7A in 7th grade; others may initially take Math 7 -- the course your child is currently in -- but later decide they want to accelerate and take Algebra 1 in 8th grade. However, self-nominating directly from Math 7 into Algebra 1 is not permitted because the two-year middle school accelerated sequence compresses three years of math into two, making Math 7AA or Math 7A a required prerequisite.

To support students who wish to accelerate after successfully completing Math 7, we are piloting a new course in summer school called Math 7A Conversion. This course is designed to cover the Math 7A content that students would have missed in Math 7, ensuring students are prepared to enter Algebra 1 in 8th grade. By providing this option, students can join the accelerated math sequence at the middle school level, rather than waiting until high school to accelerate through summer courses.

If your child is interested in this option, please reach out to Casey's 7th grade counselor, Miss Medole.

The Williamsville Central School District is proud to provide students with a premiere public education, offering many opportunities for students to participate in advanced coursework and accelerate their learning.

We encourage all of our students and families to explore these educational opportunities offered by the District. The advanced courses offered in middle and high schools are available on the Advanced Coursework Opportunities webpage. Please be sure to review the pages for English Language Arts, Mathematics, and Science to understand the details associated with each content area. Middle school course descriptions are available on this webpage. High school course information for all content areas is available through each school’s Course Catalog, which is also linked on the Advanced Coursework Opportunities page.

Your child’s respective school is responsible for the development of individual student schedules. Questions related to advanced coursework should be referred to your child’s school counselor.

Recently, Governor Kathy Hochul announced her initiative of "Distraction-Free School Zones" throughout New York State. You can review the proposal and legislation on the Governor's website.

All school districts are required to submit a policy to the New York State Education Department by August 1, 2025 for implementation beginning September 1, 2025.

WKBW: 'A lot safer without phones': Parents, teachers, and pediatricians discuss proposed cell phone ban

ABC News: Teens spend over 1 hour on phones during school hours, new study finds

Main Office: (716) 626-8585

Attendance: (716) 626-8579

Health Office: (716) 626-8580

Guidance Office: (716) 626-8575

Fax: (716) 626-8562

You may already know now that WITS is your ultimate parent resource and communication platform for your child's school as well as the district. But do you know about all there is to offer? Click below for a quick tutorial on how to navigate the site and get the most out of what it has to offer.

The Williamsville Central School System provides an emergency notification system in which parents, faculty, staff, students, and community members can sign up to receive emergency notifications through e-mail, text message, and robo call. Please note: The District primarily uses e-mail and text message to send out messages. Click the link below to sign up. If you have any questions regarding eAlerts, please call our parent help desk at 716-626-8058.

EARLY RELEASES

If you are picking up your child for an early release that has been arranged with attendance, you will need to come into the Casey Main Entrance to sign your child out. Please remember to send in a note for early releases, late arrivals, and absences. You can also report your student's attendance by logging into WITS and clicking on the Daily Attendance line on the homepage.

DROPPING OFF FORGOTTEN ITEMS

If you are dropping off an item for your student, please ensure the item is labeled with the student’s name. For your convenience, post-it notes are available in our lobby across from the green drop-off carts. For sanitary reasons, we ask that any clothing items or shoes be placed in a bag before dropping them off. Your cooperation is appreciated.

VISITORS TO CASEY

All District buildings, including Casey Middle School, are using the RAPTOR system to sign visitors in/out. All visitors must enter the building at the main entrance on Casey Road. Please be prepared to show government issued ID, such as a valid driver’s license, upon entering Casey. We will scan your ID and issue a visitor's badge to be worn for the duration of your visit.

PARKING LOT REMINDER

Please avoid parking in the bus loop in front of the main entrance during morning arrivals (8:30-9:00am) and afternoon dismissal (3:15-3:45pm) so that your car does not get trapped by the buses coming into the loop. If you are coming to the school during these times, please park in the lot just north of the bus loop near the 5th grade wing.

• 5/15 - Band 5, Jazz 7/8 Concert
• 5/20 - Annual District Vote, North High School Gym, 7:00 AM - 9:00 PM
• 5/22 - 7/8 Orchestra, 7/8 Chorus Concert
• 5/23 - 2nd Annual Casey Fun Run
• 5/26 - No School for Memorial Day
• 5/27 - 5/6 Orchestra, 5/6 Chorus Concert
• 6/6 - No School for Eid al-Adha
• 6/10 - Flag Day Ceremony
• 6/12 - 7th Grade Class Field Trip
• 6/13 - 8th Grade Class Field Trip
• 6/19 - No School for Juneteenth
• 6/20 - 8th Grade Moving Up Ceremony
• 6/25 - LAST STUDENT DAY!

*Half Days (11:30am dismissal): 6/18, 6/20, 6/23 - 6/25

*Regents Exams Dates: 6/4, 6/10, 6/23 - 6/27

The last day of school will be

Wednesday, June 25th

Last Teacher/Rating Day

Thursday, June 26th

For your convenience and planning purposes, we have included below the end of year exam schedule.

Open House for the 2025-2026 School Year will be on

Tuesday August 26th!

More information to come!

It's never too late to join or renew your annual PTSA membership! If you haven't already, please consider joining. The PTSA is responsible for all the amazing events, activities, and "perks" provided to your students all year long. Made up entirely of volunteers, they work tirelessly year-round to give your students the most memorable and meaningful middle school experience possible. Membership is open to parents AND students! We highly encourage all to participate and take pride in your school!

The Casey Middle School PTSA worked closely with the school to provide students, staff, & families with new, fun activities, events, and programs this year! We also continued to support traditions that have been in place at Casey for years. We can't wait to do even more next year!

• 5th grade WEB Orientation luncheon
• Casey MS Open House Welcome table & food trucks
• Welcome Back Picnic for all students & staff
• Picture Day
• 5/6 Activity Night
• 7/8 Activity Night
• Teacher Appreciation Week
• Fun Run
• 7/8 Family Turf Night
• 5/6 Family Turf Night
• 8th Grade field trip
• 8th Grade t-shirts
• 8th Grade Moving Up Dance
• Teacher grants
• school Store
• Scholastic Virtual Book Fair
• Sponsor a Faculty Meeting
• End of the Year Picnic for all students & staff

We are off to a great start! Let's keep the momentum going. You can now sign up for our Casey Middle Fun Run! Our goal is to raise $17,500 for school sponsored events, assemblies, field trips, teacher grants, and more. Signing up is easy and free!

6/4 - 7/8 grade Event Night, 7-8:30pm

6/11 - 5/6 grade Event Night, 7-8:30pm

Lawn games, music, food trucks, and more!

The PTSA School Store will be open for students on select Fridays during lunches! Located just outside of the cafeterias, students can buy pens, pencils, erasers, stickers, and so much more!

Upcoming Dates:

May 9

May 30 (LAST DAY!)

Collect Dash’s Receipts and support our students!

Send receipts to the main office to Andrea Kulka.

Dash’s donates $2.50 for every $100 spent!

President Lindsay Mang (lindsaymang@hotmail.com)

President Christy McCarthy (christym381@gmail.com)

Membership VP Cheryl Rode (cherylrode01@gmail.com)

Treasurer Liz Cercone (enc1026@gmail.com)

Corresponding Secretary Jackie DiNunzio (jackiedinunzio@gmail.com)

Recording Secretary Amy Newkirk (amyenewkirk@yahoo.com)

SEPTSA Rep Amy Newkirk (amyenewkirk@yahoo.com)

PTSA Council Rep Andrea Smith (ascooper3@yahoo.com)

Board Liaison Mark Manna (mmannaboe@williamsvillek12.org)

Meeting dates/times are subject to change.

Please check the PTSA website for the most up-to date information.

May 14, 2025 @ 7pm

In the April issue of the WMB newsletter, find a special article on the passion and dedication of Casey's own Mrs. Eppich. She's one of our incredible band teachers and we're lucky to have her! Did you know she performed in the Columbus Symphony Orchestra and has a surprising talent for competitive Irish dancing?! Read more about her inspiring story in:

The Musical Journey of Mrs. Eppich

Congratulations to our Junior Jazz Band and Casey Jazz Band for their outstanding performances at the Northside Jazz Festival featuring guest artist Michael Dease! Our students were thrilled to have the opportunity to work with Mr. Dease during, learning from one of the leading jazz trombonists in the country!

• May 8 - 7/8 Concert Band NYSSMA Majors performance, Amherst MS, 7:15am (CMS)
• May 15 - 5th Grade Bank, Jr. Jazz & 7/8 Jazz Spring Concert, CMS Auditorium, 7:00pm
• May 16 - Springville Jazz Festival, all jazz, Springville HS, during school day
• June 10 - Flag Day Concert, CMS Gym, school audience only, 9:00am

CLICK HERE to join Williamsville SEPTSA! See below for the SEPTSA Newsletter as well as some fliers.