• The coaches and volunteers that make all our sports possible.
• The chaperones for the band trip to Chicago and the trip to Costa Rica.
• The club and activity advisors that provide a rich extracurricular experience for our students.
• All those that made the Myrtle Beach spring training trip a possibility.
• Everyone that helped make a the grades 3 and 8 testing run smoothly with the new computer-based format.

Hello everyone-

I hope this message finds you well and enjoying some of the warmer weather lately. We wanted to provide an update since we have reached the end of the third quarter and have about two months left in the school year. Here are some of the great things happening around our district. Please check out these and more below in the Smore.

• Our spring sports season is off to a great start with some big wins already in the books, including our Unified team's recent effort at SUNY Fredonia.

• We continue to work on an upcoming Capital Project to address some of our district facility's needs.

• We also continue to engage in a long-term plan to frame our next steps as a district over the next few years.

• Our music program had an award-winning performance in Chicago and the great support for music in our community continues to be impressive.

• Our recent HS musical is up for several honors through Shea’s Theater.

• Our school newspaper, Spectator, continues to win multiple recognition at the state level.

• Thanks to all of our students, faculty/staff, and families who have been involved with these accomplishments.

Please look for more information coming soon regarding our school budget for the 2024-25 school year and remember our community vote and BOE election is on May 21 from 2-9 PM right here in the HS cafeteria.

Feel free to reach out at any time with questions, concerns, or ideas. Have a great spring and be well. Go Billies!!!

Respectfully,

Brad Zilliox

Ray Dai, FHS Sophomore, recently competed in the US Geography Championships, a national exam-based competition in several aspects of geography. Ray placed second in the nation and will now go on to represent the USA as one of four members on the team at the International Geography Olympiad in Dublin, Ireland this summer.

CONGRATULATIONS RAY!!

The High School Symphonic Band travelled to Chicago to compete in the Windy City Classic Music Festival against bands from all across the world.

Our student musicians did a fantastic job earning the highest rating level, Superior, and winning first place in their division.

This is the third time the Symphonic Band has competed in this festival in Mr. Bennett's tenure and the third time they have won first place.

They also earned a new honor: The James R. Wells Overall Concert Band Award. This award is given to the best band who performed at the festival regardless of division.

Congratulations to these students, their parents, and their teachers.

Fredonia is proud to be recognized as one of the Best Communities in the nation for music education for the 12th year in a row. The award program recognizes and celebrates outstanding efforts by teachers, administrators, parents, students and community leaders who have made music education part of a well-rounded education. Designations are made to districts and schools that demonstrate an exceptionally high commitment and access to music education.

Congratulations to all of our student musicians, their families, and our music teachers!

Fredonia High School's production of Beauty and the Beast was nominated for 11 awards at the Shea's Musical Theatre Awards. Fredonia received the second most nominations of any school participating! The ceremony will be held at Shea's on Saturday, May 25. Since Fredonia is one of the ten finalists for Best Production, cast members will have the opportunity to perform a medley from the show on the Shea's stage.

Congratulations to our wonderful students and adults who work on the musical on this tremendous honor!!

Fredonia was nominated in the following categories:

Outstanding Production of a Musical

Outstanding Lead and Supporting Performances: Jackson Gollnitz, Miriam LaBarr, Jack Tuccio, Draejen Hicks, Ava Hartung

Outstanding Collective Ensemble Performance

Outstanding Collective Vocal Performance

Outstanding Costume Design and Execution

Outstanding Hair and Makeup Design and Execution

Outstanding Lighting Design and Execution

Outstanding Scenic Design and Execution

Outstanding Music Direction of a Musical

Outstanding Direction of a Musical

The Showstopper Award - "Be Our Guest"

In addition to the 11 categories listed above, Jack Tuccio was selected as a SEMI-FINALIST for the STAGE program. He was selected after a lengthy audition process. Jack will participate in an intensive week-long camp at Shea's where two finalists will be selected to represent Western New York at the Jimmy Awards in New York City in June. Congratulations to Jack!

Thirty-two Fredonia art students had the privilege of going to the AKG (Albright Knox Gundlach) Art Gallery to be the first of the public (Gallery members were the night before) to see "After the Sun-Forecasts from the North". The exhibition represented a diverse group of artists with strong ties to Denmark, Finland, Iceland, Norway and Sweden. These artists have not show in the US before. There work questions what is means to depict landscape today as well as how climate emergencies reverberate globally. As well as being some of the first in our region to see this work, students also experienced the new gallery and all of its splendor.

Do you have a student that will be entering UPK or Kindergarten in September?

Please contact the Wheelock Office by April 1 at 679-1581, ex 2800 to request a registration packet for either Universal Pre-Kindergarten or Kindergarten. There will be a full-day UPK program for all students next year, as well as an optional half-day am classroom.

Registration is for pre-kindergarten children who will turn 4 years old on or before December 1, 2024 and for kindergarten children who will turn 5 years old on or before December 1, 2024.

College-bound juniors recently headed to to Fredonia for an overview of the college application process as well as a student panel, tour and lunch.

After taking a multi-year break due to the pandemic, the Culture Fair returned to FCSD in March!

High School teacher Mrs. Beichner and school Social Worker Ms. Beyer travelled to Hamburg on April 16th with five students to attend the WNY GLYS GSA Conference. They represented our FHS GSA amongst many other WNY schools in attendance at the leadership conference for LGTBQ+ youth. Students attended informative workshops and met other youth from around the region during the evening.

Fredonia High School Students Win Big During High School Shark Tank At FSU

On March 18th, the SUNY Fredonia School of Business hosted a “Shark Tank” themed business competition for area high school schools. Ten Fredonia High School students, split into four teams, competed in the challenge against student teams from Dunkirk, Southwestern and Lake Shore, taking the #1 and #2 spots in the competition.

Fredonia's Unified Basketball team kicked off the season with a win against rival Dunkirk at Dods Hall on the Fredonia State Campus. Read all about the game here: https://www.observertoday.com/sports/local-sports/2024/04/clap-your-hands/

Who doesn’t love a good dance break? Check out all the Unified players, their coaches, and members of several Fredonia State athletic teams enjoying a Fredonia Unified tradition - the halftime dance party!

The Fredonia Hillbilly Basketball Teams made a strong showing on the CCAA Division 1 West Basketball All-Stars list this year. Congratulations to all, especially Boys Varsity Coach Nick Bertrando, 2024's Coach of the Year!

• Nick Bertrando - Coach of the Year
• Senior Mike Hahn - 1st Team
• Senior Davion White - 1st Team
• Senior Ella Koopman - 1st Team

Come show your support for the Lady Billies on May 8th between the hours of 3:45 pm and 8 pm. Food trucks will be located in the Wheelock Primary School Bus Loop with food vendors located in the cafeteria!!

• Dupers
• EL Rincon Criollo
• Pots'n Curries
• Quinn City BBQ