Notes from Onondaga Road

A Note from the PTA- We are in need of a PTA President for the 2025-2026 school year. The current President’s term is almost up and our PTA runs the risk of going inactive if someone doesn’t step up before elections on April. Without a PTA, the valuable enrichment the PTA brings to Onondaga Road will disappear. There will be no Pumpkin Walk, Scholastic Books Fairs, Enrichment Day, End of the Year Picnic or birthday books in the book vending machine, just to name a few. Interested parties should reach out to Dani Lamoureaux at WGORPTA@weatgenesee.org. You can also consider becoming a PTA member to help support all of the great PTA-sponsored activities. We would love to see you at the next meeting. The next PTA meeting is scheduled for Thursday, March 6th at 6:00 in the Onondaga Road Library.

Here is a list of upcoming PTA events that your membership supports:

• Scholastic Book Fairs
• Enrichment Day
• Learning Fair
• Family Picnic

Click below for quick access to the Onondaga Road PTA page, where you will find membership information, and other important PTA news:

https://www.westgenesee.org/o/ores/page/parent-teacher-association-pta

Join the West Genesee Culture Celebration on March 1, 2025!

The Annual Culture Celebration will be held at West Genesee High School on Saturday, March 1, 2025 from 12:00-3:00 p.m in the upper gymnasium. The annual West Genesee Culture Celebration is an exciting opportunity to showcase the rich diversity of the West Genesee Central School District and the broader Camillus community.

This special event highlights the many cultures that make up our community through performances and table displays by students, families, and community groups.

Some of the participants this year include a Ukrainian Dance Ensemble, Tearney's Martial Arts, Irish Dancers, and a Russian folk singer. Additionally, the event will showcase cultural displays from around the world, featuring South Africa, Bulgaria, Germany, Palestine, Mexico, and more!

Attendees are encouraged to bring an item to benefit two deserving organizations. AccessCNY is opening a new respite center for children facing mental health crises and is looking to collect children's books, art supplies, fidget spinners, playdough, and puzzles. The West Genesee Power Pack Program will be collecting Easy Mac, packaged fruit cups, granola bars, soup, Chef Boyardee, and Pop-Tarts to help combat food insecurity in the Camillus area.

For more information or to sign up, contact: Meghan Leonardis, West Genesee High School Administrative Intern, mleonardis@westgenesee.org, 315-487-4673.

Let’s make this celebration a true reflection of our multicultural community and foster a culture of inclusion in our schools. We look forward to celebrating with you!

Kindergarten Registration for the 2025-2026 school year opened up on December 4, 2024 and will go until March 28, 2025.

Watch for registration information on the Central Registration webpage. If you have any questions, email the Central Registrar at centralregistrar@westgenesee.org, or call Central Registration at (315) 487-4683.

When registering, parents/guardians should be prepared to upload the following:

• Two proofs of residency (i.e. mortgage or property statement or signed lease agreement, utility bill )

• proof of age

A physical examination and proof of immunizations are also required for entry into kindergarten and a dental certificate is requested for entry into kindergarten. These examinations should be done up to one year prior to the first day of school. Children who enter kindergarten this fall must be five years of age on or before December 1, 2025.

To access the most updated health requirements click here.

As the colder weather sets in, it often brings with it an increase in seasonal illnesses. To help keep all students and staff healthy, we ask families to monitor for certain symptoms before sending children to school.

If your child displays any of the following, please keep them home:

• Fever of 100 degrees or higher in the past 24 hours
• Vomiting or Diarrhea in the past 24 hours
• Strep Throat. Your child should be on an antibiotic for at least 24 hours before returning to school
• Bad cold with congestion or bad cough, especially if it has kept your child awake at night; and/or the cough is continuous and consistent throughout the day.
• Pink eye. Your child should be on an antibiotic for at least 24 hours before returning to school.

If your child becomes ill at school and the nurse and/or teacher feel your child is too sick to benefit from school and is contagious to classmates and staff, you will be called to pick up your child.

The cooler weather is upon us! Please keep in mind that our students will continue to go outside for recess daily. If the temperature is 20 degrees Fahrenheit or above, recess can take place outside. If the temperature is below 20 degrees Fahrenheit (this includes factoring in the WINDCHILL), recess will be indoors. Students should always have appropriate clothing for the weather each day: Coat, boots, snow pants, hat, and gloves.

**Also, please remember to LABEL your child's cold-weather clothing. You will be so glad you did!

All students enrolled at West Genesee CSD will be able to continue to receive one FREE breakfast and one FREE lunch meal per day at school.

This initiative was implemented in December 2023 and was a result of the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) expanding access to the federal Community Eligibility Provision (CEP). CEP allows eligible schools participating in the National School Lunch and School Breakfast Programs to offer school meals at no charge to all students.

Snacks and ice cream are an additional cost.

• Chips $1.00
• Cookie $1.25
• Ice Cream $1.50
• Rice Krispie Treat $1.25
• Fruit Roll Up $1.00
• Milk $.75

For any and all information pertaining to breakfast and/or lunch, including the process of MySchoolBucks please visit the district's food service website!

Announcements about school closings, delayed openings, or early dismissal will be posted on the News Headlines section of the District website home page. They will also be broadcast on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram and the following stations which you can access by clicking here.

Also, ParentSquare communications software allows us to send emails, texts, and make phone calls. (Phone calls will be used for emergency situations only.)

Parent/Guardians and staff will NOT need to sign-up to receive information from schools that you are registered for in Schooltool. (You will have the option to opt-out if you choose not to receive emails, texts, and/or phone calls. To receive texts, you also have to opt-in per the instructions in the Tips article below. )

2/17-2/21 - Winter Recess- No School

3/1 - Cultural Celebration at WGHS

3/4 - Board of Education Meeting - 6:00pm- High School

3/6 - PTA Meeting- 6:00pm