Hello Fredonia School Community,

I hope this message finds you well. We have continued to have a great start to the school year and have maintained the positive momentum of the first few weeks.

Our district has spent time over the last year and a half gathering information about our needs and what a Capital Project might look like. We have solidified the results of this work in Propositions 1, 2, and 3 with our public vote set for December 12th. We are excited about the opportunities this project presents for our students as we look to deliver on our mission of helping everyone become their greatest selves. This project represents a chance for our district to take giant steps forward in several areas.

You will see more information coming your way over the next several weeks. For now, we want to direct everyone to our website at the link below which contains information about the following:

• Absentee Ballots
• Project or Proposition 1, 2, and 3 Overview
• Questions with Answers on 22 Topics
• Project Flyer
• Benefits of the Project
• Cost Breakdown with Tax Impact

Web site Capital Project link: https://www.fredonia.wnyric.org/page/capital-project

Please take a look and familiarize yourself with our project. We encourage everyone to be part of the vote on December 12th. Please don’t miss out on a chance to have your voice heard. Thanks in advance for your attention and participation.

Feel free to reach out to me at any time with questions or concerns.

Respectfully,

Brad Zilliox

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Congratulations to junior Grant Abbey, who has earned a trip to All-State for String Bass in the coming year!

Congratulations to Gilen Gottinger, 12th-grade vocalist, who was also accepted as an alternate.

Interacting with a free art vending machine at the NCECA (National Council on Education for the Ceramic Arts) conference inspired FCSD Art Teachers Mackenzie Sheldon and Brandy Noody to write a grant to bring one to the Fredonia community. Thanks to the United Arts Appeal of Chautauqua County Projects Pool Grants Program, they've made their inspiration a reality.

Over the last two months, teachers, students, and local artists have created pieces to bring this project to life. Students from fifth through twelfth grade have been working on a variety of pieces to be included in the machine. These include beaded bracelets, polymer clay creations, polymer clay dragon eyes, and clay pins. A variety of artwork has been donated so far.

Noody explains, “Local artists from Mudslingers, a ceramic studio in Fredonia, created 250 pieces for the project and Fredonia employee Cindy Wystup donated beautiful, hand-wrapped beach glass pendants.”

Art Department faculty have donated pieces to be included as well. Sheldon and Noody are also working with art educators at other local districts to include their students' work in the machine.

The capsule "gumball" machine can currently be found inside The Next Chapter Bookstore located at 12 Park Place in Fredonia. Community members will be able to free-spin the machine and receive a piece of handmade artwork. Other community locations are in the works to host the project, including the Barker Library, Yokoso, and, hopefully, a location on SUNY Fredonia campus.

"We are so excited that the project is out in the community," states Sheldon, “and hope it spreads a little joy, color, and creativity in our community. If you have a chance, we hope you can stop in and check it out!"

Our friends at Wheelock had a great time celebrating 'Start with Hello' week with a fun photo booth in our cafeteria!

There is help available. Many working families may be eligible for help covering the high costs of childcare and be able to use a provider of their choice.

This summer 54 students attended Camp Invention, a one-week summer camp at Wheelock Early Childhood Center for inventors entering grades K-6. Camp Invention inventors spent the week creating their own light-up board games, learning about animals that glow, solving water challenges from around the world, and creating their own inventor toolkits. A special thanks to our instructors, Mrs. Pierce, Ms. Alessi, and Miss Steph, and our high school interns, Rosie, Lexi, Brayden, and Kaden.

Several of our elementary classes have taken advantage of the fantastic weather and enjoyed field trips. Students have had hands-on learning in the areas of local agriculture, science, and the environment while having funs with their classmates.

Check out the Fredonia Elementary Facebook page for pics of trips to Harvest View Greenhouses and Evangola Sate Park! https://www.facebook.com/FredoniaElementary

Rehearsals are underway for "Seussical Jr"
- Coming November 22 & 23!

Our Middle School artists have been working on a variety of polymer clay pieces for Creative Community Vend.

Many thanks to the HS National Honor Society for placing an American Flag for each of the 2799 victims of 9/11/2001.

This year's Homecoming celebration was a wonderfully wild ride with Spirit Week participation at an all time high, a parade filled with fantastic floats and music from the FHS Symphonic Band, all topped off with several wins for our athletic teams:

• Girls Volleyball beat Southwestern
• Girls Tennis swept Cassadaga Valley and beat Olean
• Girls Swim and Dive knocked off Franklinville @ home
• Fredonia Boys XC was the top local squad finishing in 15th place in the A-1 Division of the McQuaid Invitational last weekend
• Varsity Boys Soccer beat Dunkirk

For even more Homecoming pics check out and follow FHS Student Council on Instagram!

The U.S. Navy Band Commodores, the Navy's premier jazz ensemble, have been performing the very best of big band jazz for the Navy and the nation for 50 years. Formed in 1969, this 18-member group continues the jazz big band legacy with some of the finest musicians in the world. The Commodores' mission includes public concerts, national concert tours, ceremonial support in honoring our veterans, jazz education classes and clinics, and protocol performances for high-level military and civilian government officials.

While in town for a performance at Fredonia State, the Commodores spent time with our band students and provided a workshop style performance.

Join us in honoring our nation's heroes at our Veterans Day Parade! We welcome ALL veterans and their families to this special celebration.

Schedule of Events:

• 8:30 AM: Breakfast in the High School Cafeteria

• 9:15 AM: Parade through our main campus

• 9:30 AM: Travel to Wheelock School, where our youngest learners will say “Thank You” to our veterans.

We look forward to celebrating and showing our gratitude together!

Please RSVP by November 1st to ktomaszewski@fcsd.wnyric.org or call our district office at 716-679-1581.

The ancient Dunkirk-Fredonia football rivalry now has a new tradition: Winners get a trophy.

The Central Connection Mayors Cup will go to the winner of Friday’s game in Fredonia. It’s the brainchild of Fredonia Mayor Michael Ferguson.

“I got together with Southpaw Signs and Stripes and they’re going to donate it,” he said. “It’s a five tiered black marble trophy with a bronze football on top.”

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While all the attention at the Fredonia Central School District is on the major $51 million Capital Project proposal likely to be voted on this December, the District is planning a much smaller project in the $100,000 range to address accessibility and safety concerns at the main campus playground. Flooring improvements inside the building will also be included in the project.

“As of right now, our plans are to add some … rubberized surface, pathways leading to different parts of the equipment, and also increased rubberized surface underneath some of those pieces of equipment for safety,” Superintendent Dr. Brad Zilliox said. He also added several new pieces of equipment will be added, as well.

The District discussed including playground improvements in the major Capital Project proposal, but after several District residents spoke to the need to have safe and accessible playground for students to utilize, coupled with the feedback the District received from auditing the playground at both campuses, the District felt the best course of action would be to focus on upgrading the existing playground at the main campus through a Capital Outlay Project, an opportunity Districts are afforded each year by New York State for up to $100,000 of aid-eligible work.

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Fredonia School Safety Officer Tim Kachelmeyer assisted with the Safety Plan, which details the District’s response to a variety of scenarios. Superintendent Dr. Brad Zilliox noted the District’s “strong working relationship” with the Fredonia Police Department, New York State Troopers, and the Chautauqua County Sheriff’s Office.

Zilliox noted that part of the plan is the District’s emphasis on preventative measures the District can take to keep campuses safe from any potential threat. Zilliox emphasized ways of “being proactive and trying to get ahead of things that might happen that result in a dangerous, emergency situation.”

Minutes later, Zilliox posed a relevant question to the Board of Education with that emphasis in mind.

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Fredonia’s Nella Darrell-Sterbak … won the CCAA singles title Saturday after a pair of victories of her own, including a 6-4, 6-2 win over Chautauqua Lake’s Eden Ludwig in the final. The finalists beat a pair of undefeated Falconer girls in the semifinals.

“My goal was to win counties,” Darrell-Sterbak said. “Now, I’m like, I can do more.”

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Fredonia senior Elizabeth Pucci-Schaefer put on another show at the Chautauqua-Cattaraugus Athletic Association Diving Championships on Wednesday at the Olean Middle School pool. In her 11-dive program, Pucci-Schaefer scored 545.65 points to claim first place

Elizabeth Pucci-Schaefer eclipsed the 300-point threshold again as Fredonia/Dunkirk/Forestville/Pine Valley/Cassadaga Valley beat Olean/Portville 101-85 in Chautauqua-Cattaraugus Athletic Association girls swimming and diving Friday.