Happy April everyone! We are closing in on Spring Break in a week. After we come back from that, we will be in the last week of the 3rd marking period and heading into the final marking period. We harp on this a lot, but attendance at school is one of the most important factors in student growth and achievement. As we enter this final stretch of the school year, please continue to convey with your student the importance of consistent daily, and on time(!), attendance to school. We appreciate your support in helping your student reach their fullest potential!
Check out a couple of upcoming events that we have planned, and highlights from this past month, below.
Respectfully,
Dr. Whipple & Ms. Greibus
On April 8th, we will be having a building-wide assembly in the Auditorium with guest speaker Jared Campbell. Jared is an award winning singer/songwriter from upstate New York. He’s shared the stage with famous bands and musicians, been featured on TV and acknowledged by Billboard Magazine as one of the top independent musicians in the northeast. Jared presented to the Elementary school last school year and it was a big hit. Jared's presentation will focus on the topic of resiliency and help bring everything together from our PROUD lessons throughout the school year in a meaningful way. We will follow a 1:00pm event schedule that day, which is also linked here.
There is a new Athletics Monthly Calendar up in the cafeteria hallway. This calendar will showcase what athletic teams have games on what days and where they are. It's another resource to hopefully help game attendance increase as well as promote school spirit. Thank you to the Varsity Club for sponsoring this!
The All County Math League meet finally returned this year! The last All County meet was in early March of 2020. Gananda's All Star Mathletes traveled to Nazareth University to compete in a fun day full of challenging Math questions on March 20th. A total of 19 teams from the Rochester area attended this meet. Gananda came in 4th place in our Division. Everyone had a great time!
Great job to Annalivia, Peter, Olivia and Joey for earning the March Student of Month award! They have done a great job exhibiting our PROUD behaviors!
The 9th-grade team has selected Joey for demonstrating all PROUD attributes. Joey's outstanding performance is not limited to just one class. In every class, club, and initiative they participate in, they consistently put in 100% effort.
10th grade team has selected Olivia as our March Student of the Month. Olivia is driven to succeed. She is has been a great example of a hardworking student all year long!
The 11th Grade Team has unanimously selected Peter as our March Student of the Month. Peter consistently displays unity in the classroom by going out of his way to assist peers who may not understand course material as well as he does. He is a driven student who maintained high grades through a two-winter-sport season - no easy feat! And he is an all-around outstanding individual to have in the building. Congratulations, Peter!
The 12th Grade Team has named Annalivia as the Student of the Month for March. She has demonstrated outstanding effort in her classes the entire year and has been driven to do as well as she can on classwork and assignments. In addition, Anna did a wonderful job serving as the Stage Manager for the musical. It is a big job with a lot of responsibility where Anna practiced self control and promoted unity among the crew. Thanks for all of your hard work, Anna!
tMHFA Certification Complete!
Health/PDL Students Take the Lead in Mental Health Awareness
Students in our Health/PDL classes have officially completed all 3 sessions of the teen Mental Health First Aid (tMHFA) training and received their tMHFA certificates!
Special thanks to Liesl Schoonraad from WNY R-AHEC for delivering this powerful and practical training.
With this certification, our students are now equipped to:
Recognize the signs of a mental health challenge or crisis
Respond with confidence and empathy
Connect peers with appropriate support and resources
Key Takeaways from the Curriculum:
How to approach a friend who may be struggling
Understanding signs and symptoms of common mental health issues
The importance of reducing stigma
When and how to involve a trusted adult
Self-care strategies for maintaining mental wellness
We're so proud of these students for stepping up as mental health allies in our school community!
Juniors recently had the exciting opportunity to attend the International College Fair in downtown Rochester, where they explored over 200 colleges and universities from across the nation and around the world. Students engaged directly with admissions counselors, gaining valuable insights and making meaningful connections with schools of interest. As they move into the next phase of post-graduation planning, juniors will receive both individual and group guidance to navigate their next steps—whether that includes entering the workforce, pursuing specialized trade training, or attending a two-year or four-year college. By taking advantage of the counseling department’s resources and work-based learning opportunities, students will be well-prepared to transition confidently into their senior year and beyond.
Middle and high school students from our SWAG (Students with Academic Goals) and MASH (Medical Academy for Science and Health) Camps along with other interested students toured Nazareth University for 1/2 day on 3/27.Students explored college admission requirements, including scholarship opportunities and steps they can take in middle and high school to strengthen their applications. They also enjoyed a comprehensive tour of the University, discovering various majors, study abroad options, extracurricular activities, work opportunities, and more. During the tour, they had the chance to observe classes in the health sciences building, get a glimpse of a typical college dorm, and enjoy lunch at one of the campus dining halls.
